Mouth-watering cuisine and a chic dining area within an eco-friendly building blend so well at Roxanne’s in Larkspur, California, that you’d never dream this restaurant serves only raw, vegan cuisine.

Radical radishes: Chef Roxanne Klein relies on innovative techniques and flavorful organic ingredients to create a menu featuring plant-based, organic, raw foods (foods not heated above 118°F).

Kitchen magic: Instead of ovens, Roxanne’s is outfitted with dehydrators, blenders, low-temperature convection ovens, and juicers. Instead of milk, cheese, and wheat, you’ll find almond milk, cashew blends, and dehydrated seeds and nut “crackers.”

On the menu: The chef’s tasting menu includes small portions of the restaurant’s most popular items such as coconut noodle Pad Thai and a tamale with mole sauce.

Green digs: Roxanne’s uses photovoltaic power and recycled and certified sustainable materials. Everything from take-out packaging to the linens and menus are chosen for their sustainability.

RESERVATIONS:
320 Magnolia Avenue
Larkspur, California
(415) 924-5004
RoxRaw.com

RED BELL PEPPER SOUP WITH MANGO AND LEMON

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SERVES 4

SOUP

8 red bell peppers, seeded
1 tablespoon horseradish juice
Celtic sea salt and fresh-ground pepper
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)

MANGO PURÉE

1 mango, peeled, pitted, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon powdered agar-agar
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

GARNISH

12 Meyer lemon segments, supremed
4 teaspoons micro-fennel fronds
Fresh-ground pepper

To make soup: Juice bell peppers in a juicer. Discard pulp and measure out 4 cups juice; combine with horseradish juice in a bowl and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper; add syrup if needed to sweeten.

To make Mango Purée: Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour until slightly firm.

To assemble: Ladle a fourth of the soup into each individual serving bowl. Place 11 small dollops of the Mango Purée and three lemon segments in the soup. Sprinkle with fennel fronds and top with pepper.

Reprinted with permission from Raw by Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein (Ten Speed, 2003).