Customer Reviews

The Sublime Restaurant Cookbook: Florida's Ultimate Destination for Vegan Cuisine

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I've been to Sublime many times and was thrilled to see they had a cookbook out. I just wish it didn't look like it had been thrown together. One of my gripes against vegetarian cookbooks is they all seem to have been created on the cheap - no big glossy photos, thin bindings, flopsy pages. It is disheartening.

There are only a few color photos and the rest is printed in this dreadful green ink (Sublime is all green inside the restaurant which is lovely in decor but not to read) that is not easy on the eyes.

There are a few recipes I was excited to find, since I loved ordering them at the restaurant but as one reviewer mentioned some of the recipes are not done the way they are in the restaurant and I don't understand why they published them that way.

Sublime is a great restaurant on a mission and all their profits go to animal welfare, so eating there (and purchasing this cookbook) is a worthwhile endeavor.

The book does not accurately reflect the recipes in the restaurant - for instance the sublime piccata served inhouse is actually made from gardein, not the seitan recipe they provide in the book. Also, some recipes are so simple that they are kind of an insult to the intelligence of a basic cook.

For truly good vegetarian restaurant books to follow, try "The Grit" or "Cafe Flora".

There are so many great recipes in this book, ranging from elegant hors d'oeuvres to gourmet entrees (and even yummy desserts and cocktails!). And the best part is that each and every recipe is free of animal products. Eating healthy (and cruelty-free) just got a whole lot easier!

I thought it would be hard to find a lot of the ingredients but I was able to find almost everything at my local supermarket (Publix). I was also quite surprised at how undetectable the vegan substitutions are to non-vegans. I served the Mac n' Cheese, Margherita Pizza, and Coconut Cake to my friends and no one could tell that these were vegan.

I am planning on picking up a few more copies to give out as gifts. I want all the people that are dear to me to be able to benefit from these healthy recipes.

I'm not vegan, but heard such great things about this restaurant that I had to try it. It was phenomenal; in fact, if I could eat like this every day, I'd have no trouble being vegan. So I decided to check out the cookbook and see if I could cook like this. It was a no brainer - the recipes are easy to follow, and even more importantly, ingredients are easily found at most supermarkets with a good organic department or specialty stores like Whole Foods. I made our favorite appetizer, the Frito Misto, a tempura-battered cauliflower tossed in Sweet Chili Sauce that was reminiscent of General Tso's chicken. The Chopped Salad is wonderful, and we loved the Caesar with its light, lemony dressing, although truth be told, it didn't really taste like a Caesar. The cookbook covers appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts, even drinks like the Pomtini. My daughter is dying to try the coconut cake so that will be next. Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Sublime, the renowned vegan restaurant in southern Florida, is sharing its wonderful recipes in The Sublime Restaurant Cookbook. Author Nanci Alexander is the founder of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF) as well as the owner of Sublime. Because animal farming for food is the biggest source of animal cruelty, Alexander wanted her restaurant to show just how delicious plant-based foods could be. Although I haven't been fortunate enough to visit Sublime, judging by the rave reviews her restaurant has garnered and the mouth-watering recipes in her cookbook, Alexander has indeed achieved her goal.

The Sublime Restaurant Cookbook takes the reader through the entire gourmet dining experience. Starting with hors d'oeuvres and appetizers like Nori-Crusted Tofu, Stuffed Mushrooms, Eggplant Rollantini, and Mushroom Ceviche, you are sure to get your meal off to a delicious start. For soups, try the Chilled Cucumber Coconut, Tomato Fennel, Carrot Ginger--or have a good cry while making the 50 Onion Soup. (Fortunately for us at home, we only need 5 onions!) Enjoy one of the refreshing salads such as Baby Arugula, Tomato Carpaccio, or my family's favorite: Chopped Salad, made with chickpeas, kalamata olives, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, romaine lettuce tossed in a delicious oil and vinegar dressing.

The Entrees are divided into several sections. Sushi includes deep-fried Yin Yang Rolls, Dynamite Rolls made with chives, capers and vegan mayonnaise, and the tropical Florasian Rolls stuffed with deep-friend avocado, mango and coconut. My family is nuts about pizza so we're excited to try the Pizza Margherita, Pesto, Florentine and Seven-Layer Pizzas. Pastas were another favorite with my family. We're looking forward to the Mac and "Cheese", Linguini Puttanesca, and especially the Pad Thai since money is tight and we have curtailed our visits to our favorite Thai restaurant.

The section actually titled Entrees gives recipes for meat and potatoes-type dishes--but vegan of course. The Piccata and Grilled Seitan Steaks are made from homemade seitan and topped with delicious sauces. The Sublime Loaf is basically a vegan meatloaf made from soy crumbles, beans, and vegetables topped with Onion Gravy--sounds like the perfect comfort food to me--especially when served as suggested with Roasted Potatoes and Creamed Spinach from the Sides section. I'm also excited to try the Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

If you still have room, you'll definitely want to try one of their luscious desserts. Recipes include Georgia Peach Crisp, Baked Apple Napoleon and Coconut Cake. We tried the S'mores Brownies for my husband's birthday and it was truly sublime--as well as easy to make. My 8-year-old daughter prepared them with only a little help from me. There are a few cocktails include as well like the Green Tea Martini, Pomtini (YUM!), and Sublime Sangria.

This book has everything you'd want in a gourmet dinner when you go out--but you don't need to leave home to get it. The recipes are easy to follow--though some recipes do require more work than I might normally put into a meal. (Wouldn't it be nice to have my own prep cook!) I also would have liked alternatives given for the home cook who may not have equipment like a scale to measure ingredients or a blowtorch. (Can you broil the S'mores brownies to brown them I wondered?). All in all, this is a wonderful cookbook that you will turn to for special occasions, home entertaining, and anytime you want to make a really exceptional meal.

As seen in VegFamily Magazine by Cathe Olson

This is a cookbook that everyone will enjoy. The delicious recipes are easy to read and even easier to make. The ingredients are very accessible at any local supermarket. The book is a must have for any vegan kitchen and makes a spectacular gift!

The Sublime Restaurant of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is regionally and nationally famous for its fusion-oriented culinary creations that draw from Asian, Latin, and Mediterranean influences to present vegan dishes that are as palate pleasing and nutritious as they are appetite satisfying and 'kitchen cook friendly' to prepare. Expertly compiled by Nanci Alexander, "The Sublime Restaurant Cookbook" showcases recipes ranging from a Mushroom Ceviche; a Baby Aruglula Salad; and a Seven-Layer Pizza; to a Portobello Tenderloin; Olive Oil Whipped Potatoes; and a Coconut Cake. "The Sublime Restaurant Cookbook" is enthusiastically recommended for vegetarians and vegans, and offers dishes that will appeal to anyone who enjoys gourmet quality dining at home.