Taste Of The Town: Holi Vegan Kitchen
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Welcome to Holi Vegan Kitchen, a charming and healthy restaurant opened just a few months ago in North Miami Beach by sisters Laura and Cecilia Ramonda.
"We became vegan a few years ago and we started feeling the difference in our bodies in a holistic way. That's the name of our restaurant 'holi' from holistic," said Laura.
"We use no dairy at all, no honey, no cheese and no meat. That's the difference between vegan and vegetarian. Vegan has no animal products at all," said Cecilia.
Holi Vegan features food, wine and a number of beers; a hidden gem where vegans and non-vegans alike share good food and good time times.
"We are grateful and happy when people who are non-vegans come here and say 'wow, I love this'. It's not only a food for nourishing the body, it also nourishes your soul," said Cecilia.
CBS4's Lisa Petrillo sampled the menu on her visit with the sisters. First up was The Pesto Scramble. It looked like eggs, but was really tofu with added veggies and spices served on whole wheat bread.
"I dare you to think this is not scrambled eggs," Petrillo said, "But even tastier. It's fluffier and has so much flavor. I like way this better than scrambled eggs. This is breakfast!"
Next, raw turmeric crust pizzetta that is made from dehydrated oats and veggies. On top was a cashew ricotta topped with kalamata olives.
"It has tons of flavors, it's hearty. It can be a meal or an appetizer," said Petrillo. "It feels like a yummy dip with crunch."
Finally, the raw cashew ricotta cheese cake. Yes, that's correct, cashews substitute for ricotta cheese.
"I don't even like cheese cake, it's my least favorite dessert and this is delicious. It has a has a deep flavor and then the blueberries on top give it a smooth and sweet feel. It's super healthy and you feel like your having cheesecake," said Petrillo.
Holi Vegan Kitchen is located at 3099 NE 163rd Street in North Miami Beach. It is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.
CBS4's Lisa Petrillo would love to hear from you. Please send us a suggestion for your #HiddenGems spot at tasteofthetown@cbs.com. You can also contact Lisa through Twitter or Facebook.
