Willowbeez SoulVeg has a name that’s fun to say. It’s a colloquialized take on the surname of its founders, the Willoughbys. The plant-centered project began as a modest Saturday pop-up operation at 400 West Rich. As its reputation for good food grew, so too did its outlets, and Willowbeez expanded its range to farmers markets and spots such as Hills Market.
But in spring of 2021, it went all-in on the North Market Downtown. Willowbeeez set up permanent digs, which means its creative take on plant-centered dining can be enjoyed any day of the week. And Willowbeez isn’t just plant-centered; it’s plant-centered soul food.
Outside of greens and yams, soul food isn’t typically viewed as a particularly dynamic scene for vegetarians. More often, soul food is defined by something on the lines of fried fish or chicken. Bridging the two culinary categories requires creative sensibilities.
And it requires some stewing.
Stewing in both the figurative sense (it requires some thinking) and literal sense (there’s long-cooking involved, too). After all, one of the things that makes something like soul-food greens so good is the commitment to a long, tenderizing cooking process. Willowbeez channels that approach in its BBJerk Bella ($14). It features elements that stew in a base that intertwines smoky barbecue and peppery jerk elements, with a mix of sizeable chunks of soft onions and peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms, plus quinoa and beans. The end result is vegetable-centered, yet undeniable sturdy and filling.
Of course Willowbeez does a great deal more than stewing. As mentioned, soul food also traditionally involves fried things, and Willowbeez has that too. Diners may be familiar with classic Po Boy sandwiches that are built on the glory of oysters piled high inside a bun with some remoulade. At Willowbeez, the alternative is a Rich Boi ($12), built on oyster mushrooms that create the foundation, offering the perfect alternative: deep fried, lovable globs, they present a package with both the crackle and the flavorful, velvety chew of oysters. Arguably, the mushrooms are positioned to be even more agreeable than the original oysters, as bivalves can be weird if you think too much about what you’re eating.
So, the mushroom replacements in their crunchy sweaters are heaped in the hoagie bun with arugula and sliced tomato, then drizzled with a zesty cajun remoulade. It’s served in classic style with warm french fries.
Sticking in the fried department, there is also a No Fish Fry ($12). The offering is not a processed faux-fish product. Instead, it’s fried banana blossom, which is exactly what its name implies; not fish. The blossom grows from banana clusters. So, it’s not the banana part, it’s a blossom attached to bananas. It also doesn’t doesn’t taste like bananas, and it doesn’t necessarily taste like fish either. It’s neutral, but with a layered texture, and it’s an interesting medium for a fried treatment. Not as lovable as the oyster mushrooms, but the blossoms are still a good conversation piece, again served with fries and some slaw.
Entrees like the BBJerk Bella come with serviceable cornbread and a choice of sides. The soft-cooked Curry Cabbage is a nicely compatible vegetable-add on, and it’s a signature dish. That said, consider adding on an additional order of Mac & Plz, which is the house’s cheese-free version of the classic. It retains the soft, savory features that define comfort cuisine…even without a dairy-based cheese ($5 or $8).
You’ll find Willowbeez, and its take on vegetable-based soul food, in the North Market at 59 Spruce St. Downtown.
For more information, visit willowbeezsoulveg.com.
All photos by Susan Post
