Last month, Sarah and I ventured over to 105degrees, the recently opened raw food cuisine restaurant. It’s not so much a restaurant as it is a concept, from the minds of Matthew Kenney and Dara Prentice. It is restaurant, it is raw food store, and most intriguing, it is raw food academy. Wait. Where are we? Oklahoma City? WTF!?

And yet as we arrived at lunchtime amidst the airport terminalesque buildings that make up the new development on Classen Curve, we realized that it was all true. We were not dreaming. (Once a Whole Foods breaks ground, my head may actually explode.)

We started with their “Spicy Vegetable Summer Rolls, Mango Tamarind Chutney, Toasted Salty Coconut.” Then I had the “OM Gardens Mushroom Pizza, Pignoli Cream, Marjoram, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Black Truffle Oil” and Sarah had the “Sprouted Sesame Wrap, Crispy Autumn Vegetables, Sunflower Sprouts, Mango, Avocado, Miso-Tahini.” Then we finished up with their House Made Mint Chocolate Chip “ice cream” with Amaretti. Everything was wonderful. Sarah was particularly smitten with the ice cream. And, I was ready to elope with the mushroom pizza. The local shrooms were tasty and the pine nut cream held the whole thing together wonderfully. I think we were both pleasantly surprised with how well raw, vegan food could taste.

I am not much of a strong supporter of the raw food ”lifestyle.” I am skeptical of the assertion that 105 degrees is the optimal temperature for food preparation in order to achieve the best flavor and nutrition. I think that food is much more forgiving. I personally would not be able to maintain such a diet for any length of time. It’s tough enough to be (mostly) vegan. But, I still commend Kenney and Prentice for bringing this concept to OKC. In the end, they succeed for me because the food tastes great.

Upon leaving, I hoped that the presence of a raw food restaurant that served remarkable food would inspire other local chefs to experiment with vegan dishes. Not something with the meat protein simply subtracted from the dish and not some throwaway dish meant to fulfill some sort of vegan quota. But a dish that lives up to the other entrees on the menu. A dish that the chef is proud of, people crave, and just happens not to contain meat, eggs, or dairy.

So that brings us to the present.

Upon checking her email on Tuesday, Sarah found out that she had won tickets for two to the Rawkstar Dinner Guest Chef event on December 9th. The event would feature a raw menu created by Ryan Parrott, the chef of Iguana Mexican Grill and Table One. Sarah and I are fans of #TacoTuesday and dream about a Table One visit, so we were very excited to be able to attend the event.

Last night, we rushed into 105degrees from the frigid OKC temperatures just before the event got underway. Soon after being seated, we ordered drinks off of the night’s menu–Sarah had the Pomegranate Margarita and I had the Citrus Margarita. The drinks were fresh and tasty, but we felt it better to stretch out a bottle of wine over the evening. We went with the Gemtree Tadpole Shiraz, a biodynamic wine from Australia, which was quite good on this cold December evening.

After a brief introduction from Dara Prentice (Chef Matthew Kenney was also present), Chef Parrott described the night’s menu. He talked about the initial difficulty in “not cooking” a full menu. Once he realized where he wanted the dinner to end up, it was just a matter of harnessing the expertise of Kenney (and team) to get him there.

The dinner started off with Chips and Salsa. The chips were a raw take on the tortilla chip paired with two salsas from Parrott’s Iguana Mexican Grill–the Coral Snake salsa and the regular table salsa. Raw food meet Iguana. Iguana meet raw food. The Chips and Salsa were a nice start to the evening and we very much appreciated the servers leaving them on the table throughout most of the meal.

For the amuse, we were served a Radish Salad with avocado puree and lime sorbet. This was a nice palate cleanser and perhaps my favorite single bite of the night.

Next up for an appetizer, we were treated to three Tacos with seasoned carrot, Napa cabbage, and “smoked” tomato in jicama shells. The seasoned carrots made it a capital “T” Taco, rather than simply a vegetable-substituted taco. This was Sarah’s favorite course of the night.

From there, a Roasted Corn Pudding, acted as an intermezzo palate cleanser. This course was the most challenging for us, not having experienced anything like a corn pudding or a culinary foam before. I’m not really sure what to think, but I would certainly like to give it a second try.

The entree for the night was an excellent Smoke Chile Rellenos with an Oaxacan mole sauce with toasted pepitas. Before this, I’d associated mole with chocolate. I’m glad that I can now associate it with pumpkin seeds. And cinnamony-savory-smokey goodness.

For dessert, we were served Pineapple Tres Leches with a ginger crisp and caramelized pineapple. Despite unfortunate dribbles of red sauce on one end of the plate that looked out of place on a vegan menu, the dish was quite excellent. I believe this dessert was the brainchild of the 105degrees Pastry Chef Kelly Dennis. I’ve just tried this tres leches and some mint chocolate ice cream, but based on those two dishes (not to mention her other beautifully photographed creations that pop up on the 105degrees Facebook page) I eagerly look forward to diving into more.

Parrott’s Tacos and Smoked Chile Rellenos along with the Pineapple Tres Leches would fit perfectly on the 105degrees three-course menu. Ms. Prentice, in her introduction, mentioned that the guest chef events would become a regular occurrence. If that’s the case, I can’t wait to see who’s going to be next. Parrott just led off with a homerun. I look forward to the next at-bat. In the meantime, Sarah and I will be putting away money in a piggybank in order to save up for an eventual Table One visit.

As a disclaimer, what I’ve written below about my food choices is a personal decision. Part of me feels uncomfortable for even sharing this. I fear that it will seem judgmental or preachy. I don’t intend that. My only reason for sharing this is that eating is such a social activity. It is something that I do on occasion with friends and family. As such, I think it wise to share with these people how I feel about my food.

The humane treatment of sentient animals is personally something that is very important to me. I don’t think such animals should have to suffer or to endure pain that can otherwise be avoided. I’m as of yet undecided as to what “rights” these animals have. As such, animal welfare currently holds much more sway with me than animal rights.

To my mind, factory farming is in direct opposition to animal welfare. It’s not even the worst-case instances that get videotaped and touted by animal rights activists that upset me the most. It is the normal, run-of-the-mill operations that disturb me most of all. The normal conditions of confinement and health are enough to make me queasy. When those conditions result in nothing better than an order of Chicken McNuggets, things seem rather dismal indeed.

In order to counter such inhumane treatment, I think one must vote with their food. Each meal or snack counts as a vote. The votes are ours to cast. Maybe it’s eating less factory farmed meat by going vegetarian for one day a week. Or maybe its eating more ethically, sourcing and purchasing all of your meat from non-factory farms. Unfortunately, so much of our meat comes from these factory farms that it becomes nearly impossible to avoid. And labels like “free range” or “cage free” only seem to exist so that a certain wealthier strata of carnivores can pay for the privilege of feeling better about themselves. (Although nobody assumes that opening up a small window in a dank interrogation room while waterboarding a prisoner somehow keeps it from being called torture.)

The only way that I can deal with the personal shame of consuming meat products that are derived in what I consider inhumane ways is to adopt a nearly vegan way of eating. For me, it is the best way to refrain from factory farmed meat. Luckily, I have been mostly vegetarian (actually  flexitarian) for some time, so the transition won’t be too difficult. Also I have enough money so that I can avoid fast food dollar menus for my nutrition. And I have the time and inclination to prepare and cook most of my meals.

That being said, as I adopt a more vegan way of eating, I do not pretend to be a fundamentalist about it. There will be times–multiple times–where animal products are consumed (with more or less levels of attendant shame). Technically, I will still remain a flexitarian. I do not find this hypocritical. Furthermore, I firmly reject the sort of vegan lifestyle that embraces and engages in all kinds of woo-woo and pseudoscience.

I understand that there are valid reasons for eating meat. There may even be a few valid reasons for eating factory farmed meat. I’m not trying to force my beliefs on animal welfare, animal rights, and eating philosophy on anybody else. Everybody is free to place their own food votes. I just hope that the electorate is as informed as possible.

With all that being said, I’ve come up with a personal set of food guidelines for which I would like to adhere:

Fruits, Vegetables, Legumes, Nuts & Grains are obviously always okay to eat. Fats and proteins that come from non-animal sources are okay as well, along with sugars and alcohol. I’m not going to be concerned with minimal amounts of animal byproducts that appear in these prepared products. I will always consider a pint of Guinness to be vegan!

Dairy – Cheese must and will be my biggest concession. I just cannot give it up at this time. But in order to make myself feel a little better about it, I’m going to try and purchase all of my cheese locally or from artisanal sources. If I eat only the best cheese, perhaps I won’t need so much of it. For ice cream, I’m going to try and keep it to non-dairy versions, but I will likely stray into the Ben & Jerry’s or Braums territory on the rare occasion. The rest of my “dairy” will come from non-animal sources.

Meat – I will not eat any factory farmed meat. And I will not eat fish, veal, or foie gras. If I do consume beef or bison, it will only be from local/family farmed sources. If I do consume pork, chicken, or eggs, it will only be from local/family farmed sources for which I can verify genuine humane treatment.

As far as eating out, my rules get a bit more lax. Perhaps this will change in the future. But I find it necessary at least in the transition. The above rules will apply to food eaten out, except that I will allow myself dairy from locally owned, independent restaurants. I know that rule is a bit arbitrary, but it will at least keep me away from the biggest offenders. Also, I’m not going to be too concerned with animal-based broths and the like that are used in cooking and cannot either be substituted or discerned.

I, of course, reserve the right to change these rules at any time. I’m not chiseling them into stone tablets or anything. They are simply guidelines for how I would prefer to eat.

Also, I anticipate a “wall of shame” of sorts whereby I out myself when I’ve gone off of my established food rules. I’d like to take a photo of the offending food and write a little something about why the rule was indeed broken. Don’t know what it’ll accomplish, only that it might be kind of interesting.

Finally, I should say that the title of this post is a play on the title of Natalie Portman’s recent essay in response to Foer’s new book. Actually my decisions are based on a broader (yet incomplete) reading that includes not only Foer, but also Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser, and Peter Singer. And despite anticipation to the contrary, Natalie Portman is not some sort of Vegetarian Welcome Wagon. If you were under the impression that the Oscar nominated actress would indeed “reward” you for your conscientious food decision-making, then you are sadly mistaken. Thanks, Sarah, for pointing that out.

In his most recent book, Good Calories, Bad Calories: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom on Diet, Weight Control, and Disease, Gary Taubes debunks the infallibility of the conventional wisdom on healthful eating (namely that dietary fat is bad and should be replaced with carbohydrates). He suggests that carbohydrates, and not dietary fat, are to blame for heart disease. Carbs increase insulin production which alters the regulation of fat by the body. Obesity is not caused by an excess of calories, but by a disorder of the regulation of fat tissue and fat metabolism that results when one partakes of excess carbohydrates.

Taubes’ book is compelling. I think it asks some really important questions. It’s neither conclusive nor foolproof. But certainly, I believe, it presents a hypothesis that certainly deserves more study.

Previous research concerning low-fat diets is lacking and often seemed driven by a tidal wave of popular momentum (Taubes’ book is as much about the biases of the science surrounding diet and nutrition as it is anything proscriptive). At any rate, there certainly needs to be more research on nutrition and diets of all kinds. The information that we’ve been fed doesn’t seem to be working for most of us. We need the facts as to what makes good nutrition.

Because it’s nearly impossible to conduct genuinely rigourous nutrition studies, the burden falls on us individually. We are our own lab rats. Its up to us to learn as much as we can about the subject and filter that information through our own behaviors and goals. We’re all going to be different. We are still but anecdotes with different weights and sizes, different food/exercise/leisure behaviors, and different outcome desires. As such, we should ALL be very careful not to be judgmental of others.

Perhaps the most intriguing notion that Taubes presents is that “obesity is a disorder of excess fat accumulation, not overeating and not sedentary behavior.” I think this challenges many of our assumptions, mainly the default position of blaming obesity on gluttony and sloth. Perhaps it’s because of a broad religous tradition that defines such as sins, or maybe it’s a result of a Puritan Work Ethic that is uniquely American, but more often than not obesity is seen as a personal failing. The assumption is that the obese simply lack willpower. If only they were better people, then they would not have the excess weight. But, what if those assumptions are incorrect? Are we willing to change the way we think about food and about the obese? Or, is it a necessary component of the human condition to retain something with which to beat down ourselves and others?

Personally, I can only take Taube’s recommendations so far. I think a lot more work needs to done in the field of nutrition and diet and health. I already eat a fairly conventionally healthy diet–mostly vegetables and fruit, little red meat, not many processed foods. The book reminds me that I should stay away from refined carbohydrates as much as possible. And I should replace bread and pasta with their whole grain counterparts whenever I can. But I cannot dive headlong into the Atkins pool. I can’t become that kind of meateater (Julia Child aside). More importantly, I cannot give up beer. Not now. So, perhaps I will make minor adjustments where possible, but my diet is not going to change that much. At least not right now.

For a general overview of Taubes thesis, see his 2002 piece in the NYT Magazine which was later expanded into the book Good Calories, Bad Calories.

Two-Headed Blog has recently fallen in love with The Drunken Fry and Big Truck Tacos. We wonder what other wonderful places are out there under the radar:

What is your favorite “hole in the wall” restaurant and/or bar?

I’ve been hearing about a mysterious “taco truck” for some weeks now. (It seems to have a particular propensity for showing up at Untitled [ArtSpace] events.) I was immediately fascinated by the news. You see, I have a thing for food trucks – one of the best meals of my life was from a gyro truck in the Westport area of Kansas City. I also have a thing for anything new and interesting that might pop up here in Oklahoma City, especially anything new and interesting and food-related.

Then, Dwight found Big Truck Tacos on Facebook. (Have I mentioned lately how much I love Facebook? I can’t believe I resisted its charms for so long.)

As it turns out, Big Truck Tacos is the taco truck of lore, sometimes appearing at events around the city. But it’s also a newly-opened, brick-and-mortar restaurant, located at 530 N.W. 23rd St. They’re open from 7:30am to 7:30 pm, Monday through Saturday.

Dwight and I, along with a coworker friend of mine, went there for lunch today.

Big Truck Tacos is housed in what appears to once have been a Sonic-esque drive-in. There are a few picnic tables out in front, and a small dining area inside. Having studied the menu intensively prior to our visit (while Big Truck doesn’t have an official website just yet, a copy of the menu can be found at urbanspoon.com), we were able to order quickly at the counter and grab a table indoors.

As you might infer from the name, Big Truck Tacos specializes in tacos, with more than ten different options. There’s the usual chicken, pork and beef, along with more unusual versions like bison (“The Guardian”) and beef tongue (“The Flaming Lips”). Big Truck also offers the “5th Amendment” taco – the contents remain a surprise until you take your first bite.

There’s more than just tacos, though. Big Truck’s menu also features burritos, quesadillas, flautas, and assorted other items, including the amusingly-named “I-40 Pile-Up Tostada” (choice of chicken / beef / pork, rice, refried beans, roasted onions and poblano, lettuce, pico, and cheese).

I ordered an “Okie-Baha” taco – marinated tilapia with jicama-cabbage slaw, on corn tortillas ($3.00). Dwight ordered the “Crispy’cado” – fried avocado, romaine, tomatillo salsa, and queso fresco ($2.50). We also split an order of the white bean and roasted garlic dip ($4.50), which was served, obviously, with a basket of tortilla chips.

The dip was good and garlicky, with a dollop of poblano-pepita pesto on top. (Wikipedia tells me that pepita is the seed of a pumpkin, or other type of squash.) I was glad we’d ordered the dip, because each of our tacos was a bit on the small side. Unless you’re going to get an order of chips, or just aren’t that hungry, I’d probably recommend ordering two tacos. But despite their smallish size, they were both really, really tasty. I liked my tilapia, but I liked Dwight’s Crispy’cado even more. Fried avocado is surprisingly good.

Our friend ordered the “Borracho Chicken” taco – spice-rubbed Beer Can Chicken, with spicy tomato sauce ($2.50), as well as a pork burrito ($5.99). Whereas the tacos were small, the burrito was enormous. Our friend was very pleased with both.

Big Truck Tacos also does breakfast from 7:30 – 11:00am, which I’m very eager to check out. I could live on breakfast burritos and migas tacos. And they serve beer, so I’m also eager to go back after work one evening, and linger outside at a picnic table with a couple beers and some good food.

While Big Truck has several things going for it (great location very near our offices, fun concept, good food) perhaps the highest compliment I can pay them is this: it very much reminded Dwight, our friend, and I of someplace you might find in Austin. And since all three of us rank Austin high among our favorite cities, this is pretty high praise, indeed.