Snappers: Not So Snappy

It's not very often that you find a seafood restaurant that has an entire vegan menu. This is the case at Snapper's restaurant in Boynton Beach, Florida, along with their sister restaurant, Wave 2700 in Boca Raton. Apparently, the owner's wife is vegan, thus decided to implement vegan options in hopes of encouraging diners to try these items. My grandma and her vegan friend tried some of these items a few months ago and called me to tell me how delicious the food was. Thus, I was excited to dine there. I was even more thrilled to discover you can sign up for their e-club through texting and receive instant coupons. The first coupon I received was for a free appetizer. Snapper's only has one vegan appetizer, which is hummus and pita ($7).

First, the waiter brought out complimentary bread. We inquired if the bread was vegan and after quickly running back to the kitchen to find out, he told us it was. Unfortunately, they didn't have vegan butter, so we just dipped the bread in olive oil.

The bread was very good, as it came straight from the oven. It was slightly crispy and doughy on the inside.

Next, the hummus and pita came out.

The hummus was pretty good, but honestly not the best hummus I've had. It was very creamy and had a rich, chickpea flavor. The olives added a wonderful bitter taste. I would have liked it to have a little more olive oil, especially in the center.

Next, we had a salad that came with the entree. Since none of the dressings were vegan, we just used olive oil and vinegar.

The salad was very standard and not exciting at all. I would have loved if it had more substance or even if it was coated in a flavorful vinaigrette. I'm not a fan of standard green salads, so this was difficult for me to eat.

Next, the entree came out. We both had the Vegan Nut Loaf with Sage Gravy ($19).

This entree was very disappointing and such a letdown. The plate was filled with flavorless, steamed broccoli. There was also a huge glob of mashed potatoes that lacked seasoning and was also difficult to eat. The nut loaf was overcooked and very crunchy and felt like chewing on plastic. The gravy was very bitter and had a strong fungal taste from the mushrooms. I could barely eat this dish and was upset that it was so damn expensive.

Since we complained to the owner's wife about the dish, she brought us out some complimentary dessert, the vegan pumpkin pie ($5).

This was pretty good, but definitely not the best pumpkin pie I've had. It had a very jelly-like consistency and a strong pumpkin flavor. It was not very sweet and could have used more sugar. The whipped cream on top was a nice touch, but just seemed like soyatoo! from a can. I prefer when restaurants make their own whipped cream, as it has a better consistency and a richer taste.

Overall, the meal was very disappointing. I had strong hopes for this place, since they make such an effort to have an eclectic selection of vegan options. I really appreciate the effort and am hoping this was just an off day for them. I would be willing to give them another chance, however, as I know restaurants aren't always consistent. It's also extremely hard to find good vegan food in the area, so I welcome any restaurant that tries to change this. The meal was quite expensive at a little over $40 for two people, but we did get two complimentary items. The e-club seems like a great way to get discounts at the restaurant, although I really wish they would lower the prices of their menu items. The food really isn't worth the price and neither is dining experience. I am hoping this place improves by my next visit, as it has such potential.