1742 W. Division, Chicago, IL 60622
Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you, I have a carnivorous appetite. I love roasts, burgers, and barbecued chicken. When I was younger my best friend was a vegetarian so I decided to step in her shoes and not eat meat for at least one week. It lasted for one meal.
My good friend’s birthday was yesterday and she is also a vegetarian and I knew that MANA Food Bar would be a great place to take her. It is one of the few vegetarian restaurants whose dishes truly taste meaty. All of the items on the menu come in small and large plates and a large portion of the dishes have a strong Asian influence.
The restaurant is very small and seats about twenty-five people (about ten of those being bar seats) and so my group of seven friends sat by the bar for a bit and drank delicious sake cocktails. They were all delicious, fruity, and refreshing. I ordered the pineapple and ginger sake drink and loved the combination of flavors.
When you visit MANA you must order the mushroom sauté with creamy polenta. The polenta tastes almost like smooth mashed potatoes with a hint of Parmesan cheese and the flavor is perfectly paired with the mushrooms. Another great dish is the sweet potato curry with cauliflower, brown rice, peas, cilantro and lime. It is simple, hearty, and outstanding.
Everything on the menu is superb and satisfying and MANA Food Bar is a place that I, a meat lover, would voluntarily go to. To see the menu and find out more about MANA Food Bar, visit their website at www.manafoodbar.com.
