Fresh squeezed pineapple, watermelon, and orange juice? Vegan Hawaiian punch with whole pressed mango, pineapple, and coconut milk? Are you kidding? After explaining the many delectable menu options at Ridgewood’s Green Fusion restaurant, our thoughtful waitress had no idea that she had me at pineapple, and that I was hooked before the food even arrived! It is not easy to find lovely restaurants in Northern NJ that offer delicious vegan fare in a warm, spacious environment, but Green Fusion more than delivers.
The manager Karan could not have been friendlier, as he explained that one of the primary goals for Green Fusion is to create succulent, nourishing food, without causing harm or death to animals. Such a goal should be shared by every restaurant, but unfortunately will be impossible to achieve by Green Fusion so long as it continues to offer dairy cheese as a menu option (Click here for a 5+ minute video on why Dairy is Scary). Having said that, Green Fusion does offer a wonderful variety of enticing vegan dishes. I of course started with the fresh squeezed pineapple juice and I was instantly transported to a warm island country with not a care in the world. I then chose a cup of the tasty wild mushroom bisque with truffle oil, and the Cauli BBQ Vegan Pizza with crispy baked cauliflower, chickpeas, homemade sauce, and baby arugula. Delightful! I was having fun, and I think that I may have even started humming out loud. A family member selected the vegan Buddha Bowl with grilled marinated tok (soy or seitan?), bok choy, seasoned veggies, curried chickpeas, mung beans, Napa cabbage and lemon rice. She enjoyed her dish, but thought that the lemon rice was too sour. Our dinner guest had the vegan Truffle Mushroom Burger with a wild mushroom & rolled oats patty, caramelized onions, and arugula. She loved it! 🙂
By the way, if you have issues with pineapple, you are not alone. My sister recently mentioned that pineapples contain an enzyme that can cause oral discomfort. After a quick Google search, I learned that the enzyme is called Bromelain and its impact can be lessened through cooking, or by soaking the pineapple in salt. Apparently, bromelain is highly concentrated in the stem of the pineapple, so the further away you cut, the better. 🙂
The bottom line on Green Fusion? I just found one of my top two favorite vegan restaurants in Northern New Jersey (I still have a weakness for Veggie Heaven in Teaneck). We will be back for sure!
Click here for the Green Fusion website.
Click here to learn about the many health benefits of eating pineapple from the Cleveland Clinic.
Click here to learn more about why pineapples light up your tongue, and tips on how to avoid the burn.
Click here to learn more about the history of pineapples from the University of Melbourne.
Click here to learn more about why you may want to soak your raw pineapple in salt.
