Taste Of The Town: Green Bar & Kitchen Serving Wide Variety Of Vegan Meals, Juices, & More

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Green Bar & Kitchen in Fort Lauderdale is a go-to for South Florida foodies offering a wide variety of vegan meals and juices where their vegan dreams come true.

Although the menu is vegan, meaning it's all plant-based, they also pride themselves on knowing that vegans, or anyone who chooses to eat healthy, want their version of junk food as well.

"My biggest thing is that you know vegan food isn't just vegetables. It can taste good. It can really be a staple of an everyday diet," said chef and general manager William Uralowich. "It doesn't have to be 100%, but if they're able to leave here saying 'wow this was amazing food and want to come back,'  I feel like we did our job."

Uralowich said his menu is all about offering something for everyone.

"Vegan food doesn't just always have to be vegetables and tofu. There are so many wonderful things that we can do and honestly, throughout my experience, I think it takes more skill to cook vegan because you're using more spices as you're trying to create all these different things," he said.

Green Bar & Kitchen is a fast-casual style where diners order upfront and get served at the tables.

The decor is clean and green as is the food. It's more modern on the inside, more bohemian and artsy outside.

They also serve beer and wine as well as a few fancy drinks thrown in.

"We came out with about five or six cocktails that we make freshly homemade fresh fruit fresh mint fresh juices it kind of provides a tasty beverage too," Urolowich said.

Taking one for the team, CBS4's Lisa Petrillo sampled the blueberry mojito, which is muttled blueberries, mint, lime juice, and agave with champagne on top.

"It's refreshing with a little bit of a kick and wonderfully sweet, said Petrillo.

"Nothing better on a hot Florida day," said Uralowich.

Back in the kitchen, Uralowich prepared meals for the many loyal customers and for Petrillo's tasting.

They begin with Sashimi. It's made with fish-free ingredients, replicating tuna and salmon sashimi.

"There's no tuna or salmon in it. It's a lot of water and a lot of flaxseed oil. We are the only vegan restaurant to have vegan sashimi," Uralowich said.

"I would never know this isn't tuna," said Petrillo. "I am blown away."

They move on to vegan-style junk-free junk food. It's the Green Bar Burger and its meatless course.

"So we have roasted carrots, onions, garlic and tossed with rosemary, thyme, and sage. What holds it together are the quinoa and chickpeas," said Uralowich.

"It's called a burger, but it just has a great flavor the avocado gives a smoothness. There's a crunch inside. It's just a wonderful sandwich burger," explained Petrillo.

Next, Green Bar's fried chicken sandwich.  It can be served mild or spicy.  It's clear which one Petrillo got.

"It's a great crunch and it's definitely got heat! Woo hoo!" said Petrillo.

"You can either get it with the hot sauce or without the hot sauce," said Uralowich.

"It definitely has a great fried hot chicken sandwich taste. Super crunchy," said Petrillo.

Green Bar and Kitchen proves vegans can have their taste of junk food too, but without the junk!

Green Bar and Kitchen is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner and brunch on Sundays.

For more information, visit their website. 

INGREDIENTS & RECIPE FOR HOT CRISPY CHICK'N SANDWICH 

Seiten "Chick'n" patty, jalapeno ranch, hot sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles, cabbage slaw

Ingredients:

• 5 oz Seiten Chick'n Patty
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Pickles
• Cabbage Slaw
• Jalapeno Ranch
• Burger Bun

Instructions:

Jalapeno Ranch- vegan mayo, jalapeno (deseeded), almond milk, lime juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt.

Breaded Seitan Meat- Just Egg and Almond Milk, Flour (salt, white pepper, paprika, cayenne), Panko Bread Crumbs

Prep: Fry Seitan Chicken until golden brown (3-6 mins) then dip in hot sauce, Toast burger bun.

Once the bun is toasted, put jalapeno ranch on both sides of the bun, layer lettuce and tomato on the bottom bun.

Then add Patty dipped in Hot Sauce on tomato, then add cabbage slaw and pickle on top of the patty.

Put the top bun on and enjoy.