I’m kind of obsessed with the new Adele song, River Lea (I bet you thought I was going to say Water Under the Bridge), but I think it should be called Riverdel because MAN does this place deserve its own song. In case you don’t know, Riverdel is a (new) gourmet vegan cheese shop in Brooklyn, New York and it will make all of your fancy, schmancy, vegan cheese dreams come true.

Because if you’re reading this you’re probably a vegan genius, you may have already surmised that they carry an enormous variety of vegan, artisanal cheeses, as well as non-dairy yogurt and nut milk–all of which come in versions made in house. In addition, they carry fresh bread, crackers, and the like: vehicles for said cheese, as well as freshly prepared sandwiches.

It seems that there is always a generous sampling going on, so you’re likely to have the opportunity to try a brand or flavor new to you. I tried the housemade smoked “Billy,” as well as the Sichuan Pepperberry from Cheezehound; both were phenomenal. Also super impressed by the clearly marked “clean” and “used” toothpick receptacles; this place does not miss a detail.

Half of the shop is dedicated to a finely curated array of gourmet foods–kind of like those European fine foods shop that lure you in with the promise of vegan items until you run out of patience for the drudgery of the hunt (note to Riverdel, please start carrying Vivani).

According to their website, they hope to eventually add wine and local beer to their repertoire, so there’s that too.

I really can’t think of any better way to sell this refined shop other than to tell you that it’s filled with all of the yummy things people think they’ll have to live without if they go vegan. Suckers!

A new, fast casual pizza shop called 1000 Degrees Pizza opened in NJ over the summer and I couldn’t help but to get excited, even though I knew they wouldn’t have anything for vegans (you can stuff your cheeseless pie up your nose). It looked really enticing; I’m all about “build your own,” but I mean I knew they wouldn’t have anything for vegans. My vegetarian mom suggested we go in and ask, but the thought of asking a mainstream chain if they had a vegan option, let alone if they knew what vegan meant was daunting; plus I knew they wouldn’t have anything for vegans. So this vegan curmudgeon went home to eat a box of Earth Balance cheddar squares and sulk.

Not long after they fortuitously showed up in my Facebook feed, so I sent a direct message into the void of direct messages and waited for them to either ignore me or tell me they didn’t have anything for vegans. And then this happened:

They answered me within minutes with an obvious and clear understanding of what vegan means. OMGOMGOMGOMG a vegan option in a suburban vegan desert!

I hightailed it right over and was not disappointed. I mean, I was a little scared; it does look a tad like you’ve just stepped into hell…if hell had a fast casual, build-your-own pizzeria.

But, it was a hell with Daiya vegan cheese, a great mainstream option for pizza. 1000 Degrees Pizza keeps the Daiya curiously unmarked over by the veggie section, so while you do have to inquire about it, there is no need to worry that the cow shreds will accidentally contaminate the vegan shreds.

Do I have to say my vegetarian mom was right? She was right! I’m the first to suggest you should always ask about vegan options (and be prepared to patiently explain what they are) as a form of dining activism/spreading the vegan word, but I don’t always take my own advice. What can I say? I’m super lazy and even more curmudgeonly. Let this be a lesson to me.

The first episode of The Bearded Vegans that I listened to was #4- most likely because it was simply what I clicked on at a stoplight a few minutes into my hour plus commute. I’d subscribed a day prior after Andy from Compassion Co. posted about it on Instagram. I’m a serial podcast listener with little patience; I rely on them to amuse and enlighten me for at least 3 hours a day, so I don’t have time to waste on uninteresting babble and don’t give second chances.

A few minutes in to the episode I had to stop listening. Over the course of the previous two minutes, I’d listened to the beards, Andy & Paul, succinctly communicate the exact theory I’ve been trying to live (and blog) by representing an authentic vegan life and resisting hero worship. It was so profound to finally hear someone else clarify what I’ve touched upon for years that I listened to it a few more times (4:07 – 5:52) before having to stop myself from transcribing the diatribe and scrawling it across the walls of my home.

The rest of the episode contained even more riveting discussion that touched upon things I’ve been thinking and/or talking about for years: supporting vegan companies and businesses vs. non-vegan, Daiya, and- via their interview guest Toni Okamoto of Plant-Based on a Budget, how incensing it is when puritan vegans can’t remove the sanctimony out of their ass long enough to enjoy a picture of a chocolate-chip cookie without whining about the evils of salt, oil, sugar, GMOs, and BPA cans for a freakin second! But, I digress.

The Bearded Vegans podcast is described online as follows:

The Bearded Vegans finds hosts Paul and Andy in a discussion dissecting
all things vegan. News, reviews, interviews and in depth discussion of
issues within the vegan community are regular features of the show.

I’d say it’s like like having a candid conversation with your vegan friends- with the exception of having them hear you when you’re talking back to them. Commuting is hard y’all!

Even if you don’t fancy yourself a listener of podcasts, I really recommend subscribing to The Bearded Vegans. I don’t imagine I’ll always agree with them, but I am operating under the assumption that they’ll always make me think.

First things first: by CHLOE, the new fast casual restaurant by cookbook author/ Cupcake Wars winner/ all around adorable and talented chef Chloe Coscarelli, OPENS TODAY! So, if you’re in or near the West Village (corner of Bleecker and MacDougal), know that the first 50 people in line get a free burger, but EVERYONE gets a free cookie. My top pick is the chocolate chip pecan, but feel free to make your own decision; I’m not the boss of you.

We’re barely an hour in and I’ve already managed to eat my way through half the menu. For starters, I take back what I said about being over veggie burgers; the by Chloe classic burger is a tempeh-lentil-chia-walnut patty with pickles, onion, beet ketchup, and special sauce on a potato bun and it is phenomenal: all of the good things you might associate with fast food and none of the bad. I’d also highly recommend the mac n’ cheese with a sweet potato-cheese sauce and shiitake bacon, the kale artichoke dip, and the air baked french fries with chipotle aioli: all huge winners! Wash everything down with a cold-pressed juice such as the merry prankster: watermelon, prickly pear, apple, lemon, and sea salt, or choose from their extensive assortment of chilled, hot, or adult beverages. Salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, brunch, sweets, juices, smoothies, cocktails, and ice cream…everything is 100{ae720e0b436026f867bfa0c31185c2252a138f27e85f5f152ec5acc1c10a8cc9} vegan, kosher, and house-made daily; you can eat in (on awesome trays) or take out from their huge grab & go fridge. I’m especially looking forward to taking advantage of their take-out window for the times when a certain vegan pooch is in tow and I can’t barge right into the resto.

Presumably because she has a soft spot for pooches, by Chloe also offers menu items for the canine set: choose from peanut butter dog treats or pupcakes: organic, whole-oat K9 cupcakes dipped in carob in order to be an uber-popular human like me.

Can’t say enough good things about this beautiful new space: the staff is welcoming and enthusiastic and you’ll appreciate all of the attention to detail- big and small. A great big Vegansaurus congratulations to Chef Chloe and her team for making this happen; wishing you eons of success! I’ll let by Chloe have the last word with their tag line: “Eat well. Dream Big. Keep it vegan.” 

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to their kickstarter, V-Spot opened in Manhattan last weekend! We went, of course, and we ate a little of everything:

• kale tostada: crunchy grilled corn tortillas topped with raw kale, black beans, avocado slices, V-spot salsa, and grated vegan parmesan.
• Colombian empanada: packed with potato, carrot, onion, corn, cilantro, and latin seasoned seitan.
• maduro
• arepa con todo: topped with melted vegan mozzarella cheese, fresh salsa, guacamole, black beans, and ground seitan carne molida.

The space is beautiful: a nice mix of organic and industrial with a modern, inviting vibe. 

So happy to see this all-vegan spot in it’s new home (and hoping that the outdoor seating means that it’s dog-friendly???).

Two locations and counting! Congrats, V-Spot.