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Published: April 15 2012

FORT LAUDERDALE -- What do celebrities Pamela Anderson, Alec Baldwin, Steve-O, Paul McCartney, Chrissie Hynde, Bob Barker, Alicia Silverstone, Marilu Henner and John Salley have in common? They have all eaten at Sublime Restaurant & Bar. And, like its regular diners they went for the delicious vegan food, the exquisite service, and an ambience that includes skylights, tropical plants and cascading window waterfalls.

A bite into the Sublime picatta may taste like you are eating meat, but it is actually a Gardein cutlet (a blend of soy, wheat, pea proteins and organic grains) with lemon caper sauce. The ricotta and mozzarella on the crispy eggplant rollatini are made from tofu. "Our entire menu is vegan. We don't use any dairy or milk,'' says owner Nanci Alexander. "We really are Kosher. The only thing missing is a rabbi's blessing.''

As part of her crusade to stop animal cruelty, Alexander founded the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF) 23 years ago and opened Sublime with a partner in 2003. For the past five years, she has been running the restaurant solo. "I want people to stop eating animals,'' she says, adding that "the restaurant is a labor of love," and that all of the profits are used to promote animal welfare and a vegan lifestyle.

The 250-seat restaurant offers meals created from organic vegetables, most of which are purchased from growers within the state. There is even a garden on the roof where herbs, tomatoes and eggplants are growing. Alexander purchased a home with a large lot near Sublime so she could expand on growing vegetables and hired a gardener to tend to it.

The Frito Misto appetizer, made with cauliflower, sesame seeds and a sweet chili sauce is a fan favorite. The Singapore Street noodles (rice noodles with Asian vegetables, curry, ginger, cilantro, basil and a chili sriracha sauce) is also a popular dish. The Chocolate Nirvana (chocolate cake, kahlua butter crème and dark chocolate ganache) and the coconut cake (white cake, coconut butter crème and almond tuile) are the top desserts. A meal at Sublime won't empty your pocketbook either; an average entrée costs about $16-$19.

There is a full-service bar where vegetables also are used in some of the cocktail concoctions. The Cutini, a martini made with cucumbers; the Tangito, a mojito made with fresh tangerines; the watermelon cosmopolitan; and the watermelon margarita are big sellers.

Alexander says that the restaurant's patrons are very diverse. "They come on bicycles, motorcycles and in limos. We have gay and straight couples, transgender people and we even have regulars who have had babies and now bring those children.'' The kids love the mac 'n' cheese, pizzas, pastas, and sliders, she adds.

While the clientele may be as eclectic as the restaurant's menu, there is one thing Alexander is certain of. "Most of the restaurant's diners are usually meat eaters," she says. "Our food appeals to them."

Sublime is open from 5:30-10 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays (closed Mondays). Buy one get one free drinks are offered from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and appetizers are buy one get the second at half price, www.sublimerestaurant.com