Croissants, Red Rocks, Health Guru and Voodoo [Utah & Colorado]

Passion Flour Patisserie is an all-vegan French pastry shop in Salt Lake City, Utah. I arrived when brunch was still being served so I had to partake in both sweet and savory. 

There was plenty of pretty, delicate options that I fancied, including French macarons. 

But it was their croissant that had me at first glance. Croissants at vegan eateries are often not croissants at all. They take a croissant shape and appearance but they are not layered, flakey, buttery, etc. These are real croissants. Finally. The best I ever had.

My choice, as always, would be the Benedict. But I substituted the English muffin with one of their croissants. Delicious. But the packaged Canadian bacon was really not necessary–the tofu was flavorful enough on its own! This was a great Hollandaise. I wanted to lick my plate!

Look at those layers. 

Driving from Salt Lake City into the red rock area is a spectacular display of towering rock formations. Though there is quite enough of a show without having to even enter one of the 3 national parks in the area, I did enter Capitol Reef National Park close to sunset, a bit of a foolish choice but my choice nonetheless.

Outside of the park, the sun was already saying Bye Bye. I drove swiftly in hopes of catching the sunset.

But I kept stopping to take pictures of the rock formations along the way.

Finally in the park, I started a hike but thought better of it after a half a mile. I wasn’t prepared for a night hike.

But I managed some nice views in that half mile.

Eventually, I managed a few glimpses of the sun setting in the west. 

After a few pretty harsh hours of mountain driving, True Food Kitchen would be a fine lunch destination with friends in Denver. Turns out the restaurant chain is co-founded by health guru Andrew Weil. There are some truly transformative chains that are spreading into enlightened urban centers. And speaking of, we realized as we searched for an eatery that there was a Native Foods in Denver. Anyway, a menu with vegan options clearly labeled is always easy breezy. True Food Kitchen had plenty to choose from, and like the name implies, no packaged shortcuts.

A yummy appetizer of heirloom tomato and cashew cheese bruschetta. It’s amazing how simple can be so good. A few green herbs, a creamy blended cashew spread, and let you let those heirloom tomatoes shine.  

My choice after a day barely any nutrients—a bowl of scrumptious plant-based eats: miso-glazed sweet potato, charred onion, grilled portobello, avocado, hemp seed with a mix  of super grains. Just what the doctor ordered!  This is how I want to eat all the time: balanced, fresh, flavorful, and textures.

Back on Colfax in downtown Denver, Voodoo Doughnuts, which is now also in Austin and Taiwan (!) A quick morning trip to Denver’s location, open 24 hours, would be in order. 

It seemed that the doughnuts are smaller than Portland’s, although maybe this is a change across the board for Voodoo? The vegan selection was on the bottom of the rotating display. Voodoo swag. Ready to go home now!