Junk Food Comes in All Forms

I'm always shocked, but not really surprised, when I see the calorie count on American Chinese dishes like Sesame Chicken coming in well above 1000 calories. I mean, please, it's 2 cups of deep fried battered chicken drenched in a half cup of sauce with a couple barely green broccoli floating around for good measure how could it not be a ridiculous amount of calories and fat, but still well over half the daily recommendation?

Still, sometimes I really crave it. Prior to this weekend, I thought my only vegan option was to treat myself to the vegan sesame "chicken" at Marco Polo Global Restaurant in Salem, OR when visiting family which would definitely keep in check the amount I binged on this high calorie treat. However, enter Bravo Cafe and Bakery a very short bike ride from my house and home to a full vegetarian menu of all those unhealthy American Chinese dishes you crave: sesame chicken, spare ribs, orange beef, the list goes on and on.

I ordered the vegan sesame "chicken" and they were out of brown rice, so white rice filled in and helped make my dish even less nutritious. The breading on the "chicken" is crunchy and significant and the sauce reminiscent of the typical hole in the wall American Chinese restaurant. This isn't a foodie's paradise, but if you're vegan and looking for something somewhat unhealthy, but satisfying that junk food craving... this may well do it.