on quarrygirl’s recent vegan tour of manhattan, we went to plenty of restaurants, and red bamboo was probably my 2nd favorite (trust me, it was really freakin’ close!). of course we’ll save the #1 favorite for last.

red bamboo is bustling little stylish restaurant located on 4th street in greenwich village, with tons of cocktails and an impressive wine list. from the online menu, you’d think they were homestyle comfort soul food restaurant. …and they kind of are, just with an uber-hip and classy twist. cute white tables are packed together neatly in the dimly lit interior, where smartly-dressed servers wait on an array of cosmopolitan earth-conscious yuppies and cooler-than-thou fashionista hipsters.

the food, however, isn’t trendy and doesn’t arrive in small, fancy portions. it’s just fucking good vegan fare, presented elegantly and prepared with fine ingredients. if i lived in new york, red bamboo would be my go to. alcohol, kick-ass vegan eats, and a huge selection. what more do i require?

we started off with an appetizer that i can’t find on the online red bamboo menu. i can only describe it to you as a thick piece of soy meat sandwiched between two white rice patties, along with some vegetables. sounds a little weird, i know, but it was awesome! the rice stuck together and acted as a totally refreshing replacement for standard ole buns—we loved every bite. the patty inside was also to die for. it was slim and crisp, but full of amazing flavor. i wish i could remember what it was called or exactly how much it cost…but you will know it if you dine in and see it on the menu, and i recall it was a reasonable price.

rice patty appetizer with vegetables and dipping sauce.

for my entree, i ordered the philly cheesesteak sandwich. i was anxious to see if this swanky nyc joint could hold it’s own against my los angeles favorites, doomie’s and the vegan spot. of course, red bamboo stepped up to the challenge.

philly cheesesteak: tender marinated soy beef chunks layered over caramelized onions, sliced mushrooms, and melted vegan cheddar cheese served on toasted hero bread. $9.95

this modest looking sandwich packed so much flavor and awesomeness, i had to ask my server if she was sure they used the vegan cheese (normal cheese is also an option). the vegan cheese on this sandwich wasn’t that gooey creamy stuff that i’m used to back home. this was just soft, melted, “normal” looking and tasting slices of cheddar. seriously, it’s  closest i’ve ever had to the real thing. the fake meat was also eerily convincing. i can definitely see why red bamboo is known to be the best at re-creating old school meaty flavors.

my husband’s dish was even more carnivore-friendly. he got something called voodoo sticks, which were basically long nuggets of soy meat. they were crazy good.

voodoo sticks: grilled soy beef and pepper kabobs served with rice and steamed vegetables. $8.95

now, queazy vegans, don’t let all this talk about “meat” creep you out. the texture of this soy stuff doesn’t have any of the grossness of the real thing, and it doesn’t really taste like flesh. it basically brings over all the good stuff like meaty flavor and thickness, and i have absolutely no idea how they do it. seriously, the voodoo sticks were the most insane soy meat i’ve ever tried. how this started out as any kind of vegetable is way beyond me. the edges even got crispy while the inside stayed moist. it was one of the most delectable things i’ve eaten in quite a while.

just look at this stuff. you know you want it.

so, overall red bamboo is pretty freakin’ special. they have a cool atmosphere, vegan comfort food, and the best fake meat i’ve ever tried. i urge you to check this place out. i’ve never been anywhere quite like it. you may have to wait a little while for a table like i did, but i assure you it was worth my while.

red bamboo
140 w 4th street
ny ny 10014

(212)260-1212