NYC Vegan
Benny’s Burritos on the Lower East Side is awesome. Here’s a portabello burrito with vegan cheese. Vegan cheese costs a dollar extra but you can sub brown rice, tofu sour cream and a whole wheat tortilla at no extra cost - which is nice because most people charge mad money for substitutions. It was delicious. But I couldn’t eat it all, and that made me sad. Probably because I put tons of guacamole in my belly as well.
S’mac
I went to see The Hunger Games again at the theater in Union Square last night and was in desperate need of additional junk food after the film, and I had been thinking about S’mac a lot lately. When I have something I really want to eat in my head, or a place to go, I will literally freak out until I get a chance to go.
The most wonderful part about living in beautiful NYC is that they make basically anything anywhere vegan, and S’mac of course happened to have a vegan option, composed of coconut milk, rice flour, potato flour, palm oil, organic palm shortening, marmite, salt and pepper. It was interesting to have a mac and cheese without nooch and it was so creamy and yummy! I got it with shittake mushrooms, roasted brocoli and roasted tomatoes - they have lots of other great options too. It was super-fast and under 10$ for a mondo-potion. S’mac has an eat-in option as well as take-out.
Now, I have to stop eating carbs…
S’mac is located at 345 East 12th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues.
PATRONIZE THIS.
Kate’s Joint! Ahhhh! Looks so amazing - I want to eat EVERYTHING! If they close before I nom I will be so sad! I need to go STAT, eat food and DONATE MONEY. You need to go eat there and DONATE MONEY too. Because otherwise they will close and we will be so sad!!!
COME WITH ME. (I am totally serious, I need more vegan friends. Leave a message in my ask if you’re interested.)
SERIOUS YUM.
EAT IT ALL.
SAVE KATE’S JOINT, SAVE THE WORLD.
Kate’s Joint is located at Avenue B + 4th Street.
Organic Grill
I actually went to the Organic Grill two Fridays ago and haven’t gotten the chance to write about it yet - whoops! I’m trying to be really good about writing my mini reviews as they come, but honestly the Organic Grill wasn’t too exciting which is why I’ve been putting it off.
I drank a couple of IPAs - they were sadly out of Eel River - the name had something to do with Napa? If anyone could shed light on this, would be very much appreciated…it was an interesting brew.
I got the tofu masala and to be honest, it was only mediocre. The tofu could’ve been more crisp and the dish was overall a bit watery. The veggies weren’t super fresh, and the rice was hella dry - to the point where I wasn’t even that interested in it. Maybe I just had had too much for lunch that day (sweet potato and avocado sushi + salad lunch special from Taste of Tokyo mmm) but I had no interest in this food besides the cauliflower. I wish there had been more cauliflower. It just wasn’t as good as I was hoping.
Also side note, guys - what is the point of paying for a girl on a date if you’ve no intentions to call her again? This is just pointless to me, I’m a Yankee girl and totally happy to pay for myself. And I really don’t like going out with non-vegans, isn’t that awful? At least, I’ve never met an omni guy that’s been super cool/interested in/about veganism. (I hate dating and am contemplating spinsterdom.)
The atmosphere in Organic Grill was small, quaint and cute, there was plenty to look around at, and the East Village location is always a plus so you can go to a cool bar after. So, not my favourite, but not awful. I’d like to try one of their tofu omelets for brunch sometime, though. I think it’d be fun to go with friends but I wouldn’t take a date here again.
The Organic Grill is located at 123 1st Avenue, between 7th St and St. Mark’s Place.
You can take the 6 train to Astor Place, or better yet, walk another few blocks and go to Caravan of Dreams instead.
Caravan of Dreams
Last night, I had the good fortune of going to Caravan of Dreams. The meal started with two small, fresh pieces of radish (seriously tasted like it came straight from the garden) covered in olive oil and salt - mmmm, and then tried the ravioli special of the evening - mushroom ravioli with port wine marinara sauce, leafy greens sauteed in garlic and olive oil with a sliced avocado on top. What a treat! The sauce was rustic and delicious, the greens spectacular and everything came together beautifully with the avocado.
I also enjoyed a glass of the special sangria of the evening - pear - and finished the meal with french-press coffee (which yielded about two cups - kept me awake through a midnight viewing of the Shining) and the house cashew milk.
Fantastic meal, lovely evening.
Caravan of Dreams is located at 405 6th Street, off of 1st Avenue.
Viva Herbal Pizzeria
Every time I go to the East Village, I always crave pizza because I know the deliciousness of Viva Herbal Pizzeria is there waiting for me. After going to a truly awful movie (Young Adult - don’t see it - I ended up feeling so awkward during it I hid in my coat - I hate awkward flicks), I consoled myself with two slices of delicious Viva.
I had my old standby - siciliana marinara - a thick crust, spicy marinara slice of heaven and a piece of Santa Rosa (sundried tomato, mushroom, roasted garlic, kalamata olives and miso tofu). I think the miso tofu could be more flavorful but it’s great for what it is and boy, do I love roasted garlic and sundried tomatoes. I eat sundried tomatoes like potato chips. It’s freaky.
Vegan pizza = <3
Viva Herbal Pizzeria is located at 179 2nd Avenue between 11th and 12th streets, close to Union Square.
