When our vegan son visited us recently from Philadelphia, we were all eager to try Bloomington's new vegetarian restaurant, The Owlery. The intimate space comprises three rooms in a converted house on the edge of Bloomington's historic Phoenix Hill neighborhood. When we went on a Saturday night in late April 2011, it was full of warm chatter and the clink-clank of tableware on china. The service was friendly. Our wait person seemed genuinely interested in advising our son and gave my wife a complementary glass of ice tea, because it was being brewed when she ordered and took 15 minutes to arrive. The service was also indifferent. We had to ask for forks; and later, had to ask again for napkins.
"Comfort food for vegetarians" sums up the menu. Warm, plentiful sandwiches and plates will satisfying your carb cravings at modest prices.
We found the appetizers more interesting than the entrees. If you have never tried poutine, at least once in your life you owe yourself a serving of the Owlery's Classic Poutine: French fries, drowned in a zesty, brown gravy and sprinkled with vegan cheese. The flavors were great, but the fries were soggy. Definitely not straight from the fryer. And, when the gravy cooled a bit, the cornstarch base was intrusive. On a recommendation, we also ordered the Coconut Macadamia Tofu. The wonderfully sweet crust was complemented with a peanut sauce with just the right blend of ginger and soy sauce. Again, however, this item had been cooked in advance and reheated before serving, which gave it a slightly greasy residue.
Our meals -- a meatball sandwich, vegetarian lasagne and eggplant parmigiana -- were satisfying but undistinguished. The marinara sauce on my side of spaghetti could have used more basil and oregano.
Every restaurant has the right to define itself, but this much must be said: It is sad that purveyors of vegan and vegetarian food think they still must imitate meat. For example, the Owlery's menu offers a Reuben, Fish and Chips, Philly Cheesesteak, Meatballs and a Fried Chicken Dinner, with various combinations of tofu, tempeh and seitan providing the ersatz meat. As a 90-percent vegetarian, I look forward to the day when American restaurants can honestly present vegetables, beans, grains and fruits in all their delicious glory without feeling required to pump them full of artificial flavorings to make them taste like meat. This requires moving outside America's borders to adapt the cuisines of India, the middle east, northern Africa and Mexico. In fairness, the Owlery does offer a handful of non-disguised tempeh items, but the menu tries too hard to evoke all those meat-laden meals you consumed before going vegetarian. Given the university community, I'm certain Bloomington's dinning public is ready for something more.
We will definitely go back to the Owlery, but only when our son visits. read more