Currently viewing the tag: "west village"
The Vakery is New York City’s latest vegan cupcake supplier! Though founder and pastry chef L.A. Brandon’s operation is via online ordering, I caught wind of her goodies being at Little Atlas Cafe in the West Village. I set out early for my cupcake breakfast, needed fuel for a day of errands in Manhattan. Thankfully, there was a selection available for my sampling.
Heck, why not buy 3 cupcakes? I bought this lovely assortment hoping to see Vakery’s range. I got the Cookies N’ Creme, the Lemon Ginger, and what looked like a s’mores but tasted more like a chocolate cheesecake. The chocolate cakes were delicious: good texture and flavor, similar to Isa’s basic chocolate. My favorite, the Cookies N’ Creme, had a spot-on buttercream. Not too-too sweet and a texture that holds teeth marks. The gluten-free lemon ginger cake was very dense, and the icing, kind of bakesale. I look forward to trying more of her flavors. Also for sale on the website: Loco-Lime Margarita, Chocolate Covered Strawberry, the Jelly Doughnut, Red Velvetty, and a Peanut Butter Cup. 
It’s great that vegan goodies are sprouting up all over the place. Good luck, Vakery!
I finally got around to trying the famous Cinnamon Snail all-vegan food truck! Hailing from New Jersey, The Snail used to only come as close as Hoboken. Now that New York City hot spots are on their weekly schedule, I knew it was fine time to taste their offerings. I got to the “FiDi” early to avoid the crowds and scarfed down my footlong ravenously.
Hubba, hubba. Can we take a look at this sandwich, the Al Pastor Seitan...? Toasted bread. Delicate, melt-in-your-mouth homemade seitan. Beer-battered jalapeños. Grilled pineapple (!!) and greens with a spicy, drip-all-over your fingers chipotle mayonnaise. This is good eating. No packaged crapola, just unadulterated flavor and texture. 
Let’s look again, shall we? This enormous sandwich was $9. It very well should have been two servings but, well “when in Rome”… The grilled pineapple was such a delightful addition. The moisture from the seitan and the pineapple might have demolished a less hearty bread, but no. They thought of that. 
I can’t wait to try something else at Cinnamon Snail. It has me believing a tool like Twitter may, in fact, be necessary after all. Follow them here to find out where they are and when.
I was full but still. I needed to try Cinnamon Snail’s sweet treats too. CP recommended the Creme Brule donut. After eating 2.5 cupcakes this morning, this donut had me wired on sugar for the remainder of the day. Think custard center, crunchy bruleed top and greasy, fried donut. Moderation is a must. Luckily my dinner plans were much more healthful.
So dinner:: There’s a new sushi joint in town that is all vegetables and fruits! That’s right. No stray fish eggs littering your roll. Beyond Sushi is all-veg sushi that need not utilize those super-processed fake fish things (I’m talking to you Soy and Sake!) for a delicious, textured bite with complex and bold flavors. Beyond Sushi does it right. Very right! Here’s the spread…
I bought the combo–2 rolls and 2 a la carte pieces. Here is the individual Baked tofu piece. The firm tofu is wrapped with seaweed atop black rice, served with chili mango sauce. I’ll get to those sauces in a second.
For my first roll I chose the Green Machine, six grain rice, English cucumber, green asparagus and marinated basil. Scrumptious.
The individual Mango piece. 
La Fiesta roll: black rice, avocado, pickled jalapeno, chayote, and cilantro, drizzled with jalapeno wasabi
I mentioned the jalapeno wasabi and the chili mango, yes. They are two of the 7 spectacular drizzle combos you can customize for your order… or take their menu’s suggestions. When you order to-go you get these fun tubes so you can interact with your delicious sushi and push the amazing flavors further. Of course you also get soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger. That is a must!
Here I am playing with different combinations. 
The small space on 14th street has also got rice paper wraps, salads, and fresh-made juices. I stopped in today but they celebrate their Grand Opening tomorrow. They had a steady stream of customers, which was good to see. It’s worth a mention that Beyond Sushi’s owner is ex-Hell’s Kitchen chef Guy Vaknin. This show is one of my guilty pleasures.
Ok, what a day of eating I had! Thank goodness the New York City area is only my half-home during the summer. Otherwise I’d be broke and I’d need a new wardrobe.
Z Pizza in the West Village has Daiya for their pizza. The girls and I split 2 extra large pies. Now our stomaches hurt.
The size and shape of the pizza made us nostalgic. So did the paper plates.
With the kitchen sink on our pies, I realize I am a pizza purist. This happens when enough zucchini swan dive into my lap.
I struggle with my second slice. And I struggled maneuvering the large pizza box of leftovers through the bar afterwards.
On the other hand, carrying a pizza box around the Manhattan streets seems to attract all kinds of male attention.
It’s too hot for 3 meals a day. Here are my recent dunch highlights.
Urban Rustic makes a mean Club Sandwich, the all-vegan Unclub. I’ve gone on about it before, yes. [Tofurky, Vegenaise, Dijon mustard, strips of tempeh bacon, local tomatoes and sprouts in between three slices of soft, toasted spelt bread.] Nothing fancy, I know, but great taste and texture from a unique and value-driven eatery/general store– a bit slim on the vegan options but stocked with quality food goods like pickled asparagus! And, being a sucker for a glass bottle of old-fashioned cola, in this case Boylan, I rounded out the kick of the Dijon and the smoky Tofurky with some sweet, sweet cane cola.
Slice is one of my favorite place to chow down on vegan pizza… and catch up with my gluten-allergic pal, Maximilian. We’ve hit the Upper East Side’s location several times, sharing in the joy of being able to eat real and delicious pizza. With Slice’s newer location in the West Village, it is a huge relief not to have to travel on the dreaded 4/5/6 to enjoy their good stuff. Slice is where I first tried Daiya. Sooo, why not get tattooed, however temporarily, to show my support for their take on the perfect food?
The Juice Press in the East Village offers grab n’ go sandwiches (in compostable packaging) in their tiny storefront. Juice Press: home of the $10.00 smoothie (“the succulent flesh and refreshing water from a young, whole coconut, mana blue green algae, vanilla, raw cacao, mineral rich sea salt, agave nectar, vanilla stevia and ultra filtered ice”), the $10.00 packaged “tuna” sandwich (or the $10.00 ground, soaked nut and chick pea, cucumber, tomato, onion, nori and “mustard” on sprouted bread) and… the kind of awkward, less-than-attentive service. I am not a needy patron, but the fact that employees coveted all of the small shop’s seating and that I was barely acknowledged upon entering makes this a sore $10.00 wasted on what I likely have already in my pantry. I scarfed down the sandwich and got my fresh-pressed juice a few doors down at the Juicy Lucy stand.
There is something about summer and Mexican food, as my previous posts highlight. So let me eat more! The Greek and I hit Greenpoint’s Papacitos after much deliberation, feasting on their west coast-style street grub. I had the vegan quesadilla, Daiya cheddar packed with seitan, folded in a satisfyingly greasy tortilla and topped with additional yummies like tofu sour cream. After, in accordance to summer and the Greek restaurant tradition of watermelon post-meal, we scored a perfect wedge of the pink stuff, my favorite: watermelon, to split over complaints about about the heat. Waaah.
As a young doe who read E Magazine and poured over Co-op America‘s Green Pages some 17 years ago, I can’t help but be partially frustrated by the speed in which the rest of the world has caught on to the green movement, can’t help but shudder at the greenwashing of the world’s major corporate players and how this shallow, surface-level concern for the planet has trickled down to the public… in the form of baby onesies, tote bags, hair care, MORE STUFF (the antithesis of sustainability)… touting witty messages of our intentions to recycle, to love Mother Earth, to be “green”. Boy, this stuff all gets my goat.
So yes yes, another rant about how the omnivorous diet is the number one contributor to environmental destruction. A ton of unbiased research makes clear, to those who want to know, what is well hidden about our food system and factory farming (see links at the end of this post). I promise I won’t go on and on as I know the 2 or 3 dear hearts who read my blog on the reg. deserve better than my yelling at them. They may, if so inclined, skip the paragraph below and proceed to my description of Otarian, New York City’s Low Carbon Fast Food Eatery. The rest of you, carry on.
I know that change happens gradually and, often, it begins as a fad. But I’m still an anomaly as a vegan, though the US has made some great strides. Through wider acceptance of preventative lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of illness and the country’s obsession with weight management, vegetarianism is beginning to make sense in many people’s eyes. Though not as widely accepted a view, vegetarianism is connected intimately with being “green”, like real green. Nothing impacts the Earth more than your dietary choices… not hybrid cars, tote bags, message tees, recycling, etc etc. So that is why Otarian, a new healthy chain with locations in London and Manhattan, came to be. Otarian’s CEO, Radhika Oswal, created the eatery as a “tangible display of {my} hope in the intelligence of human kind to understand, accept and adapt to a more sustainable way.” And their display is one of quality and authenticity, from the materials and design of the restaurant space, to product sourcing, to their packaging and waste management, to their energy and water consumption… it’s the real deal.
The food (all listed clearly as V): Indian Chutney burger: vegan patty, hot and spicy chutney mayonnaise, tomato, cucumber, lettuce, and red onion. Hearty and tasty.
Sweet potato chipets: Sweet potatoes coated in spicy crumb-mix. Delicious!
All vegan Choco Treat… not the greatest vegan dessert but a vegan dessert! A vegan dessert!!!
Please see my older posts:
Force Fed
Another Inconvenient Truth
Food Inc. Movie Review
Earth Day is Why Vegan Day
Candle 79‘s Black Bean Pumpkin Seed Burger (Upper East Side)
Pro: It’s absolutely yummy, polenta fries
Con: It’s also a mush-fest, pricey
Josie’s NYC‘s Organic 3-grain vegetable burger (Upper West Side)
Pro: Quinoa, bulgur & cous cous-oh my!
Con: A bit pricey
Goodburger‘sVeggie Burger (Union Square)
Pro: Separate grill, good quick burger
Con: Mushy
Bliss‘s Tofu Hijiki Burger (Williamsburg)
Pro: Tasty & fresh
Con: Too much bun
Kate’s Joint‘s Broke Back Burger (East Village)
Pro: Great focaccia, reliably good
Con: A bit dry
Village Natural‘s Vegan Burger (West Village)
Pro: Ample veggies on plate, sweet potato fry option
Con: Soy science meat
Atlas Cafe‘s Sunshine Burger (East Village)
Pro: Eh.
Cons: Iceberg lettuce, crumbly served on mushy sprouted bread with 3 potato chips
Cafe Blossom‘s Veggie Grain Burger (Upper West Side)
Pro: Glorious mush-fest
Con: Also a crumble-fest
Green Cafe‘s Vegetable Burger (Midtown)
Pro: They fetched the ingredients
Con: Eh.
Gobo‘s Home-made Veggie Burger (West Village)
Pro: fresh veggies
Con: standard mush texture
Cafeteria‘s Veggie Burger (7 ave & 17th st)
Pros: big, tasty, fresh
Con: crumbly
Oneness-Fountain-Heart‘s Ponderosa Burger (Flushing, Queens)
Pro: Topped with freshness and flavor
Con: Soy science meat underneath
Much to my delight, Gobo has a 3-course First Seating Prix Fixe during the week. I thought this was a quiet and tasty way to have the official celebratory dinner honoring my graduation from graduate school. But as a food blogger who decides to cook and bake based on the quality and quantity of natural light in her kitchen, a restaurant’s bad lighting can kind of put a damper on a dinner… kind of like how rain can put a damper on an outdoor graduation ceremony! But here it is nonetheless, my three courses, minus the disorientating cafeteria-like acoustics of Gobo’s dining space:
Course 1: Seitan Skewers w/ Green Tea Mustard Sauce
These grilled skewers were very tender and succulent–delicious. I have never had seitan with such a unique texture. It was a lot of “meat” for a first course, however. The green tea mustard and pickled cabbage accompaniment were great as well.
Course 2: Sesame Protein Nuggets braised in a sweet & sour sauce
This dish was my old stand-by when I used to hit Gobo more often years ago. Nowadays, in my old age, I find the sauce a bit too sweet and plentiful and I would have appreciated a bit of rice to sop it up inclusive in the dish’s price. The nuggets were definitely yummy but, given my course 1, I should have opted for less protein. Could it be I loved the melon-balled apple pieces, pineapple chunks and blanched brocoli best? 
Course 3: Multi-Layered Chocolate Cake dusted with green tea
Wow, this slice was huge! Part of me thought the portions of the prix fixe courses would be adjusted in size but no maam. I could barely make a dent in my chocolate cake, especially as it was paired with a second glass of pinot grigio: not the most pleasant taste combinations. The piece’s remains sits patiently in my fridge for me to finish it. I think after this post I’ll hop to it!
The search continues, in intervals of 12. What is all this burger-eating leading up to? My decision on who makes the best vegan burger in New York City, of course. It is forthcoming.
The Organic Grill‘s Organic Grill Burger (East Village)
Pro: Very tasty, housemade, great fixings, a very good vegan burger
Con: Mushy but more good-mushy
Good Health Burger‘s Tex-Mex Burger (Midtown East)
Pro: Flavorful and yummy
Con: mushy
Metro Diner‘s House-made Veggie Burger (Upper West Side)
Pro: Hearty is an understatement, lentils, diner fries
Con: Bun ain’t the greatest
Enid’s Homemade Veggie Burger (Greenpoint)
Pro: housemade, tasty, good texture
Con: a little salty
Dojo‘s Soy Burger Dinner (West Village)
Pro: Carrot-ginger dressing, nostalgia
Con: mushy is the name of the game
Life Cafe‘s New Garden Burger (East Village)
Pro: Housemade, location-location-location
Con: Pita, mush
Counter‘s East Side Burger (East Village)
Pro: Hearty, delicious, potato bun
Con: A bit crumbly and pricey
Curly’s Vegetarian Lunch‘s Basic Burger (East Village)
Pro: Great all-around
Con: Bun a bit tough
Choice‘s Vegetable Burger (DUMBO)
Pro: Tasty, well-dressed, good value
Con: Questionable bun
Nature’s Grill Cafe‘s Veggie Burger (Cobble Hill)
Pro: Eh.
Con: No buns in the place (how late 90s), mush-fest, frozen patty, slow & packed
Loving Hut‘s Loving Hut Burger (MSG area)
Pro: tasty dressing & veggies, good flavor
Con: processed soy science meat product, bun too thick/dry
New York Burger & Co.‘s Mediterranean Veggie Burger (Chelsea)
Pro: Separate grill/spatula, nice flavor
Con: mush-fest, the rest of the menu
Vegan Reporting By Location
