Strangelunch Ecopolitan: So raw, it’s right

The average American probably finds the dietary lifestyle known as “raw foodism” a little baffling—if he or she has heard of it at all. Americans understand the other stuff: Vegetarians don’t eat meat; vegans don’t eat food that comes from animals in any way. The philosophy behind raw foodism is almost as simple, but it’s more about health than morals. Its followers believe that the cooking process strips food of its natural nutritional value, and that we humans should retrain our palettes to appreciate food in its raw state—a tall order, if you think about how much of the American diet is made up of cooked, cookable, and processed items.

So when we decided to try the all-raw food menu at Ecopolitan (2409 Lyndale Ave. S., 612-874-7336), we were wary. One can only imagine the immense challenge a raw chef faces daily: Vegetarian food can be flavored to taste like meat, and vegan food (especially those densely delicious, eggless baked goods) can be manipulated to taste remarkably like its animal-exploiting counterparts. But when it comes to raw food, the very basis for modern cooking is thrown out the window—namely the cooking part. To test the chefs’ skills, The A.V. Club sat down and ordered Ecopolitan’s raw versions of three items that we assumed had to be cooked to be edible: an omelet (named the Rawmlette, half-order for $6.75), nachos (a.k.a. Pine Nut Not-cho “Cheese” with eco-chips, $8.25), and a Minnesota staple known for its baked quality, the casserole (which appears on the menu as Savory Casserole Plate, half-order for $7.75). Bring it on, Ecopolitan. Prove to us that we’re not better off just eating heads of broccoli straight from the stalk and grabbing a corn dog afterward.

It was brought. The Not-cho “Cheese” appetizer defied its quotation marks by actually tasting like cheese—or at least having a satisfyingly cheese-like je ne sais quoi, as characterized by the diner’s inability to stop reaching for another bite. Though the curry-colored/guacamole-textured dip consisted primarily of pureed pine nuts and some raw-foody staples that we almost hesitate to mention because of their unfortunate names (like rejuvelac, a fermented liquid made from grains), the addition of hot and bell peppers, apple-cider vinegar, garlic, and other aromatics forced the issue of cheese vs. un-cheese right off the table and into our bellies.

The Rawmlette, on the other hand, arrived at the table looking so far removed from its namesake that we were initially tempted to recommend it only to the raw food veteran—that is, until we tasted it. More accurately described as a breakfast wrap, the Rawmlette brimmed with perfectly ripe avocados, red onions, shredded carrots, cilantro, and a house-made “cheese spread” of macadamia nuts, cashews, garlic, lemon, jalapeño, and sea salt. The wrapper itself consisted of hazelnut-flavored pressed coconut, flax seed, and banana, which lent the dish a subtle sweetness and strangely comforting in-mouth feel that perfectly balanced the various veggies inside. The whole shebang came with a side salad of apple, pineapple, blueberries, and minced coconut meat that put to shame the half-assed cantaloupe, honeydew, and grape fruit salads of your average diner.

But the real moment of truth came when our slice of Savory Casserole Plate arrived. The first bite proved that Ecopolitan had done the seemingly impossible: caused an unbaked casserole to coalesce. Atop a thin layer of masterfully sliced zucchini, a mash of pureed cashew and rejuvelac blended perfectly with fresh vegetables, garlic, lime, and a garden of well-balanced spices like caraway seed, celery seed, and parsley. The dish was topped off with a generous handful of dill and “breadcrumbs” (crumbled chunks of the restaurant’s “pizza crust,” made from sprouted buckwheat, flax seed, carrot, parsley, olive oil, and lots of basil), which gave the casserole not only a truly savory flavor, but also bestowed it with that undeniable umami taste—the one that keeps you eating, even if your stomach is maxed out by a surprisingly filling raw meal.

The folks at Ecopolitan are much more than raw foodists—they’re raw foodies. From now on, we’ll ignore the quotation marks and punny qualifiers on the menu and expect that no matter what we order, it will taste like nothing we’ve ever had... in the best possible way.