THE VEGETARIAN TRAVELER CHALLENGE: STRASBOURG EDITION

Oh hey world, I’m back! With a relatively old post, though still relevant, that I’d written a few months ago after my trip to Strasbourg.

Between the end of my Master’s program and the beginning of my internship, I was lucky  to have my parents’ company. There’s just nothing quite like sharing rice and beans with them, all the while trying to explain to my dad why I’m skipping the scrambled eggs.

As a vegetarian, I have learned to find my way around Paris when it comes to yummy food. It’s actually not that hard if you have the means and the people who support you, which is however not the case when your parents are such typical Brazilians and lovers of all-things-meaty.

While I was doing a fairly good job at being an at-home vegan prior to my parents arrival, my determination has since gone way downhill. Nope, I haven’t had meat, but I may have had an egg or two, and cheese every-single-day for the past two weeks.

My parents are bons vivants, lovers of traveling and good food. While at Rouen  for a few hours, we stopped THREE TIMES to eat/drink. We marvelled more at the interior design of restaurants than at the city itself.

At restaurant no. 2, it dawned on me that I couldn’t have anything on the menu. “I don’t eat meat” I said, hoping the waiter would come up with a miraculous solution. “We have salmon” he suggested. “Non, merci…”. He eventually digged up a carrot soup that looked as unappetizing as, well, plain carrot soup, when compared to the crispy fries and local meatfull meal my parents and my boyfriend were indulging in. I’m a “bonne vivante” too, damn it. I love tasting new things. I find that very often at restaurants that aren’t specifically vegetarian I end up compromising either my ideals or my palate. So far, it’s been the latter rather than the former.

My attempt at a home-made local breakfast, 100% vegetarian, mostly vegan

In March, we were gone to my beloved Strasbourg, where I’d been for the first time last summer with my mom. But while I was able to convince her to eat at such gems as Pur Etc, when it comes to traveling with my dad he can be pretty intransigent about having good wine and good meat. Specially in Alsace, a region renowned for its versatility in cooking all kinds of animals (particularly pork).

I’d love to give tips on vegetarian restaurants with traditional food, but that’s an oxymoron. I can, though, say what I found in the sea of sauerkraut with sausages.

Flammekuche, or tarte flambée

At the classic Corde à Linge, I ordered the späetzle. It’s a traditional fried pasta that somehow tasted like childhood to me. It’s not vegan, but again, I’ve been inclined to compromise lately. There are also plenty of restaurants that serve vegetarian tartes flambées, a very thin “pie” which resembles mostly pizza. While not vegan either, it’s a good pick for the vegetarians out there on a quest for traditional food.

At Colmar, while at the Wistub Brenner, I ordered a “Bibalakas”, i.e. a traditional dish with plenty of potatoes, cheese and yes, a handful of ham. But since everything comes separated, it’s not hard to just leave the ham aside or to give it to the omnivore sitting next to you.

On Saturdays there is a lovely market at Place du Marché with plenty of local products at affordable prices to choose from. Definitely worth the visit if you’re looking for veggies, homemade pies, local cheese, fresh jam and beautiful flowers. Once again, not 100% vegan-friendly, but mostly vegetarian.

Finally, when in doubt – beer. The Académie de la Bière on rue des Juifs is just fantastic (now serving veggie burgers!). And if it gets you excited for more (as it got me), find your way to Village de la Bière for your pick of the best beer to take back home.

Do you feel the same way about being a vegetarian traveler?

Don’t miss out:

Pur Etc  15 Place Saint-Étienne
Corde à Linge 2 Place Benjamin Zix
Académie de la Bière 29 rue des Juifs
Village de la Bière 22 Rue des Frères