Fans of all things vegan, raw, organic, gluten-free and generally non-toxic to your body are celebrating the opening of The Sunflower Center, serving Lydia’s Lovin’ Foods in Petaluma. It’s a combination restaurant and gathering spot where you can have your vegan cheez cake and eat it too — possibly while watching a music workshop, yoga group, or checking out some wellness literature.
Housed in the ground floor of an office park, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher of a location, but seems to have taken over the better part of a corporate cafeteria. It’s the second brick-and-mortar location for Lydia’s, which also has a cafe in Fairfax (31 Bolinas Rd., Fairfax) and frequently serves up their raw soups and vegan burgers at summer festivals.
Bright windows and fresh flowers, along with a family-friendly corner make it the perfect spot to try a vegan buckwheat mushroom crepe, “pizzaz” raw pizza with pesto or alkalizing green soup.
Best bets: Cashew “kreem”, banana and chocolate crepe; coconut almond hummus with blinis or pizza-esque pizzaz with marinated vegetables. First-timers to this cuisine may can dip a toe in with fresh ginger lemonade and Lydia’s Famous Greek salad with walnut dressing.
The center also has take out and a small selection of refrigerated Lydia’s Lovin’ Foods salads and spreads.
Grand opening of the Cafe with live music, yoga and family fun happens from 8am to 11pm, Jan. 28, 2011.
We’ll let you decide if you’re ready to handle the Green Powerball, a dessert filled with srpouted almonds, dates, raisins and Green Power Powder.
Sunflower Center serving Lydia’s Kitchen Organic Food; 1435 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 792-5300.