For vegans, going out to eat can be a bit of a chore. You have to pick a place that your friends or family like, obviously it has to have delicious food (or why would you even go), and you have to make sure that the restaurant has vegan options (I often have to clarify the difference between vegan and vegetarian). Luckily, I have found a way around this. Although I have learned to take more of a liking to salad, I don’t want to have to eat it at every meal. I like options. I want to look at the menu and ponder a little over what I want to eat. I want to be wooed by the dish, and enticed to come back and try the dish I didn’t pick this time. I want to look forward, even yearn, for the day when I go back to eat at this restaurant.
Mediterranean cuisine has been a type of dining that I can rely on for just those reasons. As described by cuisinenet.com, “The Mediterranean can be divided into three culinary regions: North African (especially Morocco), eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey), and southern European (Italy, France, Spain). Wine and herbs are central to Southern European cuisine, while spices intricately and boldly flavor North African foods.” Vegetables noticeably play a pivotal role in Mediterranean cooking and diners will often find their favorite vegetables starring in most dishes. This makes the food favorable for a vegan diet.
This past weekend I had the wonderful luck of finding a hidden treasure in the heart of Hollywood, FL, 
Exotic Bites. An absolutely DELICIOUS restaurant and Hookah bar located on Harrison Street in Young Circle. The newly relocated restaurant hosts belly dancing shows, it’s open late, they cater, they deliver… it just doesn’t get any better than that! The food is fantastic! I had the pleasure of trying the Falafel Entrée and the Mixed Veggie Grill. So… good! The Falafel Entrée comes with four large falafel patties and a choice of several sides including the house salad, pita bread, exotic sauces, couscous, rice pilaf or lemon potatoes. The Veggie Grill is a mix of onions, tomatoes, and eggplant marinated in a light sauce. Some other vegan options are the Hummus, the Tabouleh Salad or the Babaganoush. Definitely make sure to stop by and try some of the other items on the menu. You’re sure to enjoy!
The Broke Vegan 