Lamb’s Bread cafe makes comeback in Columbia as vegan eating gains mainstream footing
There might never have been a better cultural moment to be vegan, and that’s great news for King Khurhu and his funky vegan soul-food cafe.
As “plant-based” food is catching on in the mainstream, Khurhu’s Lamb’s Bread restaurant, a familiar name in vegan eating in Columbia, is making a delightful comeback.
Once a staple on Columbia’s North Main Street, Lamb’s Bread transformed into A Peace of Soul Vegan Kitchen in 2018, after the founder’s daughter, Folami Geter, took over the business and changed its name. A Peace of Soul took on a life and identity of its own, building up a popular food truck operation and now renovating its restaurant building in the up-and-coming North Main corridor.
But Khurhu, who opened Lamb’s Bread more than 15 years ago — he can’t remember exactly when — felt that Main Street was now missing Lamb’s Bread’s unique energy.
So he brought it back.
Several months ago, Khurhu reopened his restaurant on River Drive as Lamb’s Bread Returns The King, and he’s been sharing his plant-based gospel with customers old and new ever since.
“I had to give the people Lamb’s Bread back, because it’s deeper than food,” said Khurhu, a 70-year-old South Carolina native with a loud, energetic voice and eyes that dance behind the small, round lenses of a pair of sunglasses. “When I invite you (into the restaurant), I invite you into my house. I want to share my love; I want to share my culture; I want to share my gifts with you.”
A vegan menu strictly excludes any products derived from animals, including meat, eggs and dairy.
Truth be told, you’ll hardly miss the meat, if at all, once you’ve tasted Khurhu’s “Goddess Mac” or “King’s Ultimate Burger.” The surprisingly hearty Goddess Mac, an alternative to classic mac-and-cheese, is chock-full of vegetables and savory spices and smothered in a dairy-free “cheese” sauce. And the burger? So popular Khurhu can barely keep enough on hand, he said.
They’re regular dishes on an often changing menu that features a wide variety of vegetables and mock meats, such as chicken gizzards and barbecue chicken nuggets made of mushrooms and soy and other plants.
Khurhu said he hasn’t missed meat for the past 50 years. His vegan diet is partly what’s kept him “70 years young,” he said.
While often viewed among the fringes of mainstream American lifestyles, veganism is enjoying increasing popularity as many Americans grow more conscious of their physical health and of the health of environment. Mainstream vegan eating options are expanding rapidly, with fast-food chains such as Burger King and KFC promoting meat alternative menu items, such as the “Impossible Whopper” and vegan fried chicken, which are both made from plants.
Vegan and vegetarian menu items are becoming more visible across the Columbia restaurant landscape, too. Popular downtown bar The Whig, for instance, has begun more regularly highlighting vegan specials from its kitchen, such as meat-free chicken wings with cashew ranch sauce. And upscale Mexican restaurant Coa Agaveria y Cocina recently rolled out a separate vegan menu.
But the Lamb’s Bread name gained a Columbia following long before “plant-based” did.
Khurhu saturates his soul food with richly layered flavors and, equally if not more important to Khurhu, a rich spiritual energy.
Born in rural Greenwood, S.C., and a graduate of Benedict College in Columbia, Khurhu draws his culinary inspiration first from the down-home way his mother taught him to cook, and then from cultures and flavors spanning the globe.
“I borrow from all cultures, and I come up with my own unique spin,” he said.
Khurhu’s food philosophy is about much more than nourishing the body, he said.
“I need to give people more than just rice and beans,” he said. “I need to give us a sense of self, a sense of love, a sense of belonging, a sense of healthiness.”
Lamb’s Bread Returns The King is located at 3600 River Drive. It is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Khurhu also recently opened a sister restaurant to Lamb’s Bread called Vegans International at 1840 Hampton St. in the former Nathan’s restaurant.
This story was originally published January 24, 2020 at 9:13 AM.
