In that I herald from Chicago, land of fantastic, independent restaurants that express independence and uniqueness, it is no surprise that the lack of such things in Vegas is a point of contention for me. A friend of mine invited me to have dinner with her at the Red Velvet Cafe. I did the requisite Yelp research and learned that, though it is oft described as a veg/vegan restaurant, it in fact serves some meat. Despite that fact, all recipes can be made either veg/ or vegan with meat replacement. I was impressed at the off-the-beaten-path vibe that the reviews suggested.\n\nI entered the place, and was struck by the clean, pleasant decor,highlighted in red, but definitely not overdone. The place is family-owned, and the greeting was friendly and welcoming. My friend let me know that the service isn't fast, but we were hanging and enjoying the evening, so that wasn't an issue. The server was attentive, personable and very accommodating, which was nice. Additionally, the owner stopped by the table a couple times and even remembered my friend from her last visit! I ordered their (somewhat acclaimed) spicy peanut chicken on rice, and my friend ordered the tortellini bolognese. Both entrees were under $15, and were very large - definitely 2 meals in one entree. I also saw others, who ordered salads, be ushered into mountains of fixins. Our meals were both delicious. (I have been told that their sandwiches, wraps and more casual menu items are also great).\n\nI was told by my friend that we had to share the place's namesake, the Red Velvet cupcake (which is really more of a little round cake - larger than a cupcake). Having been told that the delight is 150 calories total, 4 gm of fat, AND completely vegan, I was skeptical at best. \n\nIt was phenomenal. The cakes are made fresh daily, and this one was still warm from the oven. The white, whipped frosting was sweet and light, while married to the red velvet cake which was more subdued in it's sweetness. Divine.\n\nKudus to the Red Velvet Cafe for providing a unique, clean, friendly and delicious alternative to the parade of chain restaurants in this town. It was like a little piece of Chicago in Vegas.\n\nI recommend it highly.
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