Wednesdays are the new Meatless Monday because Urbano is serving up an exclusively vegan menu for one night a week, right here in Modesto.

I attended this week’s Vegan Night at Urbano California Bistro and was blown away by the menu’s attention to detail. It is a healthy take on the vegan lifestyle, with plant-forward dishes full of fresh flavors, and house-made staples like dairy-free sour cream and salsa. The menu has a variety of options including tacos, tamales, sopes, and quinoa bowls, each with thoughtful preparation and pairings.

I ordered a few items to try so I would be able to share my experience with you. Let me just start with- I’ll be back! I started with both tacos as more of an app to share, and then dove into sopes as my main, and ended with a chocolate chip brownie for dessert. Also, a margarita, because when at Urbano!

First up were the Fried Beer Battered Mushroom Tacos and Mighty Green Tacos (petitioning for a name change to She-Hulk Tacos starting now!). Both were tasty and I was wholly expecting to love the mushroom tacos best, but this is why I can’t even trust myself because I ended up in love with the Mighty Green! The mushroom tacos had a light and fresh flair. They were topped with roasted corn, black beans, onion, cilantro, and chipotle sauce. The beer batter helped create a lighter airier batter that didn’t overpower the mushrooms, allowing their meatiness to shine. My Mighty Green/She-Hulk Tacos were made with a base of vegan chicken (gluten-based) that was sauteed in a mild but powerful green sauce. Topped with diced white onion, cilantro, and housemade plant-based sour cream, each bite is full of a mouthwatering flavor that is both savory and tangy.

For dinner, I ordered the Sopes with Soy Beef and Salsa Roja. If you are not familiar with sopes, they are similar to a tostada, only in place of a crispy tortilla you have a thick corn-based masa cake. The masa cake was fried, salty, and served warm. The sopes were topped with soy-based beef, fried pinto beans, onions, cilantro, vegan sour cream, crumbles of almond-cashew queso, red salsa, and served with a side of cabbage. Sopes are easy to eat with your hands or a fork and are very filling. These were absolutely delicious and left me desperate to try the Sopes with Nopales and Chile Verde (cactus and green chili sauce) on my next visit!

A Chocolate Chip Brownie was featured as the menu’s “Dulce” (sweet) dessert. It was served with house-made vanilla banana “nice” cream and fresh strawberries, in a tart and sweet strawberry sauce. The brownie was fudgy and decadent, and when paired with the cool ice cream and tart sauce, made for a perfectly balanced dessert.

I left full, but wanting more. Yesenia was a pleasure to meet and designed an incredible menu that showcases her love of feeding others and creating healthy cuisine. Along with Chef Noel’s expertise, Urbano’s Vegan Night will continue to be a success! Follow Urbano on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on future Vegan Nights, and I’ll see you next Wednesday!

What menu item has you planning a visit to Urabno’s Vegan Night?

Urbano Location: 1016 H St, Modesto, CA 95354

UrbanoModesto.com

Vegan Nights- Wednesdays at 6PM