Robin’s Restaurant – Cambria, California

So, last night I broke down and ordered a decadent ice cream sundae.

And not just any ice cream sundae, mind you. We’re talking a huge, rich, creamy ice cream sundae, complete with warm fudge topping, lots of strawberry jam, and huge cracked pecans on top.

“Mark,” you say. “That doesn’t sound very vegan of you.”

And yet … it was. As were the piping-hot crispy spring rolls. And the bowl of tomato bisque. And the huge platter of pad thai.

And the rich, savory coconut vegetable korma (a sort of Southeast Asian stew, featuring satisfying hunks of meat braised in yogurt, cream, and hot spices).

After a long day strolling Morro Bay’s Embarcadero Street, hiking the rugged California coastline, and touring the opulent excesses of Heart Castle, we’d worked up quite an appetite. It was time for something special — so we consulted our vegan eatery crystal ball (also known as HappyCow.net) and called up the highest-rated vegan eatery within a ten-mile radius.

Hands down, the Happy Cow told us, that choice must be Robin’s Restaurant in Cambria, CA.

So that is how we came to be seated on Robin’s breezy, sunny, screened-in porch, soaking up the late afternoon sunshine and enjoying tall glasses of ice-cold lemonade. And while the menu had succulent treats for people of every dining persuasion (perhaps you’d prefer the lobster tail enchiladas or the 12-ounce bone-in ribeye?), we were delighted to find choices that didn’t just conform to our eating plan … they were fine dining by any standard.

Okay, okay. My pad thai, I confess, was not as sweet or saucy as I normally prefer. (I doctored it up with a dash of the red coconut curry sauce that came with Clyde’s korma, though, and it was promoted to near-perfection.) But other than that, every dish was spot-on …

… most especially the ice cream sundae. I confess it was made with soy-milk ice cream and a soy-based chocolate sauce. That said: I insist that even the pickiest “I must have animals or animal glandular secretions on the plate” eaters would have scarfed that sundae right down.

And just in case you’re worried that all this rich food is making your dear Uncle Mark even fatter: I’m proud to note that we’ve hiked a minimum of six miles every day of this trip. Today, in fact, my birthday FitBit reports 10,852 steps, 59 floors climbed, 76 active minutes, and 2,468 calories burned — not to mention that we’ve gotten in almost six miles before noon.

At that rate, you can split a sundae with your husband and not feel any guilt at all.