Tag Archives: vegan

October 9, 2012 · 3:12 am

Hu Kitchen

At around 7pm a few weeks ago a well known Sales personality in my office scurried in a fluster past my desk. “Whoa whoa whoa!” I said, intrigued by the fire causing the rush. “Where ya going?” As he frantically scanned his blackberry he belted that he was going to his good friend’s new specialty food store opening. Little did he know how interested I’d be, and after he directed me to their website, I wanted in. I put a weekend stop-by on my to-do list right away.

Well, after a few weeks of trailing up and down 5th Avenue looking for the place (I had forgotten the name, so couldn’t look it up), I finally stumbled across a big sign that said “Food for Humans.” I knew it was the right place. Interested and hungry, I walked in eager to sample. The smoothie bar looked delicious..as did the fresh yogurt station, the baked goods, the salads, the roast chicken, and the Dean & Deluca-style display case. In the mood for breakfast, I asked the smoothie-barista to mix up her favorite, which turned out to be the banana almond smoothie that came with almond milk, almond butter, bananas, and salt. The first round wasn’t so good. The smoothie was incredibly salty to the point of being inedible. But the service people were kind enough to whip up another batch, and unlike most organic, non-traditional food shops, they were happy to remake the order (or at least looked like it). The second batch was a dream. I also tried a carrot raisin muffin, which was gluten and sugar free, and actually quite tasty.

Despite a slightly bitter motto on their site (“It’s time to get back to the way humans ate before industry ruined food”), I really like what they’re doing. And the owners are smart. They found an unmet need (healthy food in a clean and stylish setting), and solved the problem in an ideal area – where shoppers on lower fifth ave need a quick bite to eat. I will definitely be back in that context, whether for a salad or a smoothie. Delivery will be key in helping this business grow.

Grade: A-
Location: 78 Fifth Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets
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Filed under Cheap Eat, Deli, Union Square, Vegetarian / Vegan

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September 26, 2012 · 4:14 pm

Blossom Cafe

Sad to say that today, I decided I will never go back to Blossom Cafe. My flashbacks of the curly black hair I found in my sour tofu salad, the greasiness of the mushroom scallops,  and the sugary sweetness of my friend’s seitan marsala have ruined all fond memories I had of their chunky guacamole and chocolate bread pudding. So long, Blossom, it’s been a fun ride.

Grade: D
Location: 43-45 Carmine Street

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August 14, 2012 · 1:18 pm

‘Snice

Given all the restaurants in New York city – scratch that – in my two block radius, I’ve always dreamt, but never expected, that I’d become a regular at one local place. I got excited when Cafe Gitane set up shop at the Jane Hotel, but the salads didn’t prove bountiful enough for weeknight takeout orders. When Bakehouse opened across the street, I made a pledge to make it my Cheers and hang with the bartender nightly, but I found that my stomach, travel schedule, and wallet couldn’t handle $14 cocktails even once a week. Even my favorite restaurant Barbuto, just two blocks South, presents too much of a production to get seated on any given night. Throughout all the hopes and let downs, though, there remained and still remains to be one steady, loyal food spot in a time of need. And that spot is called ‘Snice, or what my friend Sara likes to call “sneece” (it’s not, it’s pronounced s-nice as in ‘nice’), and it brings a smile to my face at least two nights a week.

Whether I order in (usually) or sit alone with my laptop in the chalk-board laden, wooden, Berkeley style space, I always find the food is exactly what I need on a low key, fuss-free night. I could very well make their salads by making a trip to the grocery store, but why would I do that when it would be twice the cost, three times the hassle, and 100 times less Manhattan? 90% of the time I place an order for the quinoa salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, tortilla strips, avocado, and a creamy, vegan avocado dressing. That’s right, this place is vegan, but it also has cheese and butter if you do some stealthy requesting. On more adventurous nights, I’ll order the bueno burrito with black beans, avocado, and salsa, the vegan meatball sub with tomato sauce and cheese, or another all time favorite – the curry cauliflower wrap with chick peas, mango chutney, and brown rice. Literally everything I’ve had there is inventive, flavorful, no frills, cheap, and more importantly, super filling without that brick-in-stomach miserable feeling. Last night I ordered a side salad of chick peas alongside my cauliflower wrap, and asked myself why on earth I haven’t blogged about the restaurant that’s received the majority of my food budget in the past three years. Well, here it is. I love ‘Snice. You’re not coming here or calling them for the friendliest service (though their delivery men tend to be young urban cuties) – they’re vegan and they can see right through your no-meat facade down to the very chicken you ate that day. And, they may not be that consistent – cherry tomatoes sometimes become sliced tomatoes, or no tomatoes at all. But I don’t care. I don’t know where I’d be without it.

curry cauliflower wrap with side salad (only when you eat in)

quinoa salad – my love

Grade: B+ but I still go there constantly
Location: Multiple, I visit the one on 8th Ave and Jane.
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Filed under Soho, Vegetarian / Vegan, West Village

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August 12, 2012 · 9:08 pm

Cafe Blossom

Sometimes when the day ends and I’m laying my bed, I come to realize that I haven’t eaten one item of protein all day. I used to pretend I was a meat lover, but now I can admit that I’d rather stick to grazing on cheese than a hunk of steak. There’s a time and a place, but in the midst of a New York heat wave, it just doesn’t sound appealing…so when Maharlika owner Nicole suggested Blossom for dinner last night, I was 100% down for the vegetarian journey. The Cafe opened recently on Carmine, and it has a much more sophisticated menu and feeling than its name implies. It’s dark, romantic, intimate – the perfect place for a date if you’re ok-cupiding with a vegan. And a few yards away is new goat’s-milk ice cream store Victory Garden that has an addictive salted caramel ice cream that could be a follow up to the date (don’t knock it ’til you try it).

Cafe Blossom’s tangy, chunky pickled-onion and tomato guacamole with corn chips wowed me. It had so much more flavor and richness than the over-blended versions at most conventional restaurants. I loved the slow roasted rutabaga and quinoa served with grilled asparagus, sautéed kale and a large slice of fresh roasted tomato. I’m constantly on the hunt for restaurants with a clean menu rather than over-buttered food that can weight down the body if you eat out as frequently as I do. Along with S’nice, Westville, and Meme Mediterranean, Cafe Blossom is a great choice for food that’s well thought out and health-focused…and they have booze for those who want to counter balance the health factor. Definitely a new top choice for a low key weekday meal.

quinoa & roasted rutabaga

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Filed under Business Meal, Drinks & Apps, Vegetarian / Vegan, West Village

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November 30, 2011 · 3:53 am

Blossom

I’m far from being a proponent of veganism, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced amazing animal product-free meals. Consequently, I’ve wanted to try Blossom, New York’s most well-known vegan restaurant, since I saw pictures of its dishes on Yelp two years ago. Considering my friends Mer and Kilo just finished up their health cleanses, we decided to continue the momentum and give the healthy dairy-free restaurant a try. I was surprised by the ambience when I arrived – instead of the hippie decor I expected, the place was dark, classy, and intimate, just like any romantic restaurant in New York should be. But the disparities became apparent once I noticed the lack of complimentary bread. Last I checked, most bread is vegan, so there’s really no excuse for not serving pre-dinner snacks. And when the waiter described the “braised seitan special,” I couldn’t help but chuckle. It really takes a lot of work to try to make a braised artificial meat sound delicious.

porcini cigars

I went for the stuff that I would have found at a normal restaurant – I can’t be bothered with seitan and tofu. To start, we shared the porcini cigars, hand rolled phyllo dough filled with porcini mushrooms and served on top of a creamy cashew pesto sauce. This was my favorite dish by far. For my main, I ordered the Blossom Greens that were tossed in a delicious gingery dressing, as well as the Black Eyed Pea Cake recommended by our waiter. The cake was a disappointment – it was over-salted, and I was disgusted the second I saw the massive lump of the mayo-like substance covering the entire thing. I think without the overwhelming, jiggly sauce, and a little bit less salt, the cake would actually be quite good.

Blossom Greens

black eyed pea cake

I also tried Mer’s dish, the lemon-dusted tofu with coconut rice. The rice was fine, but the tofu was almost inedible. The aromatics were so overpowering that I felt like I was putting a bar of soap in my mouth.

Despite the various disappointments, I know Blossom has potential. And if I were a long-time vegan, this food would taste like it was coming straight from the heavens. But as a cheese and meat lover, I can confidently say that the salad was truly delicious, and the food is daring, inventive, and beautifully plated. Blossom definitely brings a food category with limited room for creativity to the next level, but the next time around, I’ll be weary of the overpowering seasoning that unfortunately masked the true essence of many dishes. And I’ll definitely try dessert, which is what they’re really known for.

Grade: C+

Location: 187 9th Avenue @ 22nd Street

Website: http://www.blossomnyc.com

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November 16, 2011 · 3:25 am

One Lucky Duck: Tiramisu and Chocolate Tarte

tart and tiramisu

Every now and then I use my teammate’s mutual sweet tooth as an excuse to take a field trip downstairs to peruse Chelsea Market’s glorious assortment of treats. While this habit would normally be hazardous to our health and productivity, her veganism gives me the opportunity to try something that’s seemingly indulgent but actually (relatively) healthy. Fortunately, One Lucky Duck, a vegan and raw food take-away food shop, always stocks its refrigerator with rich, chocolatey sweets. The only downfall? Smoothies are $10+, and even the smallest oreo-imitation cookie costs over $5. But on an intense work day, there’s no better cure than a $15 tiramisu and a $12 chocolate tart. Made with coconut meat, raw chocolate, agave, pure maple syrup, and every other possible wholesome ingredient that turns something dairy free into something delicious, these desserts are a cross between a culinary science project and a piece of art. They’re rich, creamy, and unimaginably close to the best rendition of the egg and butter-laden real deal.

dense and creamy

My advice? If you have the cash to spend, you’re prioritizing healthy eating, and you’re having a sudden sugar craving, splurge and try one of the dessert specialties at One Lucky Duck. Make it a habit, though, and you may have to take out a loan.

Grade: A+

Location: Chelsea Market

Website: http://www.oneluckyduck.com

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August 17, 2011 · 3:14 am

Oreo Cookies at One Lucky Duck

There’s quite a split between those who hate the raw food vegan trend and those who live by it, but I’m somewhere in the middle. I could never, ever be a vegan (cheese). That said, I actually love some of the options available at One Lucky Duck’s raw and vegan food shop in Chelsea Market, and it’s getting to the point where I crave them throughout the day. Tonight I couldn’t leave work without grabbing a Lucky Duck Oreo Cookie, which was served cold out of the refrigerator and made of cashews, cocoa butter, maple syrup, cocoa powder, agave, and a few other random ingredients that make it look almost identical to the real thing. It tastes a thousand times better, and when these raw, health conscious ingredients come together they transform into a creamy and magical delicacy (and it should at $6 a pop).

mm oreo!

I prefer my cookies better cold (thanks to memories of my friend Sarah’s mom’s frozen chocolate chip cookies), so this ice cold, deep chocolate cookie really hits my sweet spot. Anti health fanatics, don’t knock it ’til you try it – you may be doing yourself a favor when you discover this thing can actually pass as healthy.

Grade: A

Location: 75 9th Avenue, Chelsea Market

Website. http://www.onelucyduck.com

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