Every meat lover in Central Florida is probably well-aquainted with Yellow Dog Eats. With a menu stuffed with pulled pork created into pretty much any type of arrangement imaginable, why wouldn’t they be? By the time I got wind of the amazingness that happens at YDE, I had already kicked meat from my diet, so I have only dined on their famous bbq’d meats through my nose. On the occasions that I found myself at the very quaint and homey restaurant, I would just order the smoked salmon wrap. Wanting to try something a little different this go ’round, on my recent visit I decided to see if their vegan dishes were as good as I’ve read their meat dishes were. Based on the reviews that I’ve read about their pulled pork, I can say with certainty that they give the same amount of attention to their meats as they do in preparing their vegan dishes.
I initially fell for Yellow Dog Eats based on its location. It is no where near the tourist zones that Central Florida is so known for. If you’re from out of town and you find yourself here, there are only a few reasons why: 1. You did your research and found the great reviews about it and/or 2. You are lucky enough to have friends/family who treated you to dinner or lunch there. Unless you live here, this is not a place that you just luck up on, which is exactly how I found it a few years ago and which is exactly why I think that it is such a gem. But, who really cares about that if the food isn’t good, right?
On my recent visit, I jumped right in and ordered Fido’s Feast, which essentially is a portobello mushroom sandwich. Of course if this was all it was, you wouldn’t be reading this right now. Thankfully, it was so much more. The thick, marinated slice of portobello mushroom was topped with onions, a tomato, and lettuce. What really set this sandwich over the top was the sweet, and slightly tangy sun-dried tomato pesto sauce that was smothered on the bottom part of the bun. It was so good. Speaking of buns. When my order was ready, I admit that I was a little disappointed to see a white-bread bun. I also admit that two days later, I’m still thinking about that bun. I’m not sure what kind it was, but it was the perfect selection for this sandwich.
If you’ve wanted to try Yellow Dog Eats but weren’t quite sure if the vegan options were any good, trust me they are… at least the portobello mushroom sandwich is. Don’t forget to take your meat-eating crew along with you. I’m sure that they will thank you. Be sure to take a look at the pictures below for an inside look at my meat-free adventure to Yellow Dog Eats.
