Just two weeks ago, I found myself on a road trip to the west coast while helping a friend move. Day one took us through colorful Colorado and the red rocks of Utah, ultimately to the neon of Vegas 12 hours later. We arrived ravenous. Luckily, I had done my homework and found a veg restaurant in the area: Go Raw Cafe. It was a ways off the strip, tucked away in a small strip mall near a lake (!) in West Vegas—a lush spot in the oven of the Nevada desert. We had called in our order from the car (I had printed out the sizeable menu pre-departure): the Gimme the Beet burger, 4 slices of pie, a couple cookies, 16 oz of super green juice, carrot-avacado soup, and the Enchiladas.

When we arrived to fetch our dinner, I walked in wearing my I (elephant) Boulder ele-Tand just took it all in. It was healthy. It was eco. It was a little hub of wellness in sin city. A blonde haired stunningly blue-eyed fellow seated at a table looked upon my bemusement and said: “You look like a yogi who is lost.” I considered the underlying truth of his comment, smiled and asked for our to-go goodies and directions for the best way back to S. Vegas Blvd. We toted the abundance of dinner back to our hotel in eco-cartons with compostable utensils. (Now, if only we could have found a compost bin at the hotel…sigh).

It may not have been the best raw food that has ever crossed my discerning lips, but it was creative and refreshing after a long car ride. The best part was the left over pie for breakfast. Worth a stop if you happen to find yourself in Vegas.