Golden Temple

Even though I still eat meat, it's no secret that I love a good vegetarian meal.

Some of my favorite vegetarian restaurants include:

Candle 79 in New York.

Cafe Sunflower in Atlanta.

World Peace Cafe in Atlanta.

Food For Thought in London. I also loved it this time. And this time.

Mildred's in London.

I just got really nostalgic reading over my travel posts from the past year. I'm ready for another trip!

As you may have guessed, Birmingham AL, is not exactly the most vegetarian-friendly city in the world.  However, there is one exclusively vegetarian restaurant here (also vegan-friendly) called Golden Temple. It's located downtown and is just a short drive from UAB's campus. Class gets out at 11 on Mondays, so I decided to head over there after class and try it out.

Look who I ran into:

Daddy-O and I had the same brilliant idea to get a delicious vegetarian meal! As my mom would say, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

I ordered the Golden Temple Stack, a bowl of brown rice, black beans, Monterey Jack cheese, salsa, and guacamole. I asked for it without sour cream. I decided to order the "large bowl" because the "small bowl" looked too small, but when my order came out, I immediately regretted my decision. This bowl was PACKED full! I could only eat about half and boxed up the rest for leftovers.

MMMM. Plant-based protein!

My dad ordered Red Beans and Rice which was the special of the day. It also came with a side salad and brown rice tortilla. I tried a bite, and it was really good!

Overall, it was a great lunch, and it was fun having a surprise dining companion! The food was healthy and hearty, and there are several more items on the menu that I want to try. They also have a smoothie and juice bar, so I might start making this a regular lunch spot. 

Definitely one of Birmingham's best-kept secrets- I can't believe I didn't know about this place until a few months ago!