Eesha Gupta
With the growing popularity of veganism, a new restaurant, Twelvemonth, has taken on the challenge of providing high-quality food that is purely vegan. But does Twelvemonth live up to the vision?
Since its recent opening in March 2023, Twelvemonth has been running its bakery, bar and dining room in Burlingame. I visited the restaurant for lunch along with my mom and brother, ordering a variety of lunch menu dishes. I spoke to restaurant owner Bob Trahan, who shared his personal story of choosing veganism.
“My wife is my muse and an animal lover big-time,” Trahan said. “Many moons ago, for Mother’s Day, I had to give her something, and I decided to go vegan for the month.”
What started as a one-month gift became his new business direction, helping others learn the benefits and possibilities of a plant-based diet. Trahan’s professional background in technology and experience in culinary school helped him understand how the food industry could improve, eventually inspiring Twelvemonth.
“I’ve always been passionate about efficiency,” Trahan said. “I used to be a tech guy, and I’d help people be more effective in their work … Over time, you start learning about how the planet works, and [I realized] the food system is inefficient. [For example,] we feed cows soybeans, [and] then eat the cow, [when] we could just eat the soybeans.”
The idea of the restaurant is fascinating and revolutionary, but does the reality of the restaurant live up to it? Absolutely yes!
The environment felt both fancy and inviting. From the bustling dining room to the indoor vegetation to the open-to-view kitchen, the transparency of the restaurant added to the welcoming ambiance. In addition, the restaurant was eye-catching, with candles, suede booths and massive skylights. The staff was very professional and respectful, checking on our satisfaction and giving extra plates to split meals. The Saturday I visited was busy, but was still well-staffed and reservable with a few days’ notice.
For appetizers, we shared the Soup of the Season (a sunchoke bisque), and two non-alcoholic drinks: a cucumber soda and a “windfall”—a matcha, ginger, lemon and celery soda mocktail. All the appetizers tasted great and were plentiful to share amongst the three of us. The soup was smooth, creamy and thick in texture, with a slightly sweet artichoke flavor. The cucumber soda was unique and refreshing and really did taste exactly like its name. The windfall had many strong, complex flavors, starting very sweet and ending with a more acidic aftertaste.
For the entree itself, the Twelvemonth Burger was fantastic — my favorite of the items we shared — made even better with the sweet flavor of the red onion jam. If I hadn’t known already, I never would’ve guessed the meat and cheese were vegan. It was a well-made, sweet burger that just happened to be vegan, and the same goes for the gyro (of vegan lamb) and the spaghetti. The gyro had a rich flavor, using the acidic vegetables to complement the more fatty taste of lamb. The spaghetti was very complex, with a creamy but spicy taste. If you like a little spice, I would highly recommend the spaghetti.
My brother and I shared soft-serve ice cream, which I am mentioning because we didn’t even remember until halfway through that it was also vegan! I was blown away by how tasty, fancy and well-made the meals were.
The price range is on the medium to high end, with appetizers ranging from $10-20 and entrees from around $20-25. I think the quality of the food, environment and service are worth the cost. One entree or appetizer could, depending on the customer, be shared among more than one person. My recommendation would be two items for three people, but my family and I don’t have particularly large appetites.
From its environment to food, if you are looking for high-quality, healthier and environmentally-friendly food, I would highly recommend Twelvemonth: the future of vegan dining that deserves five out of five stars.
