The James Logan Courier

By Zola Boyd, Courier Staff Writer

Do you like good food? Do you have soul? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you should follow your nose to Souley Vegan, a restaurant specializing in vegan versions of your favorite comfort foods. The inside of the restaurant is white and modest, paintings of famous soulful people like Ella Fitzgerald line the walls and there's a live band on some Friday nights.

And the food, the food is delectable. With a menu serving everything from cornbread to collard greens to cheesecake (all dairy free), there is something for everyone. I usually order three items for ten bucks, a sweet deal because the portions are gargantuan. My favorite dish is the BBQ tofu, delicious tofu cubes in a simmering sweet barbecue sauce. If you're not into barbecue sauce, there's the tasty southern fried tofu; breaded, deep-fried hunks of tofu. Two other highlights on the menu are the macaroni and cheese and potato salad, two foods considered untouchable to vegans. The macaroni and soy cheese is creamy and flavorful, a real treat. And the potato salad is spicy and delicious, definitely a crowd-pleaser.

For desert, cheesecake was the obvious choice for someone with a sweet tooth like mine. It was sweet and homemade tasting, totally worth four bucks.

The meal was cheap and beyond satysfying, even for my carnivorous companions, one of which stated "I may be a meat eater, but this food is addictively f***ing delicious and cheap. ALL HAIL THE TOFU." Well said. This is a restaurant which can satisfy the munching needs of all, from spirulina-guzzling vegans to gluttonous meat enthuthiasts. Can you dig it?