Jason's Deli

I ended up having dinner at Jason's Deli last weekend. It's a restaurant that I really like for a quick meal, but that I seldom go to because of its location on the dreaded Hanes Mall Boulevard. (I hate traffic!) My visit reminded me, though, of just how vegetarian-friendly it is. There are quite a few vegetarian items to choose from, and they're clearly marked.

Some of the vegetarian choices are: vegetarian pasta, portobello wrapini, garden po'boy, spinach veggie wrap and macaroni & cheese. You can get steamed vegetables or fruit as a side. I love being able to choose healthy side options instead of, say, French fries or onion rings.

I usually get soup and a salad at Jason's Deli, and this visit was no exception. They always have three vegetarian soups -- tomato basil, vegetable and, wonder of wonders, French onion. It's practically unheard-of to be able to get a vegetarian French onion soup, and theirs is terrific -- deep and rich with lots of onion flavor, plus cheese melted on top. Carnivores wouldn't miss the usual beef broth for a second. What a treat!

It's easy to make a meal off the salad bar. They have a lot of fresh vegetables to choose from, as well as several prepared salads. They'd added a few new items to the salad bar since my last visit, including red pepper hummus (delicious on the garlic toasts) and a tasty, slawlike Asian vegetable salad. I was pleased to see that they were touting a couple of organic items there, too -- apples and a lettuce mix.

Plus, you get free mini gingerbread muffins and soft-serve ice cream for dessert! And the entire restaurant is nonsmoking! The only real drawbacks are that it's often crowded and can be noisy, especially with lots of children at the tables.