Black-Bean Soup and Daiya Pizzas

The Chef: Colleen

The Menu: An unbelievable spread of savory treats, starting off with a zesty black-bean soup filled with roasted eggplant, onions, and carrots. A healthy dose of garlic and cumin seed seasoned Colleen's signature roasted potatoes, and a little something we like to call individual Daiya pizzas made an appearance. Topped with the perfect Daiya blend—that's right, two kinds of melty, stretchy cheese—and Match Meats BBQ pork, these tasty pies didn't last long.

The Goods: Not only did we enjoy a stellar meal thanks to Colleen's culinary ingenuity, but we dined al fresco for the first time all week. Then there was this entire plate of goodies to be grateful for, including homemade chocolate fudge. Yes, fudge. And Dandies. And cookies, courtesy of Pattycake Bakery and our very own Joe Connelly. If you need us, we'll be bouncing off the walls thanks to a fantastic Friday sugar high. Happy weekend, everyone!

Faux Meat Farewell

The Chef: Jenny

The Menu: A tangy stir-fry of broccoli, kale, and mock meats stood nicely next to a hearty helping of rice noodles flavored with teriyaki sauce and shredded carrots. Aromatic roasted acorn squash with Indian spices completed the tantalizing trio, making a flavorful and filling lunch. Adding a true taste of adventure to our culinary quest, Ms. Jenny incorporated one of the lesser-known mock meats—vegetarian intestines. Yes, you read that correctly. Intestines. Only with her skills could such a curious ingredient be turned into an A+ lunch, with no complaints from the diners.

The Goods: Last week's gorgeous sunshine seems to have gotten lost on its morning commute, leaving the VNHQ a little gloomy. Today, the down-and-out weather is on par with our official announcement of Ms. Jenny's last lunch as chef. Sad but true, our beloved office manager is soon leaving for sunnier skies. Café VegNews will miss her creative lunches and superb culinary skills, but we're sure to remember her farewell lunch of intestine ingenuity!

Delish Dumplings

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: Oh dumplings, we love you so. Today's little pleasing pouches were filled with a crazy, off-the-cuff garbanzo paste, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, and faux pork in a soy sauce and rice vinegar sauce. Topped with chopped scallions, toasted sesame oil, and a touch of extra soy sauce, these dumplings were—like so many meals here at the VNHQ—a unique marriage of inspiration and available ingredients. A crisp side salad of romaine lettuce, avocado, tomato, and cucumber was a nice balance to the doughiness of the dumplings.

The Goods: While enjoying today's radiant sunshine and munching on the lovely lunch you see pictured above, we got to talking about the history of San Francisco, and, in particular, all the great attractions that used to be right in our neighborhood. Playland, the Sutro Baths, and a host of other summertime entertainments once stood just steps from where we are today. Talking about all the old-timey fun got us to wondering: what's your favorite part of your city? Where is the place you head to at the first sign of a summer's day?