I try not to pack the Meatless Monday column with tired, vegetarian staples like the veggie burger. Yet, when I find a good burger, and I mean great, I can’t help but tell you every last tasty detail. Surprisingly, I found the veggie burger I speak of at the fun-and-funky Atomic Cowboy in The Grove. Before I could even mutter the word enchilada at this Mexican eatery, my stomach spoke louder, and the house-made Veggie Burger appeared on my plate.
Hand-packed and full of tender veggies such as meaty squash, piquant peppers and sauteed onions, this patty retains a burger-like consistency with the help of chunky, salty breadcrumbs. The burger is toasted on the grill and placed between a plump vanilla bun, which provides a sweet bite to balance a few dashes of hot sauce (or more, depending on whether you assumed the burger would be bland before tasting). One side of the bun is smeared with a tangy chipotle mayo and the other side, which glues the bun to the thick veggie burger, has some sticky Chihuahua cheese.
Still needing a hint of Mexican? Substitute the chips and salsa, which come with the burger, for the refried beans. Not only healthier, these creamy beans pack that extra protein punch to top off a well-balanced Meatless Monday meal.
Oh loyal readers, I promise I won’t bore you with too many more tales of veggie burger dining, but let it be known, in my 13 years of being a vegetarian, this is the best veggie burger I’ve ever had in The Lou. Don’t believe me? Well, you’ll just have to head over to Atomic Cowboy, and try it for yourself.
This article appears in November 2012.