Freshies is a Family Favorite
Freshies Restaurant & Bar popped up on a Yelp search shortly after I had turned vegan and I was joining my family for our annual summer vacation in Lake Tahoe. My family wanted to make sure I had something substantial to eat. Freshies was a perfect choice for us. They have both vegan & vegetarian options as well as meat and fish options. They indicate on the menu that they use separate fryers for meat and vegetarian items, and they also have gluten-free items (although they have a disclaimer that cross-contamination is possible, especially since they don’t have a separate fryer for gluten-free items).
Both the menu and interior decoration is Hawaiian-themed. It’s laid-back, decorated with lots of palm trees and floral designs. However, the food itself is not necessarily strictly Hawaiian, as they have plenty of menu items inspired from locales all over the world (e.g. Jerk chicken, fish tacos, East Indian Spinach Salad, Jambalaya Salad, and Pho-style noodles).
Freshies is now a favorite in my family. We have gone pretty much every year for the past several years now. It’s also apparently a local favorite as well. It’s always pretty crowded at peak lunch and dinner times, and we have had to wait to be seated at dinner time. (Part of that is complicated by the fact that between Memorial Day and Labor Day, they open their outdoor rooftop deck and close their main dining room. My family does not like to sit outside. Freshies does keep their bar area open when the deck is open, but it is pretty small.)
A Vegan Eater’s Paradise
Unlike most “vegan-friendly” restaurants, there are PLENTY of vegan options on the menu here! From the salads to a few of the appetizers to a good number of the entrees, I still have yet to try everything that is vegan (and gluten-free).
Rippin’ Red Curry
One of the first things I ever got was the Rippin’ Red Curry. You can get it with chicken, fish, or sushi-grade Ahi, but I (of course) got it with tofu. (You can also do tempeh or just vegetables). The red curry has a bit of a kick, but it isn’t terribly spicy. It has tons of finely chopped vegetables in the curry and comes with a side of rice. And it’s huge! I have always had enough leftovers to make another meal.
East Indian Spinach Salad
Last year, I was in the mood for something more fresh and light, so I got the East Indian Spinach Salad. I don’t remember why now, but I asked for extra tofu in my salad. And man, did I get a lot of tofu! And the fact that the tofu in the salad was marinaded in those Indian spices? Yum yum yum! The crunchiness and sweetness of the fresh green apples paired well with the pickled red onions, tomatoes, coconut, and scallions also in the salad. This obviously was also a lot of food, and I had leftovers for lunch he next day.
Jambalaya Salad
It might have been the same year/trip as when I got the previous salad, but I also had to try the Jambalaya Salad. Normally, it comes with sausage, shrimp and chicken, but you can substitute both tofu and tempeh instead to make it vegan – which is exactly what I did. The tofu was lightly fried and the tempeh was pan-toasted as well, making it a crunchy addition to the salad. Roasted bell peppers, corn, black olives, and rice round out the hearty salad. Delicious!
Mana Meal
The Mana Meal was something I’d seen and had been eyeing on the menu for years. It wasn’t until my last trip in 2017 that I finally ordered it … and I practically melted in my seat. If you know me well, you know my love for mushrooms. ANY kind of mushroom gravy will have me swooning, but Freshies’ mushroom gravy is beyond heavenly. I wanted to bathe in it. But, of course, you need a vehicle for the gravy … well, you should, at least. (I won’t judge you for drinking the gravy all by itself.) In the Mana Meal, you get a delicious and hearty veggie loaf made of beans, peas, and grains that is fried and then smothered in the aforementioned gravy along with sauteed diced mushrooms. Even better, you get rice and vegetables that are also great vehicles for the gravy.
Have I mentioned the gravy?
But seriously, the veggie loaf is amazing by itself, too. It’s fried, so this isn’t by any meals a light meal. But the frying gives the veggie loaf a crispy edge that goes so well, texture-wise, with the gravy. Yes, I keep coming back to the gravy.
Jamaican Jerk Tofu
Now, the Jamaican Jerk Tofu (or Jerk Tempeh, or Jerk Chicken) isn’t a dish that I have had (yet), but it is something that I can have. My mom decided to eat a vegan meal (voluntarily!) and got the Jerk Tofu over mashed potatoes. It also came with a side of seasoned vegetables (zucchini, cauliflower, carrots). She really liked it and she was definitely satisfied.
Great for Omnivores and Carnivores, Too
Just because they tout so many vegan and vegetarian items on the menu, that doesn’t mean a meat-eater will have a hard time finding options. Many of the dishes have the option of meat or fish. My brother-in-law got the giant 1 1/2-pound plate of spare ribs, so he was super happy. I regret not having gotten a picture of the monstrosity of ribs on his plate!
Noodle Bowl with Ahi
My brother is a big fan of noodle bowls, so he’s gotten a few different ones over the years. Last year, he got the rice noodle bowl with sushi-grade Ahi tuna. He seemed to very much enjoy it.
Udon Noodle Bowl with Cod
The previous year, if I remember correctly, my brother tried to order the noodle soup bowl with Ahi, but they had run out, so he got it with cod instead. And since you have the option of having either Udon noodles or rice noodles, he’d opted for Udon. Looked hearty and filling.
Teriyaki Beef Stir-Fry
And finally, my mom one year got the Teriyaki Beef Stir-Fry (which you can get with organic chicken breast, tofu, or tempeh instead). She said there were lots of diced up vegetables as well that made it a well-rounded meal.
I imagine we will be back to Freshies this year. Too much good food still to be had!