franchia is a beautiful and serene, entirely vegan korean restaurant located on park avenue in manhattan, and it happens to be one of our favorite restaurants in NYC.

we visited franchia back in 2008 and were big fans of their noodles and curry hot pots, so when their sushi menu came highly recommended from chloe coscarelli, we knew we had to return. ravenously hungry and fresh off our cross-country flight, we hopped in a cab and headed straight to the restaurant.

steamed spicy kimchi dumplings. $6.95

we started with a pot of hot sake and the steamed spicy kimchi dumplings. i love kimchi, a traditional korean dish of fermented vegetables, but unfortunately it usually contains fish. i was so excited to see it on the menu at a vegan restaurant, where i knew i was all in the clear. franchia’s dumplings did not disappoint—they were plump and filled right up with spicy and flavorful vegetables. the sake really hit the spot too, especially after our long journey.

for my entree, i stuck to chloe’s advice and ordered 2 different sushi rolls: the mountain greens and roots roll and the seaweed salad roll. they came together on an absolutely beautifully presented platter—so pretty, i almost didn’t want to eat it.

mountain greens and root roll. $6.50

the mountain greens and roots roll was my favorite, the crunchy roots made the perfect center in between all the soft rice.

seaweed salad roll. $5.50

the seaweed salad roll was also delicious, light and very ocean-y tasting (in a good non-fishy way). there were so many other rolls that looked fantastic as well…a green tea roll, spicy tuna, and crispy tofu skin…i can’t wait to return and try them all.

organic soba noodles: topped with a variety of vegetables and mushrooms, served with spicy sauce on the side. $12.95

my husband, on the other hand, went with a noodle dish: organic soba noodles topped with vegetables and served with spicy sauce. he let me try some of his, and it was phenomenal. a colorful bowl filled with many asian vegetables, i couldn’t even identify them all. it was also served with side dishes of kimchi and hot sauce that i kept stealing throughout the meal.

inside, franchia is absolutely gorgeous. it’s a dimly lit, multilevel restaurant with a calm interior that provides the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of new york city. it’s a great place to bring a date, or anyone you’d like to enjoy a peaceful fancy meal with. i know i’ll be back!

franchia
12 Park Ave
New York City New York 10016
212-213-1001

i’ve eaten at countless restaurants all over the country, and if you were to ask me to name my favorites, souley vegan would be near the top of that list.

the modest oakland eatery is miles ahead of most of the places we have here in los angeles, what with its home cooked animal-free menu, fried food sensibilities, friendly service, and spacious interior. we hit up the northern california soul food joint recently with laura of vegansaurus fame, and it was a meal to remember.

the menu at souley is on this huge chalkboard posted on the wall, and is a little intimidating at first glance. it’s hard to believe that so much vegan goodness exists under one roof.

click to enlarge

they’ve got everything from collard greens to southern fried tofu, and prices range from 6 bucks per dish to 8 bucks for 2 dishes, and increasingly better value right up to the “everything plate,” which includes almost every side dish available for $19. naturally, that’s what we ordered.

the everything plate is one huge platter stacked up with collard greens, cornbread, black eye peas, southern fried tofu, lentils, potato salad, bbq tofu, mac n cheese, and yams. to call it epic would be an understatement. you can see it pictured at the top of the post from one angle…and below is a shot of it from behind.

the everything plate: collard greens, cornbread, black eye peas, southern fried tofu, lentils, potato salad, bbq tofu, mac-n-cheese, and yams (YES, those are YAMS, you sicko!) $19

make no mistake—those orange things are yams, okay?! anyways, this plate was amazing. where do i start? the bbq tofu was well-seasoned and sweet, while the mac and cheese was mild but extra gooey and velvety. the lentils were earthy and tasted great all mixed up with the collard greens (which you can’t even see, because there was so much food on the plate). the potato salad was so damn creamy, i had a hard time believing it was vegan…and the cornbread was like a delicious oily sponge. for an extra $6, you can add fried okra along with beans and rice to your order, but we simply didn’t have room for that. next time!

southern fried tofu. $6

not knowing how much food would arrive, we also got a side of the southern fried tofu on its own. this proved to be a good decision though, because the this tofu was definitely one of the most delicious things on the table. all coated in batter and fried up in a fantastic blend of spices, the skin on this stuff was probably half an inch thick. i’m so glad they served it on a piece of lettuce, because that totally makes this meal healthy, right?

the crispy. $6. plus $2 per side.

laura was all about ordering the “crispy,” a fried tofu sandwich that she said is one of the best things she’s ever eaten in her life. it came with the same beautiful hunk of tofu we ordered along with condiments and toppings on a bread roll for 6 bucks. you can add sides to your sandwich for just $2 each…so i think next time i am gonna go with this option rather than the everything plate.

inside, souley vegan is nice and roomy with two separate seating areas to choose from. it was empty when we were there (at around 11am), but we were told to get there early because the place can get packed. with food this good, i don’t doubt it.

if you are ever in the bay area, souley vegan is a MUST VISIT. it’s just a short train ride from san francisco, and the restaurant is walkable from the station. deep fried vegan has never tasted so good!

souley vegan
301 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94607-3804
(510) 922-1615

chaco canyon cafe is a sweet little restaurant in seattle that’s 95% organic, and almost entirely vegan (they offer dairy milk for coffee). the menu is huge–they’ve got soups, salads, sandwiches, bowls, raw entrees, breakfast items, and even desserts. we popped in for lunch on our recent vacation to the pacific northwest, and were impressed with the cafe’s charm and delicious food.

tofu scramble sandwich: turmeric seasoned tofu with onions, mushrooms and spinach, grilled on rye bread, with sprouts. served a la carte. optional soy cheese for additional charge.

much to my delight, breakfast is served all day at chaco canyon, so we started off with a tofu scramble sandwich. it came on grilled rye bread and was topped with loads of tumeric tofu, onions, mushrooms, spinach, and sprouts. so freaking good. the tofu was perfectly flavored, and not too mushy. hot little nuggets of soy, just they way they should be. the vegetables were fresh, and the bread was warm and crispy. i’d definitely order this again.

the basic bowl: brown rice or quinoa and black beans with either our peanut sauce or garlic tahini.

next we shared what’s probably the most simple item on the menu, the basic bowl. this comes with brown rice or quinoa, black beans, and your choice of sauce. we ordered it with brown rice and tahini, and it was excellent. just so well prepared with soft sticky rice, plump beans, and creamy sauce. love, love, loved it.

there were tons of vegan desserts to choose from as well, but we decided to pass on those since we were saving ourselves for mighty-o. next time i will definitely try out some of the cakes at chaco canyon though, as well as their vegan reuben made with field roast!

inside, the cafe is super cute and cozy. you order at the counter, and there’s comfy booth seating where they bring you your food. oh, and they have BEER ON TAP. what’s not to love about chaco canyon?! i know i’ll be back.

chaco canyon organic cafe
4757 12th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98105
206.522.6966
Mon to Fri 7am to 9pm
Sat & Sun 9am to 9pm
Now serving
Sunday Brunch 9am – 3pm

hi everyone! time for another field report from our european correspondent, dadatamonkey! this one is about gopal, a small vegan deli in barcelona, spain that serves up burgers, cakes, and vegan salami! what?! yeah!

Gateway to cake heaven!

Gopal is hidden away behind Las Ramblas, in a rather less than celebrious square. The people are friendly enough round here, but they know you are a tourist and have money, so take care. If you take a nice expensive camera down here put it in a rucksack in front of you!! Despite that, I’ve eaten here plenty of times without any trouble, and it´s defo worth the experience as the food is good! Make sure you visit the toilet prior to Gopal, as they don’t have one, but the bars around there do. If needs must just walk into a bar and use the toilet. Most of the time no one will mind.

I love the feel of this place. Barcelona all over.

This place is really clean and everything is kept in a massive chiller so you can munch without worrying about it later! Some of the burgers can look a bit weary though so look well! As you can see there aren´t many seats, but loads of people just grab a take-away so you wont normally have a problem getting a seat. If you are feeling brave, or are like me and don´t worry overly, go sit on the square with a beer. It’s interesting and fun. Oh yeah, beer. Gopal don’t do alcohol. They have a shitty alcohol free one but its foul. They do have bottled juices, water and fizzy drinks though. Haven´t tried taking a beer with me but reckon they wouldn’t mind, it’s a pretty laid back place. Very friendly too.

How big is the fridge? Vegan delights a plenty.

The food is mainly burgers (about 8 types including Redwoods ¼ pounder to homemade ones such as an orange one (no, not eating it) and spicy red pepper one. You can also buy loads of vegan goodies to take home and munch! Cheese, charcuturie, redwoods bacon etc etc! See, heaven. They also do special deals and a menu of the day. Prices vary but expect to pay 5-50 EUR for a deal (includes a patty eg chicken, salad, fried potatoes or nachos) or the meal of the day which changes daily at 6-50. Both include a drink so great value. But… I WANT BURGER!

Boy, did I ever get burgered. The beast is unleashed! 4-50 EURO

THE BURGER! This is sooo good! The bread is made on the premises, a big ol´ 1/4 pounder from Redwoods , toffuti cheese slice, fresh salad and a creamy Romesco dressing (that tends to dribble on you, in a nice friendly way!). Ketchup and mustard are available if you want them. All this for 4-50 EUR!! When I first ate here, I askled the main lady what she would recommend to try first? She asked if I was really hungry, er yup, always am. Thank you, you were right! You do need to be hungry to eat all of this.

What can I say except, yummy, & in my tummy in no time!

This burger is a meal in itself. I find the Redwoods ¼ pounder can be a bit tooo much if you aren’t careful. But these guys have got the cooking down. But what I really really want is cake. The best cake. I get it here…

Vegan Heaven on Earth! Lujuria knows his stuff, and now I know his secret ingredient too!

Maybe the best thing about Gopal is the desserts, boy they are stunningly good, best cakes (vegan or not) I have EVER eaten, bar none. And I’ve eaten a lot over the last 40 odd years!! Each time I’ve been in (quite a few..) THE SELECTION IS DIFFERENT. That’s good coz you know they are always fresh and also you get to try different ones each time. Oh, and they have cupcakes too. Wimmins food, bah. 😉 The mega selection is from Lujuria Vegana, and yes I have contacted him directly!

Chocotorture cake (my name). OMFG ONLY 3-50 EUR for your own stairway to heaven...

OK no BS, this is the best thing since I found out about ladies. If you don´t get to eat this before you die, you have not lived. No kidding, it’s the nuts. The chocolate torte part is soo smooth, thick, tastiest bit of anything I have ever put in my mouth. The hard really dark chocolate coating just finishes it off perfectly. I nearly bought the rest of the cake…

Various salami – This damn good stuff. One is even a bit like black pudding!

All gorgeous, all keep well and beat the pants off any other similar products – did I say similar – nothing I´ve had is similar to how good these are. The dogs bits they are!! 5 EUR upwards
So, got the idea? Yup, I really like this place. It’s good, honest vegan fast food combined with the best cakes possible. If you get to Barca and don’t go here then you are brainless, coz this place is a no-brainer! 10/10!!

Gopal
Location:
C/ Escudellers 42 – Plaza George Orwell (Plaça del Tripi)
Barcelona, Spain
Phone:
933 189 215
Cash only. Open Tue-Sun 12:00-23:00 NO TOILETS!
www:
Gopal’s Facebook Page

sacred chow is a cute little vegan restaurant in nyc, and ever since we had a good experience there a couple years ago, i have been dying to return for brunch. it’s only served on weekends, and the menu is small but mighty. there are only 9 items available, but within those items you’ve got biscuits and gravy, a breakfast sandwich, banana french toast, and all kinds of other good stuff.

whenever i see vegan biscuits and gravy on a menu i HAVE TO order them, so naturally that’s what i got…

better than biscuits and gravy: two biscuit halves layered with steamed greans and tofu scramble; with white gravy and choice of side. $13.75

the plate was HUGE, as it should have been for almost $14. i mean, that’s expensive, right? i dunno how they roll in NYC, but here in LA you can get a massive plate of biscuits, gravy, sausage, and bacon for under ten bucks. anyways, i must say the gravy was fantastic and was the highlight of the meal. it was of the thicker and whiter variety, which is my favorite kind. the tofu scramble had a great flavor, but was a little to mushy for my taste. the biscuits were decent albeit a tad dry.

the meal came with a choice of side (steamed greens, salad, or fruit), and i went with the steamed greens, not realizing they already came with the dish…so an extra side of them was way too much. look at the plate above, it looks like its about 50% greens. what you can’t see though, is that there were greens in the tofu as well and on top of the biscuits. it was greens mania! sadly, they kind of overpowered the whole brunch.

tofu scramble: tofu crumbled and sauteed with onion and special seasoning, served with home fries and choice of side. $13.75

my husband was initially going to get the breakfast sandwich (a biscuit topped with tofu scramble and tempeh), but fearing it would be too much like the biscuits and gravy, he went with the tofu scramble instead. this was also $13.75, and it came with a huge lump of scramble, roasted home fries, and choice of side (GREENS!).

the home fries at sacred chow are amazing, and were probably the best thing on the table. huge hunks of roasted potatoes that were crispy, perfectly seasoned, and not the least bit oily. the greens and tofu were the same as in my dish, there was just more tofu and less greens…which was a good thing!

overall, brunch was pretty good…but it was very expensive and the biscuits and gravy didn’t live up to my super high standards. i know i will be back to sacred chow though, i really like the vibe of the place and our previous visit was so outstanding.

sacred chow
vegan bistro – tapas, wine and beer on tap
227 sullivan street
nyc, ny 10012

(212) 337-0863

UPDATE: ike’s place has RE-OPENED in san francisco at a club called lime. from what i understand, they are kinda squatting there until they get a better location. follow their twitter, and check out their constantly updated website for more info!

we have been watching the ike’s place eviction drama unfold on vegansaurus for quite awhile, and sadly it looks like the amazing san francisco sandwich shop is finally closing down for good as of monday at midnight.

we were in SF last weekend, and i’m soooo glad we got a chance to eat at ike’s one last time. naturally, our meal was epic, as ike’s place really does make the best sandwiches known to man. thank god they have another location in the bay area.

vegan tom brady: vegan breaded chicken, zesty garlic and herb sauce, mushrooms, avocado, soy cheese. $12.21

we ordered the vegan tom brady and the vegan pilgrim to share, both of which were fan-bloody-tastic. the tom brady came stuffed with breaded chicken, zesty garlic sauce, mushrooms, avocado and teese. at $12.21, it’s the most expensive vegan sandwich on the menu, but it’s worth every penny. by far the most delicious, heartiest sandwich i’ve had in a long time. NOBODY DOES IT LIKE IKE’S!

vegan pilgrim: vegan turkey, cranberry, sriracha, soy cheese. $9.99

the vegan pilgrim was equally as impressive, stacked with slices of faux turkey, teese cheese, and covered in sriracha and cranberry sauce. the spicy sriracha was the perfect compliment to the sweet cranberry…and all mixed in with ike’s famous dirty sauce, it was incredible.

we arrived at ike’s as soon as they opened at 10am, and even though that’s pretty early to be eating a sandwich, there was already a line of people at the door. you know why people line up for ike’s? because the food is THAT FUCKING GOOD.

ike’s last day in business is gonna be monday september 13th, and they’ll be open from 10am – midnight. so go show some support and order like ten sandwiches!

ike’s place
3506 16th street
san francisco CA 94114
(415) 553-6888

field report time! this one comes to us all the way from michigan, and is written by VeganHeartDoc. so sit back, relax, and enjoy her review of the tree house!

Hi there! I’m a huge fan of Quarrygirl and all that she has accomplished for the vegan community. She has graciously allowed me to contribute to her blog! When I’m not eating fabulous vegan food, I’m a cardiologist with my own blog, veganheartdoc.com.

My first report comes from the field – the Midwest – The Tree House in Farmington, Michigan, a small suburb of Detroit. Now, when you visit the Midwest, a vegetarian establishment is hard to come by, and the definition of a veg-friendly restaurant is “menu has a veggieburger”.

The Tree House is a health food store most of the time, but on Sundays from 1-6 pm, it becomes a vegetarian, mostly vegan and mostly raw buffet. As I was visiting my folks back home for the weekend, I was eager to check out their fare.

Read the rest of this entry »

hey everyone! time for another barcelona vegan field report by dadatamonkey. i gotta say, this is by far my favorite one yet…and it seems too good to be true. it’s about an ALL VEGAN CAT -THEMED BAR that serves fast food-style cuisine! go on, read all about cat bar!

Good British food and cold beer. What more could a man want?

Strolling around Barca, I came across a bar with a sign outside saying vegano. And its called.. The Cat Bar! Given I love beer, food and cats I kinda had to go in! It’s a normal bar that just happens to serve vegan food! Here’s what they say about the food: “All the food made in the kitchen is 100% vegan. Any food not made by us, ketchup, mustard etc., is served in the original package with the list of ingredients which can be read by most under 30 years olds but few older than that..” So add in a sense of humour and this place is well worth a visit!

Read the rest of this entry »

we are sad to hear that vbites, one of our favorite restaurants across the pond, is shuttering this weekend for an end of the summer holiday. so if you want to eat there anytime soon, be sure to do it by saturday.

we are headed to the UK in a few weeks, and planned on making a trip to vbites, so we called the restaurant to find out more about the situation. the guy who answered the phone confirmed that the restaurant was closing, but didn’t know when it would re-open. we reached out to owner heather mills for a comment and she assured us the closing is temporary and that “all (beach) cafes close end of summer until march.” plus, the restaurant will remain open for private parties as well as cooking classes throughout the winter. she also added that vbites needs to focus on its 75 franchisees.

my advice if you live near brighton is to go to vbites today or tomorrow, and eat enough vegan nachos to keep you warm through the winter. i’m hoping one opens up in LA, because we really need a restaurant that serves cheezly in this city.

Vbites
Hove Lagoon, Kingsway, BN3 4LX
01273 933757

recently on a trip to norfolk virginia, my friend and i visited a real gem of a restaurant, one i really wish was located here in los angeles: kotobuki. the ostensibly normal fish-serving sushi joint also offers an impressive vegan menu with rolls that rival any in this town. when we informed our waitress that we were vegan, her eyes lit up and she immediately began making ordering suggestions and bragging about how good their vegan sushi was.

sapporo and a sweet potato roll

as it was my last night in town, we decided to go out and order a ton of stuff. i started with a sapporo and a sweet potato roll, which went together quite nicely. the japanese beer was cool and refreshing, and the sushi was simple yet satisfying.

now onto the more creative dishes…

the hugged rolled salmon n seaweed, the peta roll, and the buddha roll

the vegan menu at kotobuki is huge, and filled with very elaborate-sounding rolls, so we had a difficult time deciding what to order. after much debate, we settled on the “hugged rolled salmon n seaweed,” the “peta roll” and the “buddha roll”. the hugged roll, which is the top one pictured above, came stuffed with vegan salmon and avocado, all wrapped up in soy paper and topped with seaweed salad and sesame seeds. thumbs up. i really dug the seaweed salad, because it gave the roll a kind of fishy taste.

next up was the peta roll, pictured in the center of the photo above. this roll is named after the norfolk-based animal rights organization PETA because, as the waitress explained to us, lots of staffers frequent the restaurant and order vegan sushi. the peta roll was decent, but not spectacular. it came with seaweed salad, inari, fried tofu, and steamed carrots rolled up and cut into 6 slices for $5.50. the tofu inside was tasty, albeit a little bland, so i think i will stick to the more adventurous rolls next time i visit kotobuki.

lastly we had the buddha roll, pictured at the bottom of the photo above. we sure saved the best one for last, because this roll was madness!

the buddha roll consisted of shiitake mushrooms, kampyo asparagus, and shiso horseradish sprouts topped with avocado and spicy vegan mayo. the vegetable blend was so inventive, and the spicy mayo was kickin’! i didn’t even miss the fake meat or tofu that is so prevalent in vegan sushi. this was by far my favorite roll, and i highly recommend it.

after all that sushi, we were pretty stuffed, but our waitress refused to let us leave without ordering dessert. she was super proud of all their vegan options, and insisted we try the deep fried chocolate cheesecake. VEGAN DEEP FRIED CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE?! what?!?!?! i had no clue that such a wonderful thing existed. i was suddenly hungry again.

deep fried vegan chocolate cheesecake. OMG.

we split an order of the cheesecake, and it did not disappoint. the chunks of rich chocolate cake came covered in a thick tempura batter and fried to a crisp. genius i tell you, genius! the center was perfectly moist, creamy, and chocolatey with a tart cheesy flavor, while the outer layer was crunchy and oily. the cheesecake bites alone are reason enough to make a trip to norfolk; they’re definitely the most memorable dessert i’ve had in a while.

overall, kotobuki gets an a+. i’ve never been to a “normal” sushi place with such an inventive vegan menu…and the food was fantastic. the service was friendly, and our waitress seemed genuinely excited that we were vegan customers. i know i’ll be back!

kotobuki
721 W 21st St
Norfolk, VA 23517
(757) 628-1025

i kinda wanna move to portland, just so i can hit up the all you can eat vegan brunch at sweetpea baking company every sunday.

sweetpea is located in the famous vegan strip mall, a sight that must be seen to be believed. honestly, i thought it was a mirage the first time i went there—an entirely vegan clothing shop, bakery, grocery store, and tattoo parlor all right next to each other. it seemed too good to be true.

sweetpea is the all vegan bakery of the bunch, but they do much more than just baked goods. of course they have a slew of vegan cakes, cupcakes, and cheesecakes…but they also make daily soups, sandwiches, and even host an unbelievable ALL YOU CAN EAT SUNDAY BRUNCH! and that’s what this post is about; the motherfuckin’ brunch. oh yes.

the buffet-style brunch takes place every sunday from 9am until noon (or until food runs out), and features rotating specials each week. be sure to check sweetpea’s website for the latest on hours and menu. the brunch we attended was all about biscuits & gravy, chicken fried seitan, kale, and tofu scramble. plus coffee! sounds amazing, right? we decided to get there early to ensure a good seat.

we arrived at 9:08am, and the place was already hoppin! i’m talking a solid buffet line, with about 3/4 the tables full, and many people already happily eating. it looked pretty busy, but the line moved fast. the trays were quickly emptied by hungry folks, but were always immediately refilled with what seemed like an endless supply of food.

we were able to grab a seat at the counter by the window, which suited me perfectly. we were on stools rather than chairs, but we weren’t crammed in, and eating in the sunlight was lovely.

all you can eat brunch: biscuits and gravy, chicken fried seitan, kale, tofu scramble and coffee. $10

most importantly, the food was excellent. as you probably know, portland is known for its vegan biscuits & gravy, and these held their own against the best of them! the gravy was a tad on the thin side, but what it lacked in creaminess it made up in flavor. the biscuits were absolutely perfect—moist, soft, and slightly flaky. next up, the chicken fried seitan was unbelievable. a deep fried crispy shell covering an incredibly moist and spongy wheat meat center. i ate about 9 pieces of this stuff, and then i felt like i couldn’t move…in a good way. the kale and tofu scramble were also on point. i have no complaints whatsoever.

there was also something sweet at the brunch, maybe it was apple cobbler? i forget. i didn’t try it, whatever it was…because i don’t usually like baked fruit. i’m sure it was awesome though, because everything else was WONDERFUL.

i can’t speak highly enough of sweetpea’s brunch. the food was perfect, we got a decent seat even though it was crowded, and we ate a load of good stuff for a ridiculously cheap amount. and it was ALL VEGAN. god, i love portland. go there!

sweetpea baking
1205 SE Stark Street,
Portland, OR 97214
(503) 477-5916
sunday brunch 9am-12pm

PS: this week’s brunch 9/5 is Faux McMuffins and McGriddles, with sides of hashbrown patties and kale, and fried apple pies for dessert!! GET ON THAT.

maoz vegetarian is our favorite chain restaurant by far, so imagine how excited we were on our recent trip to new york to see that they’d opened a new location in times square. we hit up the new maoz, which is the most vegan-friendly one we’ve visited to date, on our way out of town right before heading to the airport. it was quite a wonderful send off.

maoz sandwich with hummus: falafel, hummus, and buffet salad bar! $5.70

in case you don’t already know, maoz is a tiny little falafel shop, and the menu is the same at locations across the globe. you basically get a sandwich or salad box with your choice of filling–falafel, hummus, etc. then you add as many toppings as you like from the enormous buffet-style salad bar. there are tons of vegan options, and at this maoz, every item in the salad bar was clearly marked as to whether it was vegan or vegetarian. i’ve never seen this labeling system at maoz before, but i love it! it took out all the guess work.

the seating is always cramped at maoz, with usually a few tables and maybe some stools lining the window. this maoz, however, had no seats inside! just a counter to stand at, and a bench outside the front door. that’s cool though, because eating this kind of food is super fast, and a counter is all you really need.

we each got the traditional maoz sandwich, which comes with a generous amount of falafel, and added hummus for an extra 75¢. we filled those up until they were overflowing with fried broccoli, cauliflower, corn, radishes, hot sauce, and creamy tahini. talk about delicious, stuffed, and colorful sandwiches. i so wish i could get something like this back home.

belgian fries. $3

we also tried the belgian fries for the first time, which were excellent. thickly cut, warm, and not too greasy. i stole some hot sauce and tahini from the salad bar to dip them in, which went down perfectly.

i am so happy to see new maoz restaurants popping up all over the place. i just really hope their next stop is somewhere in los angeles. don’t you think this kind of restaurant would do great on hollywood blvd, or maybe westwood, or downtown la? somewhere that gets a lot of foot traffic? come on maoz!! until then, i guess i will just have to keep eating maoz whenever i visit a city where they have a location. i hit them up loyally on every single trip to nyc and london. 🙂

maoz vegetarian
check website for locations

do you have a list of vegan food places you need to visit before you die? i’m not talking about an LA-based list, but a one that knows no boundaries. a “wish list” of all the insane animal-free food on this planet that NEEDS TO BE EATEN at some point, some point SOON. if you do, add foodswings in brooklyn to that list.

i’d heard people rave about foodswings forever, i don’t know why it took me so long to get over there. it’s basically an all vegan fast food joint with a giant menu full of deep fried and hearty goodness. if anyone were to ever say they had a hard time going vegan because they missed “normal food,” this place would quickly change their mind.

gyro: seasoned homemade seitan w/ lettuce, tomato, red onion, and vegan tzatziki sauce wrapped in flatbread. $7.50

i had a super hard time deciding what to order. i went back and forth between the baked potato skins, the reuben, and fish n chips…but eventually decided on the gyro. i had a meat gyro once years ago when i was a kid, and i remember really liking it, so i wanted to see how this one measured up. naturally, it was amazing. it came filled with foodswings’ homemade seitan, lettuce, onion, and tomato all covered in a vegan tzatziki sauce then wrapped up in warm flatbread. the seitan was spongy and slightly spicy, so wonderfully seasoned. the tzatziki was also delicious, super milky (you’d never know it was vegan), and filled with cucumber flavor. let’s just say i loved this sandwich.

combo plate: 3 drumsticks with choice of side. (here we have 2 southern fried, 1 buffalo style drumstick, + the creamy mac n cheese!) $8.75

we also got the combo plate, which comes with 3 of any flavors of foodswings drumsticks, as well as a side. again the decision was tough, but we went with 2 southern fried and 1 buffalo drumstick, with a serving of mac and cheese. i’m pretty sure the drumsticks were just pre-packaged mock meats, but foodswings did wonders to them in the cooking process. the buffalo one was breaded, fried, and smothered in spicy sauce and served with a cool and creamy bleu cheese dip. the southern ones were battered and fried—super bready and crispy on the outside. there are two types of mac and cheese to choose from at foodswings, original (which is made with nutritional yeast), and creamy (which is daiya-based). we went with the creamy one, and it was fantastic. it reminded me a bit of the amy’s frozen mac and cheese, but even better.

inside, foodswings is like a cleaner and hipper version of a normal fast food place. there’s a huge chalk board menu, and you order at the counter then wait for them to bring the food for your table. it was a super quick and comfortable dining experience. oh, and i think it’s also byob!

overall, we loved foodswings and cannot wait to return. this was definitely the best vegan fast food fix i’ve ever gotten; with a blend of pre-packaged ingredients and their own homemade recipes, foodswings makes magic in their kitchen. you gotta check this place out!

foodswings
295 Grand Street Brooklyn, New York
718-388-1919
Hours
Monday 11:30am to 11pm
Tuesday 11:30am to 12am
Wednesday 11:30am to 12am
Thursday 11:30am to 12am
Friday 11:30am to 2am
Saturday 11:30am to 2am
Sunday 11:30am to 11pm

breakfast at wayward cafe in seattle: it doesn’t get any better than this!

wayward has been one of my favorite restaurants since 2005, when i was a relatively new vegan. we are talking about long before i had this blog, before i was married, before i could even legally drink.

as i’ve said before, wayward is nothing short of incredible. it’s got an all vegan menu, it’s family/locally owned (i believe now, by the same people who own pizza pi), and the food is RIDICULOUSLY GOOD. it keeps early hours (9am -4pm), and the breakfast is unmatched as far as i’m concerned. the establishment recently moved from a residential area in greenlake to the vegan center of seattle, university way. we hit up their newish location last month and left super full and happy, for the most part.

very veggie omlet: stuffed with sauteed broccoli, carrots, spinach, red onion, cheddar cheeze and topped with diced tomatoes. served with home fries. $9

okay, so when you have good and bad news, you are supposed to start off with the bad news first, right? well, the bad news is…our “omlet” was full of nasty follow your heart cheese that rendered it almost inedible. the menu description sounded amazing, tons of vegetables stuffed into a vegan omelette with a side of home fries. both the “omelette” itself, and the filling were delicious….the only issue we had was with the unmelted soy cheddar covering it. seriously, everything about this dish rocked…but just look at that gross orange gunk. party foul. we were able to pick most of it off, but next time i will order this meal sans vegan cheese.

tempeh bacon side. $2

moving on to the good news. next up, we got a side of tempeh bacon which was phenomenal. salty, crispy, and perfectly moist in the middle….this is the best vegan bacon i’ve ever had. the picture doesn’t do it justice, but these were little nuggets of pure bliss.

country bumpkin: a warm herb biscuit open-faced and topped with scrambled tofu and ladled with country-style sausage gravy. served with garlic steamed greens. $8

we also ordered the country bumpkin, which was way too good for words. even better than standard biscuits and gravy, this meal consisted of a warm open faced biscuit, topped with tofu scramble, and smothered in country “sausage” gravy. add to that a side of garlic steamed greens, and i’m in heaven. SERIOUSLY, so good. the chunky gravy was incredibly rich, the biscuit was moist, and the tofu was perfectly scrambled. i would eat this every day if i could.

when in seattle, breakfast at wayward cafe is a must. although i hated the follow your heart cheese, everything else i’ve tried from the restaurant has been flawless. plus, the staff is nice and they play good music.

wayward cafe
5253 university way NE
seattle WA 98105
206-524-0204
open 9am – 4pm every day

chaos cafe is a great little spot in portland to grab a simple, tasty vegan breakfast. the casual restaurant is entirely vegetarian, has a sweet coffee bar, and opens everyday at 9am. we got there around that time and had the place to ourselves. chaos is exactly what i expected the pacific northwest to be like, i could have easily spent hours there. plus, the food was great!

the big bang: marinated tofu scrambled with mixed veggies, served with breakfast potatoes and toast. $8.75

we split a couple of entrees, starting with the vegan version of the big bang. this thing came with marinated tofu, mixed vegetables (including broccoli, onion, and tomato), toast, and a side of breakfast potatoes. everything was delicious, from the deeply flavorful tofu to the crispy vegetables and bite sized taters. i think it’s actually pretty hard to find a decent tofu scramble in restaurants, and this one definitely passed the test. the tofu was cubed and chunky, not all mushed together with tons of nutritional yeast.

bowl with brown rice, black beans, steamed greens, broccoli, mushrooms, and salsa. $8

even though it was only 9 in the morning, chaos was rockin’ the entire lunch menu, so we decided to split a bowl. have i mentioned before how much i LOVE BOWLS?! and bowls are everywhere in portland! man, if i lived up there, i’d eat a bowl at least everyday. anyways, the way the bowls work at chaos is: you get to customize everything from your grain, to your vegetables, to your sauce. we went with brown rice, black beans, steamed greens, broccoli, mushrooms, and salsa. SO GOOD. everything was on point, but the salsa really made this dish. it was thick and extra tomatoey, with a little bit of spice. i would order this bowl again, and again, and again.

inside, chaos cafe is quite lovely. it’s brightly lit with comfy seats and funky decor. our waitress was friendly, the service was quick, and the coffee was good. all around, a great little place! <3

chaos cafe
2620 SE Powell Blvd
Portland Oregon 97202
Open Mon-Thur 9am-9pm
Fri-Sat 9am-10pm
Sun 9am-2pm.