My Big Fat Vegan New York

I love New York. Is there truly a better place in the world to eat? (Somewhere out there someone just answered that rhetorical question with "Well… actually….. I prefer…." Pipe down. You're wrong.) On this particular occasion, I am joined by my best friend who happens to be vegan (for the purposes of this and future writings, I'll refer to her as La Végétalienne). I don't mean "vegan" as I sometimes pretend to be while occasionally slurping raw oysters while clad in leather and fur. I mean actual vegan…. the woman won't even eat honey she's so vegan. So since I have in recent weeks been rediscovering my love of cheese, this seemed to be an excellent opportunity to once again explore the virtues of a plant-based diet and put my relationship with Camembert on ice. So for 48 hours, I explored the culinary virtues of NY from a vegan perspective, straying from the path only once (but it was totally worth it!)

Zen Palate - Not surprisingly, a lot of Asian dishes adapt well to vegan cooking. After all, you can replace the meat in your stir fry with tofu without the entire dish falling to pieces from a culinary perspective. That said, there's really only so much "tofu and broccoli" or "Kung Pao Tofu" one can take. Eventually you want a dish that stands alone and isn’t trying to be something it’s not. Zen Palate meets this challenge head on. Perusing the menu at the Hell's Kitchen location, and I was actually stymied by the number of choices that sounded really good; not an easy feat when you’re eliminating entire food groups. I began with the Basil Peanut Moo Shu Rolls; delicate moo shu pancakes filled with fresh vegetables and yes, peanuts and basil. It was crisp and light; the perfect start to the meal. For my main course, I selected the Temple Of Zen; a delightful mélange of string beans, squash, carrot, broccoli, snow peas, mushrooms, red cabbage and jalapeno peppers, topped with grilled tofu, and crunchy kale served alongside a combination of red and brown rice. This dish was amazing; the vegetables were at the peak of freshness and masterfully prepared. While they sound simplistic, vegetable dishes…particularly stir fry…. are often hit or miss. There is a tendency toovercook them until they're nothing but a few flaccid stalks lying sadly in a pool of gelatinous goo. These however were perfectly crisp and the sauce a light and subtle companion. To top it off, the price point is an incredible value; about what you'd pay to have your local delivery, only ten times the quality.

Le Pain Quotidien - Yes, they're a chain. And yes, they're pretentious and rather overpriced. But they're just so darn good. And you know that you are going to be getting simple dishes with high quality ingredients that are good for you, and make you feel good when you're eating them. They are one of my favorite breakfast spots and their menu is very vegan friendly, so yes, I am not ashamed to say that I went there twice on this trip. The seasonal menu for spring is particularly good. I love the Wheatgrass and Citrus Cooler. It’s light and refreshing, making wheatgrass actually palatable. The Açaí, Banana and Rawnola Parfait is the perfect way to begin the day; a combination of fresh fruit, soy yogurt, and a raw "granola" made of buckwheat groats, chia seeds, and dried fruits including goji berries, it keeps you going without weighing you down. The Riz au Lait is a delightful alternative to oatmeal; think brown rice pudding for breakfast made with soy milk and topped with fresh berries and agave. If you are in the mood for oatmeal, La Végétalienne had the delightful Oatmeal and Banana with maple syrup and pecans, which hit the spot after a nice run. We also enjoyed the tartness of the Vegan Cranberry Açaí Muffin. And while it’s technically on the lunch menu, the Sweet Pea Hummus Terrine should not be missed. A puree of spring peas and mint served on an open faced sandwich and topped with fresh vegetables, it quite simply tastes like spring. With all this, who cares if you’re drinking your coffee out of little bowls….

Eataly - I've waxed poetic about Eataly before. And I'm happy to report it’s still awesome. So when La Végétalienne was having a somewhat stressful arrival, where else would a take her for a late lunch and a dose of instant happiness?? After the tour of the market, we naturally settle at the Verdure kitchen. We loved the “Rules” posted on the wall (“#8 - Vegetables will make you smile. How can you not fall in love with something that tastes good and makes you look good?”), and La Végétalienne loved that the vegan choices were well-marked and the server was knowledgeable about the vegan options. We start with the day’s special of Eggplant Caponata served over grilled bread. It is absolutely divine; eggplant and tomato are a classic pairing for good reason. With the addition of garlic and herbs, it’s heaven on bread. La Végétalienne also opts for the black lentil soup. Milder than black beans but with a similar flavor profile, it was familiar yet novel at the same time. For the main course, we elect to split the Verdure Alla Piastra, a selection of warm vegetables and farro salad in a nebbiolo vinaigrette. I know. It’s a salad, how interesting can it possibly be, right? Well, my friends, allow me to enlighten you. Imagine a selection of the freshest spring vegetables: asparagus, heirloom squashes, the most divinely tender grilled fennel, miniature corn, eggplant, peppers, and Vidalia onion; tossed with arugula and farro, served warm. As Eataly's manifesto claims, if the ingredients are fresh, you don't need to do much to them to make them shine. Some dark chocolate and espresso and La Végétalienne is ready to face the world again.

Blossom - Regarded by many as the premier vegan fine dining establishment in NY, I was anxious to try it out to see if it could provide a diner on par with the quality of my favorite non-vegan spots. Since we didn't have reservations, we were told there would be a slight 15 minute wait for a table. We decided to stroll around the Chelsea block, when we stumbled upon the associated Blossom Bakery just across the street. As with the restaurant, all items are vegan, although they were so extensive and looked so good that we had to ask to double-check. They had a dizzying selection of cakes, pastries, and cookies. Adopting the attitude that one should eat dessert first cause you never know what the future might hold, we took the cashier’s advice and selected a huge, brightly-frosted, butterfly-shaped sugar cookie. Had I not known, I never would have guessed it was vegan; the cookie was moist and buttery (I don't want to know how) and the frosting was the perfect consistency. We finished “mmm”ing just as the text message came through announcing that our table was ready. Our appetites whetted, we returned to Blossom for the main event. The atmosphere was dim and swanky with a little bit of attitude. The menu has an impressive selection of dishes and represents multiple cuisines. It was very difficult to choose, and we could only narrow it down by eliminating the dishes we felt we could reasonably cook ourselves or get elsewhere (such as the African Peanut Stew). Several of the dishes feature seitan (pronounced “SAY-tan”, like, yes, that guy), which is just wheat gluten with the starch removed, and can be used to simulate meat. Personally, I am not a fan of fake meat. I don't think it bears any resemblance to meat, and frankly I'd just prefer not to pretend. But I'm in the minority, and so I leave it to La Végétalienne to cover that portion of the menu. (Hi, La Végétalienne here, pointing out that seitan is not some new-fangled meat substitute – it dates back to ancient China and has a delightfully chewy mouthfeel. It is also high in protein, always a plus, and contains no soy if that’s a concern for you. In other words, try it!) We start with the Sweet Potato Rolls; a raw wrap filled with shredded coconut, jicama, carrot, red and yellow peppers, scallions and avocado and paired with an almond ginger dipping sauce. Yum! The rolls are perfectly crisp, and the variety of ingredients works amazingly well together incorporating crunchy, creamy, savory and sweet into every bite. We debate drinking the delectable sauce. Next we sample the Field Greens Salad, a delightful mix of fresh baby greens, candied walnuts, tofu croutons, and grilled pears, tossed lightly with a shallot vinaigrette. Once again, the interplay of the ingredients made this dish an excellent starter. While alone the pears and walnuts could be too sweet, the shallot vinaigrette cut through the sugar. The crispy tofu was a welcome change from the traditional crouton; rather than simply soaking up dressing it added a little more substance and texture. For the main course, I wanted to stay on the light side. I opted for another appetizer; the Eggplant Rollatini with spinach, tofu ricotta, shiitake mushrooms, truffle oil, and vegan mozzarella in a housemade marinara. I'm normally not a fan of the fake cheeses, but the kitchen kept it as a minor portion of the dish, and I was quite pleased with the overall result. La Végétalienne selected the Port Wine Seitan; pan-seared seitan cutlets in a port wine and mushroom sauce, with garlic mashed potatoes, tempura onion, and sautéed spinach. She thought it was just what a “fancy restaurant meal” should be – rich and decadent and incredibly flavorful. We capped off the meal with a pot of lavender tea and a little dessert. I selected the signature Blossom Cheesecake with a berry reduction.Silken tofu (if that’s what they use?) does an admirable job of replacing cream cheese, and this was the perfect light texture. I didn't miss the Philly one bit. La Végétalienne chose the Coconut Lavender Crème Brulée which she declared the best dessert she has ever had, ever. Blossom certainly lived up to the hype. I walked out having a great meal, not just a great vegan meal.

The Library Bar at the Hudson - It's currently under renovation, but the already completed portions of this boutique hotel just up from Hell's Kitchen and around the corner from Central Park offer a glimpse at a promising stop. The Library Bar, as the name might imply, is decked out as an old school British reading room. Except that in addition to the massive collection of books, there is also a pool table covered in purple velvet and an intriguing series of photographs depicting cows in hats. They also mix a fabulous Negroni with the addition of basil to the traditional recipe.

Caselulla - Right. So I recognize that discussing an intimate wine and cheese bar/café in a vegan-focused piece might seem a tad out of place. And as you might now guess, this was my one non-vegan indiscretion. But it wasn't the cheese that did me in. Sometimes a girl just needs champagne and chocolate. I selected the Chocolate Cake and we each had a glass of Rosé Cava. As if the slab of chocolate decadence wasn't enough, they pour a small pitcher of fresh cream over top. While cake is often partnered with a tall glass of milk, I can honestly say that it's never occurred to me to dispense with the formalities of a glass and just combine the two. It does work quite well however. And meant I could fill my glass with pink bubbly instead!