Café Gratitude shows the beef

Heard the recent online kerfuffle between the owners of the vegan restaurant chain Café Gratitude and Gracias Madre versus the vegan community? The abbreviated version: The latter realized the former, Matthew and Terces Engelhart, have been eating cattle raised on their Vacaville farm, and some members of the vegan community have responded with a boycott, one-star Yelp reviews and alleged death threats. Or maybe it’s residual anger from years of Café Gratitude waitstaff cajoling diners to recite the entire mantra-like names of the dishes when ordering: “I am Abundant.” What is not abundant, however, is the presence of the eatery in Northern California. The Bay Area cafes closed a while ago, but there are several locations in Southern California, plus Gracias Madre, their vegan, organic Mexican food spot still stands in San Francisco (2211 Mission Street). Go there, don’t go there, whatever, but death threats? Online bullying is so 2014.