Right, top to bottom: Among the offerings at Inn Season Cafe (above): Szechuan stir fry, the Fourth Street Burger and hot fudge brownie. 25 YEARS L Inn Season celebrates a silver anniversary of vegetarianism. BY DAVID MOSS I PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN ometimes, it's good to check back on an old friend. And Inn Season Cafe has been a Royal Oak main- stay. While other vegetarian eateries have come and gone and the coun- try's health-food phase fizzled and returned, Inn Season has served up fresh, organic cuisine without skip- ping a beat. The homey, cozy (read: close seating) atmosphere is still alive, along with the restaurant's down-to-earth waitstaff, who still serve comfort foods like pizza and several Mexican items, too. But the level of sophistication has been turned up a notch, with offerings that treat the eye as well as the palate. Mushrooms are a highlight in quite a few dishes, so my com- panions and I began with mush- room soup that was chock full of chopped mushrooms and carrots and blended with a nice helping of dill. The soup was thick but not as heavy as bisque. Other appetizers include hummus with roasted red peppers, sauteed mushrooms and several salads. Among the entree offerings are seven different pizzas, including spinach-walnut and portabella- walnut. All pizzas come with dairy or soy cheese atop an herbed whole-grain crust. We tried the Thai Coconut Peanut Stir Fry — a mix of broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, sweet potato and tempeh (cultured soy patty, a healthy source of protein) in a Thai ginger sauce — alongside a mound of saffron basmati rice. This dish was full of flavor and spice, without being too hot. We also chose the Brown Rice Salad, which mixed organic brown basmati rice with sweet red pepper, cucumber, car- rots, pine nuts, currants and herbs in flavorful vinaigrette. Other entrees include Mexican classics, like quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos and botanas; and stirfries, with peanut sauce and tofu, sea vegetable or ginger and cashews. Noodles may be substituted for brown rice. A trip to Inn Season wouldn't be complete, though, without the original Fourth Street Burger, a hearty whole-grain patty with or without cheese, served with your choice of a tangy BBQsauce, Dijon mayo or sesame tahini dress- ing. This burger is filling and deli- cious. Now, if you're hankering for Johnny Rockets, you may be disap- pointed, but this healthy option is still filling and delicious — and leaves more calories for dessert. Inn Season bakes its own treats, made with the freshest ingredients and organic flours and sugars. Favorites include the car- rot cake, apple crisp, Grandma's Vegan Chocolate Cake (although my grandma wouldn't have known a vegan if she bumped into one) and a rich brownie drenched in hot fudge, served with either Soy Delicious or Stoneyfield Organic ice cream. Inn Season is a friendly and lively place that serves up vegetar- ian fare satisfying enough for even those who look for a meat meal. After 25 years, they still know what it takes to satisfy an ever-growing clientele of happy diners. ❑ Continued on page 10 8 • NI A Y 2006 • JNPLATINUM Inn Season Cafe 500 E. Fourth St., Royal Oak (248) 547-7916 Monday, closed Tuesday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Saturday, noon-9:30 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.