Vegan MoFo 2014: The Floridian, St. Augustine & a Quick Update

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First allow me to say Vegan MoFo 2014 is going so fast my head is spinning. I have about five products I've yet to review, a few videos from vacation I've yet to post, and I've already got an important video planned that will be the finale for the event. There's no way I'm going to get this all in, considering there's 3 days left. The only days I missed were 2, maybe 3, in the beginning when all the hospital stuff was starting. On top of all that, while we were away, a couple of the videos got messed up, and I mean messed up BIG. The biggest "oops" is the night we ate at Sublime, and the video got deleted. I have no idea how that happened, but it vanished. I'm still upset about that. I'll do a post about Sublime after MoFo, you will still be my friend after this is all over, won't you?

While we were in St. Augustine, we ate dinner at a place called The Floridian. It was exceptionally casual, and exceptionally busy. When we called to see if we needed a reservation, we were told no because they weren't busy. By the time we got there, we waited 40 minutes for a table. We didn't know where else to go, I believe this was just an hour or 2 after we'd rolled into town. We were both tired and didn't really feel like driving. This place was within walking distance to where we were staying, and I found through the wonder of the internet that they had tempeh and tofu on the menu, hooray.

As we sat by the door waiting, I watched the kitchen and waitstaff work. They worked their butts off, and really seemed to be working very well together. There was laughter in the kitchen, and they all seemed to be helping each other out, as I said this place was BUSY. I actually didn't video the dinners. It was really dark because we were sitting outside (it was truly a glorious late summer evening), and it was late by the time we got there. Actually, we closed the place out, being last, or second to last, to leave for the night, yikes. I had a summer salad which was absolutely huge, with quinoa, veggies, lettuce, I think it also had chick peas, maybe lentils, and blackened tempeh (which was absolutely excellent, and made by a local tempeh shop!) The other happy vegan had a house made vegan black bean burger, he loved it.

I have very few suggestions for a place like this, beyond first and foremost always saying please take it ALL vegan. Beyond that, I'd simply have liked a little more salad dressing (only because the salad I ordered was HUGE and what they supplied was so tiny for all those veggies and tempeh), and I would have liked to see a non-dairy milk choice available so I could've had coffee or tea. Beyond that, this place seems to be a neighborhood place with pretty decent food, modest prices, very attentive service, kind people working through the place, and also happens to be vegan friendly.  All that, and it was a beautiful night for a walk through the city of St. Augustine. I'm in love with the city, I really am.

Enjoy the video, see you tomorrow!

xo