Food & Drink : Dining Out
CRAFT ROOTS VEGAN BAR AND GRILL 17230 MONTEREY ROAD MORGAN HILL CRAFTROOTS-MH . COM / 408-612-8297
HELLO @ CRAFTROOTS-MH . COM FACEBOOK . COM / CRAFTROOTSBARANDVEG INSTAGRAM . COM / CRAFTROOTS _ MH
TOP LEFT : Ready to roll with drinks in hand from Craft Root ’ s creative cocktail list . NEXT : Deb ’ s go-to ; “ Cheesy ” Mac and Broccoli . A glass of Mionetto Prosecco stands at the ready . NEXT : Mark ’ s Chipotle Mushroom Sandwich flanked by a side of sweet potato fries . NEXT : Happy people toasting ... yet again ! NEXT : Hummus with local veggie plate appetizer ; crisp and creamy delicious . NEXT : Buffalo Cauliflower bites , yum . NEXT : Full bar in main dining area adds a cool vibe . NEXT : CR gear , slick as it gets .
menu , as well . From the moment we set foot into the eatery , we were delighted and amazed .
Both Justin and Nick greeted us with warm smiles and joyful exuberance . Walking in you get the impression that they , and their staff , love what they do . We were introduced to Cassidy , our excellent server , who provided 5-star service the entire evening . First priority — responsible drinks . We all felt like celebrating our freedom to move about a little , and that called for a round of Mionetto Prosecco . It came right away , perfectly chilled . We toasted as we perused the menu , and researched their creative signature cocktail menu . Their beer list features over 30 local and regional beers , including “ Blind Pig IPA ” ( Windsor CA ), “ Float Ya Boat ” ( Oakland CA ), and many other intriguing IPAs , wheat beers , Pilsners , lagers and ales . Cassidy guided us through the menu , answering our questions and asking a few . She made a few great suggestions based on our answers and comments . This was getting fun .
Deb ordered the non-alcoholic “ CENTR CBD ” Sparkling Water ( light citrus flavors , 40 calories with 8g of cane sugar ), I went traditional with a slight twist and ordered the Whiskey Basil Foxtrot ( fresh strawberries , whiskey and basil topped with soda water over ice ). The WBF is a refreshing way to have a whiskey ! The CENTR CBD has become Debs ’ go-to every return visit since doing our recon for this article . Annette chose the Coco Loco ( frozen “ slushy ’ cocktail with Trader Vicks Caribbean Rum , Organic Pineapple juice , coconut milk , Cement Coconut Liqueur — 16oz Tiki pour ). She was pleased indeed . Mark went for the healthy and clean , ordering All Things Green ( Fresh cucumber juice , lemon , vodka , cucumber slice garnish ). With our drink order out of the way , we relaxed and ordered appetizers . Deb and Annette did their homework and had some solid suggestions of their own for the table .
For starters we went with the beautiful hummus plate ( shareable appetizer with shaved seasonal vegetables and brick oven baked gluten-free flatbread ), and a roasted vegetable medley . The hummus , perfect . The accompanying veggies were fresh , crisp , colorful , and tasty . The roasted medley was flavorful and paired nicely with our various drinks . Of course , we had to go for the Buffalo Cauliflower Bites ( gluten-free battered cauliflower florets in spicy sauce served with sliced carrots , celery , cashew ranch dressing ). We universally loved them . You could have fooled me that these were plant-based buffalo “ wings ” ( I never understood why we ever called them “ wings ” or “ Buffalo ”, unless the chickens flew in from upstate New York . I digress ). Perhaps the best part of these little bites of gold was no tiny bones to navigate or leave behind . It ’ s a zero-waste product .
The place was hopping , and we were having a blast . There is a naturally positive vibe here , and it has become a favorite of ours since our first visit .
Soon it was time for the main course . Deb dove into a bowl of “ Cheesy ” Macaroni and Broccoli ( Pimento cashew cheese sauce , broccoli , crispy onions
Continued ... gmhtoday . com gmhTODAY Magazine SUMMER 2021 63