Bambi Vegan Tacos, once a beloved Midtown Sacramento restaurant, built its reputation on creative, scratch-made food that celebrated the city’s farm-to-fork spirit. Chef Chad Novick explained, “Sacramento is blessed to be an island among farms,” and Bambi embraced that connection by using seasonal produce to craft dishes that were vibrant, craveable, and entirely plant-based. One of the standouts was their Avo Salsa Verde.
Novick described this salsa as “both unique and relatable,” pulling influence from both Spanish and Mexican traditions. The recipe combines avocado with roasted Poblanos, tomatillos, fennel, green apple, and fresh oregano—ingredients that together create layers of flavor that are both familiar and surprising. “The fennel, fresh oregano, and green apple add unexpected freshness, while the roasted Poblano and tomatillo bring a welcome familiarity,” said Novick.
This attention to detail was part of what made Bambi’s food resonate with such a wide audience. As Novick noted, “Our focus was primarily on creating good food that was accessible for everyone and that people would enjoy, whether vegan or not.” Most diners weren’t vegan; they were simply drawn to scratch-made food that highlighted vegetables at their best.
The Avo Salsa Verde embodies that philosophy perfectly. It’s refreshing, flavorful, and versatile—served as a dip with chips, spooned over tacos, or drizzled onto grilled vegetables. It’s also a recipe that showcases Bambi’s larger mission: to celebrate produce at its peak and redefine what plant-based cuisine could be.
Although the restaurant closed in 2025, this salsa remains a testament to its innovation. Every bite recalls the creativity that helped Bambi stand out in Sacramento’s food scene, and it keeps alive the memory of a restaurant that challenged norms and invited everyone—vegan or not—to the table.
Avo Salsa Verde
Ingredients
- 2 ripe avocados
- 2 Poblano peppers, peeled, seeded, diced, and roasted
- 4 tomatillos, husked and diced
- ½ cup green apple, diced
- ¼ cup fennel bulb, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced (optional, for added heat)
- Juice of 2 limes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In mixing bowl, mash avocados until smooth. Add to bowl Poblano peppers, tomatillos, green apple, fennel bulb, oregano leaves, cilantro, and jalapeño pepper. Squeeze lime juice over mixture.
- Gently fold all ingredients together until well combined. Season salsa with salt and pepper to taste, adjusting seasoning as needed. Serve immediately as a dip with tortilla chips or as a topping for tacos, nachos, or grilled vegetables
