New York, Capitol Area Vegan Eats

Being tossed a couple of days to kill, I decided to spend my Rosh Hashanah out of the New York City area. Stricken with severe wanderlust at times, I need to get away once and awhile. I do this a lot. Ever since I got my first car, free time became a currency of adventure. I was often just driving away, enamored by “the road” and the set of skills that click on inside traversing the unknown. It’s the part of me that feels I was born in the wrong time. It’s the part of me that’s always hungry. It’s the part of me that enjoys time with myself fully, where I am free to chase my fancies… whether they be a vegan cupcake, a half-demolished building on the side of the road, or a location with a promising view of the sunset. Of course, I also do a food blog, fancy myself a bit of a photographer, and I love to drive. These forces are strong in me. Every once and a while I need new things to eat, new things to take pictures of, new air to breathe in. I’ve also never taken an Amtrak anywhere. So here it goes: My vegan excursion to the Empire State’s capitol: Albany, New York.

I’m planning a very extensive Amtrak trip this coming summer to hit the remaining 4 contiguous United States I’ve yet to see. I am pleased with the train-to-rental car travel so far. When I arrived in Albany I was ready to go.

Of course lunch was important after a long-ish train ride. And what better way to fuel up than with an all-you-can-eat taco buffet complete with barbecue tofu! That’s right, Bombers Burrito Bar in downtown Albany offers one delicious lunch special. Unlimited trips up to their taco spread complete with hard shell tacos, soft tortillas, lettuce, black bean, rice (not sure if it was vegan so I passed), salsa, green chilies, and their yummy barbecue tofu cubes.

The spread could have been a bit more vegan-friendly. Some more vegetables maybe… some grilled onion and peppers maybe. Or some housemade tofu sour cream, fresh cilantro and some housemade marinated seitan: cha-right. Now I am in dreamland.

Although I could have had a million tacos, I could only eat two and a half.

Thanks, Bombers, for a scrumptious start to my trip!