Loving Hut

I should have posted this yesterday, since the name is rather fitting for Valentine's Day...

I’ve been hearing great things about Loving Hut’s vegan food for awhile now – but because I haven’t been spending much time in Manhattan lately (living and working in Queens makes me too lazy to cross the river sometimes), it took me until now to give the place a try.



The restaurant is tiny, but the staff are friendly and the menu is amazing! Of course, I ordered the veggie burger – but I also got a small order of macaroni and cheese, because mostly-giving-up-dairy has made me eager to seek out the good vegan macaroni and cheese (which is harder to come by than veggie burgers).



There are three burgers to choose from on the menu – I got the “crispy vegan burger”, which comes topped with tomatoes, pickled cucumbers, guacamole, romaine lettuce, and onion. Lovely fresh, crisp toppings. And the guacamole was perfect (why don’t more restaurants offer guacamole instead of sliced avocado? Everyone knows avocado slices just slip out of the bun when you try to eat them on a burger!)



The patty itself was a tasty blend of rice, carrots, grains (the menu specifies oats), and probably some other ingredients I couldn’t distinguish. Unfortunately, it was a little TOO crispy (I know, I know – I did order the “crispy vegan burger” – but this was more crispy-overcooked than crispy-crunch-awesome). The bun was a tasty, soft whole wheat bun – but a bit oversized for the patty.

The burger was served with a side salad.


This is a “SMALL” order of the mac and cheese! I couldn’t finish it. Pretty good, although heavily tasting of Daiya – I still prefer my homemade vegan mac, but this was warm and comforting.

Now that I’ve tried the veggie burger, I am looking forward to coming back to sample more of the vegan food on the menu (seriously, take a look at this menu, it is epic! They even have multiple kinds of macaroni and cheese!). Plus, it’s close to Penn Station – which I wish I had realized the last dozen times I took a train or bus out of the city. Next time I will be sure to stop and pick up some food for the trip.

Loving Hut’s website says they have a Brooklyn location “coming soon”, as well as locations in 20 different countries and more locations across the U.S. – including two in Hawaii, where I will be next week!

Cost: $8.50 for the burger, $5.50 for the small mac and cheese
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Burger patty: 3       Bun: 3      Toppings: 4

Loving Hut
348 7th Ave
between 29th and 30th street
New York, NY 10001
212.760.1900

YumVeggieBurger review #89

Amtrak

I went down to Virginia to visit my family over the holidays – traveling by train, which is really the most comfortable and civilized form of travel these days. You don’t have to show up early, there’s no security line to deal with, you get plenty of leg room, electrical outlets, wi-fi, and they have a “café car” where you can order food.



This café car happens to have a veggie burger – so, although I was wary of what the quality would be (as nice as Amtrak’s amenities are, no one expects food cooked in a microwave oven on a moving train to be five star quality) I was determined to try it – for the sake of the blog!



The “Vegan Burger with BBQ Spread” came sealed in the same plastic bag that the café car employee had microwaved it in. The ingredient list was rather terrifyingly long, but did indeed appear to be vegan as the name claimed. I carefully opened it up, revealing the fully assembled burger patty sandwiched on a bun inside.



The taste was shockingly not terrible! It was actually better than the usual infamous “hockey puck” veggie patty I had been expecting. The texture and flavor were definitely a step above that. It was chewy, a mix of different grains and other bits of vegetables and things. Not really trying to be faux-meat. And the BBQ Spread was pretty good too – the barbecue flavor dominated the whole burger, I’m not sure what the patty’s taste would have been like without it, but I’m a barbecue fan, so I was satisfied.



The sauce had soaked into the bun completely, so I would have liked a little extra sauce (burgers should be juicy and drippy, right?). The bun itself was soft and chewy. Of course some nice crisp lettuce and a slice of tomato would have been ideal too, but I guess that would be expecting a little too much.

All in all, it was still fast food made on a moving train – but it was still better than I expected it to be! I still prefer picking up some takeout before catching a train, but if you are in a rush, or stuck on the train for so long that you’re just dying for a warm meal, it’s not a bad option. And major props to Amtrak for having a clearly labeled vegan option on the menu, too! I was quite impressed by that alone.

Cost: $5.25
Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Burger patty: 3       Bun: 2      Toppings: 2

Amtrak's cafe car
I was traveling on the Northeast Regional from NYP to CVS– I do not know if the same burger is available on all Amtrak trains.

YumVeggieBurger review #88

Happy Holidays!

Chickpea & Olive

I’m on hiatus! The nice thing about working on tv shows is that you get a nice, proper bit of time off for the holidays. So, with my Christmas shopping all done and my apartment all freshly cleaned and organized… it’s about time I catch up on some VERY BELATED veggie burger posts!

This one is from back in October – my friend Sasha and I went to Williamsburg to check out the foodie spectacular known as Smorgasburg. As I usually do, I immediately hunted down the local veggie burger option… and there was Chickpea & Olive, with vegan SLIDERS!



Made with beets, barley, mushrooms, and lentils, these sliders were a bit pricey as far as tiny burgers go, but looked so mouth-watering that I couldn’t resist. The staff making and selling the sliders (and other delicious-looking vegan food) were very friendly, and chatted with me while they cooked. Apparently a lot of people are mislead by their name, and end up disappointed that they can’t order, literally, chickpeas and olives. I think the words “Phatty Beet Slider” caught my eye before their name, but I’m biased.



I took my sliders and met up with my friends on a picnic bench in the park next to the Smorgasburg area (while it may be a foodie’s dream come true to have so many food vendors all in one place, once it starts getting crowded, it’s as claustrophobic and annoying as Times Square! Go early in the day if you can).

But these sliders were definitely worth the crowded event – the bun was delicious, toasty but still soft. A little hard to fit in your mouth due to the shape and height though, so I ended up taking my sliders apart to eat them. The sauce had mostly melted into the patties, so I couldn’t really distinguish it from the patty flavoring itself. But that was definitely the best part – the rich, hearty, spicy patty! I immediately wished it was larger, I would definitely eat this in a regular non-slider burger size! This is exactly the kind of veggie burger patty that makes the inexperienced veggie burger eater say “OH! THIS is what they can taste like when they’re done right!”



Smorgasburg is over for the season now, but hopefully Chickpea and Olive will be back serving their tasty sliders there next year!

Cost: $6 per slider, or two for $11 (they are small, you will want at LEAST two!)
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 5       Bun: 4      Toppings: 3

Chickpea & Olive
check website for current location it looks like they will be at the Vegan Shop-Up tomorrow, December 22nd, but not serving veggie burgers.

YumVeggieBurger review #87

The General Greene

My motivation for visiting the General Greene was twofold: First, a good friend of mine has recently begun bartending here, and I wanted to come visit him while he was at work. Secondly, he had informed me that the restaurant served a good veggie burger. While he is not a vegetarian himself, he has good taste, so I trusted his opinion.


Look at that menu: “vegan w/out bun” how considerate! Imagine if every restaurant listed that information and you didn’t always have to ask for it…

I enjoyed a cocktail while I waited for my veggie burger. And I may or may not have enjoyed several more before the evening was over…



Did the burger live up to my friend’s recommendation? Yes it did! The patty was deliciously crispy, like some kind of fried fritter on the outside, but moist on the inside (and very well-seasoned). I saw/tasted bits of black beans, carrots, and potato, among other ingredients.



The bun was sweet and fresh, lightly toasted – just the way I like it. But the real star of the show was the herbed mayo (hmm, the menu should probably mention that vegans should ask for it without the mayo too…). It just added the perfect kick to the whole burger, a very refreshing flavor. And everyone knows avocados and roasted red peppers are my preferred toppings for burgers when I am making them at home… Served with a side salad.

The whole restaurant is very cute, warm and cozy and smelling of delicious food. I haven’t spent much time in Fort Greene, but I can imagine that if I lived there I would come back to this restaurant again. Actually the whole neighborhood was quite cute. It’s been awhile since I tried a veggie burger in an unfamiliar neighborhood, but it’s so much fun because I get to explore new places while I’m getting a (hopefully) delicious meal!


Tip your bartender well, especially if he is the man in this photograph!

The cocktails were delicious as well.

Cost: $13
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 4       Bun: 4      Toppings: 5

The General Greene
229 Dekalb Avenue
between Adelphi Street and Clermont Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11205

YumVeggieBurger review #86

Veggie burgers mentioned in Gothamist

Missing my burger reviews? I have a few in the works... have just been working too many hours at my real job to post any lately.

In the meantime, here's a recent mention of veggie burgers in the news:
Five Very Good Veggie Burgers That Even Carnivores Will Like
I need to try Korzo Haus sometime soon...

Vacation? What's that???

It's been almost four years since I went on a real vacation.
I've been living so frugally and trying to save money all the time, and even when I'm making enough money I'm working so many hours on such intense shoots that I can't even think about taking time off for travel...
But I just booked myself a flight to HAWAII for February of next year!
(I know, I know, too far off in the future to get excited about yet... but damn it I'm excited anyway!)



I can't wait! Not only do I get to skip out on miserable NY winter for two weeks, return to one of my favorite places ever, and hang out with my one of my best friends ever, but I am going to get to taste some new veggie burgers (Hawaii has great vegetarian food!) thousands of miles away from New York! Woohoo!

So if anyone wants to recommend their favorite veggie burgers in Hawaii... you've got roughly six months to speak up!
(not that I have a countdown app on my iPhone or anything like that...)

Tiny's Giant Sandwich Shop

I’ve been hearing about this place for awhile (including in a recent news article about the best veggie burgers in the city), so honestly I am not sure why I have not sampled their veggie burger sooner.

Since I was downtown seeing a movie anyway, I decided to stop by for dinner afterwards. (Side note: the movie was 2 Days in New York which I had eagerly anticipated, but unfortunately did not enjoy as much as I had its predecessor, 2 Days In Paris). Anyway, onto the burger…!



Although the menu says it comes with cheese, I ordered mine without – and learned from the waiter that if ordered without the cheese and the veggie bacon, the burger will actually be vegan (the bacon contains egg, apparently). Yes, even the bun is vegan.



Called the “Big Mack Daddy”, this burger is obviously trying to be the vegetarian version of McDonald’s “big mac”. But far superior to anything McDonald’s could ever dream up – I mean, look at that crispy bun! Sweet and fresh, very high quality bread, with a flakey exterior.



The patty is a thick, faux-meat hunk of (presumably) soy protein with little bits of other vegetables peeking out. It was very chewy, and held together well. Definitely not for those who hate faux-meat products, but still far superior to the “hockey puck” veggie burgers of lore!



If the patty might have been a little dry on its own, I didn’t notice because the toppings were so juicy and flavorful. I barely noticed the veggie bacon (the thin, soy-based kind, not the tempeh which I prefer) because the lettuce, tomatoes, and abundance of ketchup, mustard, and “special sauce” (that’s what the menu called it, anyway…) took center stage. I’m not really a mustard fan, but it seemed appropriate here, and actually enjoyed it in spite of myself. The whole thing was a bit messy to eat with all these toppings, and I kept dripping mustard and ketchup all over myself… but isn’t that also in keeping with the tradition of eating a good, messy burger?



Since Kate’s Joint sadly closed recently (does anyone know why, by the way???), it’s good that there’s still at least one place in this city where vegetarians can find the McDonald’s of veggie burgers! And I will definitely come back to try the other sandwiches (many vegan options!) on Tiny’s menu.

Cost: $8 (comes with chips!)
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 3       Bun: 5      Toppings: 4

Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop
129 Rivington Street
at the corner of Rivington & Norfolk Street
New York, NY 10002
212.228.4919

YumVeggieBurger review #85

Veggie Burgers in the news, again!

Did you see this? CBS lists NYC's 7 Best Veggie Burgers.

While I think they left a lot of good ones out of that list, I do agree with a few:
Westville, 5 Napkin Burger, and Bare Burger.

and I've been meaning to try the veggie burger at Tiny's Sandwich Shop for awhile... I should get on that!

Teany

I’d been to Teany once before, and noticed the veggie burger on their menu… but that was an evening when I did not have my camera with me, and this was before I had the iPhone 4 so I didn’t want to risk taking crappy cellphone pictures at the time.



But last weekend when I was in the Lower East Side to shop for some sandals at Moo Shoes, I decided to treat myself to a veggie burger brunch.



The menu notes which items are vegan or can be made vegan upon request. Oddly, the veggie burger was not marked as such, although the waitress assured me that if I ordered it without the feta cheese, the patty, bun, and everything else were indeed vegan.



My first impression was surprise - the patty had already fallen apart before I even picked up the burger! Although I’m well aware that many veggie burgers don’t hold together so well, and sometimes a messy, drippy meal is part of the fun, I usually anticipate the patty at least looking whole before I eat it. However, it tasted good – lots of quinoa, which I’m becoming quite a fan of in burgers, and a very nice blend of spices that were more savory (did I detect a hint of cinnamon too?) than hot, although the menu called it a chipotle veggie burger.

The patty by itself was rather dry, but luckily, there was enough vegan mayo to compensate for that. Actually, maybe too much mayo (and I, mayo lover that I am, hardly ever say that!). Perhaps they gave me extra to make up for the missing feta cheese? The tomato slices were nice and juicy, but the arugula was actually slightly cooked in the center by the heat of the patty! Another unexpected feature.



The bun was a delicious, light brioche. Overall, the flavors of the burger were great – the execution just had a few flaws. I like Teany, and I’d eat here again, but the veggie burger is not the strongest feature of their menu. Luckily, they have a lot of other veggie and vegan sandwich options to choose from.

Fun fact: Several of my friends have informed me that musician Moby owns Teany, although Wikipedia clarifies that he co-founded and used to co-own the restaurant, but does not anymore.

Cost: $10
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Burger patty: 3       Bun: 4      Toppings: 2

Teany
90 Rivington Street
between Orchard & Ludlow Street
New York, NY 10002
212.475.9190


YumVeggieBurger review #84

Meet Lynx

By the way...
In all the chaos of various film shoots last month, I neglected to mention some exciting non-veggie-burger news:

I have a cat now!


His name is Lynx. I adopted him from the ASPCA in Manhattan.


And I'm in love with him :)

The Cinnamon Snail Vegan Food Truck

I’ve been dying to try the Cinnamon Snail’s veggie burger for a long time. Last year, I was planning to go to Jersey just for the sake of their food (that’s how highly it came recommended to me by other vegetarians and vegans!) – but then they started parking their fabulous truck on the streets of Manhattan! Unfortunately, I was always working in Queens during the same hours.

So when I recently had a week between film shoots, I immediately sought out this mecca of vegan food.



Of course there was a line – and it wasn’t even noon yet! I’m sure the line gets even longer at peak lunch hours. While everything on their menu sounds mouth-watering, I had my eyes set on the veggie burger, of course. Actually, there are TWO veggie burgers on their menu (is this heaven or what?). I opted for the ancho chili seitan burger.


Look how massive that is!

The first bite was all bun – which normally would have left me dismayed, but in this case the bun alone was so tasty I didn’t even care! Wow. Herbed focaccia bread, lightly toasted. Delicious!



The patty was rich and chewy, with just the right amount of spice. I like seitan, I think it lends itself very well to the texture of a burger, and this was one of the best ones I’ve eaten. It’s also quite filling! I could barely finish the burger, as hungry as I was – you’ll definitely get a full meal out of this one.

And the toppings were excellent too – “beer simmered” onions and garlic, arugala, pepper sauce and horseradish cream (I thought I tasted wasabi, but looking at the list of ingredients now I suppose that was just the spiciness of the horseradish). The patty might have been a little dry on its own, but all these toppings saved the day, creating the perfect combination in my mouth.

Definitely a five-star burger!

Yes, my stomach was totally full after devouring that monster of a burger – but I couldn’t resist trying one of the award-winning crème brûlée donuts too… vegan as well, like everything that the truck serves!



See that picture of the Maker’s Mark bottle on the truck? That’s because these amazing donuts are made even more amazing by BOURBON. Yes, I was seriously in heaven. The friendly truck employee told me that the Cinnamon Snail is now actually sponsored by Maker’s Mark! Can you get any more perfect than that? A vegan food truck that serves a five-star veggie burger and the best donuts I’ve ever tasted… sponsored by a bourbon brand??? That must be what heaven is like.


my new favorite donut

I think I have to go back this week to try the other burger, the “gochujang burger deluxe”, especially after reading A Soy Bean’s review of its amazingness

Cost: $9 (plus $3 for that orgasmic donut)
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Burger patty: 5       Bun: 5      Toppings: 4

The Cinnamon Snail
Parking in various locations around Manhattan, check their Twitter feed for current location.
201.675.3755

YumVeggieBurger review #83