Toasted Owl restaurateur Cecily Maniaci makes her new culinary adventure a little more real with the recently opened Plantasia Eatery.

Featuring fine dining appetizers with plant-based, vegan, and vegetarian ingredients, Maniaci offers healthy options to step into the health-based culinary realm she’s battled for years, including diabetes and hypertension. There are many reasons.

“I changed my diet about 19 months ago and it changed my life,” Maniaci said. “Not only have I lost all the medications I was taking, but I have also lost weight. Being healthy and eating right has become my passion. It’s true: you are what you eat.

Located just off Toast Owl on Maniaci’s west side, Plantasia Eatery is housed in a historic mansion built in 1909 and 1980 that has been transformed into a popular, award-winning restaurant, The Cottage Place. I was.

“Cottage Place was a favorite with locals and tourists alike,” says Maniaci. “I’m really happy to take over a space with such a rich history.”

Maniaci says he also liked this place because of its proximity. “Convenient and central, near my other restaurants. Pizzicletta, Mother Road Brewery and Fratelli’s are all nearby. This little neighborhood is like a million dollar mile,” Maniaci said. .

Plantasia’s menu features an intricate mix of vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based cuisine, as well as an extensive selection of fresh, homemade dishes. “Our menu changes every two weeks she has a special daily special,” she said.

Humphrey’s Ski Summit owner Brian Dierker says he’s one of Maniaci’s biggest fans. “Cecily is the epitome of a successful businesswoman,” said Dearker. “She has the guts to run multiple businesses and her hands are full, but she is smart, dedicated, and highly motivated. She’s tough. I really respect her.”

“I love creating spaces where innovative food and people can come together, try something new and different, and break down the walls that veganism seems to have built up over the years,” said Maniaci.

The name “Plantasia” was the idea of ​​his son Alex, who does all the design work. The restaurant concept is a collaboration between Maniaci and her head chef, Amanda Brown. “We’ve been talking about it for several years and it’s finally happening,” Maniaci said. Her daughter Sophie helps with marketing and branding.

“It’s been great to see the response to our restaurant,” Brown said. “We make everything from scratch, including salad dressings, veggie burgers, sausages, soups and desserts.”

A vegan approach to salmon with soy glaze and crab cakes, Brown says her favorite is the “Don’t be afraid, no dairy” cheese board. Some are portobello cheesesteak sandwiches served on Village Baker buns, fried avocado burritos, chorizo ​​tostadas, kale artichoke dips, and soups.Cecily is great to work with and she’s my favorite. She is like a mother.”

The wine menu includes a rotating list of vegan wines and cocktails.

Coconino County Supervisory Board Deputy Secretary Valerie Weber was impressed with her attendance at Plantasia’s soft opening. “The food is delicious, beautiful and very different.

Staying ahead of vegan haute cuisine tops Maniac’s list, and when she’s not hiking or walking in her spare time, she’s traveling to the “hottest and coolest” vegan restaurants. Studying and understanding style and food preparation is important to me, and I have visited many vegan restaurants in California, Colorado, and Austin to see how they approach their food. I want to stay ahead of culinary trends.” This year, Maniaci will be attending the Vegan Women’s Summit in New York. FBNMore

V. Ronnie Tierney, FBN

Plantasia Eatery is located at 126 West Cottage and is open from 11am to 9pm daily except Sundays. For more information, call 928-440-4902 or visit Instagram.
@plantasiaeateryflagstaff or Facebook: facebook.com/plantasiaeatery.

Photo by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuss Photography: Cecily Maniaci stands outside her newest restaurant, Plantasia, a plant-based culinary concept located in the former Cottage Place at 126 W. Cottage Ave. in Flagstaff.