In order to fully immerse myself in veganism, I went to Imagine Vegan Café, a restaurant in Midtown boasting an extensive array of vegan goodies on its menu. Even though it is in the popular area of Cooper-Young, this restaurant is somewhat hidden.

The café is in a small, cozy house with lots of eccentric artwork on the wall. When I first stepped through the door, I realized that no one was there besides my friend, two workers at the café and myself. This was a bit unexpected considering it was during the lunch rush in a popular part of Midtown.

All the classic dishes that a carnivore would love are on the menu, from Philly cheesesteaks, to hamburgers, and even chicken and waffles. I decided to get their barbecue “pork” sandwich with fries because, I mean, we live in Memphis. Upon viewing this sandwich, it looked just like a normal barbecue sandwich. It was upon the taste in which it all went wrong.

As soon as I took a bite, I realized the texture was the main problem. I had to put it down because the texture was all wrong. I am sure that if you have been vegan for a while or don’t have sensitive taste buds, this sandwich would have been just the one for you. But, being new to veganism and having some pretty tasty BBQ sandwiches in my day, this one just wasn’t the one for me. I also got a chocolate pecan pie slice, and while texture did come into play with this, it was very delicious.

I am sure that whether you are vegan, vegetarian or carnivorous like me, you can find something that you love on Imagine’s menu.