Vegan Girl Does Brunch at Company Cafe

by Melissa Brenner

For some odd reason brunch is the absolute hardest meal to get as a vegan in Dallas. Most vegan places don’t serve brunch; those that do don’t serve alcohol (which is most of the fun of brunch, right? I mean you need that Mimosa or Bloody Mary to recover from Saturday night). When I do go out for brunch the alcohol is usually all I can have and as much as that sounds like a good idea, it’s really not.

Brunch is pretty egg-centric in the mainstream food world, so I get that it can be an intimidating meal for a non-vegan restaurant or chef. We have become adept at mastering the flax egg and other replacements, as evidenced by the amazing pot luck brunches thrown by the Dallas Vegan group, but those are not items that an omnivore might even imagine as options. 

I put the feelers out for a spot that would be willing to add vegan items to the menu for brunch. Sadly there weren’t too many takers, but Company Café  was willing to accept the challenge. After speaking with Steven White and Chef Natasha Berlin, I was excited to book my brunch trip and experience the new menu items they worked up for us (I brought  a small crew to test and get feedback on all the items available).   

Word from chef Fred and the crew is that they will continue to adjust the menu per feedback from the community; for flavor, texture, and content

They were packed when we arrived, so we had a bit of a wait (they do not accept reservations). Fortunately they have a full bar and happiness came in the form of a $3 mimosa. FYI: this is always the best and fastest way to move my mood in a positive direction. Chef Fred Messick came out to greet us and give us the special menu low down.

The following items were what we tested: Tofu Scramble with bell peppers, onions and mushrooms. This was much tastier than other tofu scrambles that I have been served in town, but still not as flavorful as I would have liked, but a good first effort. They were cleverly yellowed with spices, which contributed to eye appeal.

Breakfast Tacos come in 3’s and are just about too much food to eat for me, but they’re probably just right for Texas size standards. They consist of the tofu scramble with black beans added, southwestern style rice and a salsa style sauce on the side. Because the base was the tofu scramble, they did suffer from the same lack of wow on the flavor side. Simple additions of pickled jalapenos, Tapatio sauce and fresh cilantro did wonders and are highly recommended for either the tacos or scramble.

Pancakes/Waffles: the vegan batter is available in either format (I don’t understand the difference, but apparently there is one). We had the pancakes plain and blueberry. This was universally the favorite dish of the meal. Super yummy and vegan butter is available if you like to butter your cakes.  

The non-breakfast item was the Vegan Burger. I did not get a bite (I was already ridiculously full), but reviews were very positive. Standard toppings are organic spring mix, onion and tomato with a side of sweet potato fries. Extra care was taken to ensure the bun was vegan (hurray). A special request of avocado was honored and made the lucky devourer do the happy dance.

So, there you go, kids… you’ve got a new brunch spot to check out. Word from chef Fred and the crew is that they will continue to adjust the menu per feedback from the community; for flavor, texture, and content. Remember, they are not vegan and know what tastes good to us about as much as we know how to cook a steak.

Do some good work for the community and go in to try their offerings yourself. They’d love to see you and get some kind, constructive feedback. The group discussion was the possible addition of a vegan sausage, tempeh bacon, or soyrizo for a little more protein balance to the more carb-y items. What would you all like to see?