Satisfaction Feast - A Healthy Taste Treat

I was in the mood for something healthy and homemade last night so I went a little vegetarian restaurant that I have been going to for years.  Satisfaction Feast http://www.satisfaction-feast.com/ has been serving excellent vegetarian food in Halifax for over 20 years.  They follow the teachings of Sri Chinmoy and are dedicated to "fostering a brighter and happier future of oneness and harmony".  They express this philosophy through their food and their hospitality.  The atmosphere is very relaxing and the staff is friendly and open.  I don’t hold to any religious or philosophical dictate, I consider myself a happy wanderer through the world of spirituality open to all views.  The people at Satisfaction Feast are not evangelical in nature which is a nice change, their view as repressed through their kindness and the love shown in their food.  Eating there adds to my wanderings.

As usual the food my guest and I selected was fresh and tasty.  We started with appetizers of Fried Samosa and Hummus and Pita.  The Samosa was crisp and filled with and abundance of mashed bean and potatoes seasoned with flavorful spices and fresh herbs.  It was served with chutney, this time it was spicy tomato chutney but I have had different chutneys each time.  The pita was soft and warm and the hummus had a nice amount of garlic but could have used a little lemon and fresh herb to balance the flavor.

For mains we had a bowl of spicy borscht.  It has julienned beat in a tomato and beet broth which had a nice level of spice.  It was finished with a nice dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of dill. If you are spice averse you should notify your server, the food here is flavored with an Indian flair and some dishes are a little spicy.  I had the cup of soup so I could try their ‘Root Burger’.  I think vegetarians need some help naming their food but trust me this burger was excellent.  It had a base of sweet potatoes and brown rice and contained grated carrots and there was a nice level of spice balanced with fresh herbs.  It was served on a fresh whole grain bun with bib lettuce and tomato.  I also had a soy based mayo which I found very nice.  The patty was homemade and I would go back in a heart beat for another one.

For dessert, and trust me if you go for nothing else go for this, we enjoyed one of their homemade peanut butter balls.  They should be served with a warning label because they are very habit forming.  They peanut butter is natural and chunky, the sweetness is well balanced with the peanut flavor and it is dipped in a dark chocolate coating.  It is the best peanut butter ball I have ever had. 

I enjoy homemade vegetarian food.  When done well it is not only healthy but flavorful.  I have experimented with vegetarian food at home and have good friends who are vegetarian.  Some of them are amazing cooks who are dedicated to fresh flavorful food and their cooking is full of love.  Others make eating a test of courage and though their food is healthy it will not make you happy.  I will post vegetarian recipes from time to time on my blog.  I search different cultures for their traditional non meat meals and this is what I enjoy.  I will share this with you and I beleive you will enjoy it as well.

A word of warning, not all vegetarian food is healthy.  Satisfaction Feast does have some soy bacon and a factory vegi burger on the menu.  I would stay clear of those and enjoy their amazing homemade options.  Factory produced meat analogs can be filled with trans fats, salt and are so over processed that in my opinion they are not fit for human consumption.  If you want to be vegetarian I respect and admire that, but try to do it using the abundance of vegetarian tradition found around the world and try to stay clear of the North American factory food.  From a health standpoint you are better off with good farm fresh meat than plastic meat substitutes.

As for Satisfaction Feast, it is a must try for all foodies.