Finding good vegan food can be challenging. It’s even harder to find a satisfying mocktail. I visited RP Tracks Restaurant & Bar and was surprised to get both.
Location
RP Tracks Restaurant & Bar is located near the University of Memphis. Based on my visit, I’m sure it is popular among their college students. It’s approximately a 9-minute walk or 2-minute drive from their campus (.4 miles).
The Hours
The restaurant’s hours are:
Sunday 10 AM – 1 AM
Monday through Saturday 11 AM – 1 AM
I arrived on a Tuesday before they opened and sat in my car. They unlocked the door at 11 AM on the dot. How would I be greeted, considering they were not expecting a customer so soon? I promptly went inside and was greeted warmly by the bartender and a waitress. Since I wasn’t in a rush, I went to the restroom to wash my hands. When I came back, I found a menu on the table.
Food Options
I had a decent amount of choice, considering it was not a vegan restaurant.
Starters
- Chips & Salsa $5
- Pedro’s Wings $11.50- choose from four different styles. Dry, Buffalo, Seasoned Lemongrass (*$1 extra). Animal Friendly Version available with Tofu Slices in lieu of wings $8
Nachos:
- BBQ Tofu Nachos $10
The waitress informed me that I could order these without cheese and sour cream to make it vegan.
Animal-Friendly Quesadillas:
- BBQ Tofu $9.25
- Marinated Tofu $9.25
Like the nachos, I would ask for no cheese and sour cream to make it vegan.
Salads:
- Garden Salad $10- Fresh mushrooms, red & green peppers, red onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers
I would like no croutons or cheese. I wish they had a tofu salad option.
Sandwiches (served with hand-cut seasoned fries):
- BBQ Tofu- Our signature BBQ tofu served on a toasted bun and slaw on the side $8
To make this vegan, get it without the slaw.
- Vegetarian Club- Grilled marinated tofu, tomato-dijon aioli, hickory smoked coconut, lettuce, & tomato on honey-wheat bread $9
- The Nature Lover- Warmed spinach & artichokes combined with cool alfalfa sprouts & tomatoes on marbled rye bread with melted provolone cheese $9
Requesting no cheese would make this vegan-friendly.
My Food Choice
Take a guess. What do you think I ordered? Without hesitation, I ordered the BBQ Tofu sandwich with no slaw.
I chose this option because the waitress mentioned it was a popular choice among customers. It’s also highly recommended in their Google reviews. The sandwich was good. For those who aren’t vegan, they may need to adjust to the texture of tofu. After being vegan for years, the texture of the tofu was familiar and delicious when tossed with barbecue sauce. I didn’t know what to expect, but it was satisfying. It made me wonder why I have never tried making barbecue tofu at home.
It came with fries or tots. I asked for the tots again based on the waitress’s recommendation. She said their tots were “really good and crispy”. I love crispy anything! The tots were both good and crispy. Surprisingly, my waitress asked if I wanted vegan ranch with my food, and I said yes. I was shocked that they had vegan ranch; there was no way I was going to turn it down. I poured a little on my sandwich and dipped my tots in the rest. The ranch dressing was a fantastic bonus.
Beverages
I ordered water to go with my meal. However, after eating and enjoying my meal, I wondered if I should order something else to drink. A mocktail crossed my mind. Obviously, I found it tempting since I was sitting directly across from the bar.
Additionally, the bartender had been so friendly when I entered the restaurant. I looked on the table for the drink menu and found one for mocktails. This menu made me more excited than I should have been. I’ve been sober since November of 2017 and don’t think I have ever ordered a mocktail at a restaurant.
They offer six mocktail choices.
- Salty Puppy– Seedlip Grove 42, Grapefruit Juice (Sparkling or Nonsparkling), Salt Rim
- Virgin Mary/Maria– Seedlip Spice 94 (Mary) or Lyre’s Agave (Maria) with Zing Zang
- Adam’s French 42– Seedlip Grove 42, Freixenet NA Sparkling Wine, Sweet and Sour, Lemon
- Oh!Mosa!– Freixenet NA Sparkling Wine, Orange Juice
- Flower Power– Seedlip Spice 94, Cranberry Juice, Sparkling Grapefruit, Simple Syrup, Salt Rim
- NA-Garita– Lyre’s Agave, Lime Juice, Sweet and Sour, Orange Juice, Salt Rim
My waitress wasn’t nearby, so I walked over to the bartender and asked her what she suggested. The bartender asked me what liquor I preferred so that she could recommend a similar mocktail. She said the most popular choice is Flower Power. However, she was missing the ingredients to make that one. She even went and double-checked to make sure she didn’t have it. Her next choice was the NA-Garita. I told her I would go with that.
My Beverage Choice
My waitress brought it to me, and after taking the first sip, I must admit that I was impressed. I got my drink with salt on the rim and wondered if that was a bad choice, but it wasn’t. It reminded me of an actual margarita minus the buzz. The funny thing is that I got a buzz from the excitement of having such a pleasant experience.
I finished that drink while reading my book. After I looked at my watch, I realized I had more time to kill. I asked the bartender to suggest another mocktail. She told me another popular choice was the Salty Puppy.
Another Round Please
I chose sparkling grapefruit juice in my Salty Puppy. When it came, I did not know what to expect. It looked a little watery. After the first sip, I wasn’t really impressed. Although it tasted a little watery, it wasn’t bad. However, the Na-garita was so good I wished I had just ordered another one of those instead. By the time I finished the Salty Puppy, I was glad I had tried a different drink. I didn’t regret my choice.
Final Sips & Savory Thoughts: Why I’ll Be Back for More
In conclusion, I’m so happy that I visited RP Tracks Restaurant & Bar. I will be making multiple return visits. My intent is to try all of their vegan-friendly options and mocktails. I was super impressed with how friendly the staff was. It’s difficult today to receive good customer service. My waitress checked on me continuously. Additionally, the bartender came over to my table and asked how I liked the drinks.
I was also impressed with my bill. Eating out has become so expensive that I don’t do it nearly as much as I used to. My bill was $24.22 for a sandwich, tots, and two mocktails. They subtracted a dollar from each drink for the lack of alcohol.
Many places today charge the same or higher prices for mocktails and vegan foods. This particular restaurant’s prices don’t punish you for being vegan and sober. Lastly, they are also certified by Project Greenfork. Thank you, RP Tracks, for a fantastic experience!
What’s your favorite vegan or mocktail choice? Let me know in the comments.