WHO’S IN CHARGE Not surprisingly, Robert Bouley, the chef and owner of Fruition Vegan Kitchen, is a vegan — but so are his wife, Lisa, and kids, all of whom help out in this all-vegan restaurant and takeout place in West Medford. That gives Fruition a distinct family-friendly vibe, even if hipsters are welcome.
And if you’re busy (and aren’t we all?) and want to pick up dinner for the spouse and kids that is both healthy and quickly obtained — and as filling and comfy as more traditional fast food — Fruition can fill your stomach and ease your conscience. Bouley is clearly passionate about vegan cuisine, but the Medford resident also has worked in the restaurant and catering business for years and previously ran a vegetarian place in Malden.
He wanted to open a small restaurant in his hometown and found a storefront available on High Street, so he opened Fruition in December. Everything is made on the premises. No meat. No dairy. No eggs. No problem for Bouley, who adapts recipes he’s used in the past by substituting nonmeat and nondairy ingredients.
THE LOCALE Fruition Vegan Kitchen is largely geared toward takeout (the commuter rail station is less than a block away), but there are a couple tables and chairs for those who would like to eat there. You pick out drinks from the glass case, and place your order at a narrow counter. It’s all very laid back and homespun.
ON THE MENU The menu is not extensive; there are plates, salads, sandwiches, a soup of the day, and daily specials are written on a nearby blackboard.
If you’re not sure about vegan food, a great place to start is the Fruition Bowl ($12), a blend of seasonal vegetables with beans and the grain of the day. We found ourselves admiring the colors and texture of our generous bowl of kale, cauliflower, squash, and black beans over rice. We opted for a topping of nutritional yeast, which added color, flavor, and texture. (You can also get toppings of soy lecithin granules and/or flax oil).
If you want a hefty punch of heat, try the Buffalo tofu bowl ($12), which features chunks of baked tofu in spicy buffalo sauce with chopped tomatoes and ranch dressing, served with rice and roasted vegetables.
A tad less spicy but with a distinct afterburn is the jerk seitan bowl ($12), or Jamaica spice-rubbed seitan (also called “the wheat meat’’) with bell peppers, carrots, and onions served over rice. Fruition also creates other meat-substitute dishes relying on seitan and tofu; check the daily specials.
Greek, garden, and Lebanese salads (all $8) and sandwiches like a Caesar wrap ($9) are some of the other choices. We sampled a small order ($3) of Creole sweet potato salad, a creamy, satisfying delight, and the Lebanese salad, in which crispy fresh greens were set off by chunks of falafel and a tangy tahini dressing.
Fruition may be on the homespun side but its generous dishes are as satisfying as that bag of fries you know you shouldn’t be eating.
Fruition Vegan Kitchen, 472 High St., West Medford. 781-391-0903, www.fruitionvegankitchen.com.
Stephanie Schorow can be reached at sschorow@comcast.net.
