Sunday, 26 September 2010 21:25 Written by Cameron Gabriel

Rogue Valley Vegans ride again. Our second outing took us to Dragonfly Restaurant in Ashland, a personal favorite of Mary's. If you have family or friends visiting from out of town, definitely consider bringing them here: they won't be disappointed. Good food, hip decor, great spot to hang out. After about 6PM the service slows dramatically, so be prepared for that. Dragonfly serves a very unique mix of latin and asian cuisine, and while there are many meat dishes on the menu, a lot of items can be made vegan, and the staff is fairly well versed in this and in the ingredients of their dishes. Very much a creature of habit (I typically find a dish I like and then drive it until the wheels fall off), I ordered the pineapple wok fried rice bowl with tofu and some edamame. Unfortunately, they were not at the top of their game this evening, and my bowl came with the tofu and vegetables hardly grilled at all. Normally I could deal with this (I am too much of a chuck hound to be that picky), but I get chapped thinking about undercooked tofu being someone's first experience with it. (No to mention they charge $5.00 to add tofu, which translates to about $1 per small cube.) I have talked to many people who were turned off from tofu because it lacked flavor, however, it is all in the preparation and cooking. I know, could it be as gross as eating the dead, burnt corpses of tortured beings? I don't think so, and believe me I've used that rebuttal aplenty. In any event, if any restaurant owners or chefs are reading this, please: cook the tofu!

All of that aside, however, the food was still very good. They bring a tray of hot sauces, which I love, and generally have decent portions. The wait staff is great, and there are several dining areas to choose from, including a garden in the back. Come in a jacket, come in a t-shirt, you wouldn't feel out of place in either. Pants are strongly encouraged however....

As for the attendees, well, everyone is awesome and it is so great to share a meal with other people who give a shit about things.  I mean, REALLY give a shit.  This thoughtful group of folks commit their lives to animals and the earth and we are proud to call them friends.  The conversation was stimulating and the laughs were hearty!  We are all pumped the group is coming together and we look forward to many future events!