Hey everybody! What do you get when you combine your favorite soul food and a vegan restaurant? Savannahs first vegan-only spot: Natural Selections Cafe.

Its still so surreal, says owner/operator Davida Harris, laughing. The other day I sat in the parking lot across the street and watched people come in and eat. I just sat there and said, Im a restaurant owner. Im a vegan restaurant owner.

Davida opened her doors in early March and already the response has been so huge, shes extended to evening dinner hours.

Its fun, she says. Oh, yeah. Its my food. I want to be here with it.

And you wont believe the menu.

We have macaroni and cheese and greens old Southern favorites leave out of the door like hot cakes, she says.

Let me say as a dairy-loving, devout carnivore, this food is really good! You wont know its not the real thing.

But theres also a hearts of palm Crabby Cake, a seitan (a common vegan staple) Not Chicken Salad that youd swear your mama made (this is my favorite tastes great and even the texture is perfect) and an incredible cinnamon roll cheese cake that Davida says she cant keep in the store.

Davida started cooking vegan for herself 15 years ago, but it wasnt until five years ago that she started catering vegan meals. This past summer, she had an event that was way too large for her in-home kitchen and decided it was time for a restaurant.

The customers come in and thank me for opening this, she says. I know how difficult it was for me to find places to eat in Savannah that were all vegan. Most vegans dont want to eat in a kitchen that has meat or dairy products cooked in it.

Davida went vegan for health reasons but says she wasnt willing to give up the taste. And her customers approve.

Were part of Savannah Veggies and Vegans and they were posting about it, says Bluffton resident Meredith Johnson, sitting next to her husband Jason Telmos. They were posting photos of the mac n cheese and me being a pregnant vegan, I was like, Were driving 45 minutes to get this mac n cheese.

Technically, they were in town for an appointment with their midwife, but couldnt pass up the chance to check out Natural Selections. So far, they love everything theyve tried.

Oh, it was fantastic, says Jason. The crab cake was really, really good. Meredith picks it up from there: The crabby cake was amazing.

About that cheesy southern staple

Mac n cheese was on point, says Jason. Meredith adds, You would never know it was vegan. Tastes just like mac n cheese; it was amazing.

Jason takes it one step further, It was really, really good. And the baby approved. Meredith laughs and agrees.

The whole time my photographer Drew and I were in the restaurant, there was never less than three tables (there are about 10 tables total) with customers enjoying Davidas fine vegan cuisine and there were constant take-out orders. That says something for demand when customers are seeking out a brand-new vegan restaurant open for barely a month.

She also has what you think of as more standard vegan fare: kale, brown rice and quinoa. But it was the vegan soul food that really surprised me.

One side note: the prices are really reasonable. The most expensive thing on the menu is $10 and most items were way cheaper. Not to mention, you can get half sizes on the sandwiches and salads and a smaller serving of soup.

You can also order and pay online at NaturalSelectionsCafe.com.

Like Davida says, she didnt give up the taste, and its paying off in happy customers and a good time.

This is fun, she says. This isnt even like work, this is fun cause I like cooking. Its fun and I like to see people eat my food.

To see more of Davidas story and learn more about Natural Selections Cafe, tune in to The Bridge on WSAV at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Rene LaSalle is co-host of The Bridge, which airs at 11 a.m. Monday-Friday on WSAV. Contact her on Facebook by searching Rene LaSalle WSAV, on Twitter @WSAVReneeL or email her at rlasalle@wsav.com.

Rene LaSalle is co-host of The Bridge, which airs at 11 a.m. Monday-Friday on WSAV. Contact her on Facebook by searching Rene LaSalle WSAV, on Twitter @WSAVReneeL or email her at rlasalle@wsav.com.

Natural Selections Cafe

Address: 1526 Bull St.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday

Info: NaturalSelectionsCafe.com, 912-660-0878

See the article here:

The Bridge: Natural Selections Cafe offers all-vegan options on Bull Street - Savannah Morning News