No Cow, Dairy-free and Yummeee.
The Jim White (without tortilla and without cheese) w/ Potatos & Onions
After my move to Grand Rapids, MI, I had walked across the street from a rather dark, non-descript building. For a year or two I always paused and wondered, "what on earth is in that place?", but never ventured past my curiousity to find out what kept pulling my attention. Then one day, after a class at From The Heart Yoga Center, my then-new yoga buddies said, "Wanna go to Gaia?" Through these great peops I discovered that Gaia was a Vegetarian restaurant and it is located in that very building.
As we opened the big wooden door to a well-hidden, but bustling restaurant, I had also hoped that this Earth Goddess Eatery would be food-allergy literate and Tender Foodie accepting. They were. And are.
They use whole, fresh foods and don't blink an eye when I ask, "is the corn organic?" But I do double check to be sure that both the servers and the chefs understand that none of my particular food allergens can be near a cutting board, plate or other food item (and you should, too). The good news is, their fried potatos and onions are perfectly browned and always made with olive oil and not butter. The great news is, those potatos also qualify as lick your plate good.
Gaia is an understated, welcoming little joint with a kind, intelligent staff and a kitchen you can observe as you wait for a table. The crowd is a great mix of tie-die, family, creative and loosen-your-collar business types. The energy in the room inspires and allows great conversations. My favorite thing on the menu (so far) is The Jim White. I order it without cheese or romaine lettuce. I also reject the tortilla. They do have an all corn tortillas made by a local company. I haven't yet spoken to the tortilla maker to confirm their allergen-free factory practices but I don't feel any pressure to do so on a personal level - I just love the Jim White without the traditional tex-mex wrapper.
The combination of avocado, black beans, brown rice, scrambled eggs (made without milk), tomatoes and salsa is consistently fresh, delicious and always satisfying. The rest of the menu promises to be the same. On my way out I always bow slightly in respect to the delicious Gaia Blend Organic Sumatra Coffee. Somehow it makes ricemilk, which I usually find too watery as a milk replacer of any kind, a very compatible coffee companion. I have dubbed this Gaia blend some of my favorite coffee in town.
Gaia is also a perfect place for vegetarians to bring their non-vegetarian friends, as no one will leave with their stomach growling. Through a Dictionary.com search I discovered that "Gaia" means, "the goddess of the earth, who bore Uranus and by him Oceanus, Cronus, and the Titans." Gaia may not serve meat, but their stick-to-your-ribs fair is worthy to carry the name of this Titan-baring goddess.
Although Gaia is open for different meals, I tend to gravitate toward the noon-time hour on the weekends, since Gaia is so bruncholicious.
Find Gaia at:
209 Diamond Avenue Southeast Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1525 - (616) 454-6233
Open Tue-Fri 8am-8pm; Weekends 8am-3pm