Raw foodism is a dietary movement that has gained some popularity in the last twenty years or so. A belief that maintaining a diet made up of 75% raw foods will boost your health has inspired several restaurants to add menu items or to rely entirely on a raw food menu.
Planet Raw in Santa Monica, California features a full raw and vegan menu and will be opening a new location in Walnut Creek, California in the new year. From pumpkin tortellini to cold cereal, patrons can choose several delicious dishes and some are even liquitarian-friendly. Other restaurants featuring vegan, gluten-free, raw menus include Rawbert's in Beverly, Massachusetts (which recently changed its name from Organic Garden Cafe) and Cousin's Incredible Vitality in Chicago, Illinois.
Raw food can also be found in other restaurants but organic restaurants are usually the best bets for trying your hand at raw food. Karyn's Fresh Corner also in Chicago carries some delicious organic raw foods and Mana Foods in Maui, Hawaii also offers raw options to their customers.
As the new years draws closer, many are making their opinions heard about what they think will be big in '09. Among those speaking out is Chef Enzo Febbraro of D'Acqua Ristorante in Washington, DC. The chef believes that diners will be more environmentally conscience choosing restaurants that use reusable supplies and they will also be more conscience of cost, selecting restaurants which offer more bang for the buck.
Other trends the chef points out include gluten-free menus which are already starting to appear around the country. Locally-grown ingredients, natural foods and seasonal eats will also top the concerns of 2009 diners and, according to Febbraro, trends in tea drinking will also continue to develop.
Order In Online
I Must Eat, an online ordering dining guide, has launched allowing visitors to find over 600,000 restaurants which accept online orders. The site is specifically geared to help users find a restaurant near them from which they can order online. The guide also offers further dining information, including cuisine, locations and more all located centrally from their site.
Openings & Closings
Chicago: Province has opened.
Los Angeles: Drago Centro opens its doors. Wurstküche also opens serving the downtown area.
New York City: The Dutch chain Danku opens a location in midtown. Grayz will close by the end of the year and reopen in 2009 as Gneiss.
Miami: Joey's opens in Wynwood Arts & Cafe District.
Other: Key West Grill & Oyster Bar opens in Lexington, North Carolina.
---
Please let us know about more openings & closings in the comments.
Extra
Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.
~Jim Davis
