Tag: vegan

Categories
concert/event festival vegetarian

Bushwick Block Party 2012

Dang, they really worked on making this year’s Bushwick Block Party bigger than before –more space for food vendors and getting Andrew WK to headline. This time they even had a security check to just get into the block (21+ and no outside drinks). I would say it was more of a mini festival to sell stuff than an old fashion block party.

Getting in wasn’t bad at all. I was at the front of the line in about two minutes. It was funny watching a girl pout because security wouldn’t let her in the re-entry without a wristband. She stood there for so long pouting, when she could’ve just got in line …and it was only about ten people long.

The line to get into Roberta’s was insane though. I think there was a dance party. I didn’t try to touch it. Although, I did get into the beer line and that was crazy long too. There was only one beer tent in that area. I felt like it was a 30-40min wait. At least I made friends in the line.

There was barely a line for the Porta-Pottys, which is strange because where did everyone pee after they drank all those beers?

I bought a plate of Vegan Ethiopian food at the Bunna Cafe stand. They do pop-up events and venues around NY, but this is the first time I’ve seen them. It was really good. I was standing there a little drunk and wondering why my fingers were so messy, then realized, oh yeah I ate with my hands.

I saw the Wild Yaks and I always love them. Also got some Andrew WK action at the end, but he got cut off by the police in the middle of his hit song and pulled off stage by security …as you can see in this video.

Categories
bar/drinking

V Spot’s Vegan Empanadas

I came back to the Littlefield show after my awesome Fried Clam Sandwich from Littleneck. I wanted to see Summer Twins from California. They had cute girls in the band. I thought I got there just in time for them to start, but it turned out to be the last note in their set. So nothing to do but drink until we play. I remembered rambling on about Tebow with the Summer Twins. I’m not sure they knew he was.

Park Slope’s Vegan restaurant, The V Spot, set up an empanada stand. Shonali gave me a Black Bean Empanada. It was really good. Jasper went to get one and almost got the Philly Cheesesteak , but then realized they were vegan. He felt they should give you more warning first. I likened that to a guy making out with a girl who has a pee-pee. It might be awesome, but full disclosure, right?

I tried the Philly Cheesteak Vegan Empanada at the end of the night when they gave the last few away. It wasn’t so bad. It was stuffed with Seitan. Not as good as the Black Bean one though.

V Spot - 156 5th Ave (btwn St. John’s & Lincoln) Brooklyn, NY 11215

Then this band, Madam Trashy, rocked it like Soundgarden/Alice in Chains.

Jeff noticed that I was the only guy to play less than five strings on the bass all night.

Categories
vegetarian

Soul Vegetarian 2 (Atlanta, Georgia)

Day 7 of the Shonali Bhowmik tour: Jeff, the band’s vegan, let me try his BBQ Seitan (fake meat) from Soul Vegetarian next door to the hotel. I don’t really get it. I figure if you’re repulsed by meat, then why would you eat something that tries to taste and look like it? Like I wouldn’t want to eat mock dog butt? …or would I?

Well to be fair, Jeff didn’t think the mock meat was all that great either. Soul Vegetarian …interesting idea though.

Soul Vegetarian 2 - 652 N Highland Ave NE. Atlanta, GA 30306

Categories
vegetarian

4 Course Vegan – Underground Brooklyn Dinner

Aaron & Kristy came into town and we all went to this underground gourmet vegan dinner in a some guy’s apartment. $40 for a four course dinner …came with a bonus two courses.

I couldn’t believe how spicy it was. I’d like to think I’m a tough guy, but it certainly hit my limits of what I can handle. The watermelon with the tiny sliver of jalapeño was mind boggling spicy. I’m thinking it was because the water helped spread the heat in my mouth. I have to try this at home. Similarly, the Avocado Dumpling with Lemongrass Broth and Red Chile Garlic Paste –the liquid possibly intensified the heat. The spiciness was awesome for me. Made me sweat. I loved it. I just don’t understand how other people can deal.

I was skeptical going into dinner because it’s vegan. But if no one ever told me it was, I probably wouldn’t have noticed. Nothing trying to act like meat. Although, there was a ravioli which I thought was stuffed with ricotta cheese, but it was a cheese made out of cashew. Again, I wouldn’t have noticed. It was just good food. I was impressed how Chef Matteo is able to cook, plate and serve around twenty people at one time all by himself. And he didn’t turn his nose at me for bringing Miller High Life (BYOB) …although it is the champagne of beers.

4 Course Vegan – http://www.4coursevegan.com

Categories
restauranting

Vegan Slices at Vinnie’s Pizzeria

Zzalgern0n, the guy who brought you the Cherpumple Pie-Cake video, stopped by New York on his way to shoot a doc in Africa. He’s very particular in what he eats –a vegan that doesn’t eat much vegetables. He took me late at night to Vinnie’s Pizzeria in Brooklyn, where they have vegan slices and a Tom Hanks “T.hanks” trash bin. Zzalgern0n seems think it’s a landmark …the trash bin that is.

Vinnie’s had different outrageous looking slices of vegan and non-vegan. I was tempted at the multi-colored Tortellini slice, but went with the popular (according to them) Black Bean, Avocado & Feta slice. Zzalgern0n got the vegan Buffalo Chicken and Black Bean slices and a fake ham roll. It was weird, but I liked his vegan pizza a lot more than my non-vegan one. I don’t get it. …I only get T.hanks.

Zzalg’s bro IMed the next morning and asked if I hung with the Zz. I said:
Zzalgern0n and I went to an empty bar last night
They had a dog there
He ate vegan pizza…
Zzalgern0n ate the dog
bahwhwhwhwa …Thank you. I’ll be here all week.

Vinnie’s Pizzeria – 148 Bedford Ave (btwn N. 8th & 9th St) Brooklyn, NY 11211

Categories
homemade recipe

Vegan Vegetable Crock Pot Stew

I felt the need to take a break from meat. Here’s my take on a Vegan Vegetable Crock Pot Stew.

– 2 red potatoes
– 1/2 Spanish Onion
– 3 branches of celery
– 1 large thick carrot
– 2 slices of ginger
– 2 cloves of garlic
– salt, pepper, thyme
– medium can of diced tomatoes
– can of vegetable broth (2 cups) …which apparently provides no nutritional value according to the label. You’re just getting it for the flavors.

Chopped it all up and put it in the crock pot on low for 8 hours while I went to work. I did have thoughts of the crock pot malfunctioning and burning down the building. And once I thought that, I accidentally dropped part of the casserole dish hard into the crock pot heating element. Now I really thought it would malfunction. All this thinking while I’ve been reading this book, The Intention Experiment –about scientific case studies of how thoughts and intentions can influence reality. So I stood around after I turned the crock pot, waiting to see if anything explodes, while I tried to think good thoughts of coming home to a non-burned down apt eating this stew. It seemed fine and I was late for work, so I left. As I locked my door behind me, I noticed the building management just put up a fire extinguisher in my hallway. The must’ve put it there that morning. Did I just blow your mind?

Came home and added about three tablespoons of corn starch to thicken it up. I strongly advise adding corn starch to some of the liquid in a separate bowl and whip it up. Then pour that into the rest of the pot. When I was little, I tried to thicken up a can of Campbell’s chicken soup. I kept pouring the corn starch into the pot and it wouldn’t thicken up. So I kept adding more but with no luck. I think I put in half the box. I still ate it.

Back to the veggie stew… I didn’t think it tasted good. I added some Adobo seasoning and Ketchup. Now it tasted a little better. What kicked it up a notch, was adding some Caribbean habanero hot sauce. And even better was adding some of Rusty’s queso-dip (bottle of salsa verde mixed with melted pepper jack cheese).

My Vegan Veggie Stew = C- …+ ketchup + Adobo = C …+ Caribbean habanero hot sauce = B- …+ queso-dip = B ≠ Vegan

…We ate this while watching the BSC Championship last night. Russ blamed me for Texas losing because I had thoughts of them screwing up during that botched shuttle pass that led to an Alabama defensive touchdown.

…and now Jeff just asked if I want to participate in a Vegan focus group as I write this post out. And it’s way out on Ave J close to Di Fara’s pizza. My thoughts are manifesting in front of my eyes.

Categories
restauranting travel

Pure Luck – Vegan Food in L.A.

As soon as we entered Los Angeles, Zzalgern0n took us to one of his favorite restaurants, Pure Luck. Vegan food always sounds like a turn-off, especially for a guy like me who loves liver and eats pig ears and blood sausage. However, I gotta say this meal was pretty darn good… for vegan. Zzalgern0n was telling me how instead of using soy based mock meat, which I despise, they use jackfruit for a pork substitute. That sounds odd, right? I’ve never had jackfruit, but I’ve seen it in Chinatown and they’re huge-ass fruits.

I got the vegan BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich made with this jackfruit and I couldn’t believe it. It was a really good substitute. Looked liked pulled pork, although smothered in BBQ sauce and we were eating outside at night. But most importantly, it tasted almost like pork/carnitas …as much as it could for something that wasn’t and was a fruit! It fell apart quite similar to strands of pulled meat. I couldn’t believe it. I have a newfound respect for vegan food. I’m not a hater anymore …although I’m probably not going to be looking for a new vegan restaurant anytime soon. Just saying. I eat cow tongue.

Pure Luck – 707 N Heliotrope Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90029

Categories
burger lunch

Curly’s Vegetarian Lunch

I always wondered why a vegan/vegetarian would want to eat mock meat that is made to look and taste like animal. I wouldn’t want to eat mock fried human fingers …or real human fingers I guess. Anyways I got the 1/2 rack of mock BBQ ribs. I was hoping it would taste like meat, but it was more like packed cereal with BBQ sauce. I guess vegans/vegetarians wouldn’t know the difference. Everyone seemed to love Jody’s Buffalo Cheeseburger. They ate half of it for him.

Then we went shoe shopping and to keep with the Vegan theme, Krista got a Vegan chocolate chip brownie at Whole Foods. It was good and dense.

Curly’s Vegetarian Lunch – 328 E 14th St, New York 10003 (btw 1st & 2nd Ave)