This evening I headed to Downtown Vero to this funky, electric neighborhood pub, the Kilted Mermaid. This restaurant/pub is one of the few in Vero that offers a wide variety of vegan menu options. They’re most known for their small production wines and craft beers paired with artisan cheeses and decadent cheese and chocolate fondues. Upon entering, you’ll feel this sense of excitement as there is always something fun going on. There are a number of different seating options inside and outside – you’re able to seat yourself at any of the available tables, barstools or even in the cozy lounge area in the back (my personal favorite). However, tonight I decided to find a table near a window with some good lighting and I was greeted immediately by one of their lovely servers.
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Alright, enough about where I sat, Let’s get to the food!
Baked Pretzel – ($7.00)
I am a sucker when it comes to carbs so of course the first thing I ordered was a soft pretzel. Kilted’s baked pretzel is served with a house made vegan cashew cheese and stone ground mustard. The pretzel was warm and perfectly cooked and had that soft chewy texture a soft pretzel should have. As great as the pretzel was, the two dippings were the stars of the show. The stone-ground mustard’s coarse texture was the perfect addition to the pretzel- I had to ask for more! The vegan cashew “cheese” was TO. DIE. FOR. It had this sensational tangy flavor and smooth texture and paired perfectly with the warm baked soft pretzel.
Dip Trio – ($12.00)
The next starter I ordered was the Dip Trio, which consisted of the same vegan cashew cheese that was served with the baked pretzel, a black bean dip, as well as a red pepper hummus. The three dips were served with warm pita bread, crackers and fresh broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and bell peppers. My favorite of the three was the vegan cashew cheese, especially with the pita and cauliflower. The red pepper hummus had a melt-in-your-mouth consistency that was rich and garlicy and went perfectly with the crackers and bell peppers. The black bean dip, which had hints of cilantro, onion and lime, was surprisingly delicious paired with the carrots. The dish as a whole was excellent and enough to share with a few people.
Asian Cashew Bowl – ($12.00)
If you know me, you know how much I love a good rice bowl. I will 100% be ordering this next time I come back. Simple but absolutely delightful. The asian cashew bowl consisted of broccoli, red pepper, cabbage, spinach, and roasted cashews sauteed over a bed of rice. It’s then drizzled with a house made soy, peanut, ginger sauce and seaweed, sesame seasoning to tie it all together. So much flavor! This dish was very filling- honestly enough for two people to enjoy, especially if you plan on getting dessert.
Impossible Meatball Sub – ($14.00)
Another excellent vegan entree option is the impossible “meatball” sub. It must be called impossible because there’s almost no way this could be vegan. I had to double check that the server dropped off the right dish. The impossible meatballs were juicy and tender, served coated in a house made marinara with peppers and onions on a perfectly toasted ciabatta bread. I decided to add the vegan feta for $2.00 which blew me away. Before I went vegan, feta was my favorite cheese so I was excited but also skeptical before trying it out. It was the perfect savory addition to the meatball sub with hints of dill and a delightfully creamy texture.
Vegan Chocolate Fondue – ($14.50)
You can’t go to The Kilted Mermaid and not order the chocolate fondue. Luckily for me, they offer a vegan option that uses an almond milk base instead of cream. It’s served with a plate of perfectly ripe strawberries and bananas for dipping. My personal favorite way to fondue is adding one strawberry and one banana on the skewer, dipping it into the rich, velvety chocolate. Make sure to bring a few friends if you’re planning on indulging because the fondue is enough to feed a party of 4. Or treat yourself, I don’t judge!
In Conclusion:
There is seriously something I love about this place. It really makes you feel like you’re hanging out in your dream backyard with your best friends, eating excellent food and drinking your favorite drink. You can just tell that there is a lot of love going into this business. I can’t wait to go back and try the rest of the vegan items on the menu.
Atmosphere – 5/5
Service – 5/5
Food – 5/5
Kilted Mermaid
1937 Old Dixie Highway Vero Beach, FL 32960
(772)-569-5533
Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Sunday: 5pm-12am