First off, I just love the name Eve and it brought to mind an old-school movie of the same name called “All About Eve,” hence the dual-purpose headline. In case you are unfamiliar, it is very worth checking out. Made in 1950 it stars Bette Davis as an aging Broadway star with Anne Baxter as a conniving Eve Harrington and Marilyn Monroe in one of her earliest roles. It won an Academy Award for best picture and is considered one of the 100 best American movies.
Now that we have that side note out of the way let’s talk about Eve in Encinitas. I mention the movie because the interior of Eve, especially the back room, is such a beautiful, warm, inviting and timeless space. Kind of like a classic movie that stands the test of time or a pattern like gingham that will never go out of style. It’s predominantly populated by an attractive, health-focused crowd and is somewhat of an oasis from the loud and boisterous tasting rooms and trendy tequila bars that reside on the same stretch of Coast Highway 101 in downtown Encinitas. They say it much more eloquently themselves on their website where they describe it as “A place where you can find respite, growth, and nourishment for your soul and body.”
They also have a stage in that sexy back room that features an open mic night and guest performers like Tehila Nahavii on Nov. 30 and Lee Coulter and Dixie Maxwell performing Dec. 7 as part of their Sound Waves series. These artists are all very suited to the vibe at Eve. On the topic of events they have one coming up Dec. 8 and Dec. 9 called “Curate Pop Up” that is being billed as Encinitas’ newest Pop Up market bringing the best in creative, unique items from local businesses. Check it out at www.curatepopupsd.com. It should be noted that you can book this fabulous space for private events.
So now that we’ve established that it’s a killer space, let’s talk about the food. Basically it’s all about creative vegan cuisine, superfood smoothies, cold-pressed juices, local kombucha and a relaxed community gathering space to enjoy them in. I’m not a vegan, nor do I really seek out vegan food but it just so happens they offer a few items that I enjoy regardless. And given the plethora of options for this kind of cuisine in Encinitas, this one is my favorite so far to hang out in.
First off I had yet to experience the highly touted Beyond Meat Burger, so that’s what I started my first visit off with. So in case you are not familiar, this is touted as a plant-based patty that looks, sizzles, feels and even “bleeds” like a traditional hamburger. I’m wondering if this is targeted toward those who have gone vegan but are craving a meatless burger experience or those non-vegans who are tagging along and nothing else on the menu appeals to them? It’s probably a little of both as I’m thinking the real vegans go more for the plant-based burgers that do not possess those meat-like attributes.
The makers of the burger spent seven years working to come up with something that recreates the taste, texture, and smell of a traditional beef burger made with no animal products, which until this point has been difficult. And while it is made from plant-based ingredients, it’s not all vegetables in there though there are no GMOs, soy or gluten.
The primary source of protein comes from peas and the red juice-like substance that replicates the “bleeding” of a beef patty comes from beets. The Beyond Meat Burger I had at Eve was delicious and ate like a real burger, which is one of the great pleasures in my eating life. Eve offers up six of them with a variety of toppings. I found it paired well with my favorite local kombucha from Bambucha Kombucha.
On another visit I had a Buddha Bowl that was a hearty, dense, filling bowl of healthy goodness. I had the Havana Affair that was packed with coconut cilantro lime brown rice, quinoa, Cuban style black beans, yams, pickled Cuban slaw, wakame chuka, plantains and Cuban mojo sauce. I had to look up wakame chuka and it’s basically sesame seaweed salad. There is a full meal in this bowl and while the mix of ingredients was not completely familiar to me, I feel like I could make these bowls a regular thing and feel pretty good about eating them. I think that’s one of the bonuses about eating at Eve is that for the most part it is guilt-free. There are seven Buddha Bowls to choose from.
I also tried one of the flatbreads and am sorry to report that I have still not found a vegan/gluten free crust that works for me. They make it with cauliflower and well, maybe I need to get a vegan’s opinion because I am spoiled by all the amazing pizza and flatbreads available and honestly don’t think it’s possible to replicate that. Maybe that’s the next project for the Beyond Meat folks.
There are very nice salads of course and the entrée’s consist of Jackfruit Tacos, a daily Veggie Quiche, Chilaquiles Deluxe and a Truffled Mushroom Pasta. A breakfast burrito and veggie burrito are available as well. The Smoothies are very nice and of course the ever-present Acai Bowls.
Eve is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and is located at 575 S Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas. Check out the full menu and events at www.eveencinitas.com.
