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Bay Leaf Cafe (Closed) (Vegetarian cuisine)  $

 7.5
JaT Rating

520 Ramona Street, Palo Alto, 94301  (Directions)


(650) 321 7466


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Tiny organic & vegan restaurant offering tasty dishes at reasonable prices.


Reviewer: Jason
Total Reviews: 1040
Reviewed: 6/20/2006
Rating: 7.5
My photo gallery 		We lucked out on a spot down the street from Bay Leaf Cafe. Parking isn't too hard in Palo Alto as there's many parking structures in the area. Bay Leaf Cafe is a full vegetarian restaurant that offers plenty of menu options for even the pickiest of eaters. If anything, you won't feel guilty eating here.

The atmosphere at Bay Leaf Cafe is fairly relaxing. Super clean and excellent natural light coming through the windows. The noise level is low and people were well behaved...meaning no stupid cell phones going off. I think they offer wireless internet access as a couple of people had their laptops laid out.

Good thing we got there a little after 12 as the lunch rush started to pile in after we arrived. We took a table next to the window and waited to get our menus. Our waiter seemed a bit slow but I don't think it was out of neglict, I honestly believe that's just how he rolls. He finally dropped off menus and it seemed like eternity for him to come back and take our orders. I ordered the artichoke quesadilla and the yin-wich sandwich.

With a short wait, the appetizer arrived.

artichoke quesadilla - decent stuff but I think I'd like to try another appetizer next time. gooey cheese, steamed artichokes, tortillas, and a low heat salsa.

So we wait and wait and wait. I haven't had service this slow since the DMV. Wow...it's not like they have to kill a cow back there...I'm kidding. Finally the plates have arrived.

The yin-wich sandwich arrived with mixed greens and a vinegrette dressing.

yin-wich sandwich - excellent toasted bread with organic vegetables; tomatos, cucumbers, mixed greens. toppings included ketchup, soy mayo, cheese, and other delicious items. The pattie is composed of soy and had grill marks with a unique taste to it. I love the flavor and consider it in the next league when comparing veggie patties. my only complaint was the size of the pattie. they need to have a double yin-wich pattie sandwich. there were large parts of the sandwich where bites did not include any of the soy pattie.

The presentation of the plate was admirable yet the portion size left me wanying more. I guess I'm just so used to eaying high carbs, high sugar, high fat meals. Bay Leaf Cafe on the other hand is a meal that's healthy and manages to maintain robust flavors. Although I loved what I ate, I think what keeps them out of the 8 range was the slow service and portion size. If you have a small appetite and want a healthy meal, give Bay Leaf Cafe a try.
 


Reviewer: Terry
Total Reviews: 739
Reviewed: 6/21/2006
Rating: 7.5
My photo gallery 		Bay Leaf has been on our list for awhile, and I was anxious to try it. Its just not very often that we can head up to Palo Alto, so it lingered for awhile. We arrive and are fortunate to find quick parking, a rare thing in downtown Palo Alto.

We walk in and the place is not too crowded. The waiter is a little slow to show us a table. And this was the first slowless of a generally slow lunch. We sit down and scan the menu. Everything actually looks really good. The menu isn't that huge, but I saw no losers.

I finally settled on the BBQ Tempeh sandwich and a Blueberry-Banana Smoothie.

The wait was really long, but at least we had a table with a window against the street so could people watch. My smoothie arrived first. It tasted fresh, but at over $4, I think it wasn't that good of a deal. If I return again, I would not order it.

The BBQ Tempeh really blew me away. The flavor was rich and full - hard to believe it was a non-meat sandwich. The bread was fresh, the bbq tasty, the veggies fresh. Excellent. It was a bit pricey at $6.50 for it (and a small pad of lettuce).

For that kind of price I would hope for maybe 50% more sandwich. As it was, I scarfed it down quickly, as it was so tasty. And was hungry for the rest of the afternoon.

I don't mind returning as the food was good, but I will make sure to bring an afternoon snack for the office.
 
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Jason ate...

Closed

“One of our users (James) passed by and said they were closed. Not sure when or why but it's kinda sad. Vegetarian restaurants are hard to come by.”

12/18/2006 5:44:17 PM