How tasty does this sandwich look? Super delicious, right? Well, this time, I think that looks can be deceiving. This sandwich was just not tasty or delicious, it was far beyond that…and in a good way!
Since moving to Omaha, I have frequented several vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurants. I have also had several restaurants on my mental “to eat at ASAP” list for quite a few months now. One of those restaurants is Ingredient. Ingredient has two locations in the Omaha area: one at Midtown Crossing and the other at One Pacific Place. I have seen the One Pacific Place location nearly every weekend (it just so happens to be located right by Trader Joe’s! ;)), but had not yet ventured into the Midtown Crossing area until this past Saturday night. My mom was visiting me, and I wanted to take her to a restaurant that was vegetarian friendly (she eats very little meat), affordable, convenient, quick, and of course…delicious! Were these goals met during our dining experience at Ingredient? Let’s find out!
Omaha Eats: Ingredient
As many vegetarians/vegans often do, I browsed Ingredient’s menu online before visiting to ensure that they would have several vegetarian options. The restaurant certainly succeeds in that realm. Ingredient offers “create your own salads,” a Granny Smith signature entrée salad, a Portobello Melt signature sandwich, a Grilled Veggie & Hummus Wrap, a Falafel Pita (I need to try this!), a “create your own burger” (with both a portobello cap and a veggie burger option), and several vegetarian signature gourmet pizzas. Oh, and if you happen to be stopping by during the morning hours, you will happily find several vegetarian options.
Despite all of these amazingly delicious-sounding offerings, I had my heart set on the West Coast Veggie Signature Burger before I even stepped foot into the restaurant.
This burger contains a house made grilled vegetable patty that is topped with avocado slices, spicy sprouts, roma tomatoes, and roasted garlic aioli all served on a warm, grilled ciabatta bun.
Each signature burger is served with a choice of one side, including: hot-pepper chips, pasta salad, grilled & chilled mixed veggies, low-fat cottage cheese, or french fries. I selected the grilled & chilled mixed veggies, which included zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, red onions, and red peppers.
The first thing that I noticed when my plate was set in front of my was how real the veggie burger looked. I could actually see vegetables and grains in the patty and could tell that it was definitely made at the restaurant as opposed to being frozen. This instantly impressed me. And the taste of the burger? Well, it was spot on! The veggie patty was crispy, flavorful, and delicious, and the addition of avocado, tomatoes, and sprouts really put it over the top. Let’s not forget how delicious the creamy garlic aioli was, as well. All of these delicious ingredients compiled in between the warm and toasted ciabatta bun resulted in an over-the-top taste sensation. I can honestly say that this was one of the most impressive and delicious veggie burgers that I have eaten at a restaurant. And trust me, I know my way around the veggie burger scene! 😉
Oh, and those veggies? Yes, those were fantastic, too! But then again, I am pretty easy to please when it comes to vegetables. What can I say…I am a MAJOR veggie lover.
My mom and I ordered the exact same thing (hence the fact that you are only seeing one plate of food), and we both really enjoyed it. There is no doubt that we will be eating at Ingredient again, quite possibly the next time that she is here to visit. Well, let’s be honest, I may have to venture there without her much sooner than that! 😉
