Hippie's Paradise - Sunflower Vegetarian Restaurant

Is vegan or vegetarian food more appealing if it has an asian influence? I definitely think so. Not only did I have to practically drag my wonderful boyfriend to such a place, but he was pouting the entire time. What a cry baby. Although I do not consider myself an officially appointed vegan or vegetarian, I will always choose those food options over others. Last night, I was able to eat at Sunflower Vegetarian Restaurant for the second time -- such joy! It is located on Maple Ave, Vienna, Virginia. There is another location in Falls Church, VA, as well. As you can see here, Sunflower is very popular in the Northern Virginia/Washington DC area. And let me tell you... They take their name very seriously, with an eclectic variation of sunflower items decorated all over their adorable restaurant space.

To start with, I ordered four Cold Basil Rolls (wheat free). They were constructed with the following amazing ingredients:

• Jicama 
• Carrot 
• Lettuce
• Dry spiced tofu
• Vegi-ham (interesting, right?)
• Basil 
• Wrapped in rice paper
• Side of the most delicious creamy dipping sauce

Light and fresh starter

As an entree, I ordered Mizuni Sansai Noodles with the most fun noodles, Udon! It was made with:

• Sauteed soy gluten
• Wood ear mushrooms
• Japanese parsley 
• Bracken (type of Fern)
• Various veggies
• Seacress (green nori flakes)
• Udon noodles (thick wheat noodles)

Great flavors and fun ingredients

The other entree ordered was General Tso's Surprise. This was made with:

• Round chunks of crispy soy protein 
• Steamed broccoli
• Steamed carrot
• Spicy kong-pao sauce

Overall, I'm super happy about discovering Sunflower Restaurant. There are not many, if any, vegan or vegetarian restaurants and it is somewhat tough to find restaurants that offer vegetarian options.. Because, frankly, I'm tired of salads. This is definitely going to be my go-to and guilt-free comfort food place.