I’m too sexy for this portobello

It seems unexpected that a restaurant that offers bacon-wrapped meatloaf also has a vegan menu, but Malabar American Cooking does. Granted, an average diner wouldn’t know about this vegan stepsister of a menu unless requested. Here’s what’s on it: a couple of green salads, a vegetable wrap with black beans on the side ($12), sautéed vegetables and risotto with tomato sauce ($14.50), a fire-roasted “portobella” sandwich ($10.75), stir-fry veg and vermicelli ($14.50) and fire-roasted stuffed “portobella” ($11.95). OK, so the dishes come across as whatever’s left in the pantry, but, they did season the portobello with vinaigrette, saving it from blandness. Malabar, located at 2960 Del Paso Road in Natomas, gets props for having vegan offerings, although why segregate them from the main menu? But it was listening to Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy” that was a real turnoff.