We were down around NYC for Thanksgiving, so our family decided to go on a little food venture. I’d read of a number of new veg places and wanted to check them out.
We knew we didn’t want to be ANYWHERE near Times Square the day after Thanksgiving, so we hit the trendier area of Greenwich Village area, or just “the village”, if you’re a hip person from NY.
Lunch began at Gobo. This rustic, country-looking restaurant with the raw, Asian-inspired menu was created in the Zen philosophy, “founded on the belief that delicious food & beverages using wholesome, non-meat ingredients will nourish both your body & mind”. We shared from the reasonably-priced “quick bites” menu. The homemade hummus with pita chips was super tasty and I can’t wait to attempt the five spice tofu rolls with mango puree. (Okay, that may be a while…)
Next, we were off to find a couple vegan bakeries. The Whole Earth Bakery and Kitchen is quite the hole-in-the-wall, but then most of the places in this part of the city are…and sometimes that’s where the best finds are.
The man behind the counter was friendly, as was a customer already in the store, who made a whole number of suggestions. The chocolate chip brownie was a bit…um… healthier-tasting than I prefer, but Max enjoyed his chocolate chip cookie and my sister-in-law loved her banana bread slice.
After a taxi ride back to our car, which Max thought was the coolest, we headed for a late afternoon snack ( I did say this was a food venture) to Zen Burger. Except for the 60’s inspired green and orange colors on the wall and the fact that the menu is entirely veg, this fast-food restaurant is just like its meat-laden equivalent. Oh, but there is also a TV on the wall above the counter explaining how going veg is one important way to help save the environment.
My husband had the Original Zen Burger, while I tried the ZenFish Filet, and Max devoured the ZenChicken Tenders with sweet and sour sauce. The veggies were actually quite fresh and the chocolate soy shakes- yum! Like any fast food, this isn’t the kind of stuff you want to be eating all the time, but it’s great to know that this option is out there. With locations in California and New York, Zen Burger needs to come to Boston!
Before leaving the Big City, we hit Babycakes NYC. As you might have guessed, this was another vegan bakery. This, too, is a hole-in-the-wall, but with lots of yummy choices. We left with samples of the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, two kinds of cupcakes, and two brownie samples. Hey, we hardly ever get to New York!
Oops, I almost forgot our stop at High Vibe. This health-food/ supplement store is one carrier of the new Dr. Cow’s tree nut cheese. I’d read so many good things about this cheese, I had to find it!
Funny, the article in Veg News that pictured this cheese wheel should have indicated that the photo was NOT the actual size. The wheel is about the size of a button mushroom and is pretty pricey, but I was determined. Today I indulged. I tasted the aged cashew cheese, which, like most aged cheeses, is a bit strong, though I enjoyed it thoroughly. The best part was when I paired it with slices of apple and french bread. Ah…mon amie…where have you been for so long? It was heaven.
Finally, before leaving High Vibe, I picked up a copy of The Vegan Guide to New York City. Who knew???? So it looks like I’ll be off on another food venture to the Big Apple soon!
