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Good Food, So, So Service

4 Posted on 02 / 10 / 2013

We had a very pleasant dinner at the Leaf last night. The food was good but you do have to make sure they know you want the vegan option since they make some entrees both ways.

The Raw Raviolio was quite good as an appetizer. The Roast Beet and Squash Pad Thai were very tasty and presentation was nice. We would go back again for a special evening. The wine list wasn't bad, either.

The downside was staff attentiveness. We were early and it wasn't busy but we still felt a bit ignored. Pricing about what you would expect.

Pros: Excellent food, Pleasant ambience
Cons: inattentive staff, a bit too dark - parts of menu weren't

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Great stop in Boulder

4 Posted on 07 / 21 / 2012

Had dinner here and the menu was interesting. The service was great. I would come back for the tempura avocado - it was the highlight of our meal. The spinach gnocchi was good, too. The Jamaican jerk tempeh looked very appetizing although it was a little too spicy for my taste. The flourless chocolate cake was delicious.

Pros: creative dishes, friendly staff

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Eggs everywhere!

2 Posted on 05 / 28 / 2012

This restaurant has a strange menu. Most dishes had eggs in them. As a vegan all I could find to order was a portabella mushroom burger, which turned out to be very finely ground mushroom served on a tough french bread like roll that was very chewy and hard to eat with the burger falling out and squishing everywhere. It was served dry...with yellowish single piece of iceberg. After half done with burger i corraled waitress and asked if they had mustard....and she asked if i wanted yellow mustard, yes i said, they brought out an inedible house concoction of horse radish and mustard..by the time I got ahold of waitress For some plain mustard i was done eating the dry burger and was told that the so called mustard is what the chef serves....fine ,but that is not what the customer wants. They were not busy...Actually the place was deserted at 11:30 am, a bad sign at any restaurant. They were out of iced tea but they brewed up some iced tea (earl grey-ick) and gave me glass of ice to chill it. Had to ask and wait for lemon.... Never got more ice..... Ordered black-eyed pea veg soup... Came out warm... Just warm! Not hot.... A big bowl had about 10 peas in it, I kid you not, one chunk of celery and 2 cubes of carrot... And lots of canned tomatoes.....it was basically water......

Waitresses were nice and tried but lacked basic skills... As did the chef. To top it off the meal was $40 for three people, I left hungry.

Cons: High price, Poor menu, Eggs everywhere

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Excellent food

5 Posted on 01 / 06 / 2012

I've been here twice with my girlfriend, once for lunch, once for dinner. Lunch we got the vegan french toast which was AMAZINGLY good. The bread there is fantastic. We each got a vegan dish...the jerk tofu and the enchiladas...both were very good. Get a side of fries (really good) and ask for seconds of bread (it's sooooo goood).

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Go for Lunch, Not Dinner

2 Posted on 09 / 20 / 2011

My wife and I were looking for a quick bite during an evening out with friends and we'd heard about Leaf so we decided to stop in for a late dinner. I had the Vegan Enchiladas plate and my wife had some type of salad and raw ravioli. The raw ravioli was quite good, but at $6 for two pieces, not really worth it at all. The salad was made with some bitter greens and seaweed, and had a bit of a slimy texture, which may have been the point but wasn't really what we were expecting. More disappointing was the enchilada plate, which was more a collection of sauces and rice than actual enchilada, and overall bland, even with the multiple sauces.

After a significantly disappointing dinner, I was about to post my review when I noticed that a number of people had raved about the sandwiches at lunch. Feeling that maybe I'd given them an unfair shake, we opted to go back the next day for lunch and see if this was true. My wife had the Beer Battered tofu sandwich, and I went with the Philly Cheese seitan, with a daiya substitute. I don't like to hyperbolize, so I will just say it was probably one of the better phiilly seitans I've had in a long time. The bread was just toasted enough, they didn't overdo it on the Daiya (I do get sick of it sometimes) and there was just the right ratio of mushrooms and onions with the seitan to make it a perfect quick lunch. The Beer Battered tofu with tartar sauce had a good fish sandwich flavor to it as well. We walked away from lunch much more satisfied than we did at dinner the previous night.

Otherwise, service was friendly and helpful. Water was plentiful, and the restaurant itself had a clean, nice feel to it. If you're looking for a great lunch spot, get there before three. Skip dinner for the time being, though, unless they've changed the menu.

Pros: Great Lunch, Helpful Staff, Nice Atmosphere
Cons: Mediocre Dinner, Eggs in a Seitan Dish, Incompatible flavors

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So-so

3 Posted on 09 / 04 / 2011

I came here by myself for an early dinner. I found the staff to be very friendly but felt a little ignored. I ended up waiting quite a long time between courses and the place wasn't that busy. The restaurant space is very nice but also very echoey and loud.
The food I had was very light and easy on the stomach, as in, not greasy! I had the raw pad thai salad, which was delicious and my favorite dish. I had a flat bread pizza with cashew ricotta replacing the cheese. I found the pizza to be okay it needed more of the sauce, not really worth how much I paid. The cashew ricotta was the best part of the pizza. I took home a slice of the vegan chocolate peanut butter tart, but it was nothing special. It was a very large slice and it's flavor was very one note and bland.
If I end up moving to Boulder I may try them again.
Updated from previous review on Sunday September 04, 2011

Pros: Light food
Cons: Noisy, Annoying Cutlery

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Great food, nice staff

4 Posted on 07 / 08 / 2011

I have had lunch and brunch here in the past few months. Great vegan options like french toast and sandwiches. Vegan French toast was good, but overloaded on the fruit compote. Staff was very friendly and accommodating.

Pros: Price, Staff, Friendly
Cons: Need more vegan options

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Wow! Wonderful!

5 Posted on 06 / 07 / 2011

We ate here for lunch while traveling in Boulder, and it was amazing! My partner is omnivore, but there were lots of very wonderful vegetarian foods to pick from! Everything was reasonably priced, clearly marked vegan, and the selection was just fantastic!

The restaurant was smallish, but the decorations and seating arrangements were comfortable. I understand they get busy for lunch, so be sure to plan ahead if you are going. We really enjoyed the food and the fantastic wait staff and will be back next time we are in Boulder!

Pros: Food selection, Wait staff were friendly, Yummy food!
Cons: none!

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Amazing food at decent prices

5 Posted on 02 / 12 / 2011

I ate there for the first time earlier this month, and LOVED it! First, the decor is very nice and creates a relaxing atmosphere. Second, there are many vegan choices on the vegetarian menu and a lot more items can be made vegan. And then the food...I had a golden beet soup that was delicious, followed by a huge portion of vegan pasta alfredo. That was really the hit, it was to die for!!! I took their chocolate cake to go, and it was super delicious as well. I definitely recommend going - vegan/vegetarian or not!

Pros: decor, friendly service, quality of food

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Better and cheaper than VG Burgers

4 Posted on 01 / 08 / 2011

Unlike VG Burgers, this place is not fully vegan. It is, however, higher quality food that costs less, even though it's a sit-down restaurant. I've only eaten here once as of this writing, I got the reuben and my girlfriend got the Philly cheesesteak (both with seitan and Daiya and a side of sweet potato fries) and we split both of the sandwiches. Extremely tasty and reasonably priced - $9 for a big sandwich and sweet potato fries - but the dessert was a rip off ($6 for a tiny slice of cake). The atmosphere is a slight bit stuffy and pretentious, but the food was good enough overall that it was worth it.

Pros: great vegan sandwiches, reasonably priced, interestingly shaped silverware
Cons: tiny dessert portions, slightly pretentious

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Best in Boulder!!!

5 Posted on 01 / 06 / 2011

I had the best vegan fettuccini alfredo that I've ever had in my entire life at Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant. The other things were very good too, but the alfredo was just to die for. Leaf is now my favorite and #1 recommended place in Boulder - LOVE IT!

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wonderfully tangy apple pie

3 Posted on 11 / 02 / 2010

The meal was average but the dessert was the best apple pie
I've ever had.

Pros: vegan restaurant, large choice
Cons: price

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Great food, great presentation, great service

4 Posted on 08 / 22 / 2010

We just tried Leaf for the first time and all five of us (a group with mixed diets: omnivore, mostly-veg, and vegan) were very impressed. We were able to sample quite a few dishes, including appetizers, soups, and desserts, and all were imaginative, flavorful, and well presented.

Leaf is lacto-ovo but very vegan-friendly. There are so many tempting vegan-as-is items on the menu (marked as such) that we didn't feel the need to special-order veganized versions of normally lacto/ovo dishes, but it was nice to see on the menu that they are willing to do so when possible.

The menu offers a sensible balance of fresh, steamed, and not-too-oily fried food, as well as one completely raw dish (the Pad Thai salad, which was tasty). Most of the items we tried managed to be satisfying while also being light enough that even after feasting we felt full of energy (not heavy or sleepy). The Jerk Tempeh and the starter rolls were especially tasty, and the vegan chocolate peanut butter tart is absolutely heavenly!

This is a fine dining establishment, so it isn't cheap, but considering the quality of the food and service, we felt the prices were fair and we were happy to pay them. One in our party had food allergies and our server cheerfully checked with the chef about ingredients, just to be sure.

The atmosphere is pleasant, and the location is convenient. One potential drawback for those arriving by car: finding non-metered parking in this popular area can take time. Thankfully, the meters are priced fairly reasonably.

Pros: Delicious and inventive cuisine, Helpful servers, Food not too heavy
Cons: Not 100% vegan, Expensive (though justifiably so), Parking can be a challenge

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One of the best meals I've ever had

5 Posted on 08 / 21 / 2010

Fantastic place. Food was amazing. I went with my father, who has many dietary restrictions and they accommodated them all with a smile. I can't say enough about my meal. It was one of the best that I've ever eaten. Restaurant itself it very nice and the service was impeccable. If I lived it Boulder, this would be my restaurant of choice.

Pros: excellent food, great service, will special make foodnone
Cons: none

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Elegant, Delicious Dining Experience

5 Posted on 06 / 08 / 2010

In the four days that I spent in Colorado, I ate lunch at Leaf twice. I was very impressed. The place has nice-but-not-overly-fancy atmosphere with great service and delicious food. It is not entirely vegan, but has lots of as-is vegan options (including dessert), and many of the other dishes can be made vegan by leaving off the cheese.
I suggest trying the bbq seitan with mashed potatoes, collards, slaw, and corn bread or the jamaican jerk tempeh with black rice, coconut sauce, and kale.
The lunch portions were huge and the food was presented in gourmet style, so I felt the price was worth it ($28 for two meals, 1 drink, and 1 dessert item). Dinner seemed a little pricier.
I will definitely return to Leaf the next time I visit Boulder.

Pros: Excellent food, Nice atmosphere, Vegan choc/peanut butter pie
Cons: Buffalo seitan was not vegan

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Not really worth it

2 Posted on 02 / 01 / 2010

Went to Leaf the other day to try it out. Asked for the General Tso's Seitan vegan but there were eggs in it. Not much food for so much. Could have made it just as well at home for a lot cheaper. Very uppity, very Boulder. I won't be going back. Food was ok but not a very welcoming environment and the pretension was so thick you could cut it with one of their funny looking knives.

Pros: Food ok
Cons: Price, Decor, Bad Music

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Almost perfect!

4 Posted on 09 / 25 / 2009

Went to Leaf last night and was delighted by my experience. I had the pizza. My sister had pasta with pumpkin sauce, figs, and spinach. The pizza was delicious and flavorful -- almost perfect -- except perhaps a smidge too much cheese. (I don't eat much dairy.) Lacto-ovo eaters might think the amount of cheese was perfect. The pasta was delicious but a little bland. My sister tried the fragrant green tea martini which she enjoyed. I had the vegan carrot cake for dessert which was dense yet moist and came with a bit of ginger on top. The tofu frosting was a wonderfully creamy texture but slightly sweet.
Despite these small imperfections, the food overall was wonderful. I'd give it a 4.75 out of 5 cows, if I could! The decor was understated yet beautiful; I kept looking around the room in delight. The service was friendly and welcoming and the price was reasonable for the quality and amount of food we got. My sister and I have already made plans to return in the near future.

Pros: beautiful setting, delicious food, good portions
Cons: seasoning at times was off

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Wonderful Meal!

5 Posted on 07 / 21 / 2009

My husband and I ate at Leaf for the first time last week and I had my favorite vegetarian meal to date. I enjoyed the BBQ seitan with collard greens, garlic mashed potatoes, corn and red pepper slaw, and corn bread. Amazing! Great flavors and textures and wonderful service. My husband had the pesto pizza which was alos very good. I will return again and again!

Pros: excellent food, great service

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Great restaurant

5 Posted on 06 / 13 / 2009

We stopped for lunch (May 2009) on a road trip - having found Leaf Restaurant on HappyCow.net. It was amazing food, great vegan options, nicely presented, fair prices. Definitely our favourite restaurant during our 2-week road trip. We'd recommend this place to anyone.

Pros: Great food, Healthy choices, Fair value
Cons: None!

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fabulous

5 Posted on 05 / 12 / 2009

We loved it so much we ate there three times in a row! It was our 25th anniversary trip, and we couldn't have been happier to find such a great place to celebrate. They even gave us a dessert as congratulations. Excellent food, lovely decor...

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great food!

5 Posted on 11 / 20 / 2008

Im a big wine snob and foodie who travels quite often - and was recently in Boulder for work. After finding this place on happycow I had to try it out and was impressed. The food is fantastic (truly!) and the service is great too. Highly recommended!

Pros: awesome food and atmosphere
Cons: kind of hard to find

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A must while in Boulder

5 Posted on 09 / 02 / 2008

The Leaf is an awesome restaurant. Most dishes are vegan or can be made that way. The staff is very knowledgeable. It's gourment food. The prices reflect that. The lunch menu is cheaper and still great. It's easy to find and parking is abundant. Enjoy!!

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Great food, great deal

4 Posted on 10 / 07 / 2007

I happened to arrive at Leaf during World Vegetarian month and enjoyed a 3 course meal at a mere $20. I ordered the blackened tofu salad and the jamaican jerk tempeh and both were fantastic. Very flavorful. My companion ordered the coconut tempurah and the thai curry and we both enjoyed those as well. Our deserts were equally as good. And the service was attentive. I would definitely return to Leaf, even without the $20 fixed price special.

Pros: exellent food, friendly staff, cozy
Cons: possibly high fat