Eating Organic is a Surprising Treat
By REBEKA SUSA
SUBLIME RESTAURANT & BAR
1431 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL
(954) 615-1431
For the first time in since I moved to Jacksonville in 2007, I was nervous about leaving on vacation. You see, for the last 30 days, I had been on this Simply Fit Healthy Living “eating plan” (nicer way to say “diet”), which includes a lot of veggies, all-organic and free range food, and excludes everything my taste buds have become addicted to. So going on vacation was going to be a bit difficult due to the sensitive nature of my new eating situation.
However, when I arrived in Fort Lauderdale to stay with my BFF Dave and his sweetheart Ken, I broke the news
carefully.
“Dave, there’s something I’ve got to tell you before we go any further with my vacation plans.”
Dave’s gay expression turned somber as he sunk to the couch. “What is it, darling?”
“I’ve become…” I stopped. How do I put this? “I’m eating all organic now.” I winced as he took it all in.
After I answered a few questions about being organic, such as no, it does not mean only eating organs, Dave offered, “Well, I know there is this organic place around the corner.”
An organic vegetarian restaurant? How could this be? How could Fort Lauderdale, just 250 miles south of my town be so
progressive? I had to check this out!
Walking into Sublime, I was thoroughly impressed. This was definitely a classy place. The crowd was mixed – from a gay couple to straights on dates, to families with kids. They were people who had only one thing in common – health.
Dave, sporting a “Dumb Jock 18” T-shirt, and I were seated near a waterfall window. Our waiter, Brandon, brought us complimentary pesto polenta – two triangles of delicious cornmeal and greens garnished with cilantro. Since I had been basically consuming raw rabbit food and protein shakes since the beginning of July, the pesto polenta was an orgasmic experience for my taste buds. Dave, who only knows about Sublime because it is on his way to McDonalds, smiled and said, “It’s good.” He let me have almost his entire triangle!
We both ordered an organic watermelon cosmopolitan with “tru organic vodka” then reviewed the menu. I was amazed to see the diversity of food types at the organic vegetarian restaurant.
Appetizers include soups, a fire-roasted artichoke, edamame, and “broccomoli,” which is a blending of chickpeas, avocado, and veggies on pita bread.
For an entree, organic nuts like me can choose from sushi, brick oven pizzas, and a variety of original healthy dishes. Several entrees include “gardein cutlet,” which is a soy-based meat substitute.
Dave and I settled on the enchiladas, which turned out to be an excellent choice. The four enchiladas fanned the plate and included gardein cutlet with green peppers, black beans and brown rice, topped with fresh cilantro and drizzled with cheddar cheese and sour cream. Being on my “eating plan,” I had Brandon put the sour cream on the side. (Somehow the sour cream and cheddar evaporated during the course of the meal.)
When I passed on dessert, Dave looked a bit disappointed. He had apparently scanned the list comprised of key lime cheesecake, chocolate nirvana, coconut cake, ice cream sundae, apple crumb pie and chocolate macaroons. However, the enchiladas had filled me up, and I don’t want to be voted out of my group when I return to Jacksonville.
Dave said he was surprised that the gardein cutlet meat substitute was so tasty.
He said anyone who is thinking about switching to all-natural, vegetarian or organic foods should try it. We both savored every bite of our enchiladas and would recommend that everyone give this place a try for its ambiance, delicious and unique dishes, and friendly service. Plus, the total bill was reasonable considering that buying organic food can seem like a small, painful investment. Sublime also takes reservations, but for those of us who don’t think that far ahead, you can wander in, too.
So, I’m hoping that Jacksonville picks up on the emerging demand for healthy restaurants. Kudos to Fort Lauderdale on Sublime – an impressive gem well worth the experience!
Rebekah Susa is a teacher in Jacksonville and a former journalist and newspaper owner in the Florida Keys. She very much likes eating out and very much hopes that someone in Jacksonville picks up on this article so that her friends will stop teasing her about bringing free range chicken and organic veggies in a cooler to every place they go.
