For my follow up New York installment (you can read – and drool over – my first adventure here,) I really wanted to visit Hangawi, a Korean vegetarian restaurant, on 32nd Street. Unfortunately, the evening I went I was with a large group and they were completely full. So…they suggested we walk four blocks to their sister restaurant, Franchia.
We sampled a little bit of everything. First, Lotus Leaf Tea…
Followed by Vegetable + Soy Meat Dumplings.
Vegetarian California Roll made with vegan crab.
And Sizzling Spinach Noodles, a very unique dish of fried noodles, spinach and soy chicken.
Everything that I tasted was very good, but I was especially impressed with their Sushi. I love adding vegan crab to give veggie sushi a bit more substance.
Red Bamboo is a cute little restaurant on West 4th Street that was completely full on a Monday afternoon. The menu is a mix of southern comfort food and traditional Asian fare. (Editors note: Many locals call Red Bamboo the ultimate conversion spot for non-vegans.. where else can you get a vegan milk shake, philly “cheese” steak, wings, and fries in the middle of the village and trick the most obnoxious of meat-eaters?)
I started with the Dragonfly Dumplings, which were filled with cabbage, carrots, vegetable protein + vegetarian shrimp on top of a mixed green salad. The soy dressing that comes with it was great with the dumplings, but for the salad I ordered a side of their carrot ginger dressing, which you can never go wrong with. The dumplings were incredible – the vegetable protein and veggie shrimp gave them a great texture and wonderful flavor.
Their Almond Coconut Chicken is served with a sweet chili sauce and it’s a great meat substitute. It’s crunchy and salty with a touch of sweet, and extremely filling…I could only eat two of them.
I love to stop by Organic Avenue anytime I’m in the neighborhood. Their lemonade is THE best lemonade. It’s made with lemons, limes, agave, ginger and salt. They also have pre-made raw food and juices, along with several juice cleansing programs that I’m dying to try.
I first discovered Maoz in Amsterdam. It’s a completely vegetarian falafel restaurant with the most amazing toppings. You can order your falafel in a salad or in a pita, and use their toppings bar to customize it. My toppings of choice include hummus, fried eggplant, broccoli, tomatoes and cucumbers, pickles + tahini. Their broccoli is so good that I had to ask how they prepare it – it’s flash fried and sprinkled with salt. They also have Belgian or sweet potato fries…the Belgian fries are extra crispy.
There are several in Manhattan…I frequent the Union Square and Upper West Side locations. Plan on taking yours to go if you’re at Union Square, there aren’t many seats.
This visit I stopped by Cocoa V for the first time. After tasting their chocolate cake, I cannot fathom a trip to NYC without stopping here. Everything is fair trade, organic and vegan.
They have all kinds of chocolate truffles, candies and baked goods.
Can you believe this? Vegan chocolate truffles in every flavor you can imagine…heaven.
Truly, this chocolate cake was incredible. My step son shared it with me and neither of us could get enough of it. He seriously enjoys chocolate and is not vegan, so the fact that he loved it says a lot!
I featured Teany in my last NY post, but dessert only. This visit, I had my favorite sandwich, Chicken Salad with lettuce and tomato.
And since they serve Vegan Treats, my dad and I could not resist the Raspberry Vanilla Cheesecake. This cheesecake blew my mind. I would dare anyone to pair this against a traditional cheesecake…it would win hands down.
And what trip to NY would be complete without visiting Candle 79, a world renowned vegan restaurant.
Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.
Fried Dumplings with Seitan, Shitake Mushrooms, Baby Bok Choy and Sesame Ginger Soy Sauce.
Vegetable Nori Rolls with Avocado Wasabi, Chipotle Aioli and Tamari Ginger Sauce.
And Angel’s Nachos – Corn Chips, Cheddar and Mozzarella, Tomatoes, Refried Pinto Beans, Chili grilled Seitan, Guacamole, Salsa and Sour Cream. I simply cannot resist Vegan Nachos. It doesn’t matter what else is on the menu…I just have to have them. These were some of the best I’ve tasted.
And if you’re ever strolling through Central Park…
And you spot the Good to Go Organics cart, you’ll be happy to know that they sell several vegetarian hot dogs.
The Smart Dog is vegan, however, the Smart Sausages contain eggs. I believe they used to be vegan, but unfortunately they started adding eggs to some of their products.
I was thrilled to be able to enjoy a hot dog from a street vendor for the first time. I like mine with ketchup, mustard and raw onions.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my New York food adventures. I adore this city and everything that it offers. There are endless vegan/vegetarian options here. I hope you’ll take my suggestions and let me know about your own experiences. Happy exploring!
