Vegan Mofo: The New York Vegan 100

There have been different '100' lists floating around for about a year now, but Melissa Bastian of New York in Green, created her own Vegan 100 for our humble city, New York. Being a New Yorker myself, I decided to post it all here for you, with additions of my own at the bottom of the post.

Melissa says this:
'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!'

The ones I have eaten are in red, for clarity (and flair...). So without further ado... here we go!


1. cornbread at Angelica's Kitchen -Mmm, the Angelica's Cornbread is the best. And it's not even corn! I have made it :)
2. the Zen slice at Viva Herbal (2nd Ave) - Oh yes.
3. lemongrass seitan on rice vermicelli at Lan Cafe - I have only been to Lan once and did not have this.
4. cake batter soft serve ice cream at Lula's Sweet Apothecary - - What?! No. Grrr.
5. Vegan Treats' Peanut Butter Bomb cake - Yes... it happens to be Frank's favorite.
6. the "Penny Lick" at Penny Licks - Sadly, no. I deprive myself of dessert.
9. coconut tofu soup at Pukk - no again...
10. camarones y coco at Vegetarian Paradise 2 - I will not try something vegan that I never liked omni.
11. crab rangoon at Red Bamboo - see above.
12. medu vadi at Madras Cafe - Mmmm... Madras...
13. dinner at Hangawi - It was supposed to happen, but it has not happened yet.
14. wings at Foodswings - I've had them fried and grilled, but I'm much more all for the grilled ones. There are better though...
15. vegetarian combo at Awash - I have never been to Awash. Someday.
16. nutmeats from Bonobos - Mmmm.... Bonobos... one of the best go-to staple restaurants of all time. The sundried tomato Macadamia nutmeat is superb.
17. sunflower lentil pate at Sacred Chow - I have only had the breakfast sandwich. It was tasty!
18. white chocolate wonderful peanut butter from Peanut Butter & Co. - Amazingly sinful.
19. Sweet & Sara marshmallows with toasted coconut - too expensive for a random treat, and I'm not a huge marshmallow fan.
20. ginormous lollypop from Dylan's Candy Bar - I am afraid of going in there and being eaten by children.
21. seitan scallopini at Blossom - For my birthday! Excellent!
22. baked veg meat bun at Buddha Bodai - No. As you can see, I don't eat out much.
23. Thanksgiving dinner (prix fix) at a vegan restaurant - No, I Thanksgiving is always at someone's house.
24. fresh apple cider at the Union Square Greenmarket - Oh yes.
25. "turkey" salad from Sunen Foods - No...
26. red sonjas at Mundo (in Astoria) - I have not been to this restaurant, but if they have vegan items and I happen to be in Astoria, then I will try it.
27. sausage roll from Vinnie's on Bedford - Grrr... I say every time that I am going to try it, but I haven't. Get a Vegan Farmer's Daughter pizza and don't tell me that I didn't warn you.
28. a dragon bowl at Bliss on Bedford - The best simple comfort food ever is the one at bliss and the one at Angelica.
29. a Red Bamboo soul chik'n sandwich purchased at the Bamn Automat - have not been to the Automat.
30. ravioli of the day at Caravan of Dreams - We ate at Caravan during a recent raw detox, so no ravioli
31. spaghetti squash spaghettini at Counter - Counter is not liked by Frank, so now I have never had this dish.
32. some teeny tiny ridiculously overpriced "entree" at Pure Food & Wine- Intrigued, but scared of spending 200 dollars.
33. ramen at Souen on 6th - have never been.
34. dumplings at Franchia - no...
35. the vegan panini at 'sNice - Yes. Very tasty.
36. chocolate hazelnut ice cream at Stogo - I have tried it in sample form... that counts, right?
37. a falafel pita with way too many crazy toppings at Maoz - Falafel is dangerous, so now I have not.
38. black sesame sweet tofu (soft serve) at Kyotofu - no... I'm boring...
40. an Ess-a-Bagel bagel with their tofu cream cheese - Not Ess-a-Bagel. The bagel store on Bedford or on Metropolitan. Multigrain everything with sundried tomato cream cheese will blow your mind.
41. brunch at Curly's Vegetarian Lunch - This was a staple for a while... we all liked it.
42. grits and a sake bloody mary at Old Devil Moon - missed out before they closed. Plus, I don't do grits.
43. peanut butter and banana sandwich at Think Coffee - Nope.
44. bad service with an attitude at Kate's Joint - Oh yes. Can we say 2.5 hours to spend in there, 1.5 of it waiting, for a meal for three?
45. Melissa Bastian's veg lasagna and red velvet cupcakes - I have never had Melissa's. But I've made my own, and I like them.
46. a fig and almond cake purchased at Dean & Deluca, the big one on Spring Street - no, but I like figs AND almonds.
47. pulled sugar candies from Papabubble - I still have not ventured in.
48. bean curd and broccoli from a Chinese takeout place that has lightup pictures on the wall of its main entrees - slightly frightening to me.
49. a plate of goodness from Veggie Castle - I've been here how long? Too long? Yes. Veggie Castle? No.
50. beers at the Brooklyn Brewery - It's 10 minutes on foot from me! Yes, all the time!
51. seitan satay sticks at Tien Garden - I think Frank has ordered them. I definitely know their amazing sauce.
52. zucchini fries at the Organic Grill - The menu to here turned me off because they have too many eggs on it.
53. Sake lemonade at Goodbye Blue Monday - I have never been because it's annoying for me to get to, even if it *is* technically in my neighborhood.
54. lhasa momos at Tsampa - no...
55. dinner with 4 course vegan - not yet, but soon.
56. a burrito from Benny's - Yes, they are quite great!
57. a vegan meal at one of Flushing Chinatown's veg restaurants - Yup. Before Macca at Citifield.
58. a pleasing experience at House of Vegetarian - Not yet
59. shark fin soup at Vegetarian Dim Sum House - A) I have not been. B) see answers to veggie seafood questions earlier on.
60. rice at Rice - Yes.
61. omusubi at Oms/b - No, I did not even know about this place.
62. pakora at Seva - Have not been.
63. bread from Balthazar bakery - Mmm... yes, I have had their bread. It's amazing.
64. Vegan Drinks at Angels & Kings - I say I'm going every month, and then I never do.
65. something accidentally vegan at Zen Burger - Once again, have not been.
66. the vegetarian appetizer combo plate at Bread & Olive - I used to pass by there all the time, does that count?
67. that funky triangle of tofu sitting in soy sauce from a bodega salad bar - GROSS.
68. Entenmann's individual apple pie (the kind in a little paper pouch) - Yes, but not for years now.
69. fresh fruit and/or vegetable juice from a juice cart on the street - Not from on the street...
70. knishes at Yonah Schimmel - One of my favorite Old New York experiences.
71. the "Elvis" (peanut butter and banana) at Papa's Empanadas - kill me, that sounds amazing...
72. a soft pretzel from a cart on the street, with mustard - Ufnfortunately, I have tried a bit someone elses'. Horrible.
73. nuts for nuts! - no.
74. sorbet from Caio Bella - Mmmm... very good.
75. cornmeal crusted tofu at Spring Street Natural - Oh yes! It was fantastic.
76. mango slices that have been arranged on a stick to look like a flower in bloom - I have always wanted to walk around with a mango bouquet...
77. zeppoli from a street fair - not since I was a kid, and never in the city.
78. funnel cake in Coney Island that you watched them fry - no.
79. pommes frites from a paper cone - no.
80. the Mexican chocolate milkshake at Curly's - I did not even know they served this... it's been a while
81. the Bandeja Paisa at The V-Spot - Yes! Well a bite of someone else's, anyways. It was great!
82. an accidentally vegan falafel, rice, and chickpea platter from a Halal food cart - no/
83. Thai iced tea at Pukk - not at Pukk, but at Wild Ginger. Excellent.
84. ice cream cookie sandwich at Stogo - not yet.
85. V-Spot empanadas purchased somewhere other than V-Spot - I had my first taste for free at the Veggie Pride parade.
86. pasta with marinara in Little Italy - A very good thing...
87. Quinoa pasta at V-Spot - not yet...
88. a slice of vegan cake while waiting for a band to start playing in the basement of Cake Shop - I haven't had the cake, but I've seen the bands and had the coffee. All in all, a good experience.
89. your breakfast on the subway - Sometimes... if a Larabar or Raw Revolution counts.
90. a picnic in Central Park - I have done that with just me.
91. dark chocolate bark from The Chocolate Room (Park Slope) - no.
92. black coffee from the bodega- One of my strict rules: No Bodega Coffee.
93. a soy hot chocolate from Oren's Daily Roast - Have not been.
94.mango maki at Tanaka - see above.
95. dim sum at Buddha Bodai - no...
96. pierogi in or from Greenpoint - Considering that it's my stomping ground, yes! Sauerkraut and Shroom are the best! And they should never cost more than 3.50 or have nasty preservatives in them.
97. a cheeseless pizza or Siciliana from Rizzo's -no.
98. marzipan from a bakery in Astoria - Not from Astoria, but from Fortunato Brothers! Best coffee, marzipan, and sorbet around.
99. a soy latte from the Starbucks on Roosevelt Island - I have actually worked there, so yes.
100. lunch pieced together from the salad and hot food bars at the Food Emporium beneath the 59th Street Bridge - not that FE, but one close by


THE END. I am going to add the following in:
Iced Coffee from Caffe Capri on Graham Ave
Hemp Latte at Beaner Bar on Graham Ave
Green Juice with a wheatgrass shot added in from Earthmatters
Borscht in Brighton Beach
Beer on the LIRR or out of a paper bag during Siren Fest at Coney Island
Any meal / dessert at Rockin' Raw on N. 8th
Raw pizza from Adelina on E. 17th st
the vegan carrot raisin cookie from the Union Square Green Market
vegan rugelach from Lily's homestyle bakery
Going into Sahadi's, spending 30 dollars, and walking away with nuts, olives, etc to last for months
Dinner at Vatan
Peanuts, chips and salsa, Lone Star, and bands at Rodeo Bar
Vegan White Russians
Bella Vegan Milkshake from Foodswings
Bread from Sullivan St. Bakery (better if you've made their no knead yourself, right after it appeared in the NYT)
Juice at Liquiteria post Yoga To The People yoga session
Pickles, Sauerkraut and pickled green tomatoes from Guss' on Orchard
Eating only 1 brownie from Babycakes