New York Vegan 100 by Melissa Bastian at New York in Green

Well I was going to do some more comfort food today...but Melissa's list looked so fun I decided to try it.  I haven't lived in New York for quite sometime but I am close enough to be in and out so lets see how I do!

the Melissa Bastian New York in Green Vegan 100!!




Like the other vegan lists, these are foods that you simply must try (whether or not you're vegan, really). This list actually also incorporates some eating experiences - settings and such. But the main difference? These are in New York! Get it? See? It's regional.



Should you feel the urge (and I hope you do), copy this list and just go ahead and tell us. Have you eaten it / been there / done that? Do you want to? Would you do it again? For my fellow New Yorkers, or those who live close enough to get into town reasonably often, answer away and please put a link to your answers in the comments! To those who just love to visit, answer as well, and maybe this list will be a good reference for the next time you get over this way. Even if you've never been here, tell us how it all sounds to you!



Alright then. Let's get to it, shall we?



1. cornbread at Angelica's Kitchen -No but as a corn bread fiend this is on my list.

2. the Zen slice at Viva Herbal (2nd Ave) - no

3. lemongrass seitan on rice vermicelli at Lan Cafe - no

4. cake batter soft serve ice cream at Lula's Sweet Apothecary - No but I am thinking of taking the kid this month for her birthday so........
5. Vegan Treats' Peanut Butter Bomb cake - Yup!

6. the "Penny Lick" at Penny Licks - Nope

7. oyster mushrooms and grilled asparagus at Gobo - Nope

8. dosas from the vegan dosa cart man at the southwest corner of Washington Square Park - A major regret in my life as I need a dosa cart of my very own!

9. coconut tofu soup at Pukk - no

10. camarones y coco at Vegetarian Paradise 2 - No cause I fear vegan fish substitutes.

11. crab rangoon at Red Bamboo - I haven't gotten past the soul chicken

12. medu vadi at Madras Cafe - nope.

13. dinner at Hangawi - not yet for me either

14. wings at Foodswings - Another major regret.  No.  Am I really even vegan?

15. vegetarian combo at Awash - no but I have had the one at Mesob in Montclair.

16. nutmeats from Bonobos - No

17. sunflower lentil pate at Sacred Chow -no

18. white chocolate wonderful peanut butter from Peanut Butter & Co. - Only because white chocolate is from satan.  I love the dark chocolate.

19. Sweet & Sara marshmallows with toasted coconut - Must try!
20. ginormous lollypop from Dylan's Candy Bar - I am not much of a candy freak
21. seitan scallopini at Blossom - Another not yet for me..

22. baked veg meat bun at Buddha Bodai - no

23. Thanksgiving dinner (prix fix) at a vegan restaurant - No, I usually cook.  But I am tempted to get a premade from our local vegan chef in Red Bank if we go to the inlaws.

24. fresh apple cider at the Union Square Greenmarket - YES, YES YES

25. "turkey" salad from Sunen Foods - Yes I have

26. red sonjas at Mundo (in Astoria) - Nope, I was only to Queens once in my life so not much chance to.

27. sausage roll from Vinnie's on Bedford - Another need to try!
28. a dragon bowl at Bliss on Bedford - No but I have had stuff just like this.

29. a Red Bamboo soul chik'n sandwich purchased at the Bamn Automat - I only had soul chik'n at Red Bamboo itsself.  This is fascinating

30. ravioli of the day at Caravan of Dreams - Yes!  At a PPK meetup no less! It was yummy but the Nacho appetizer was amazing!
31. spaghetti squash spaghettini at Counter - Need to go for brunch

32. some teeny tiny ridiculously overpriced "entree" at Pure Food & Wine - can you tell that I was underwhelmed?  I actually want to try this.  I get really full from raw foods so hopefully I won't still be hungry but if I am I can always go to #4 for dessert!

33. ramen at Souen on 6th - no only Ramen noodle packets and they give me nightmares of being broke and in college.

34. dumplings at Franchia - No
35. the vegan panini at 'sNice - Another regret.
36. chocolate hazelnut ice cream at Stogo - Need to try!
37. a falafel pita with way too many crazy toppings at Maoz - Yup!  If its falafel I have found it and eaten it!

38. black sesame sweet tofu (soft serve) at Kyotofu - nope

40. an Ess-a-Bagel bagel with their tofu cream cheese - you can't call it cream cheese though. When you order it you can only call it tofu: "Can I get a whole wheat, toasted, with herb tofu, lettuce, and tomato please?" like so. They have like eight flavors!  YES YES YES YES!  Love Ess-a-Bagel

41. brunch at Curly's Vegetarian Lunch -No but would be good to go to with the hubby.
42. grits and a sake bloody mary at Old Devil Moon -Sadly never made it.

43. peanut butter and banana sandwich at Think Coffee - nope but I don't like PB and banana

44. bad service with an attitude at Kate's Joint - no but I keep hearing this!

45. Melissa Bastian's veg lasagna and red velvet cupcakes - ha! Got you. But I've fed these to a pretty large number of people now, and both recipes did originate in NYC. So, will you be next?!  Am I invited?

46. a fig and almond cake purchased at Dean & Deluca, the big one on Spring Street - I love Dean and Deluca but not figs so it's a halfer.

47. pulled sugar candies from Papabubble - again with the candy?
48. bean curd and broccoli from a Chinese takeout place that has lightup pictures on the wall of its main entrees - Yes indeedy!

49. a plate of goodness from Veggie Castle - I was lucky enough to go to the original Veggie Castle, the one housed in an old White Castle, two times before it closed. I haven't been to the second one yet.  NO such luck!

50. beers at the Brooklyn Brewery - yes, Brooklyn Lager and the rest are still brewed in Brooklyn, and you can go there and drink! All of their beers are vegan except for one odd cask ale.  Again..a wish list item!

51. seitan satay sticks at Tien Garden - for all this restaurant's healthiness, these sure are doused with some mightyfine peanut sauce.  No sadly!

52. zucchini fries at the Organic Grill - I'm not a big fan of this place. The tables belong at a picnic spot or rest stop, not inside a restaurant. But these things almost make up for it.  Nope

53. Sake lemonade at Goodbye Blue Monday - they have some vegan food too, but... they have sake lemonade.  Does the fact that the owner is a good friend from back in the day count for anything? Well tell Steve to ship me a sake lemonade to Jersey!

54. lhasa momos at Tsampa - No

55. dinner with 4 course vegan -Wish I had

56. a burrito from Benny's - I used to live on them at one time

57. a vegan meal at one of Flushing Chinatown's veg restaurants - nope

58. a pleasing experience at House of Vegetarian - No
59. shark fin soup at Vegetarian Dim Sum House -This scares me too!

60. rice at Rice - Nope

61. omusubi at Oms/b - No but I like balls!

62. pakora at Seva - Sadly again not much time in Queens.

63. bread from Balthazar bakery - yeah actually I have

64. Vegan Drinks at Angels & Kings - no! I have not been to this! Because it is always on Thursdays, as part of the conspiracy against me.  The Thursday consipiracy has gotten me too!

65. something accidentally vegan at Zen Burger - I've only eaten at Zen Palate.  My kids loves the Zen Burgers though.

66. the vegetarian appetizer combo plate at Bread & Olive -nope

67. that funky triangle of tofu sitting in soy sauce from a bodega salad bar -  Yes, many years ago.  I think the red stuff was red pepper(like chili garlic paste stuff) if I recall.  I was more than likely drunk because they are pretty scarey looking.

68. Entenmann's individual apple pie (the kind in a little paper pouch) - Yeah

69. fresh fruit and/or vegetable juice from a juice cart on the street - Yes.

70. knishes at Yonah Schimmel - yes

71. the "Elvis" (peanut butter and banana) at Papa's Empanadas - See above no PB and Banana for me.

72. a soft pretzel from a cart on the street, with mustard - Of Course!

73. nuts for nuts! - Indeed!

74. sorbet from Caio Bella - Yes I had the blood orange as a matter of fact.

75. cornmeal crusted tofu at Spring Street Natural - nope

76. mango slices that have been arranged on a stick to look like a flower in bloom - nope but how pretty.

77. zeppoli from a street fair - I have when I was vegetarian I didn't know they were vegan...sure I needed to know this my expanding ass thanks you!

78. funnel cake in Coney Island that you watched them fry - See 77 above.

79. pommes frites from a paper cone - Yes..multiple places.

80. the Mexican chocolate milkshake at Curly's - Nope

81. the Bandeja Paisa at The V-Spot - Nope

82. an accidentally vegan falafel, rice, and chickpea platter from a Halal food cart - Yup cause as I said above..if it's falafel I have found it and eaten it.

83. Thai iced tea at Pukk - no but when I had it in pregan days it was way to sweet for me..

84. ice cream cookie sandwich at Stogo -No but I need this!

85. V-Spot empanadas purchased somewhere other than V-Spot - no
86. pasta with marinara in Little Italy -Way more times than I can count!
87. Quinoa pasta at V-Spot - nope

88. a slice of vegan cake while waiting for a band to start playing in the basement of Cake Shop -no for me either.

89. your breakfast on the subway - again, yup back in the day I think I did this nearly every morning.

90. a picnic in Central Park - Hell yeah!

91. dark chocolate bark from The Chocolate Room (Park Slope) - Yup.  I once lived in Park Slope.

92. black coffee from the bodega -Yes because I am brave.

93. a soy hot chocolate from Oren's Daily Roast - no

94.mango maki at Tanaka - no
95. dim sum at Buddha Bodai - no

96. pierogi in or from Greenpoint - I don't think so.
97. a cheeseless pizza or Siciliana from Rizzo's - nope
98. marzipan from a bakery in Astoria - yes, someone brought them to a party I was at.

99. a soy latte from the Starbucks on Roosevelt Island - No last time I was on Roosevelt Island there was no Starbucks.  Did I tell you I'm old?

100. lunch pieced together from the salad and hot food bars at the Food Emporium beneath the 59th Street Bridge - Nope




Well that was fun for me.  Why don't you try it yoursefl?  Back with Comfort Food:  Slow Cooker Stroganoff tommorrow (PPKer's stop snickering now!) Joan