-
November 3rd, 2008more restaurants (not LA), NYC
recently i took a little tasting tour of new york city, what’s considered to be by many the best vegan-friendly place in the usa, right up there with portland. i had a whole list of neat restaurants i wanted to try, and couldn’t even begin to fit them all in. i mean, check out happycow or supervegan, there are just sooooo many. over the next few posts, i’ll be bringing you several installments of quarrygirl eats nyc, and tell you about all our cool (and not so cool) dining experiences.
of all the well-reviewed eateries, one place i knew i absolutely had to check out, was sacred chow. it came with a very high recommendation from the folks at vegan-la, and was said to serve the best breakfast ever. unfortunately, i went on a friday just before noon without realizing that they only offer breakfast/brunch on the weekends. it all turned out for the best though, because the lunch was out of this world. i’m sure i missed out by not trying their brunch, but hey, it just gives me another reason to return to nyc!
although sacred chow wasn’t serving up the weekend brunch when my husband and i visited, they did have a weekday special bowl that was customizable. they had different proteins, carbs and vegetables to choose from all served up in a pipin’ hot little package for i think around 8 bucks. we opted for the western tofu on soba with a mixture of collard greens and broccoli. it was absolutely delicious.
the entire bowl was filled with succulent vegetables and the most firm and luscious tofu ever, all slathered in the creamiest of tahini sauces. the waiter even brought us and entire bottle of squeezy hot sauce, which we used to drench everything in the bowl. the soba noodles were cooked just right, and there weren’t too many of them…which was great. so many times in restaurants, bowls come almost filled to the top with carbs, with a pitiful amount of protein and vegetables that look more like a garnish. not this sucker. it was freakin’ filled right up with the good stuff and the noodles were almost an afterthought. just enough to swirl around and soak up the yummy sauce, without being overwhelming.
the best thing about this bowl though, was definitely the western tofu. i’m talking huge firm slices that had a completely different texture than the tofu i’m used to. i don’t know how sacred chow made such a simple dish so mouth-watering. hearty long strips of protein grilled on each side and bursting with flavor. if you are ever in manhattan, you gotta try this.
next up, we decided to share a hero sandwich, also made with western tofu. mmmMMMMMmmm. just as good as the bowl, for sure.
the photograph doesn’t really do this sandwich justice at all. there was so much thick and tasty tofu inside, and some of the best vegan cheese i’ve ever tasted. not to mention the insane dill mayo, this sammy was off the hook! crusty bread, creamy sauce, melty cheese and spongey yet crispy tofu made for the yummiest combo ever. and the chow slaw was incredible as well. i think it was cabbage mixed up with a mystery concoction of curry powder, vegenaise, and other savory flavors. this hero is one of my favorite sandwiches ever. seriously, the same irresistible tofu from the bowl above took on a completely new life in this dish. it would be hard for me to return to sacred chow and order something else. it so hit the spot.
on top of all the great food, sacred chow also has a very sweet and inviting atmosphere. oh yeah, and TAP BEER! not to mention tapas, tons of wine, and a huge selection of baked goods, including cupcakes, bars and brownies. that’s right, there really is nothing not to like about this place. if i lived in nyc, i’d be hitting up sacred chow AT LEAST once a week. seriously, we need more joints like this in los angeles.
so while i’m bummed that i didn’t get to try anything off of the huge appetizing brunch menu, i’m glad i got to try some of the awesome lunch items at sacred chow. eating there was one of the highlights of my trip, and knowing i missed out on brunch just means i HAVE to return.
so remember this place when you are in new york city, and make it your mission to eat here.
sacred chow
vegan bistro – tapas, wine and beer on tap
227 sullivan street
nyc, ny 10012(212)337-0863
Tags: bowl, NYC, sacred chow, sandwich, soba noodles, tahini, tofu -
April 12th, 2008appetizers/snacks, recipes
i’ve ruined 2 blenders in 2008…both were the victims of this exact hummus recipe. i won’t go into detail about how i wrecked them, because it’s far too embarrassing. i think i’ll just give you the recipe and some tips to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to you. trust me, the hummus recipe is amazing…and if you follow some simple guidelines, you can prepare it with out sacrificing any of your kitchen appliances. i, on the other hand, had to learn the hard way—so the hummus pictured was never actually eaten. i’m sure it would have been damn good though…
step #1, the ingredients.
here’s what you’ll need to make the perfect hummus:
1 can of chickpeas with 1/4 cup of their liquid
2 tablespoons of tahini paste
4 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of saltstep #2, the mixing.
now that you’ve got the stuff, combine it all in a blender or food processor…step #3, don’t be a dumbass.
now, here comes an important bit…
before you blend everything together, check to make sure no foreign objects (or loose pieces of the blender itself) are inside the blender. that may lead to hummus that tastes like plastic and smells like burning metal.step #4, blend.
once you’ve checked all the other boxes, blend the ingredients for about 5 minutes, or until your hummus is a smooth and creamy texture.(i don’t have a picture of the finished product because while i’ve definitely got steps 1,2, and 4 down, i failed to follow step 3)
good luck! this really is the best hummus if you actually finish it!
Tags: blender, chick peas, hummus, tahini -