Me: "Hey, will you pick up some grub from that little vegan place tucked away behind Starbucks in the Proctor District on the way home from work? It's Viva Tacoma. I'll send you the menu."

Husband (in jest): "I don't want any of the hippie food!"

I proceed to tell him what I'd like and what he would probably like and I call in the order.

Viva Tacoma - Vegan Cuisine boasts a menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner serving entrees concocted of only fresh, gluten-free, organic, whole, non-dairy products - which means zero animal products or processed sugars that leaves carnivorous beasts who consume probably morbid levels of processed sugars and animal products referring to such a lovely concept as, "hippie food."

Viva's menu manages to offer a delightful and diverse selection that seems approachable and, dare I say, sounds delicious.

My favorite Viva vittles are the Raw Enchiladas ($13.95) with seasoned walnut "meat" (I can't lie, seeing meat in quotations raised my suspicions) and a cabbage and nut cheese wrapped in a sweet cashew tortilla topped with New Mexico chili sauce, chopped lettuce, pico, cashew sour cream and guacamole.

The flavors were well balanced with an underlining sweetness that was perfectly paired with the chili sauce and pico. The biggest surprise was how satisfying the dish was since the portion size was not the usual ginormous you anticipate when ordering enchiladas.

Though I won't be making a lifestyle change anytime in the near future (read: EVER) Viva's vegan grub is a refreshing addition to quality Tacoma eats. I didn't even miss the meat!

VIVA TACOMA - VEGAN CUISINE, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, 2602 N. Proctor, Tacoma, 253.503.6498