I-tal Garden — Restaurant in New Orleans

absolutely and unbelievably delicious. i actually did some research for vegan spots before visiting because i was worried i wouldn't be able to find anything and this place came in clutch!

i was in town for a few days and ended up staying a block over; i ended up getting food here twice because it was so incredible. the atmosphere/building is gorgeous, the service was great and speedy, and again the food was 10/10 - fresh and well seasoned vegan soul food, what more could you ask for. they even have business cards on the side table for local businesses, musicians, therapists, etc. which i thought was wonderful.

the second time i came in was very last minute, i felt horrible coming in so late and genuinely didn't even expect to receive anything as it was at best 15 minutes before close - only reason i came in was due to the fact that they were the only open vegan/vegetarian option near me and i had no other options - yet they still helped me out. they even gave me some desserts on the house since they were going to get tossed anyway! for that alone, they deserve five stars.

unfortunately i forgot to take pics of the first time i got food (i was starving and dived right in), but i got the kick'n strips, potato salad, brussel sprouts, and cornbread the first time, and then did the kick'n strips, mac n cheese, brussels sprouts, and cornbread the next. my friend got the cauliflower wings and said they were phenomenal. the kick'n strips were such a good vegan alternative with the perfect texture, the cornbread was perfect, the brussels sprouts were devine, and this mac was some of the best, if not THEE best, vegan mac...

My experience was SO unacceptable, I was forced to write a negative review, which I never do. I was blatantly blamed for my order not being ready. I waited 1 hour and 15 minutes total for it to START being prepared; even though it was shown to me in THEIR system/queue it came in order. I placed two separate orders 6 min. apart, using 2 different cards (name and all) at 2:28 & 2:34. Both orders were placed under my name for pickup to avoid confusion. All orders were supposed to be done by 2:59. I arrived early at 2:45. 15 minutes later my second order was given to me (with the wrong sauce). When asked where my 3 remaining dishes were(1st order) , the hostess checked and saw that it was there, but was missed. Instead of taking responsibility, I was blamed for my order not being ready even though sufficient time was given and the order was in the queue accurately and right next to each other. I was told “If you put it in at different times it makes it go slower.” The reason made no sense , and by now I had been waiting 25 minutes after projected time. People who ordered after me were receiving their food. My fiancé came in and was told “Next time, put it in all together!” Again, no apology and we were being blamed; when there was NO issue with the order and they were in the queue together. (Ex. Order 8&9).I still decided to wait patiently. Even with no apology or rush on their end to get it to me. At 4pm I was forced to ask for a refund, and that was a whole other issue. No customer service and being blamed for their mistake...

Upon walking into the place, there is a beautifully crafted, clean atmosphere that really caught my attention, followed by the workers who greeted us with the utmost jubilation.

However, what matters most is the quality of the food that truly shined the most. Being a vegan restaurant and remaining true to the I-tal tradition, they fancy the embrace of delicious, healthy eating and they did not disappoint. The menu consists of an assortment of delicious, healthy alternatives of some of your favorite foods, be it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner..

Ordering the Cauliwings with BBQ sauce for an appetizer was truly an unexpected marvel. One bite, and I forgot that the wings were made from cauliflower, fried and smothered in delicious BBQ sauce.

What came next was my personal favorite, signature meal - The Rodeo Burger, with seitan bacon and vegetables on the side to further reinforce that this is a vegan place. As I picked it up, and took one bite, this is truly a beautiful reminder that there are passionate people willing to show the world that the vegan lifestyle can truly be embraced, because they know that the psychology of the human mind still savors the tastes of what they crave.

Followed by the freshly cut fries and hibiscus tea, I cannot help but enjoy every bite. My only disappointment was that I didn't order double the amount. For what it is worth, for anyone who wish to kick back from the meat eating, and want to explore vegan options, explore your options and give I-tal a visit.

You will not be...