My favorite thing to do in Sedona is hike. Apparently my next favorite thing is eat … because hiking eight or ten miles in a day really works up an appetite, and all I can do is think about where I want to eat next. So, while I was doing research for places to eat while visiting Sedona, I kept seeing recommendations for Secret Garden Cafe. And when I saw that they have a full breakfast menu with vegan and gluten-free options, I decided that’s what I was going to get, because I don’t often come across breakfast food that my body can tolerate.
My direction-challenged self had a hard time figuring out where exactly in the Tlaquepaque Village the restaurant was. The signs aren’t obvious while driving, but it’s actually the first establishment in the village that you pass on the left upon entering the parking lot. Once I got there, I glanced at the menu posted outside and went inside. Immediately, the staff asked if I wanted to sit inside or outside. Normally, because springtime mornings in Sedona can be really chilly (as in barely 60 degrees F), I’d opt to stay inside, but as it was getting close to 11:00am and the weather was finally starting to warm up, I decided to try sitting outside at the garden tables, which are entirely in the shade. It was actually quite comfortable.
My server happily got me a large mug of coffee and water, and she answered questions I had about what to get with my dietary restrictions. Although there weren’t a lot of breakfast options that were both vegan and gluten-free, I was happy to get the Garden Love Scramble, which had tofu scrambled with peppers, caramelized onions, and mushrooms, which came with their homemade salsa, avocado, and something called “agave love toast”. It also normally comes with breakfast potatoes, but my server happily offered to substitute a side of fresh fruit instead of the potatoes. I also wanted to know if the gluten-free bread was vegan, because many gluten-free breads aren’t. But my server confirmed with another staff member that it was indeed vegan.
I sat sipping my coffee while I waited for my food. There was a light breeze, but the sunshine was gradually warming up the air. I imagine it would be quite warm in the afternoon. The coffee was far from the best cup of hot coffee I’ve ever had, but it would have to do for now. I was here for the food anyway, not the coffee.
When my food came, I marveled in how pretty the plate was. Lots of bright colors that contrasted with the brown and beige of the tofu and bread, and the aroma of the sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions was beyond enticing. And oh-so-delicious. The tofu by itself was so good, but adding a little bit of the salsa and/or the avocado added a whole new layer of flavors.
It having been so long since I’ve had any kind of decent bread, I’d actually never gotten onto the avocado toast bandwagon, so having this bread and avocado in front of me, I put them together. Another major yum! And the bread was quite remarkable. I have so frequently had dry, dense, bland, crumbly vegan and gluten-free bread that this bread being soft, not too dense, and not at all dry made me even more happy. Whatever this agave love toast is, I wanted to have when I got back to New York.
I savored as much as I could of my plate, but it ended up being a lot of food. My priority was the tofu and the vegetables, so I couldn’t finish the bread or the fruit. I almost had to laugh when my server then offered me their flourless brownie (which I’m not sure was vegan anyway), because I couldn’t have eaten another bite.
Above I mentioned that there weren’t many options from the breakfast menu that was vegan and gluten-free, but looking at the lunch and dinner menu, I saw that there were quite a few dishes I would have to contemplate getting next time I came to visit – the Chile Relleno, the Kale Bistro Salad, the Tempeh Reuben, or even just chips & guacamole. And maybe they’d be able to modify some of their other dishes as well.
Yes … I think I already know what I want when I go back to Sedona. I’m just going to have to fantasize for the next year.
Secret Garden Cafe at Tlaquepaque336 State Rte 179
Ste F 101
Sedona, AZ 86336
http://www.sedonasecretgardencafe.com/