Vegetarian's View

Molly gives her view of Ruggles Green through the eyes of a vegetarian.

Rate each category on a 1-5 star rating.

Overall Vegetarian Selection: (5) Stars
Brief Take: (Did the restaurant have a good selection?)
Since service is pretty fast at Ruggles Green, I have never ordered an appetizer but out of the six items on the appetizer menu three are vegetarian. That’s a win in my book!

The vegetarian entrée selection is also pretty vast for a restaurant that serves American style cuisine. There are about four vegetarian items in each menu category of soups, salads, pizzas and sandwiches. You can even add tofu on to a salad for $3.95. That makes me very happy and is a direct attempt to cater to the vegetarian crowd.

Vegetarian highlights from the menu include a veggie sourdough panini, fire-roasted tomato basil soup, Ruggles Green house salad (don’t let this boring name scare you…this colorful salad has blueberries, carrots, jicama and tomatoes, not your average house salad) and organic vegetable pizza.

Ordered Dish: (5) Stars
Brief Take: (What did you get and how was it?)
My for my entrée I ordered the five cheese, wood fired pizza and I can sum it up in one short word – YUM. This pizza is loaded with mozzarella, fontina, parmesan, ricotta and romano cheese and served on a thin, extra crisp crust. The pizza is always brought out in such a rush the cheese is still bubbling. Waiting for it to cool is always a task. As a vegetarian I am always keeping a daily running count of consumed protein grams in my head and I can rest assure this pizza always fulfills that requirement.

Now on to the glorious dessert display, no meat here I can ensure you. Ruggles Green has eleven desserts and I have tried six. But today I will be reviewing my favorite, and their best seller, the white chocolate bread pudding. Brought out piping hot in an oval dish, the bread pudding is accompanied by a petite cup of raspberry sauce. The bread pudding is crisp on top and soft on the bottom – a perfect bread pudding consistency. The white chocolate flavor is delicious and pairs very well with the raspberry.

Healthy Rating: (3) Stars
Brief Take: (Was it still healthy even though it was vegetarian?)
Calorie and fat wise my meal itself was not very healthy. Cheese is loaded with fat and I am pretty sure my white chocolate bread pudding was not low calorie. I gave three stars instead of two because at least the meal was mostly organic. If I really wanted, I could have ordered the vegetarian house salad and eaten healthier. It is nice to have that option because at most restaurants vegetarian means more butter/cheese and less meat.

Overall Opinion: (4) Stars
Summary: (Quick review of the eating experience…what was the restaurant like, service, etc.)
Ruggles Green serves organic, natural food that is free of hormones and preservatives. As a vegetarian I eat a lot of vegetables and grains. Conventionally both of those items can be loaded with pesticides. Dining organic at Ruggles Green is important to me because I can eat confidently knowing my meat free meal is healthy and safe. (They even grow some of their own ingredients!)

Ruggles Green is one of two green restaurants in Houston. What does a green restaurant mean you are ask? The restaurant is awarded the rating by being certified by the Green Restaurant Association. To get the certification, Ruggles Green has to meet certain criteria in areas such as sustainable food and pollution reduction.

The dining style is similar to Café Express by ordering at the counter and taking a number back to your seat. Service is very quick and the employees are friendly and accommodating. Ruggles Green is always packed and parking can often be a problem. I try to only visit right when they open or during off times. For that reason I painfully removed one star. Otherwise this place is a perfect vegetarian’s delight.

www.rugglesgreen.com