photos by Joey Stewart
We don’t do a lot of recaps of wine dinners, pop-ups and just specialty one-off dinners as of late, we find them a bit of a tease when the evening has passed and the items served are no longer available. This may or may not be true for chef Troy Gardner’s tasting menu he performed last evening for the benefit of the North Texas Wildlife Center.
The dinner was billed as a “wild dinner”, was vegan and mainly featured seafood. Vegan seafood. Which is interesting because Gardner is known for exquisite flavors he seems to conjure with his unique palate and seemingly Wiccan abilities to create vegan replicas of what otherwise be a plate suitable for omnivores.
It wasn’t that many years ago that Gardner hit international media with his vegan brisket. The “brisket” at (now defunct) V-Eats was made from seitan, which is a vegetarian-friendly wheat product that stands in for meat in vegan cooking. The meatless brisket was served inside a sandwich, in tacos, or in sliders.
Gardner’s brisket was described as tangy, chewy, moist and unlike anything that they have tried. Of course, barbecue stalwarts have been rather angry that someone would even dare imitate brisket without the help of a cow.
Regardless, chef Gardner moved on to open TLC Vegan Cafe and continues his magic with these vegan products. His Chicken Fried Steak and creamed gravy can be held up to any I have tasted throughout the Great State of Texas.
It is with that we offer you photos from last evening chef’s tasting that had two seatings. Photos are courtesy of our Joey Stewart who said he would eat this meal any time, it was that delicious. And he is a confirmed Omnivore and sushi maven.
Note that the shrimp was konjac, a combination of the konjac root and pea protein, this cruelty-free option not only mimics the taste and texture of traditional shrimp but also offers a healthier and more sustainable choice. It looks and tastes like shrimp.
Vegan products have been elevated over the past few years with the assistance of chefs like Gardner, excelling past the days when I went to Kalachandji’s for Thanksgiving (many, many years ago) and suffered through tofurkey.
The dishes Troy Gardner is serving at TLC Vegan Cafe is of a new era, a time when the planet and humans can sincerely co-exist and still enjoy fine dining.
