Café Tarragon — raw, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian

Those seeking vegan, gluten-free, raw, or vegetarian fare at last have many savory and sweet options. Café Tarragon, 2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., located inside Future Green, a retail store featuring fair trade, recycled, and organic products, is a miniature café busting out fine flavors via an original and thoughtfully conceived menu.

Two chefs design the daily menu and collaborate in food preparation. Cassandra Comerford, boasting 20 years’ experience in professional kitchens, is a graduate of the School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College in Evanston, Ill. Future Green co-owner Lisa Sim is a graduate of the Milwaukee Area Technical College Culinary Arts program and owned and operated The Lunch Connection in the late ’80s and early ’90s in Milwaukee.

The day that my guest and I stopped in, the menu featured a grilled veggie panini on gluten-free bread or wheat-based Italian. It was served with an array of chips, a savory vinegar-and-oil-dressed slaw, and a homemade pickle spear. The sandwich itself was succulent-made with grilled and caramelized red bell peppers, mushrooms, red onions, and garnished with fresh spinach and vegan rice-based “mozzarella.”

Sim and Comerford plan to offer two soup choices each day, one broth-based and one purée. We sampled a truly lovely vegetable soup with a richly flavored broth and vegetables, and garnished with slices of raw bok choy and gluten-free dumplings. The purée soup was golden beet, rich and satisfying.

The spinach salad combined crumbled tofu and thinly sliced red onions with a side of hot miso and puréed mushroom dressing. My dining companion declared the dish “really freakin’ good!” Another salad, one of the all — raw offerings, was comprised of an array of greens and vegetables including “spiralized” red and golden beets and an excellent vinaigrette prepared with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and agave nectar. They also offer a vegan creamy garlic peppercorn and Dijon honey mustard, all three homemade. Other salad options are two “potato-like salads.” One stars sweet potatoes and another jicama. We sampled the former. Served cold, it melded a mild dressing with the mellow flavor of a gently boiled and diced sweet potato.

More raw and vegan offerings available are marinated mushrooms stuffed with a vegetable/nut purée and vegetable roll-ups with a shoyu-based dipping sauce.

Sim and Comerford offer raw options each day plus “Raw Saturday” where more raw options are available, including the jicama salad. In time, they plan to include a hot lunch buffet, “no-fish fish fries,” Sunday brunch, and on Valentine’s Day, a special menu for the first 10 couples who sign up.

Except for the Italian bread option for the panini, all baked items are gluten-free, and the day we dined, there were apple/cranberry muffins, scones with golden raisins, plus a raw sweet potato pie.

The sweet course we sampled was raw candy made from dates, coconuts, and walnuts and a vegan chocolate truffle. Both were fine, in part because they were not cloyingly sweet.

Beverages include local fair trade Sven’s coffee and another from Sandra Farms in Puerto Rico. Tea, chai, and Aztec hot chocolate are also served.

Café Tarragon
Lisa and Swee Sim, owners
2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
Tu-Sat 11am-4pm, but deli items are available until 6pm
(414) 294-4300
Menu: About 20 items mostly gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and/or raw
Prices: Moderate: Soup cup $3.75; bowl $5.25. Sandwiches and salads: $7.99-$8.99.
Smoke-free.
No booster chairs, diaper changing station, or children’s menu (yet).
Organic/Local: Not entire menu.
Take Out: Yes; Delivery: No.
Organic, local, whenever possible, no processed foods, 98 % gluten free.
All carry out containers and utensils are 98% compostable.
Find good  profile of Café Tarragon here.

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