Many many years ago, when we were young and just beginning our journey into the land of holistic healing modalities, our massage therapist exhorted us to dine at the Macrobiotic Center and Organic Café on 40th Street, between Adeline and Market. We liked the food so much, or at least the idea of the food as a pathway to greater health, that we got a job there as a cashier for the Sunday Brunch shift, for a year, just to get the employee discount.

(We were only successfully completely vegan and macrobiotic -- or "macroneurotic" according to our friends -- for two weeks, but our affection for whole grains and veggies-in-season persisted.)

Over time, changes and renovations have occurred, including moving the front door onto the side street, and removing the grocery store section entirely. However, at the café, now called Manzanita Restaurant, the food remains the same.

We hadn't been back there since the changes, until recently. It is as true now as it was then: If you're going to go the beans-and-seaweed route, this is the restaurant for you. (If anyone knows of another macrobiotic restaurant in the Bay Area, please list it in the comments below!)

More details of vegan-macrobiotic goodness after the jump.

So it happened that one day, as we were having another one of our organic mani-pedis at Cure -- since both establishments are in the same neighborhood -- and since we'd also recently eaten at the new East Bay location of Herbivore -- we decided to give Manzanita a try.

Due to our history with the place, the food at Manzanita is comfortingly familiar. For you, it may not have the added resonance, but it will still most likely be tasty -- as tasty as root vegetables, beans, soy, miso, nuts, seeds, rice, and leafy greens can be, really.

At either lunch or dinner, you get two options, the regular meal (in "full" or "moderate" portion sizes for $10.75/$9 at lunch, $11.75/$10 at dinner) or a "simple meal" for $7.25. On weekends, an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet is offered for $7.25. Items are also available a la carte for $2.75.

To clarify the options: True adherents to macrobiotic eating may not want much spicing on their food as spices are very Yin, and illness in this paradigm stems from being either too Yang or too Yin. The goal is balance.

So while the regular meal tends to be rather dressed up and exciting (relatively speaking), the simple meal offers basic steamed vegetables, beans, and rice with no augmentation.

With the age of Internet upon us, you can check the restaurant's website at 11 a.m. on the day you wish to lunch, or 5 p.m. for dinner, to find out what the components of the meal will be. (Back in the day, regulars used to call on the phone to find out the menu.)

On our visit, we were treated to the following: Veggie-bean miso soup; rice blend; baked rutabaga, carrots, and butternut squash, with almond butter; adzuki beans with kabocha and onions; steamed kale with veggie sauce, fresh salad with lemon-mustard dressing.

(No seaweed that we could discern, but be forewarned that seaweed is often a supporting player here.)

We opted for the moderate portion, which turned out to be a good size for us. The soup is delivered first: a generous bowl that on this day was thin-bodied but not watery, with evident bits of carrot, fresh corn, black beans, and possibly pinto beans. The miso flavor complimented and deepened the character of the beans. We weren't sure of the pleasure at first sip, but our enjoyment built as we proceeded further along, and we ended up finishing the bowl.

In contrast, we found all of the items on the main meal plate at first bite to be astonishingly nourishing, rustic, and satisfying -- particularly on the cold day when we were there. The tart vinaigrette contrasted nicely with the heavier roasted vegetable flavors and creamy sauces. We highly recommend sprinkling the sesame salt (gomasio) provided at each table on the rice and greens -- for both texture and flavor.

Over time, as we ate we started to notice a miso-burn-out, as this seemed to be the dominant flavoring element to most of the items on the plate. Intermittent bites of rice did help to lighten the palate a bit.

By the end of the meal, we were full yet not fully satiated. In fact, the distinct craving for something sweet was startlingly familiar. Back in the day, we would frequently overeat on the naturally sweetened and whole-wheat or gluten-free baked goods after every meal, needing the sweetness to counteract that heavy Yang feeling.

Frankly, as much as we wanted something sweet, we just couldn't handle a whole pastry, so we were glad to grab a small packet of dried bananas instead ($1.50).

Manzanita Restaurant
4001 Linden Street (at 40th Street), Oakland
510-985-8386
Lunch: Monday - Friday, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: Monday - Sunday, 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Brunch: Saturday & Sunday, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.