Vegan Food Review: The Impossible Burger

Details: Had the Impossible Burger at the Bareburger at 366 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036. Official site is https://www.impossiblefoods.com/burger/

There’s been a lot of hype for the Impossible Burger. Is it worth the hype? Sort of.

Restaurant Review: Cocoron

Details: Located at 16 Delancey St, New York, NY 10002. Official site is http://www.cocoronandgoemon.com/

Cocoron is a vegan noodle place. They have vegan and non-vegan items. They mostly focus on soba.

The space is small and cramped. Service was okay. The place was severely crowded when I went.

I ordered a bowl of Kake soba for around ten dollars. It was okay. I’m starting to realize that I either don’t like soba or that I’ve never had good soba before.

Overall, Cocoron reminds me of the stereotypical trendy noodle place that is all trendy-ness, no substance. It’s not terrible, but I don’t recommend anyone come here.

Score: 5.2/10

Restaurant Review: Candle 79

Details: Located at 154 E 79th St, New York, NY 10075. Official site is http://www.candle79.com/

I came here for vegan brunch because… vegans.

We sat in a comfortable booth.

I had the cranberry apple french toast for fourteen dollars. It was okay.

Overall, vegan food is still pretty depressing. Worth mentioning is that this place is really popular and was packed when we got there, which was around lunch time.

Score: 5/10

Restaurant Review: The Butcher’s Daughter

Details: Located at 581 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. The official site is https://www.thebutchersdaughter.com/

The Butcher’s Daughter is a vegetarian restaurant and juice bar. I came here for brunch and enjoyed this place about as much as I’ve enjoyed most vegetarian/vegan places.

Restaurant Review: Double Zero

Details: Located at 65 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003. The official site is http://www.plantlab.com/double-zero

Double Zero is a vegan pizza place located in the East Village. They have other things on the menu, but what they’re known for is the pizza.

Restaurant Review: Quantum Leap

Details: Located at 226 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012. Official site is http://www.quantumleapnewyork.com/

Quantum Leap is essentially a compromise between me and me vegan friends. Some of them at least. Other vegan friends have questioned whether the food here is truly vegan and have since, never returned. As an omnivore, I could care less.

Restaurant Review: Peacefood Cafe

Details: Located at 460 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024. The official site is peacefoodcafe.com

This is a gluten free, vegan place. I’m not vegan nor do I give a shit about gluten.

The decor was nice. The service was nice. The food was horrendous. I had the seitan avocado sandwich… to my great regret. It cost around ten dollars. My vegan friends really enjoyed their food.

Overall, I don’t like vegan places and I did not like this place.

Score: 3/10

Restaurant Review: Zero Otto Nove Trattoria

Details: Located at 15 W 21 Street, New York, NY 10010. The official site is http://www.089nyc.roberto089.com/

Came here with a group. We ordered a number of things. Worth mentioning is that one of us was a level 9000 vegan who can’t eat a lot of things, found the Napoletana (pizza with tomato sauce, garlic, basil & oregano, no cheese) acceptable. One of us was a pescetarian (only eats seafood) and found the La Cirilo (butternut squash puree, cream of truffle, mushrooms and mozzarella) pretty good.

I had the Linguini al Nero di Seppia (linguine with cuttlefish sautéed with garlic, oil, & black squid ink) which cost about $25. It was pretty good, although I’ve had better squid ink pasta elsewhere for around the same price or less. I had something for dessert which was layers of pastry with cream in between, topped with strawberries. It was square-shaped. It cost eight dollars. I don’t remember the name, but it was really good. It was so good in fact, that I only got to eat a few bites because the rest of my group ate the rest. I think it was the second one from the top of the dessert menu.

The service was great. It was one of those places where you could tell the boss told the servers to make sure everyone has water because they refilled our glasses like clockwork.

The place is pretty large and dimly lit. I don’t really have a problem with this restaurant’s dim lighting, but with dim lighting in general. Sometimes, it pacifies me and puts me to sleep. This was one of those times.

This was a pretty good place, although a little pricier than most Italian places. Is the pasta I had here better than Eataly? Nope. It was still pretty good. That dessert was also pretty awesome and I recommend it if you can find it.

Score: 6.9/10

Restaurant Review: Angelica Kitchen

Details: Located at 300 East 12th St., New York, NY 10003. Official site is http://www.angelicakitchen.com/

Had dinner with my level 9000 vegan friend. As a meat eater, it greatly displeases me to eat vegan food, but she’s my friend so I suck it up.

One of the surprisingly annoying parts of eating at strictly vegan restaurants is that most of these places don’t make salads. They’ve got to mix in some fake meat or some sickening sauce to a dish than have some plain vegetables. Salads are just about the only vegan thing I eat of my own volition, so it’s incredibly frustrating when I go to these vegan places and they don’t have freakin’ salad.

Thankfully, Angelica Kitchen does make salads. I ordered a salad with some grilled vegetables and balsamic vinaigrette I think. It was fine. Had some hummus, too now that I think about it. It was fine and exactly as described. My friends also ordered some stuff but I had no interest in remembering what it was since there was no meat in any of it. As often happens, the vegans raved about how good the food was and the omnivores quietly cried into their food.

The interior was fine.

The service was incredibly nice. I’ve noticed that most vegan establishments have really nice service people.

Score: 4.5/10 As a meat eater, I can give no higher score than this. Just having a plain salad pleased me. It wasn’t even a great salad.

Restaurant Review: Trattoria Pesce Pasta

Details: Located at 262 Bleecker St., New York, NY 10014. Official site is http://www.pesce-pasta.com/

Came here with some friends. I feel like this is more of a date spot more than anything. The dark lighting and exposed brick are pretty romantic.

A minor complaint I usually with many Italian restaurants is that you get a tiny saucer of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This place however, just gives the whole jug of both. I must confess that I doused all the free bread with tons of olive oil and vinegar.

The we ordered a number of dishes ranging from the squid ink pasta to the ravioli, to the linguini amatriciana. It was mostly standard Italian fare and very good. Check the menu, it’s a tight menu with all the expected Italian favorites.

While many say Eataly is an overpriced placed for yuppies, but the pasta I had from Eataly (when it first opened downtown) has become the standard by which I compare the tastiness and texture of pasta I eat anywhere subsequent. This place came close to the pasta at Eataly, but was slightly harder and less fresh. You really couldn’t tell unless you were consciously examining the thing.

Score: 6.2/10 I should also mention that we came here mostly because of my vegan friend being unable to eat anything else and this place accommodated her. No complaints from her end, so it’s a good place to bring a level nine thousand vegan if you’re looking for one.