Business Lunch @ Gracias Madre

The Chef: Colleen and Gracias Madre

The Menu: Cream of beet soup made with a cashew cream and topped with fresh cilantro, alongside a pair of pan-fried potato cakes with lettuce, cilantro, and vegan sour creme

The Goods: I love business lunches in the Mission. Let's see, will it be Gracias Madre, Herbivore, Cha Ya, Cafe Gratitude, Udupi Palace, and the list goes on. Today, we took our (non-vegetarian) out-of-town guest to a high-powered lunch at Gracias Madre, what may be the nation's only all-vegan Mexican restaurant and our 2010 Restaurant of the Year. Yes, we talked business, numbers, trends, etc., but, frankly, it's the food that matters most. This bright-pink soup tasted even better than it looks, and the potato cakes were flat-out divine. After four days in Anaheim at the Natural Products Show (check out photos here!), it's great be back in the groove in San Francisco. Happy St. Patrick's Day!