The Best Thing I Ate This Month That Wasn't A Veggie Burger

I apologize in advance if this post makes you jealous...

Once upon a time, I said that my lovely neighborhood of Astoria, Queens would be absolutely perfect if we could just get a pizzeria that served vegan pizza, and an ice cream shop that sold scoops of vegan ice cream. Well, we now have delicious vegan pizza options at Tufino Pizzeria Napoletana. And as of earlier this month, we now have vegan ice cream too:



Sweet Jane's Frozen Desserts just opened a few weeks ago, but I have already stopped by many times. They have regular dairy-ice cream as well as dairy-free flavors - all homemade and organic!

Check out this menu, dairy-free options on the right-hand side:



Amazing, right?


A sampling of the dairy-free flavors I have tried so far, from left to right:
Gingerbread, Chai, Chocolate Raspberry, Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie, and Strawberry. All delicious!

And the best part: This ice cream shop is just a couple blocks from my apartment. I can walk there in less than three minutes!
Complete dream come true. I have every intention of stopping by ice cream at least twice a week for the rest of the summer. And you should come check it out too!

Sweet Jane's Frozen Desserts
27-17 24th Avenue
Astoria, NY 11105
347.507.0456

Happy 4th Birthday to YumVeggieBurger!

p.s. Today is the blog's 4th birthday!



Happy Birthday, Blog!

Sweet Earth Natural Foods Teriyaki Veggie Burger

I picked these up on a whim the last time I was at Whole Foods – because they were right next to the Field Roast sausages, so I assumed they would be delicious by association.



And since my roommates and I had a barbecue out on our patio last weekend, it was the perfect chance to try them out.



Those are not real grill marks – if you look at the prevous photo, you’ll see that the burgers come with painted-on grill marks. But these vegan, grain-based patties did cook up pretty well on the grill! They are quite firm, and held together just fine. Even flipping them over wasn’t an issue (although I brushed a little olive oil on them just to prevent sticking).



They got a little bit dried out on the grill, but they were pretty dense to begin with anyway. Neither the soft, crumbly texture of homemade veggie burgers, nor the stringy faux-meat texture of some store-bought patties, these burgers were actually more like the texture of vegan sausages.



The teriyaki flavor was nice, not overly sweet or spicy, but a pleasant taste. I didn’t want to mask it with too many condiments, but since the patty and bun were kind of dry on their own I added some guacamole and greens. One of my roommates is also a vegetarian, so she ate the other patty that came in the package of two, and proclaimed it quite tasty as well.

Although the teriyaki burger was the only flavor that Whole Foods had when I was shopping, I looked on Sweet Earth Natural Foods’ website and saw that they also make a santa-fe veggie burger and a za’atar flavored veggie burger. I love za’atar seasoning, so I will definitely try that one if I ever find it locally! They also make a bunch of flavored seitans, which I have not noticed in stores yet but I would be curious to try as well.

Has anyone else tried this brand? What flavors, and what did you think of it?

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Sweet Earth Natural Foods
purchased at: Whole Foods in NYC (Bowery location)
price: for $4.99 for a package of 2 patties
YumVeggieBurger review #137

Williams & Bailey

I stopped in at Williams & Bailey by chance one Saturday afternoon, because they seemed to be one of the few places in Williamsburg that didn’t have a line out the door for brunch. Seeing that they had a veggie burger on their menu sealed the deal.



The vegan veggie burger is offered on both the brunch and dinner menus – one of the few vegetarian or vegan offerings here, but it’s a good one.



The patty is made of brown rice, black beans, oatmeal, beets, and herbs. Rice seemed to be the primary ingredient, or at least the one I noticed the most while eating it. It was almost more like a rice patty than a veggie patty, and was fried lightly on both sides. Although it did not hold together too well, and fell apart quite a bit as I ate it, it tasted great. The flavor was really unique, I could not put my finger on what spice or seasoning it was, but it was exceptionally delicious.



The toppings could have been a bit more creative – simple lettuce, tomato, and white onion (does anyone actually enjoy raw white onion? I sure don’t). But the bun was wonderful – sweet, light, and just slightly toasted. My favorite kind of bun.



As I ate at the bar, I stared at the impressive whiskey selection. This would be a good place to return for an evening drink. As long as you don’t mind the hipstery decorations:



Cost: $9.00
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 4       Bun: 5      Toppings: 2

Williams & Bailey
507 Grand St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718.782.3500

YumVeggieBurger review #136

Little Green Black Bean Veggie Burger

I finally fired up the barbecue grill this past weekend, for the first time this year – and, of course, my friend Michelle and I grilled veggie burgers to celebrate.



I had picked up these burgers at Whole Foods when I saw that they were on sale, although at the regular price of $5.99 for a box only containing two patties, I would have normally deemed them overpriced for frozen veggie burgers.



They are vegan, and the ingredient list is full of familiar, healthy things. I had no idea how well the patties would do on the grill, but I brushed them with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking, and laid them out over the flames.



To my delight, they grilled up quite well, and were never in danger of falling apart as I flipped them! They did look a little bit dry by the time I took them off the grill, but we ate them with fresh spinach, tomato, and mayo on whole wheat buns, so any dryness from the grill was compensated for by those toppings.

Michelle remarked how pleasantly spicy the patties were – they had a nice, bold flavor (but would still not be too spicy for someone who does not care for spicy foods). I was quite impressed too: although they had come from the frozen foods aisle, these patties could have almost passed for homemade once they were cooked. They held together well and did not fall apart as we ate them, but they were not the dreaded “hockey pucks” either. The texture was just right. And mixed in with the black beans were large chunks of peppers and other vegetables, giving it even more of a homemade feel. The box actually calls them "handcrafted" black bean burgers, and I can see why!



Although they are not the most economical choice of frozen burger patties, they were so delicious that I would definitely consider trying some of the other Little Green veggie burger varieties - or treating myself to these black bean ones again if I feel like splurging for a special barbecue party!

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Little Green Handcrafted Black Bean Burgers
purchased at: Whole Foods in NYC (Bowery location)
price: on sale 2 for $8, regularly $5.99 per box (2 patties per box)

YumVeggieBurger review #135

The Best Thing I Ate This Month That Wasn't A Veggie Burger

Vegan Mac & Cheese Balls.
Yup, you read that correctly. Crispy, deep-fried balls of vegan mac & cheesey goodness!



AMAZING.

My friend Michelle and I have been on the hunt for our new go-to vegan comfort food spot, ever since Foodswings (R.I.P.!) closed.  We had eaten at the Wiliamsburg B.A.D. Burger location before - and I even reviewed one of their veggie burgers a couple years ago (here's the link to that review, although the beet burger is no longer on their menu now - but they have two other veggie burgers, which I should go back and try soon!). B.A.D. Burger's menu is awesome, because almost anything on it can be made vegan upon request. I had a hard time believing this when I saw the mac and cheese balls on the menu - but sure enough, the waitress assured me they could be made vegan!

And wow, there is nothing healthy or good-for-you about these deep-fried appetizers, but they were so worth it! We also ordered fried avocado slices and vegan chicken fingers, which were all equally amazing, but the mac & cheese balls totally stole the show.

B.A.D. Burger
171 Avenue A
between 10th & 11th Street
New York, NY 10009
212.477.7727
Second location in Williamsburg – check website for address

Peekskill Brewery

This past Memorial Day weekend, I stayed in town and took a couple day trips out of the city instead of going away for the whole weekend. One of those day trips was an excursion to Blue Mountain Reservation, in Peekskill, NY.



I spent several hours exploring the hiking trails – they weren’t terribly strenuous and did not involve enough elevation gain to provide many scenic views, but they were pleasant (aside from the numerous mosquitos!). The reservation is only a couple of miles from the Peekskill train station, and an easy walk if you (like me) do not have a car but want to get out of the city for the day!



And after an afternoon of hiking, a pint (or cocktail, if you’re also like me and do not drink beer) and a meal at the Peekskill Brewery is the perfect end to the day.



Especially since their menu includes a vegetarian falafel burger (the patty is vegan, but the bun is made with milk, and the toppings include dairy-yogurt).



The bun was delicious – soft and fresh, slightly sweet, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It was so flakey and fresh that I wondered if it was possibly even homemade.

The lettuce and quick-pickles were nice and crisp, a very smart and refreshing choice to go with the heartier, fried falafel patty. The menu said the toppings also included yogurt and harrisa sauce, but I honestly did not notice any yogurt, unless it was completely soaked into the bun by the time the burger arrived at our table. The spiciness of the harrisa was mild and not too noticeable, but was a subtle hint of flavoring.



The patty was not as dry as I had feared (I’ve had some less-than-stellar experiences with falafel patties in the past). Definitely house-made, it had a nice, moist consistency on the inside; and the outside was fried to a crunchy crisp. The whole thing held together very well and did not fall apart as I ate it. But for some reason the falafel mixture (a nice blend of mashed and still-whole chickpeas) had far too many chunks of still-mostly-raw white onions in it, giving the patty an overly-strong onion flavor.

Service was very slow (it took the waitress awhile to even take our orders), and the prices were comparable with NYC (I suppose they get a lot of people coming up from the city on the train, so they can get away with charging city prices for the food and drinks). But having good drinks and food after a day out hiking in the sun is such a satisfying feeling, and I would definitely return again if I’m ever back up in Peekskill.

Cost: $14.00
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 3       Bun: 4      Toppings: 4

Peekskill Brewery
47-53 South Water Street
Peekskill, NY 10566
914.734.2337



YumVeggieBurger review #134

Best Veggie Burgers for Grilling on the Barbecue Grill

Sometimes the best-tasting veggie burgers are just too mushy and crumbly to cook on a barbecue grill. I love those burgers when I'm cooking them on the stovetop or when they are served to me at a restaurant! But I also love to use my barbecue grill. I've learned from trial and error that some veggie patties are just too soft to grill - and will fall to pieces and land in the coals if you aren't careful!

So what veggie burgers should you consider buying if you are hosting or invited to a barbecue this Memorial Day Weekend? Here's a list of the brands I have bought in the past that seemed to hold together well enough to throw on the grill:

Gardenburger Black Bean Chipotle Burgers

Vegan.
These are one of my favorites for grilling - I'm a big fan of black bean burgers, and the spicy southwest flavor is great. If someone told me veggie burgers were bland and tasteless, I'd definitely offer them one of these to change their mind.

Amy's California Veggie Burgers

Vegan.
A very healthy-tasting patty with a savory, nutty flavor (the ingredients include walnuts).

Quorn Vegan Burgers

Vegan. Soy-free.
These have a faux-meat texture, but don't try to imitate the taste of beef (thankfully). Held up well on the grill, just don't overcook them!

Morningstar Farms Asian Veggie Patties

Contain eggs and diary.
I don't know why I haven't reviewed more Morningstar patties (add that to my to-do list), but honestly all of their flavors would probably hold up well on the grill - they have a firm, faux-meat texture. These ones had a nice sweet-and-sour flavor, but if you are looking for a more traditional flavor they have a variety to choose from.

Don Lee Farms All Natural Veggie Patties

Vegan.
I haven't been to Costco in awhile (don't have a car, so haven't felt it would be worth it to buy a membership) but a couple years ago a friend of mine had a membership and I bought this huge pack of 14 patties - which were actually quite tasty! Definitely the most economical veggie burger option out there, they're full of chopped up vegetables, not faux-meat. Just be gentle flipping them on the grill, as they can get a little soft, but they still hold together well enough if you are careful.

Gardein Beefless Burgers

Vegan.
These come the closest to imitating "real burgers", in terms of look and texture, of all veggie patties that I have tried so far. I found the flavor a little bland, but I know lots of other people enjoy them. Plus, half the fun of making burgers is piling on the flavorful toppings, right?

Courage Burgers

Vegan.
Courage Burgers are a bit different from the other patties listed here - they taste more like faux-chicken than faux-beef, but I liked the flavor - so if you're more in the mood for something reminiscent of chicken, these could be a good choice. And although I did not cook them on a grill myself, they certainly appeared sturdy enough to handle such a cooking method - and the packaging said "grilling is highly recommended"! (as always, just be careful not to overcook since veggie burgers dry out quickly on the grill!)

Will you be barbecuing for Memorial Day Weekend? What are you planning to cook on the grill?

Peacefood Café Downtown

I first visited Peacefood Café's original location in the Upper West Side years ago, and had a delicious meal then. Since they opened their downtown location near Union Square, I have stopped by frequently to pick up delicious vegan baked goods – including Peacefood’s version of the Cronut.



On one of my trips to pick up some pastries, I noticed a sign advertising a veggie burger as their daily special. Dismayed that I had just eaten lunch, I asked an employee how often the veggie burger appeared on the specials. She told me that it was available every day, they just hadn’t added it to the official menu (yet?). Delighted, I made plans to return as soon as possible.

When I came in for lunch a few weeks later, I did not see the specials advertised anywhere. The printed menu still makes no mention of the veggie burger, and my waiter did not say anything about the specials when he arrived to take my order. Nervously, I asked him if the veggie burger was still available. “The Vegan Cheeseburger? Yes that’s one of our daily specials.”



I was slightly less enthused when I asked if the patty was homemade, and the waiter informed me that it was not (he said he thought the brand was Gardein). Gardein is not my top pick for store-bought patties; But once my burger arrived and I started eating it, I realized the necessity of a very firm patty that held together as well as Gardein’s faux-meat does, because Peacefood’s burger was positively LOADED with toppings!



Lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions, avocado, pickles, jalapenos, sprouts, a tangy sauce, and vegan cheese (I’m pretty sure it was Daiya). Yum! I love a good combination of toppings like that! The bun was a slice of focaccia bread, which was a surprise, and my first time eating a veggie burger on focaccia! While it was a bit large for the patty and toppings, I had to admit that it was tasty – but unfortunately it was also very oily (ask for extra napkins!)

While it was not the traditional vegan cheeseburger I had expected, it was a creative concept, and quite filling (it did not come with any sides, but my stomach was satisfied enough that I did not need them – although I did stop to purchase a cookie from their bakery display case on my way out.



As I exited the restaurant, I noticed the sign outside which I had missed on my way in, which advertised the daily specials:



That ramp/stairs combo that leads to the door provides access from opposite sides, so anyone walking up the ramp instead of the stairs was equally likely to miss the sign, and I did not see the specials listed anywhere inside. If I had not been looking for it, or known to ask about them, I would have missed out on the veggie burger entirely. I hope my waiter was just forgetful, or having a bad day – and that customers are usually informed of the specials before they place their orders. It would be a shame for people to miss out on a veggie burger just because it’s not being advertised well!

Cost: $14.50
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Burger patty: 3       Bun: 3      Toppings: 5

Peacefood Café Downtown
41 East 11th Street
between Broadway & University Pl
New York, NY 10003
212.979.2288
Second location in the Upper West Side, check website for address – although I don’t know if they offer the veggie burger special, so make sure you call ahead to ask!

YumVeggieBurger review #133

YumVeggieBurger on Pinterest

Who else uses Pinterest? 

I'll admit, at first I was cynical about it - "Isn't that just for girls obsessed with planning their imaginary weddings to men they haven't even met yet?" I thought, jaded internet-user that I am.

But in the past year I've come around, and now it's my guilty pleasure.  I use it to "pin" everything: books I want to read, clothes I wish I could buy, gift ideas for friends and family, and recipes I want to try (but you still won't find any fantasy wedding pins amongst my boards, don't worry!).

I even created a whole Pinterest board just for veggie burger recipes that I'm dying to try at home one day when I have the time...  (cue laughter).  I love using Pinterest as a way to keep track of recipes I want to try (not just veggie burger recipes, too) - especially because I can view my Pinterest boards on my phone at the grocery store when I am buying ingredients, or at a friend's house when I want to try a new recipe but don't have my binder of printed recipes with me.

You can follow all my boards here, or go straight to the veggie burger board here if you'd like (disclaimer: I have not tried any of these veggie burger recipes yet, so I cannot vouch for how well they turn out.  But there are some exciting ideas in there - let me know if you try any of them!).

And I admit, I love the social aspect of Pinterest - I've gotten some great ideas from seeing what my friends pin on their Pinterest pages.  So let me know if you are using Pinterest too - I'd love to follow you on it!  
This post is NOT sponsored or requested by Pinterest at all, they don't even know about this blog - I am just addicted to fun internet things and want to follow more people so I can see more tasty vegan/vegetarian recipes pop up on my Pinterest feed.

YumVeggieBurger on Pinterest

p.s. if you can't get enough social media in your life, YumVeggieBurger is on facebook and twitter as well!

Dallas BBQ

Full disclaimer: I was reluctant to come to this restaurant in the first place. Vegetarians normally avoid places with “BBQ” in the name, unless they know those places to be the rare exceptions that offer good vegetarian/vegan bbq options (those do exist, and they are wonderful when you can find them!). I am also not a fan of patronizing cheesy chain restaurants in the middle of Manhattan, but that’s a whole separate rant…



Anyway, I felt somewhat better about dining here when I saw the “’New’ Southwest Black Bean Veggie Burger” listed on their menu. Although the staff seemed confused when I asked if it was vegan (“Yes, it’s vegan” – “So there’s no dairy or egg in it?” – “Um, wait, let me check…”), I eventually was able to find out that the black bean patty is vegan, although the bun it is served on contains dairy. It also comes topped with shredded cheddar cheese, unless you request it without, as I did.



I chose yellow rice as my side dish, and was presented with this huge pile of rice that spilled over onto the burger! The burger came with a little dish of salsa to top it with – which wasn’t a bad idea, but the shredded lettuce beneath the patty was just mediocre iceberg lettuce.



The bun was pretty average – fresh, toasted, and covered in poppy seeds. But the patty itself was surprisingly better than I had expected. It was a mixture of beans and corn, possibly with some peppers or other veggies too, and had a nice spicy flavor to it. Crispy on the outside, but a good texture on the inside, it held together well and did not fall apart as I ate it. Probably not made in house, but still much better-tasting than I had anticipated!



Although I was pleasantly surprised that the burger patty tasted as good as it did, the rest of the restaurant experience was even worse than I had expected – this place is noisy! And we were surrounded by tables of other customers who were literally shouting at each other like it was a wild frat party. Not that I was expecting a fine-dining experience or anything, but I was hoping to be able to eat my meal without being so annoyed by everyone else nearby!

I’ll definitely try to avoid ever having to come back to this place, but at least I can happily inform you that if you are a vegetarian and you ever find yourself obliged to eat here, there is a decent veggie burger for you.

Cost: $8.99
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Burger patty: 3       Bun: 3      Toppings: 2

Dallas BBQ
132 2nd Avenue
between St. Mark’s Place & 9th Street
New York, NY 10003
212.777.5574
this is a franchise with multiple locations in NYC, check website for addresses

YumVeggieBurger review #132

The Green Radish Food Truck - Update!

I first reviewed the Green Radish food truck last summer (you can read my review from that visit here). As I mentioned then, they were sold out of the black bean burger, so I had a chickpea burger instead. It was great! But ever since, I’ve been dying to go back to try the other burger (plus, I wanted to try their now-famous donarts).



I don’t usually end up working in midtown, or having time off that allows me to go to midtown on a weekday, but finally the stars aligned and I had a meeting near Bryant Park the other day, so I excitedly hurried over to the Green Radish’s parking spot on 38th Street and Broadway afterwards (coincidentally, the same location I had visited them at last time – although their location varies from day to day).



When I stepped up to the window to place my order, I learned two things: 1. I was in luck, and they had not sold out of the black bean burger yet! And 2. They had revised their menu since my last visit, removing the chickpea burger (RIP) and the mushroom burger. Now the only burger they serve is the black bean one – but they assured me that it would be delicious! (and everything on the menu is still 100% vegan)



They were right – this is a really tasty burger! The toppings really pack a flavor-punch: “melted onions” (not sure what that means, but they seemed like really soft caramelized onions to me) with a generous spread of avocado puree and one of the best spicy mayo sauces I’ve ever had. Yum! That is a winning combination of toppings.



The whole wheat bun was soft and fresh, although one side had gotten a little soggy from all the toppings by the time I walked a few blocks back to Bryant park and found a spot to sit down and enjoy my lunch – so make sure you don’t have far to travel if you are ordering this burger!



The patty itself was surprisingly light-colored compared to most black bean patties I have seen, so I’m guessing there are more ingredients than just beans in it. And it was well-seasoned (especially appreciated after my recent encounter with an under-seasoned black bean patty!).

Make sure to ask for extra napkins though – this is definitely one of those messy burgers! The patty is quite soft and falls apart as you eat it, and the toppings could not be contained by the bun. So if you were in Bryant park on Wednesday afternoon, I apologize if you witnessed me stuffing my face with a veggie burger while my fingers were covered in onions and mayo in a very un-ladylike fashion (it was worth it, though!)

Luckily, even after that great burger, I still had room for dessert…



The friendly guys from the Green Radish convinced me to try all three flavors of their donarts (described on their menu as “a baked donut/tart” and proclaimed by Refinery29 to be “the new cronut”). Even a dessert-lover like myself could not eat all three in one sitting though, so I ate the cinnamon donart as my after-lunch treat, and brought the others home (ostensibly to share with others, but honestly I just ended up eating them myself. No regrets!).



Yum! I think the cinnamon might have been my favorite flavor, although I loved the raspberry and chocolate too when I ate them later. I have a special place in my heart for cinnamon donuts though.


Isn't it great that it finally feels like Spring here in NYC???

Cost: $11.00 for the burger (donarts are $5 each)
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 4       Bun: 4      Toppings: 5

The Green Radish
Parking in various locations around Manhattan, check their Twitter feed or facebook page for current location.
917.512.1599

YumVeggieBurger review #131