Guaranteed. - Athens, Georgia - restaurant reviews

Vegetarian Times, July, 1995 by Amy Williams Flurry

Finding a vegetarian restaurant in the South can be difficult. So Sue Hoagland and Amy Bramblett, in partnership with R.E.M. singer and vegetarian Michael Stipe, decided to open Guaranteed, a vegetarian restaurant - and the only juice bar - in Athens, Ga.

Featuring a majestic brick facade and airy courtyard, the trendy cafe offers a full array of juice combinations, supplemented with optional choices of ginseng, bee pollen, gingko or wheatgrass. For the adventurous juice aficionado, Guaranteed offers eight Specialty Blends, often named for local luminaries; the Red River Dave ($3.75) honors the singer of a local band. These specialty combos feature such tasty blends as apple, banana, lemon, ginger and spirulina.

The most popular item on the menu is the Wheatberry Burger, a grain-based burger served on a whole wheat bun with a side of chips and salsa ($3.50). (Homemade, oil-free sprouted grain crisps can be substituted for the chips.) Although Hoagland's personal favorites are the more unusual daily specials - such as pumpkin and winter squash soup ($2.50) or stuffed onion with rich spinach sauce ($4.50) - she says the Roasted Vegetable Sandwich ($4.25) and the Wheatberry Burger are more familiar-looking dishes that help coax newcomers toward vegetarianism.

The restaurant is not only a welcome respite for hungry vegetarians, but also an educational center for people interested in learning more about healthful eating and living. Staff members are eager to offer nutritional information and recipe advice for beginning vegetarians.

Thirteen of the 15 menu items are vegan: to accompany all the dishes, Guaranteed offers house wines from the vineyards of Fetzer Organics.

GUARANTEED, 167 E. BROAD ST., ATHENS, GA 30601. (706) 208-0962 HOURS: MON.-FRI. 7 AM TO 10 PM; SAT. SUN. 8 AM TO 11 PM. WINE SERVED CREDIT CARDS AND PERSONAL CHECKS ACCEPTED. NO RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. TAKEOUT AVAILABLE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE.