As a vegan, finding places to eat with good food other than my kitchen provides a challenge. Luckily, Miami hosts many plant-based restaurants, such as Planta.
Located in South Beach, Planta is one of the best vegan restaurants at which I have eaten. With so many vegan restaurants’ menus packed with the typical açaí bowls and salads, I was immediately impressed with the diversity of the menu. From burgers and pizza to sushi and pasta, this restaurant has it all.
Straying away from my diet of mostly whole-foods because of my excitement, I decided to try a diverse array of items from the menu. To start, I tried the steamed dumplings and the volcano roll. Served with hot chili oil, the dumplings contained the right amount of sweetness and spice. The volcano roll, while very tasty, contained too much of the “crab” (made out of heart of palms) and didn’t stand out as much as its counterpart.
For my entree, I chose the planta burger with truffle fries because of its many positive reviews and the waitress’s encouragement. The burger, served with lettuce, tomato, queso, dill pickles, mustard and chipotle aïoli. The burger tasted very similar to a black bean burger and not like a mock meat burger, surprising me. I did not expect the mix of both the flavors of the beans and the toppings of the burger to mix well, but they definitely did. Although next time, I would not order it with the queso; I am definitely not a vegan who misses cheese.
It finally came to my favorite course–dessert. The dessert menu contained many different dessert options, none of which I felt in the mood for at the time. However, Planta has a different flavor of coconut-milk based soft serve that they change daily. I selected the activated charcoal and did not regret my decision. For a vegan soft serve ice cream, the creamy consistency amazed me.
Overall, Planta should definitely top the lists of restaurants to visit for both vegan and non-vegan diners. The prices can be on the pricey side, but if you are looking for something different, have certain dietary restrictions or just visiting the Miami area, you should definitely check this place out.
