Keep a lookout for Gracias Madre – the new, Mexican-themed restaurant by the Cafe Gratitude folks, coming to the Mission this month. The restaurant will feature murals and woven art from Oaxaca, all close to 16th Street BART, on Mission Street between 18th and 19th. The menu will be 100% vegan and nut-heavy, incorporating delicious sounding, raw and cooked recipes. They will be serving organic beer and wine there too. I look forward to trying the empanadas and hope they’ll also have great aguas frescas without loads of sugar. Yum!

This will be my first time trying vegan Mexican since my days working at Roxanne’s. One of these days I’ll have to make a cashew sour cream/cheese. Please share your recipe if you have a good one.

Empanadas con Mole Coloradito
Masa turnover stuffed with cashew ricotta, chiles, epazote and marjoram, topped with a red Oaxacan mole