Mother’s Market Laguna
A post written by contributor Rachel Trotter on behalf of “Mother’s Market”
Mother’s Market has been an Orange County staple for decades. It features many natural, organic, vegan and holistic products, but did you know it also has a restaurant? I didn’t either! When I was invited to dine at their restaurant, I was wondering how I have missed it all these years. The restaurant is tucked off to the side in a cozy little area that is warm and casual.
I was excited to try some of the many dishes they feature. I was expecting this to be a bit of a food adventure because Mother’s is known for their vegan and vegetarian foods. Since I am neither vegan nor vegetarian, I wasn’t quite sure what lay ahead.
The food was delicious! Mother’s Market has really found amazing ways to substitute their meats with flavorful alternatives. For instance, the meat in their tacos and BBQ sandwiches are actually made from jack fruit and you would never would have guessed! They were so well seasoned and the texture is so similar to meat.
I tried Ma’s Chickpea Scramble, one of the many breakfast choices that are served all day. It was full of fresh veggies, hearty and the salsa was a perfect compliment. I’m picky about my salsa and this was amazing!
Ma’s Stir-Fry is a popular dish in the restaurant that features a medley of Asian vegetables over rice or Udon noodles and served with tofu or tempe. This is a generous portion, so plan on having leftovers! This a fresh, light dish with a burst of flavor from the tempe.
Mother’s Red Lentil Soup is like a taste of home. Comfort cooking in a bowl! Savory and thick.
The Gluten-free Pancakes were hands down my favorite. I’ve had a lot of gluten-free items. Often they are grainy, dry or bland. This was NONE of the above. Light, sweet and a cinnamon heaven, it was like dessert! Mother’s even serves a real organic maple syrup along side. Lucky you!
Mother’s has its own juice bar and offers a variety of fresh pressed fruits and veggies. The Aloha Green Goddess has the green veggies you need with the sweetness of pineapple juice all in one glass!
Mother’s Market has 7 locations in Orange County, which means there is one near you. Take a trip over and check out their restaurant. An all day selection of breakfast foods and hearty, healthy and homemade fare will have you coming back again!
For more information visit Mothers on Facebook
Ma’s stirfry has been my favorite for 25+ years. Sadly, due to pandemic, Mother’s closed it’s restaurant. I hope it will open one day soon! until then, I have to attempt my own at home version: red & green chard, celery, bok choy, slivered carrots, Chinese snow peas, red cabbage, mung bean sprouts, kohlrabi, all stir fried in sesame oil & tamari sauce, with garlinc, fresh ginger, & cilantro. Garnished with slivered almonds and served with tofu over brown rice. Your photo of the dish is lovely.