If you’re vegan, or doing Meatless Mondays, Sonora Grill has you covered with their vegan menu featuring seven entrees.

REVIEW

We tried three of entrees from Sonora Grill’s vegan menu, as well as dessert and an appetizer, which were so delicious that we’ve added this restaurant to our regular rotation of eating out. 

To be clear, I am very much not vegan or vegetarian. I was a pescatarian for a few years after college which is where I got a taste for vegan food, but otherwise I am an avid carnivore. You can add cheese to all of the vegan dishes for a bit more. However, we were honest when trying the dishes which means no cheese. 

We started with the Chips and Guacamole appetizer. Not on the vegan menu, but it was always vegan and absolutely delicious. It’s rich and creamy, mixed with pico de gallo and packed with flavor – and the best way to start a meal in my opinion. But as good as the guacamole is, it's not why we're here.

On to the main course. We asked our waiter for his advice and he gave a detailed description of each dish and recommended his favorites. He told us the most flavorful was the Vegan Enchiladas and Vegan Tortilla Salad, so of course we had to get those. The most filling was the Vegan Black Bean Burrito, he said, so we got that too.

I think the burrito was my least favorite of the three. Note, that doesn’t mean I didn’t love it. It was filling and delicious but I tend to lean to more complex flavors. The enchilada sauce and beans mixed well in a tasty combination complimented with an avocado cream sauce and almond cashew crumble, but its flavors didn’t pop the same as the other dishes. It was a simple but delicious, almost homey dish. So while it was number three on my list, it wasn’t that it was bad, but our waiter was not lying when he said the other two were more flavorful. 

My second favorite was the enchiladas. They had a slightly spicy chickpea chorizo with a wonderful savory flavor. I tend to stay away from fake meat – I usually choose a meat-free dish because I’m not feeling like meat that day – but this chorizo was an exception. It has all the spice and savoriness that the sausage would need while having a pleasant texture from the chickpeas. But that wasn’t all they had going for them. These enchiladas came covered in a green and red sauce. The green sauce was my favorite and had an almost earthy flavor that mixed wonderfully with the chorizo. The red sauce was my wife's favorite, the same smokey enchilada sauce from the burrito. When the two mixed, the enchiladas disappeared quickly. 

Lastly was the salad. I like salad. It’s always a great part of a meal but rarely my favorite, and I never order it as a main dish. But my wife usually does, and let me tell you I was jealous. It starts with locally grown lettuce. Then toss in more of that pico de gallo, black beans, avocado, pineapple, and cover it all in avocado cream dressing and it’s perfect. The smooth subtle flavors of the avocado and tart citrus was fantastic, and the crunch from the tortilla strips and cucumbers blended seamlessly. This is going to be my go-to farmers market lunch as it is perfect for an early summer afternoon. The flavors blended flawlessly and it wasn’t too heavy. 

Now, no one wants to end a meal without something sweet and staying with the vegan theme we got Sopapillas minus the whipped cream. They came covered in a cinnamon honey that I was tempted to drink after the sopapillas were gone. Overall, it was the perfect way to wrap up a wonderful meal.  

Next time you’re in Ogden, maybe for the farmers market or to catch a movie, and you want a meat-free option Sonora Grill is your place. Great food, great atmosphere, and fantastic service.

Sonora Grill is located at 2310 Kiesel Avenue and open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.