Vegetarian Star

Billy Corgan opened his long-awaited tea cafe in Highland Park, a suburb of Chicago, IL, a little over a week ago.

Opening day featured free tea and performances from the Smashing Pumpkins band member. But Corgan warned that, “If people come in to stalk me I won’t hang out because I don’t want to disrupt the customers.”

So Vegetarian Star stopped by a few days later to avoid such a disruption and instead stalk the vegan desserts.

There were a total of about six on the menu and the big slice of vegan chocolate cake with an equally vegan vanilla frosting had the biggest celebrity factor. The texture of the cake itself was extremely light and airy and the portion was well worth the $5 for the slice.

It would have been nice to remember the remaining five vegan desserts but something about a chocolate high obtained halfway through the cake made it difficult to do good journalism and jot these down.

Madame Zuzu’s is so vegan-friendly, even the sugar dispensers on the counter where the napkins, straws and water pitchers are located specify the sweet granules in them were processed without bone char. How relieving.

The ambience at ZuZu’s is relaxing and welcoming, the kind that makes you want to sit for a few hours and actually enjoy your beverage or food, versus feeling rushed out like many chain coffee shops and restaurants deliver. Music is faint and not overwhelming, allowing you to actually either hear your own with your ipod, the person you’re conversating with across the table or even your own wild thoughts. Employees are helpful, polite and friendly and one even plucked a few notes on the piano.  Wi Fi works wonderfully as well.

The neighborhood of the 582 Roger Williams Avenue establishment is quiet and quaint, with blocks of housing intersected by blocks of small businesses. Chicagoland residents and visitors can easily visit ZuZu’s using the eco-friendly transportation combinations of the el, PACE suburb buses and METRA, which has a stop about a block away.

Photo: djdroga/Creative Commons

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