Prana – Superior Raw Vegan Dining, 15 Minutes from Boston

I have no idea how it’s possible that I used to live only a few minutes from this shining star and never made it here until now. Prana is a mostly raw, vegan restaurant (they do have a few dishes that contain honey, so just ask before ordering) located in Newton, MA. It’s only a five minute drive from Watertown and Brighton, and about a fifteen minute bus ride from the city of Boston. I remember hearing when Prana first opened a few years ago. I never made it out and they closed shortly thereafter. But happy news, they reopened a few months ago and there’s definitely some magic happening here.

When I walked in I immediately noticed the decor: warm colors, interesting artwork, clean lines, and simple patterns. I love noting all the details of restaurants. It’s part of the fun! :) I was also greeted by the one and only Letitia Richards. Letitia is a holistic health coach in the Boston area and Ethan and I interviewed her a while back. Click here to read our interview.

Needless to say it was a warm welcome all around and I was more than excited to try the food.

Prana – 99% raw vegan (a few ‘bee-gan’ dishes)

292 Centre St.
Newton, MA 02458

Prana offers some prepackaged goodies located at the front, right-hand corner of the restaurant.

Oh hey, it’s Letitia! :)

JUICE! This is the “C3A” – carrot, celery, cucumber, and apple. MMmm MM!

I started with the Cream of Mushroom Soup – there is an option to have it warm or cold. I chose warm. This soup was absolutely divine. I first noticed the delicate balance of salt used. It was just the right amount combined with an abundance of mushrooms, sprouts, and itty bitty chopped up red onion. I found it to be more light and rich rather than heavy and creamy, which is what I usually think of when it comes to cream of anything soups. This is a soup to live for! :)

My main dish was the Southwest Taco Salad – the plating of this dish actually caught me off guard. What a beautiful display of food as art. Just gorgeous. This salad not only looked good but it tasted magnificent. The romaine lettuce was coated with a red sauce that had a mild kick to it (perfect!). The white sauce was a little sweet and perfectly complimented the red sauce. The “meat” of the taco salad was comprised of various nuts and seeds and flavored to perfection. Can you tell I like this one? ;)

I was actually a little wary when I ordered this dish because I’ve come to think of romaine (when used as a base for a salad) as plain, flavorless, and just a filler. That was far from what Prana had to offer. I would describe the use of romaine in this dish as ‘lively’ (well, that’s what I wrote down in ‘notes’ on my phone as I was chomping along) and a perfect bed to showcase the unique use of nuts, seeds, and spices.

The taco shells surprised me as well. They were soft and made of chai seeds (I believe). And they were flanked by plentiful quantities of whole avocados. I’m sorry Dr. Greger, I heard what you said at the BVFF but I still choose to consume avocados. I love them. And that’s that.

I was fortunate to sample their kale chips. Very delicious. Although at this point I was so full that I could only get a few down. But if/when I go back I’d absolutely get these as an appetizer. They were softer than my other experiences with dehydrated kale. But just as tasty, if not more so!

And for my to-go dessert I opted for the Chocolate Torte topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Right up my alley! Om nom nom.