I'm still catching up on all the blog reading that I got behind on while my computer was in the shop a week ago. So I'm a bit late to comment on this, but I just read Fooditka's post about the closing of the rather new Astoria restaurant Eco Table. They were only open a couple months, and I hadn't had a chance to give them a try. And they had a veggie burger on their menu, too! They were going to be my next Astoria review.
I wonder if it was any good... Did anyone happen to order it before the restaurant disappeared?
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Cafeteria
Well, that was an intense past couple of weeks!
I've been adjusting to my new (and exciting!) job, and then my laptop suddenly died... But the guys at the Apple genius bar are awesome and replaced the hard drive for FREE even though my warranty expired a month ago. Now that's customer service! Completely reaffirming my resolve to never purchase any computer other than a Mac.
So this review is a few weeks old, but I haven't been able to post it until now...
I came to Cafeteria for a quick dinner when I was in the neighborhood for work and a meeting. Or I should say, I thought it was going to be a quick dinner – I actually had to wait over 45 minutes to receive my food, even though the table next to me got theirs in a mere ten minutes! I wouldn't have minded as much if the staff hadn't seemed entirely unapologetic about this. My waiter's (still unapologetic) explanation was that they were changing over from the lunch shift to the dinner shift. Which seems silly to me, since any restaurant that's been open for more than a few weeks should have figured out a smooth way to deal with that changeover.
Anyway – once the burger did arrive, I really enjoyed it!
The patty was piping hot and full of beans, with a surprisingly smokey barbecue flavor. And mixed in with rice, potatoes, and other vegetables with a nice slightly-charred grilled exterior. 100% vegan (as are the toppings and bun), according to the menu.
And the toppings were some of my favorites – fresh, crispy bean sprouts and creamy hummus with lettuce, tomato, and onion. Although in the act of eating the whole thing, the hummus and the patty got smashed together so it was hard to distinguish patty from toppings with all the beans.
The bun was very hearty, and loaded with sunflower seeds for a slightly nutty flavor. But delicious as it was, it had a small hole in the bottom of it (like a donut), that seemed to expand as I chewed my way through the burger, so it all began falling apart in my hands before I had eaten half of it. Oh well, that's what forks are for!
A very enjoyable meal, despite the long wait. I wouldn't mind coming here again, although I would recommend you dine here when you're in a very patient mood, since the service was so slow. Described as “comfort food with a contemporary twist”, the rest of the menu sounded pretty good too.
Cost: $11
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 4 Bun: 3 Toppings: 4
Cafeteria
119 7th Avenue on the corner of 17th Street
New York, NY 10021
212.414.1717
YumVeggieBurger review #69
I've been adjusting to my new (and exciting!) job, and then my laptop suddenly died... But the guys at the Apple genius bar are awesome and replaced the hard drive for FREE even though my warranty expired a month ago. Now that's customer service! Completely reaffirming my resolve to never purchase any computer other than a Mac.
So this review is a few weeks old, but I haven't been able to post it until now...
I came to Cafeteria for a quick dinner when I was in the neighborhood for work and a meeting. Or I should say, I thought it was going to be a quick dinner – I actually had to wait over 45 minutes to receive my food, even though the table next to me got theirs in a mere ten minutes! I wouldn't have minded as much if the staff hadn't seemed entirely unapologetic about this. My waiter's (still unapologetic) explanation was that they were changing over from the lunch shift to the dinner shift. Which seems silly to me, since any restaurant that's been open for more than a few weeks should have figured out a smooth way to deal with that changeover.
Anyway – once the burger did arrive, I really enjoyed it!
The patty was piping hot and full of beans, with a surprisingly smokey barbecue flavor. And mixed in with rice, potatoes, and other vegetables with a nice slightly-charred grilled exterior. 100% vegan (as are the toppings and bun), according to the menu.
And the toppings were some of my favorites – fresh, crispy bean sprouts and creamy hummus with lettuce, tomato, and onion. Although in the act of eating the whole thing, the hummus and the patty got smashed together so it was hard to distinguish patty from toppings with all the beans.
The bun was very hearty, and loaded with sunflower seeds for a slightly nutty flavor. But delicious as it was, it had a small hole in the bottom of it (like a donut), that seemed to expand as I chewed my way through the burger, so it all began falling apart in my hands before I had eaten half of it. Oh well, that's what forks are for!
A very enjoyable meal, despite the long wait. I wouldn't mind coming here again, although I would recommend you dine here when you're in a very patient mood, since the service was so slow. Described as “comfort food with a contemporary twist”, the rest of the menu sounded pretty good too.
Cost: $11
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 4 Bun: 3 Toppings: 4
Cafeteria
119 7th Avenue on the corner of 17th Street
New York, NY 10021
212.414.1717
YumVeggieBurger review #69
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
The Organic Grill
This is one of the burgers I’ve eaten before, way back before I started this blog… but like several others, it has taken me awhile to go back and order it again to properly review it and photograph it (I can’t help it, there are just SO MANY veggie burgers out there in this city!)
But I met my friend Aaron in the east village for dinner after work one evening, and since I am a bit more familiar with the city than he, it was up to me to choose the restaurant. The only requirement: “something healthy”.
The Organic Grill – so charming inside!
Although Aaron is a meat-eater, he decided he was game to order a veggie burger for himself as well:
Topped with vegan mayo, roasted red onions, sprouts (one of my favorite burger toppings!), lettuce and tomato. Very tasty. As was the sesame-seed-covered Ezekial bun it was served on, although I must say, the bun was so hearty that it almost overwhelmed the burger!
The patty was very nutty-tasting, and according to the menu, consisted of brown rice, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, carrots, and herbs. It was more sweet than savory, although the onions compensated for that a bit. My only real complaint was that I found it slightly dry, even with the vegan mayo. But it still tasted exceptional.
And what did the carnivore think?
“I don’t like how it mushes out to the side,” Aaron complained, “Is that just something veggie burgers do?”
(the answer: yes, unfortunately, that is often a problem with veggie burgers – although it does not always have to be!)
But overall we both thoroughly enjoyed our burgers.
The potatoes served on the side were pretty delicious as well - I was way too full after that veggie burger to eat anything else, but I want to state for posterity that I have (on previous visits) tried several of the other side dishes at the Organic Grill and they are delicious too!
Cost: $9.25
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 4 Bun: 4 Toppings: 4
The Organic Grill
123 1st Avenue
between 7th St & St. Marks Place
New York, NY 10003
212.477.7177
YumVeggieBurger review #68
Friday, July 22, 2011
Candle Cafe
This was a belated birthday present from my awesome Dad, who gave me a gift card to Candle Café back in April when I was too busy working on a film shoot to eat any veggie burgers. And then I’ve just been working too much (or camping, or going to the beach…) since then, and the upper east side is not exactly a neighborhood I find myself in very often. So it took me a few months to finally redeem the giftcard…
Someone told my dad that this restaurant was supposed to have one of the best veggie burgers in the city, and I had already had it on my to-try list too. But because it was also a birthday dinner, my friend and I had to treat ourselves to an appetizer too…
These seitan chimichurri skewers were AMAZING. If you go to Candle Café, you absolutely MUST order them!
But on to the veggie burger…
Completely vegan (like everything at Candle Café), the burger is described as a “seitan burger on seeded bun”, I splurged and paid an extra $2 for tapioca cheese… because, well, tapioca cheese! I’ve never seen or heard of tapioca cheese, and I’m always interested in trying new vegan cheeses.
a>
all stacked up with the toppings
This is why I normally do not have photos taken of myself eating, haha.
The bun was hearty and very seedy, slightly sweet – it tasted very good although it was a bit chewier than I expected in a burger bun. It was closer to the consistency of a chewy french baguette.
The patty itself was heavily flavored with herbs – rosemary in particular stood out to me. It was delicious, and the taste kind of reminded me of Thanksgiving stuffing. But unlike our juicy seitan appetizer, the burger was a little bit drier and breadier. It didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of it too much though, because my toppings compensated for it…
The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and juicy (it appeared that the chef had even cut out the center of one of the slices, something I myself do at home to avoid tough or green centers, but something I rarely see in a restaurant! How awesome!), the lettuce was fresh and crispy, and the onions added a nice crunch. But the tapioca cheese stole the show. Simply amazing! Perfectly melty and gooey, it tasted similar to daiya, which I have since learned (through google) also contains tapioca. Is daiya what Candle Café uses, or do they make their own tapioca cheese? Does anyone know? Either way, delicious. I normally hate paying extra for additional toppings, but in this case I would say it is definitely worth it, because including the cheese balances out the textures and moisture and elevates the burger to a much higher level.
And of course I had to order the vegan cheesecake for dessert ;)
Cost: $13 (+$2 for tapioca cheese)
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 4 Bun: 4 Toppings: 5
Candle Café
1307 3rd Avenue
between 74th and 75th street
New York, NY 10021
212.472.0970
YumVeggieBurger review #67
Someone told my dad that this restaurant was supposed to have one of the best veggie burgers in the city, and I had already had it on my to-try list too. But because it was also a birthday dinner, my friend and I had to treat ourselves to an appetizer too…
These seitan chimichurri skewers were AMAZING. If you go to Candle Café, you absolutely MUST order them!
But on to the veggie burger…
Completely vegan (like everything at Candle Café), the burger is described as a “seitan burger on seeded bun”, I splurged and paid an extra $2 for tapioca cheese… because, well, tapioca cheese! I’ve never seen or heard of tapioca cheese, and I’m always interested in trying new vegan cheeses.
a>all stacked up with the toppings
This is why I normally do not have photos taken of myself eating, haha.
The bun was hearty and very seedy, slightly sweet – it tasted very good although it was a bit chewier than I expected in a burger bun. It was closer to the consistency of a chewy french baguette.
The patty itself was heavily flavored with herbs – rosemary in particular stood out to me. It was delicious, and the taste kind of reminded me of Thanksgiving stuffing. But unlike our juicy seitan appetizer, the burger was a little bit drier and breadier. It didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of it too much though, because my toppings compensated for it…
The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and juicy (it appeared that the chef had even cut out the center of one of the slices, something I myself do at home to avoid tough or green centers, but something I rarely see in a restaurant! How awesome!), the lettuce was fresh and crispy, and the onions added a nice crunch. But the tapioca cheese stole the show. Simply amazing! Perfectly melty and gooey, it tasted similar to daiya, which I have since learned (through google) also contains tapioca. Is daiya what Candle Café uses, or do they make their own tapioca cheese? Does anyone know? Either way, delicious. I normally hate paying extra for additional toppings, but in this case I would say it is definitely worth it, because including the cheese balances out the textures and moisture and elevates the burger to a much higher level.
And of course I had to order the vegan cheesecake for dessert ;)
Cost: $13 (+$2 for tapioca cheese)
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 4 Bun: 4 Toppings: 5
Candle Café
1307 3rd Avenue
between 74th and 75th street
New York, NY 10021
212.472.0970
YumVeggieBurger review #67
Monday, July 18, 2011
New Bare Burger location coming to Astoria
As I mentioned in my last post, there's a second Bare Burger location opening up in our neighborhood, on the corner of 23rd Avenue and 31st Street.
We Heart Astoria has also posted about this new Bare Burger - no word yet on when it will officially open. It will be nice to have such delicious veggie burgers closer to my apartment, although given that 31st Street is right under the elevated train tracks I doubt the outdoor seating (if they offer any) at this spot will be as pleasant as the outdoor seating on 31st Avenue.
Read my review of the original Bare Burger location HERE
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The Best Veggie Burgers in Astoria
This post is part of the Astoria Blog Carnival, hosted by We Heart Astoria
I have a lot of Astoria pride.
Sure, the first thing most people think of when they hear "Astoria" is "The Beer Garden!" (and I don't even drink beer)... and we may not have as many vegan/vegetarian restaurants here as Manhattan and Brooklyn do (I'd die happy if Vinnie's would open a location here)...
But I love my neighborhood. I love the people, the restaurants, the bars, the shops, the park, the bridges, my lovely apartment and front patio where I grill a ton of food in the summer...
And guess what? We have some restaurants serving delicious veggie burgers right here in Astoria:
Astor Bake Shop
This is #2 in my Top Ten list of the best veggie burgers I've ever eaten. Seriously. It's an amazing lentil patty with pickled onions and horseradish sauce on a deliciously sweet bun. Everything else from this bakery is brilliant as well, so if you've been putting off visiting because it's a bit of a walk from the more central areas of Astoria, let me assure you it is worth the trip.
[click for full review and more info]
5 Napkin Burger
Yes, 5 Napkin has locations in Manhattan as well... but it's become a pretty popular Astoria spot since it opened last year. And it's rare and awesome to find a burger place that gets tons of praise for its meat burgers but ALSO has a veggie burger equally worthy of such high praise! This one is #3 on my Top Ten list.
[click for full review and more info]
Sparrow Tavern
Don't let the pita fool you - despite the unorthodox bun, Sparrow's veggie burger is #7 on the Top Ten list. Richly-flavored and spicy, it's a delicious brunch... or dinner... or drunkfood (I think I've eaten it for all three occasions at various times).
[click for full review and more info]
Bare Burger
Of course I couldn't leave out Bare Burger, could I? This place has been such a hit in Astoria that it has now opened two (or more?) locations in Manhattan, and is opening a second Astoria location near Ditmars in the near future. Their veggie burger is hearty and satisfying - and with their extensive menu, you can choose from a variety of toppings so you'd never get bored if you wanted to come back and eat the veggie burger again and again... Which is why it's #8 on my Top Ten list too.
[click for full review and more info]
Just Burgers
A very recent addition to the Ditmars area, Just Burgers is another one of those burger joints that lets you choose from a long list of toppings to customize your burger. What makes them stand out though is their veggie burgers which are made from quinoa and fresh vegetables. I'm surprised I don't see quinoa in burgers more often, because it's great!
[click for full review and more info]
Petey's Burger
I'm always pleasantly surprised when fast-food-esque burger joints have good veggie burgers. Petey's is fast, inexpensive, tasty, and I hear they have now added a third variety of veggie burger to their menu! (I have only tried the Southwestern so far).
[click for full review and more info]
Café Bar
I came here for brunch one day and was pleasantly surprised to see a veggie burger on the menu - and a house-made one at that! Full of grains and delicious vegetables.
[click for full review and more info]
I know there are still more veggie burgers in the neighborhood that I haven't reviewed yet... Blackbirds comes to mind (I have actually eaten their burger, and remember it being quite good, but that was back before I started the blog), and I hear the newly-opened EcoTable has one on their menu as well.
What's your favorite veggie burger in Astoria?
Thanks to We Heart Astoria for the invitation to participate in this blog carnival!
Click HERE to return to the main page of the Astoria Blog Carnival.
I have a lot of Astoria pride.
Sure, the first thing most people think of when they hear "Astoria" is "The Beer Garden!" (and I don't even drink beer)... and we may not have as many vegan/vegetarian restaurants here as Manhattan and Brooklyn do (I'd die happy if Vinnie's would open a location here)...
But I love my neighborhood. I love the people, the restaurants, the bars, the shops, the park, the bridges, my lovely apartment and front patio where I grill a ton of food in the summer...
And guess what? We have some restaurants serving delicious veggie burgers right here in Astoria:
Astor Bake Shop
This is #2 in my Top Ten list of the best veggie burgers I've ever eaten. Seriously. It's an amazing lentil patty with pickled onions and horseradish sauce on a deliciously sweet bun. Everything else from this bakery is brilliant as well, so if you've been putting off visiting because it's a bit of a walk from the more central areas of Astoria, let me assure you it is worth the trip.
[click for full review and more info]
5 Napkin Burger
Yes, 5 Napkin has locations in Manhattan as well... but it's become a pretty popular Astoria spot since it opened last year. And it's rare and awesome to find a burger place that gets tons of praise for its meat burgers but ALSO has a veggie burger equally worthy of such high praise! This one is #3 on my Top Ten list.
[click for full review and more info]
Sparrow Tavern
Don't let the pita fool you - despite the unorthodox bun, Sparrow's veggie burger is #7 on the Top Ten list. Richly-flavored and spicy, it's a delicious brunch... or dinner... or drunkfood (I think I've eaten it for all three occasions at various times).
[click for full review and more info]
Bare Burger
Of course I couldn't leave out Bare Burger, could I? This place has been such a hit in Astoria that it has now opened two (or more?) locations in Manhattan, and is opening a second Astoria location near Ditmars in the near future. Their veggie burger is hearty and satisfying - and with their extensive menu, you can choose from a variety of toppings so you'd never get bored if you wanted to come back and eat the veggie burger again and again... Which is why it's #8 on my Top Ten list too.
[click for full review and more info]
Just Burgers
A very recent addition to the Ditmars area, Just Burgers is another one of those burger joints that lets you choose from a long list of toppings to customize your burger. What makes them stand out though is their veggie burgers which are made from quinoa and fresh vegetables. I'm surprised I don't see quinoa in burgers more often, because it's great!
[click for full review and more info]
Petey's Burger
I'm always pleasantly surprised when fast-food-esque burger joints have good veggie burgers. Petey's is fast, inexpensive, tasty, and I hear they have now added a third variety of veggie burger to their menu! (I have only tried the Southwestern so far).
[click for full review and more info]
Café Bar
I came here for brunch one day and was pleasantly surprised to see a veggie burger on the menu - and a house-made one at that! Full of grains and delicious vegetables.
[click for full review and more info]
I know there are still more veggie burgers in the neighborhood that I haven't reviewed yet... Blackbirds comes to mind (I have actually eaten their burger, and remember it being quite good, but that was back before I started the blog), and I hear the newly-opened EcoTable has one on their menu as well.
What's your favorite veggie burger in Astoria?
Thanks to We Heart Astoria for the invitation to participate in this blog carnival!
Click HERE to return to the main page of the Astoria Blog Carnival.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Veggie SLIDERS!
I reviewed the veggie burger at Enid's last August, back in my early days of veggie-burger-reviewing, but recently I returned to the restaurant for drinks one evening with a friend. And after a couple whiskeys, we started to think we might be hungry for some bar snacks...
That's when I noticed this item on the menu: "Slider Trio: burger, veggie burger, pulled pork"
I eagerly asked our bartender if I could order the trio with just three veggie burgers, instead of the meat ones. Sometimes restaurants are needlessly grumpy about substitutions like that, but Enid's was happy to accomodate my vegetarian request (this is also the restaurant which says that many of their items, including veggie burgers, "can be made vegan upon request", so I should have known they would be nice like that!).
Look how cute they are! This was my first time ever eating sliders. Even before I became a vegetarian, I was not a big fan of hamburgers. And I've only heard of restaurants serving veggie sliders a couple times. So I was really excited to finally be able to order them!
In my hand, so you can see just how adorably miniature they are!
And they were just as delicious as I remember Enid's full-seized veggie burger being. I shared one with my friend and he, a meat-eater, found it incredibly enjoyable as well. Spicy, mixed vegetable patty topped with a pickle and dijon mayo, all held together with a cute little sweet-tasting bun. Perfect bar food, really! So I'd encourage everyone to request the all-veggie sliders if you happen to find yourself at Enid's
You can read my original review of Enid's HERE.
Cost: $8
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 4 Bun: 5 Toppings: 3
Enid’s
560 Manhattan Avenue
between Driggs & Nassau Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11222
718.349.3859
YumVeggieBurger review #66
Does anyone know of any other restaurants that serve veggie burgers in slider form?
That's when I noticed this item on the menu: "Slider Trio: burger, veggie burger, pulled pork"
I eagerly asked our bartender if I could order the trio with just three veggie burgers, instead of the meat ones. Sometimes restaurants are needlessly grumpy about substitutions like that, but Enid's was happy to accomodate my vegetarian request (this is also the restaurant which says that many of their items, including veggie burgers, "can be made vegan upon request", so I should have known they would be nice like that!).
Look how cute they are! This was my first time ever eating sliders. Even before I became a vegetarian, I was not a big fan of hamburgers. And I've only heard of restaurants serving veggie sliders a couple times. So I was really excited to finally be able to order them!
In my hand, so you can see just how adorably miniature they are!
And they were just as delicious as I remember Enid's full-seized veggie burger being. I shared one with my friend and he, a meat-eater, found it incredibly enjoyable as well. Spicy, mixed vegetable patty topped with a pickle and dijon mayo, all held together with a cute little sweet-tasting bun. Perfect bar food, really! So I'd encourage everyone to request the all-veggie sliders if you happen to find yourself at Enid's
You can read my original review of Enid's HERE.
Cost: $8
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 4 Bun: 5 Toppings: 3
Enid’s
560 Manhattan Avenue
between Driggs & Nassau Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11222
718.349.3859
YumVeggieBurger review #66
Does anyone know of any other restaurants that serve veggie burgers in slider form?
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Happy Birthday to Carlea!
Today is the birthday of my amazing friend Carlea, and I wish her the happiest day and the best celebration possible!
Not has Carlea accompanied me to not one but two restaurants so I could gather more veggie burger data while visiting her in Maryland last summer...
But she even humored me enough to indulge my obsession when she visited NYC and we went to Thistle Hill Tavern for dinner. And she ordered the veggie burger too! What an awesome friend :)
She also bakes more delicious desserts than I can dream of, has an ice cream maker which I am insanely envious of, is one of the best writers I have ever met, and somehow manages to blog every single day, without fail which kind of blows my mind.
Happy Birthday, Carlea!
Not has Carlea accompanied me to not one but two restaurants so I could gather more veggie burger data while visiting her in Maryland last summer...
But she even humored me enough to indulge my obsession when she visited NYC and we went to Thistle Hill Tavern for dinner. And she ordered the veggie burger too! What an awesome friend :)
She also bakes more delicious desserts than I can dream of, has an ice cream maker which I am insanely envious of, is one of the best writers I have ever met, and somehow manages to blog every single day, without fail which kind of blows my mind.
Happy Birthday, Carlea!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
MorningStar Farms Asian Veggie Patties
So our July 4th Barbecue was a lot of fun – we had enough food to feed an army, and stuffed ourselves so full we could barely fit watermelon and pie in our bellies after all of the grilled foods were eaten.
I wanted to save room for veggie kebabs (should have taken a photo of those, but I was pretty distracted at the time) so I only ate one veggie burger (full disclosure: sometimes I will stuff my face with two when I’m barbecuing them at home!). I picked the Asian Veggie Patties, since MorningStar’s frozen veggie burgers had been on sale when I was at the grocery store that morning.
There are way more varieties and flavors of veggie burgers now than I remember when I became a vegetarian back in high school...
Frozen patty heating up on the grill
These ones are pretty tasty, I bet I would have eaten them on a regular basis as a teenager if they had existed then. The sweet-and-sour flavor is a pleasant surprise in a veggie burger. The patty consists mainly of a light-colored soy faux-meat texture, with carrots, peppers, and other bits of veggies mixed in. Oddly enough, the ingredient list says it contains not only eggs but dairy as well. Not sure why, since some of MorningStar’s other products are definitely vegan.
I loaded it up with lettuce, tomato, red onions, and pickled jalapenos on a whole wheat bun. I’m really into jalapenos on burgers these days. The result: a very tasty Fourth of July burger! I probably wouldn't want to have the sweet and sour flavor every time I eat a burger, but once in awhile to mix things up, these are a great option to have in the freezer.
I was too busy having fun to really take photos of anything other than burgers, but this accidental kinda-panorama pretty much sums up the wonderful evening we had out on the patio.
Oh, and the fireworks later were awesome too. No, not the big Macy’s ones, but the (illegal) display our own neighborhood put on which we could see over the rooftops. Really, just the perfect Fourth of July.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
MorningStar Farms Asian Veggie Patties
purchased at Key Food in Astoria
price: on sale, 2 boxes (4 patties per box) for $7.00
YumVeggieBurger review #65
I wanted to save room for veggie kebabs (should have taken a photo of those, but I was pretty distracted at the time) so I only ate one veggie burger (full disclosure: sometimes I will stuff my face with two when I’m barbecuing them at home!). I picked the Asian Veggie Patties, since MorningStar’s frozen veggie burgers had been on sale when I was at the grocery store that morning.
There are way more varieties and flavors of veggie burgers now than I remember when I became a vegetarian back in high school...
Frozen patty heating up on the grill
These ones are pretty tasty, I bet I would have eaten them on a regular basis as a teenager if they had existed then. The sweet-and-sour flavor is a pleasant surprise in a veggie burger. The patty consists mainly of a light-colored soy faux-meat texture, with carrots, peppers, and other bits of veggies mixed in. Oddly enough, the ingredient list says it contains not only eggs but dairy as well. Not sure why, since some of MorningStar’s other products are definitely vegan.
I loaded it up with lettuce, tomato, red onions, and pickled jalapenos on a whole wheat bun. I’m really into jalapenos on burgers these days. The result: a very tasty Fourth of July burger! I probably wouldn't want to have the sweet and sour flavor every time I eat a burger, but once in awhile to mix things up, these are a great option to have in the freezer.
I was too busy having fun to really take photos of anything other than burgers, but this accidental kinda-panorama pretty much sums up the wonderful evening we had out on the patio.
Oh, and the fireworks later were awesome too. No, not the big Macy’s ones, but the (illegal) display our own neighborhood put on which we could see over the rooftops. Really, just the perfect Fourth of July.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
MorningStar Farms Asian Veggie Patties
purchased at Key Food in Astoria
price: on sale, 2 boxes (4 patties per box) for $7.00
YumVeggieBurger review #65
Monday, July 4, 2011
Independence Day
In case you hadn't noticed, I live in the U.S.
So in true July 4th spirit, I am having some friends over for a barbecue this evening. Most of them are meat-eaters, but I'm still stocking the grill with veggie kebabs and veggie burgers!
Ironically, though, the two types of burgers I picked up at the grocery store are probably the least patriotic I could have chosen...
Morning Star's "Asian veggie patties" and "Tomato & basil pizza burger (Italian style)"
haha, I hope they are delicious - will report back later!
Happy Independence Day, everyone!
(and a belated Happy Canada Day, too!)
So in true July 4th spirit, I am having some friends over for a barbecue this evening. Most of them are meat-eaters, but I'm still stocking the grill with veggie kebabs and veggie burgers!
Ironically, though, the two types of burgers I picked up at the grocery store are probably the least patriotic I could have chosen...
Morning Star's "Asian veggie patties" and "Tomato & basil pizza burger (Italian style)"
haha, I hope they are delicious - will report back later!
Happy Independence Day, everyone!
(and a belated Happy Canada Day, too!)
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Happy Birthday, Blog!
My little veggie burger blog is officially one year old now!
Yup, it's been a year since I posted my first review [of Sparrow Tavern's veggie burger].
64 veggie burgers later... I'm still blogging (and, apparently, tweeting as well). And I haven't even tried half of the veggie burgers on my to-try list (and that's in NYC alone!).
I owe a huge thanks to everyone who reads my posts (and especially those of you who leave comments - I love you dearly for it)
Here's to the next year of veggie burgers, may it be even more delicious than the last!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Red Bamboo
I love Red Bamboo – but it didn’t even occur to me to review their veggie burger (honestly, they have so much stuff on their menu I didn’t even realize they had one) until I was nearby one afternoon and wanted to grab a bite to eat before seeing Werner Herzog’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams at the IFC Center.
I’ve eaten quite a few of the numerous vegan and vegetarian dishes from Red Bamboo’s menu over the years – my favorite is the almond coconut chicken appetizer. In fact, this may have been my first trip to the restaurant where I did not order that delicious dish (if I had been hungrier, I would have!) They also have vegetarian versions of things like steak and shrimp that I didn’t even eat before I became a vegetarian, and I will admit I am still scared to try even the faux-meat versions of these things.
Their veggie burger is called the “Bamburger” – the menu notes that the soy protein in the patty contains whey, although the mayo the burger is served with is vegan… are there some vegans who don’t mind eating whey? I was a bit confused by this. Adding vegan cheese is an option as well, so it sounds like the burger could be ordered completely vegan, except for that little note about the whey... Strange.
The patty consisted of very dark-colored faux meat. It was thin and rather tough, I had to really tear into it with my teeth to take a bite, it was so dense and chewy. Not what I normally expect from a burger, but it was much tastier than most faux meat products – something I’ve noticed about nearly all of the dishes I've tried at Red Bamboo, which is why I keep going back to the restaurant even though normally I am not a huge fan of faux meat. The whole burger was very drippy, perhaps because of the sauce/marinade on the patty? It was quite flavorful, kind of sweet and sour – I liked it, but it made eating very messy.
Eating was further complicated by the bun, which was pretty average, studded with sesame seeds – but far too squishy and crumbley, and it fell apart in my hands. It wasn’t nearly strong enough to support its contents. The toppings themselves were pretty good – vegan mayo, pickles, carmelized onions, tomato, lettuce, and a serving of ketchup on the side which I didn’t touch because I personally feel that ketchup overwhelms the other flavors of a good burger, most of the time.
A tasty burger, overall – although I have to say it didn’t blow my mind the way some of the other dishes at Red Bamboo have. I will definitely stick to my favorite almond coconut chicken next time I come back!
And a side note – has anyone else noticed a surprising number of rather attractive men eating lunch or dinner by themselves, often reading a book, at Red Bamboo? Or is it just me?
I would blame its proximity to NYU, except the one time I actually got up the courage to speak to one of these attractive men, he was not a student, but was visiting from out of town.
Cost: $4.95
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Burger patty: 4 Bun: 2 Toppings: 3
Red Bamboo
140 West 4th Street
between 6th Ave and MacDougal Street
New York, NY 10012
212.260.7049
Oh, and Cave of Forgotten Dreams was outstanding. You should really go see it in the theater in all it’s 3D glory, if you can!
YumVeggieBurger review #64
I’ve eaten quite a few of the numerous vegan and vegetarian dishes from Red Bamboo’s menu over the years – my favorite is the almond coconut chicken appetizer. In fact, this may have been my first trip to the restaurant where I did not order that delicious dish (if I had been hungrier, I would have!) They also have vegetarian versions of things like steak and shrimp that I didn’t even eat before I became a vegetarian, and I will admit I am still scared to try even the faux-meat versions of these things.
Their veggie burger is called the “Bamburger” – the menu notes that the soy protein in the patty contains whey, although the mayo the burger is served with is vegan… are there some vegans who don’t mind eating whey? I was a bit confused by this. Adding vegan cheese is an option as well, so it sounds like the burger could be ordered completely vegan, except for that little note about the whey... Strange.
The patty consisted of very dark-colored faux meat. It was thin and rather tough, I had to really tear into it with my teeth to take a bite, it was so dense and chewy. Not what I normally expect from a burger, but it was much tastier than most faux meat products – something I’ve noticed about nearly all of the dishes I've tried at Red Bamboo, which is why I keep going back to the restaurant even though normally I am not a huge fan of faux meat. The whole burger was very drippy, perhaps because of the sauce/marinade on the patty? It was quite flavorful, kind of sweet and sour – I liked it, but it made eating very messy.
Eating was further complicated by the bun, which was pretty average, studded with sesame seeds – but far too squishy and crumbley, and it fell apart in my hands. It wasn’t nearly strong enough to support its contents. The toppings themselves were pretty good – vegan mayo, pickles, carmelized onions, tomato, lettuce, and a serving of ketchup on the side which I didn’t touch because I personally feel that ketchup overwhelms the other flavors of a good burger, most of the time.
A tasty burger, overall – although I have to say it didn’t blow my mind the way some of the other dishes at Red Bamboo have. I will definitely stick to my favorite almond coconut chicken next time I come back!
And a side note – has anyone else noticed a surprising number of rather attractive men eating lunch or dinner by themselves, often reading a book, at Red Bamboo? Or is it just me?
I would blame its proximity to NYU, except the one time I actually got up the courage to speak to one of these attractive men, he was not a student, but was visiting from out of town.
Cost: $4.95
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Burger patty: 4 Bun: 2 Toppings: 3
Red Bamboo
140 West 4th Street
between 6th Ave and MacDougal Street
New York, NY 10012
212.260.7049
Oh, and Cave of Forgotten Dreams was outstanding. You should really go see it in the theater in all it’s 3D glory, if you can!
YumVeggieBurger review #64
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