The vegan dishes at Dos Perros made me stop and say, “damn.”

Unexpectedly, when we went to dine at Dos Perros, there were two vegan dishes on the menu– Pipian Rojo Soy ‘Chicken’ and Chili Stewed Cabbage and Potato Enchiladas, both served with black beans and yellow rice. Yum and yum.

The Pipian Rojo was the perfect balance of bitter and spicy peppers, smooth potatoes, and sweet carrots and onions. It was perfectly seasoned and the spice was chronic, but mild. I honestly wouldn’t change a thing about this dish.

The enchiladas were also good. The filling brought to mind samosas, but coupled with the sweet corn tortilla, the dish was clearly Latin cuisine (I did like the idea of a Mexican/Indian fusion though…).

My friend swore that at least half of the reason the food tasted so good was because of the service and because of the restaurant’s clear enthusiasm for the Challenge. Our waiter Dave was friendly and helpful and patient. The jamaica was made with the perfect sweetness and my dark Negro Modelo was ice cold. Dave told us that they were all really excited about the Challenge and “taking it very seriously.” It was obvious and as diners we really appreciated it.

In the book, The Magic of Believing by Claude Bristol, the author gives an example of the power of energy and of believing. He contrasts two cooks. Cook one’s food tastes good. She does not try to make it taste good, it just does. Cook two tries to make the same dishes as cook one and yet they never taste quite as good. Bristol says that the difference between cook one and cook two is that cook one believes in what she is preparing. She does not dread the thought of cooking; she does not entertain the possibility of a dish that is not delectable; she does not hope or wish that her dish will taste good. She fully, wholly believes in her dishes. She infuses her dishes with that belief. And because all the world is made of energy–her belief, her energy, makes her food taste that much better. The chefs at Dos Perros believe in their vegan dishes. And it shows. Or should I say, and you can taste it.