Business Type: Restaurant
1106 Grand Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55105
Phone: (651) 287-9118
Website: http://bravobakery.net
Email: bravocafe@gmail.com
| HOURS |
| Monday-Thursday: 10:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Friday & Saturday: 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Sunday: Closed |
I only discovered Bravo! within the past month, but it is becoming a near-weekly event for me.
Although I have been lacto-vegetarian for more than half my life (now 20+ years), I have never been fond of most vegetarian-only restaurants, generally preferring those that are vegetarian-friendly. Many vegetarian restaurants emphasize health over flavor (which is fine when I'm eating at home, but not out), and some, despite their best efforts, simply don't have food that delights the senses. Bravo! is the first vegetarian-only restaurant I've ever eaten in that I actually love and would recommend even to omnivores.
Located near the intersection of Grand and Lexington Avenues in St. Paul, quite near a locally famous non-vegetarian restaurant, Bravo! is vegetarian without being overly pious. A combination cafe', bakery, and coffee shop, Bravo's atmosphere is small, casual, colorful, and pleasant, offering about four tables and six counter seats (if I drank coffee and lived within walking distance, I'm sure I'd be at Bravo! every day). Some books about vegetarianism and Buddhism are available for perusal, but there is most definitely not a "socially conscious, therefore no fun" attitude.
Bravo! offers Amerasian (imitation) meat-and-vegetable dishes, including homemade vegetarian fish, which I LOVE. The broccoli in the broccoli combination is always slightly overcooked, but this is a minor issue, considering that everything else is very good. The sauce on most dishes is "Minnesota (NOT) spicy," but extra chili paste is available at a condiment counter for those who want it.
One plate at Bravo! generally serves one person, although two not-very-hungry people could share one. Prices are VERY reasonable: $5.50 with white rice; $6:00 with brown rice.
In addition to entrees, coffee, and fruit smoothies (also very good), Bravo! may be the best place in the Twin Cities to buy a celebration cake for the health-conscious: instead of frosting flowers, cakes are decorated with fruit flowers.
This store was submitted by altiacanthus
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Fans of Bravo! Cafe' and Bakery
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Comments
I like this place ... but...
The owners are strict Vegetarians from Taiwan, so no meat nor animal products will be found in the store and desserts are "not too sweet."
I'm not a fan of the mock meats (mostly seitan/wheat gluten), and the food tends to taste to me like take-out Chinese. But more recently, they've added tofu and veggies to their menu and brown rice can ordered. However, I'm still too picky to have much appreciation for most the sauces.
The desserts are the selling point for me, especially the cakes, which are all beautiful to look at and use much less sugar than American-style cakes. As a bakery, they sell most any size cake for any occasion on a few days notice. The cakes are decorated with fruit, typical of Asian-style cakes.
I love this restaurant for the Pearl Bubble Tea and the Green Tea Cake. Though, my friends tend to prefer the vanilla (with fruit) or the Strawberry cakes. The bubble Tea is offered in a variety of flavors, but the "Pearl" is a rich-tasting medium-sweet milk tea. The other flavors are not as rich to me, so I don't bother with them.
Brewed Taiwanese (almost)-Green Tea in a tea pot is also usually delicious (depending what they have in stock) - if you're familiar with & like Pouchong (bow-jhung) Tea.