The Veggielante is on a mission to spread the word about places to order good, meatless grub. Check out this week's pick.
Destination: West End Grill & Pub (354 N. Boyle Avenue; 314-531-4607)
Neighborhood: Central West End
Cuisine: "Upscale American Pub"
Overview: West End Grill & Pub, affectionately called WEGAP by its regular patrons, is the kind of place where everybody knows your name -- an establishment that prides itself on catering to its neighborhood. Better yet, the restaurant serves dinner until midnight Thursday through Saturday, perfect if you can't (or won't) order anything off the McDonald's 24-hour drive-through menu. In addition to its vegetarian options, WEGAP's menu has a couple gluten-free items, making it a rare late-night sanctuary for those on special diets.
See also: Pomme Cafe & Wine Bar's New Fall Menu Debuts Vegetarian Comfort Food
Highlights: Garlic has been a common theme for the Veggielante's antics of late, and WEGAP's roasted-garlic hummus ($6.50) fits right in. A huge bowl of garlic-saturated hummus is topped with pine nuts and served with fresh veggies. You may not want to immediately lay smooches on your S.O. after.
WEGAP's vegan stir fry ($7.95) is a big helping of brown rice topped with an even bigger helping of vegetables, including chickpeas, butternut squash, yellow peppers, red onions and portabella mushrooms, all sauteed in a sweet chile-cilantro pesto, and very suitable for veg, non-veg and gluten-free diets. While it's currently only served on the lunch menu, we understand it will be added to the dinner menu quite soon.
Another popular dish at WEGAP is the portabella mushrooms ($7.95), stuffed with boursin cheese, artichokes and roasted red peppers. Additionally, there's the "Skinny Plate" ($8.95): brown rice, black-eyed-pea salad and mixed veggies, with the choice of a protein add-on -- a great option for both veg and non-veg alike.
See also: Blues City Deli Serves Up Luscious Vegetarian Sandwiches
Gut Check is always hungry for tips. Email us!
Follow @gutcheckstl
