The First Ever Vegan Dishcrawl in Berkeley!

Having a blog is a strange thing sometimes. It is an uncomfortable balance of putting your thoughts, ideas, and experiences into the world without asking for anything in return. So, when the universe replies, it is a wonderful thing. I’ve had several such encounters over the past months, but none has been so exciting as meeting Tracy Lee of Dishcrawl.

Tracy is one of the most intense, enthusiastic, energetic people I’ve met. She can often be heard exclaiming that she “wants to take over the world!” Since I happen to feel the same way about veganism, it seemed like a fortuitous connection. Tracy is the founder of an awesome new company called Dishcrawl. Its mission is to bring people together with the restaurants in their neighborhood to foster a true food community. Within minutes of meeting Tracy, she was suggesting we collaborate on a Vegan Dishcrawl in my East Bay neighborhood. I was floored by her wholehearted passion for the food community. As I learned more, I was definitely on board.

Dishcrawl is a take off on the “pubcrawl” idea; “dishcrawlers” visit four different restaurants in one night, having one dish at each location, while getting the opportunity to connect with the restauranteurs in their area. This is especially important for the vegan community. The more restaurants see us and hear from us, the more inclined they are to accommodate us.  Every time I eat at a restaurant, I try to thank the waiter for providing such wonderful vegan options. If I decide not to eat at a restaurant because of their limited or non-existent vegan choices, I tell them that I would love to see more plant-based dishes on their menu.

Dishcrawl has given me a chance to really communicate with the restaurants in my neighborhood, and the response has been so positive. Any smart restaurant owner can see that vegans are taking over the world, and they want to be a part of it. So, if you are interested in food, veganism, restaurants, the Bay Area, the East Bay, or Berkeley, join us for the first ever, all Vegan Dishcrawl in Berkeley. The event is happening March 24, 2011 at 7:00 pm. Tickets are only $26 for an amazing, 4-course vegan meal, and the chance to meet and socialize with other like-minded foodies in your area. All of the locations are a secret for now, but we will be revealing them in the weeks leading up to the event. For more information, and to purchase tickets, check out http://www.dishcrawl.com/berkeleyvegan. I hope to see you there!