Pasha Mezze Lunch Wraps

My husband and I were driving around Ghent on a Sunday afternoon deciding on a spot for lunch. I was in the mood for something light and healthy, so we chose Pasha Mezze, a local, organic Mediterranean restaurant that offers a wide selection of vegan and gluten-free items.

The atmosphere in Pasha is warm and welcoming. They have an open kitchen that’s visible from most tables, and yet, that doesn’t affect the restaurant from having a clean, orderly appearance nor does it affect the noise level. When we arrived, soft jazz music was playing in the background, and the room was especially tranquil since brunch had just ended.

Our waitress was cheery and friendly, expressing that she’d be “taking good care” of us—a phrase that caught my attention because I don’t hear it often. We normally hear the, “Hi my name is so-and-so, and I’ll be taking care of you this afternoon.” This waitress was not only to take care of us—but good care. And she did.

We were pleased to hear that their brunch drink specials were still available, so we each ordered a mimosa as we skimmed the menu. It was a brisk day, so I already had decided on the lentil soup, and to accompany, I chose a create-your-own wrap with garden greens, tomatoes, shrimp, organic quinoa and zucchini cheese puffs moistened with yogurt mint sauce. My husband ordered a grilled eggplant vegetable wrap served with a side of their house made hummus and toasted pita points.

When our food arrived, I first tasted the lentil soup. It was served at the perfect temperature and offered a comforting aroma and flavor. Hints of cumin are noticeable in this dish, and there’s a slight spice to the soup—definitely not overwhelming; just enough to give a burst of flavor in each spoonful. The soup is topped with crunchy wheat bread cubes, which I saved until the very end to allow them to soak up moisture and flavor.

The perfectly rolled wrap was served cold, but the zucchini puffs and shrimp warmed the inside. The shrimp were larger than I’d imagined, and the zucchini puffs added a crispy texture. All the ingredients hinted of the minty yogurt dip, a tangy and wonderfully flavorful sauce. Everything about the wrap was fresh and wholesome, and I’d certainly order it again.

The hummus on my husband’s platter was fluffy and slightly creamy, and the lightly seasoned, crispy pita points were a perfect size for scooping. His eggplant vegetable wrap was served warm and packed with grilled eggplant, sautéed julienne carrots and other veggies, warm mozzarella, mayonnaise, fresh kale and crispy lettuce with jalapeno tomato sauce. Of the two wraps, I enjoyed mine slightly better because of the freshness that the minty yogurt sauce offered, but his was still a delicious, savory meal that’s great for veggie lovers.

After we’d finished every single bite of our lunches, we decided to reward ourselves for eating so healthy, so we chose a crème brulee cheesecake for dessert. The sweet treat was dotted with specks of fresh Madagascar vanilla bean, served on a moist graham cracker crust and drizzled with burnt caramel, which added the distinct flavor of a scorched crème brulee topping. The cheesecake was rich in flavor but surprisingly smooth and light in texture, so we didn’t feel guilty at all for indulging in this luscious dessert.

We left feeling completely satisfied—not overly full and miserable like some places—thanks to the fresh ingredients, sensible portions and healthy qualities that Pasha presents in every dish. We’re going to take good care in making sure we dine here again soon.

Pasha Mezze is located at 340 W. 22^nd St., Norfolk. For more information, call 757-627-1317 or visit www.pashamezze.com

Tortilla West Vegan Chorizo Quesadillas

Our food writing class had the opportunity to go on our first field trip, a short journey to a Mexican restaurant with a southwestern flair—Tortilla West, located in West Ghent. This restaurant is especially popular on Monday on Tuesday evenings when they offer beef or bean tacos for just 75 cents apiece.

We visited on a Sunday afternoon after the brunch crowd had departed and before the dinner crowd began to arrive. When the hostess brought menus to our table, we were delighted to discover that their regular menu along with their brunch menu was being served.

This called for a homemade concoction from the make-your-own Bloody Mary bar. Their elaborate station is equipped with salt, pepper and Old Bay rimmers, a variety of spices such as chili powder, cayenne pepper, celery salt and habanero powder and a multitude of garnishes including celery sticks, pickled asparagus and at least seven different types of olives stuffed with anything from caper berries to bleu cheese.

When it was time to order, we decided to split a variety of appetizers to share with the class including crispy fried oysters, tender grilled corn, cornmeal breaded calamari, creamy jalapeno mac and cheese, vegan chicken nachos, tangy tequila shrimp and—my favorite—vegan chorizo quesadillas.

The slightly grilled quesadillas were filled with a savory and saucy vegan chorizo with melted vegan cheese and served with diced tomatoes and red onions and a dollop of vegan sour cream. Many vegan options tend to have a bland or tasteless quality, but this certainly wasn’t the case here. Even though the quesadillas were meant to taste like sausage, it reminded me more of a pulled pork barbecue with the vinegar aroma, undertones of sweetness and completely meat-like texture.

I was also impressed by the natural flavors of the cheese and sour cream—replicating meat is a task on its own, but replicating dairy is especially tricky, and I feel that Tortilla West has accomplished both feats beautifully.

Meat eaters, don’t fret; there’s plenty of menu options that include the real thing, although as flavorful and satisfying as the vegan chorizo quesadillas are, I bet you’ll have a difficult time telling the difference.

Tortilla West is located at 508 Orapax Street, Norfolk. For more information, call 757-440-3777.