New York

Brunch at AbcV /  by Ace Pai

Brunch at abcV, chia bowl, steamed tofu, dosa

AbcV is, hands-down, my favourite spot to have brunch in Manhattan. It's a trendy place, so it's somewhat difficult to get a reservation on Saturday/Sunday if you don't book a couple of days ahead. However, lots of people still come in to wait for a spot at the bar (aka me). Every non-vegan friend that I've brought to this place has loved it and told me that it had transformed the way that they think of veg food. 

But this is how plant-based food should be, not processed faux meat or artificial cheeses but rather fruits and vegetables that nourishes and energizes the body. The menu at abcV is diverse, and there are lots of options to choose from savoury or sweet, but the dosa with coconut yogurt, avocados and sprouts is something I can't help but order every time I return. If it's your first time at AbcV, my two must haves are the Dosa mentioned previously and the fresh steamed tofu. 

** If you are vegan, make sure to mention that to your waiter because some dishes contain dairy and/or eggs but many dishes can be veganized (e.g. the dosa and steamed tofu both contain yogurt but can be made vegan by replacing with Coconut yogurt)

 
 

The sweet potato brunch bowl is also a warm and filling savory dish that is exclusive to the brunch menu. If you're craving something spicy, the beluga lentils drizzled in a special home-made chili oil is a great choice. For something flavourful and aromatic, try the fried wild rice with winter veggies. On the other hand, if you're looking to try something more 'uncommon' go for the slow roasted beets that seems to be a vegan version of 'carpaccio.' These dishes, however, are also available on the lunch and dinner menu. 

My must haves for the sweet brunch items are the vanilla chia bowl and the wild blueberry bowl. The vanilla chia bowl is very fresh and light but also filling because of the chia seeds. The wild blueberry bowl is equally tasty but more dense due to the peanut butter. Unless you're reaaally craving pancakes that day, I would pass on the vegan einkorn pancakes. 

 
“In America, breakfast is always too sweet, too heavy, too much bacon. We wanted to create much more savory recipes. When I was in Asia, I tried congee, dosa, and these things blew my mind. So we decided to offer something really new." 

For dessert, the matcha creme brûlée is divine; so creamy and rich. The salted caramel chocolate tart was good but the tart crust was too hard to cut into. The one item the I would say to avoid ordering from the brunch menu is the vegan pastry basket. As tempting as it sounds, the mini croissants are just too small to work and the muffins are a bit too sweet for my personal tastes. If you would like to try those items, a much better alternative would be to come for breakfast on Monday to Fridays where they have full sized plain and chocolate vegan croissants. 

Have you ever brunched here? What are your favourite dishes that you think I should try? Let me know in the comments below! 

 

My Must Haves & Must Avoids

Savory must haves: Dosa with coconut yogurt, Fresh steamed tofu.

Sweet must haves: Vanilla Chia Bowl 

Items to avoid: Vegan pastry basket

 

NYC | In Search of: Vegan Icecream - Van Leeuwen /  by Ace Pai

One cold January day, a friend and I decided to go for some icecream. We had both studied in Italy half a year ago and I had just gotten back from Florence (without getting the chance to eat gelato) so the icecream craving was strong. I suggested Van Leeuwen, a name I know of from the non-dairy icecream shelves of Wholefoods and a video I once saw on Facebook. 

I have tried their pistacchio pints before and I absolutely love the creaminess and the strong flavour of the pistacchio but I had heard that they offered special vegan flavours in their shops so I knew that I had to go and taste them for myself!

The new vegan flavour out at the time (available at all locations) was Planet Earth. The blue “ocean” is made of spirulina and has an almond flavour while the chunks of matcha cakes make up the green “land.” It was an interesting combination that I’ve never seen elsewhere. In my opinion, the almond flavouring was a bit artificial tasting but I enjoyed the matcha chunks. I didn’t quite like it at first taste but it grew on me and now I occasionally crave this weird flavour while studying.

This definitely is something that I don’t think is for everyone. It’s probably a flavour that kids won’t love either. However, I think you should be the judge of that yourself ;) as it is apparently pretty popular and has been sold out at certain locations that I’ve been to.

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The other new vegan flavour that came out around the end of March was Dark Matter, a homage to Stephen Hawkings who had passed away on the 14th. The beautiful black colour comes from blending activated charcoal with its cashew milk and coconut cream base, chucks of vegan honeycomb candy are then folded in to add a nice crunch. The result is a wonderful flavour that is, in my opinion, similar to toasted coconut. 

Since my last visit, Van Leeuwen has come out with another new vegan flavour (horchata, I believe) that I have yet to try. When I do get a chance to, I will make sure to update this post! In the mean time, you should head on over to Van Leeuwen to try these vegan flavours for yourself! 

My Top 5 Veg Restaurants in Manhattan /  by Ace Pai

(In no particular order)  Price Reference is at the bottom of the page                     

ABCV 

E 19th St, New York, NY, 10003  (Flatiron)                                                               

Price: $$ - $$$

interior of abcV, a vegan/vegetarian restaurant, by Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Located between the Flatiron and Union Square Park, abcV is the definition of whole foods plant-based cuisine. It is a refreshing take on vegan/vegetarian food in the US where processed vegan food are favoured and often used. Vegetables and legumes are the stars of the dishes as they do not use any mock meats or cheeses. The dishes are light, colourful, fresh and creative. Their ingredients are "plant based, non GMO, sustainable, artisanal and organic whenever possible."

 

"abcV is here to serve, inform and inspire a cultural shift towards plant based intelligence, through creativity and deliciousness."

My personal favourites for brunch are the dosa with avocado & coconut yogurt and steamed tofu. For dinner and lunch, the grilled Donko Shiitake, Green Chickpea Hummus and the Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric-tahini and Pistachios. As for dessert, finish off with the Matcha Crème Brûlée. For a more detailed post on AbcV check out my separate post on Brunch at AbcV.

*Reservations are recommended  (212) 475-5829                                                                                     

Mon-Fri 8:00-10:30, noon-15:00, 17:30-22:00   

Sat/Sun 11:00 -15:00, 17:30-23:00                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

JAJAJA PLANTAS MEXICANA

162 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002  (Chinatown)

Price $ - $$ 

Jajaja plantas mexicana, best vegan mexican food in Manhattan New York City

TACOS. Need I say more? But seriously, these vegan tacos are just as good, if not, better than regular tacos, taste wise and health wise. Instead of serving tacos with meat and dairy alternatives, all the food here are prepared with plant-based ingredients; you won't find any faux meats or Daiya cheeses here. With these naturally colourful dishes at a reasonable price point, Jajaja is a great place for friends to grab a bite together.

 

"There's a stigma about vegan cuisine and vegan food, and we're trying to do something against the grain -- something that’s still delicious” - Koorosh Bakhtiar, co-owner

 

My must haves for starters are, hands down, Nachos with extra guac. It is so good that everyone, vegans or non-vegans loves it. I once heard an older lady at the next table (who was clearly not vegan), say to her vegan daughter "wow this tastes better than regular nachos!" As for the Tacos, my top three are the Mezcal Mushroom, Palm Carnitas and Buffalo Flower. My go to dessert is the Raspberry Trisome Cheesecake which is very light and refreshing.

*No reservations, only walk-ins     (646) 883-5453

Sun-Wed 11:00-23:00    Thur-Sat  11:00-24:00

BEYOND SUSHI

W 37th St, New York, NY 10018 (Times Square)

Price: $ - $$

Beyond sushi at west 37th street, vegan sushi restaurant in NYC

I'll admit, I was a little skeptical when I first heard about Beyond Sushi, after all what's sushi without fish? Sushi was one of my favourite foods before I went vegan and all the vegetable rolls I've had didn't give me quite the same satisfaction. However, after my first bite of beyond sushi I understood why it's so popular even among non-vegans. It is a modern approach to traditional sushi with ingredients like black beans, artichoke, chickpea, sun-dried tomatoes, etc. They've expanded their menu at the w 37th st sit down location with more delicious items like Sunchoke Farro and Eggplant pictured below. 

 

"Beyond sushi is the pioneer of the plant-based sushi movement. A 100% vegan eatery that celebrates the flavours and beauty of locally-sourced seasonal produce"

My personal favourite rolls are La Fiesta, Chic Pea, and Sunny Side. Keep your eyes out for the seasonal roll as my all time favourite roll was the seasonal roll of last fall/winter which was made with coffee-roasted Kabocha Squash! All the dumplings are amazing but Smokey Tom is always my go to.

*No reservations required, Beyond Sushi also has a pick-up/delivery app

(212) 564-0869

Mon-Fri 11:00-21:30    Sat/Sun: noon-21:30                                                         

(hours may vary for different locations, above are the hours for w 37th st loc.)

AVANT GARDEN 

246 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036 (East Village)     

Price : $$ - $$$

Avant Garden in East Village, vegan fine dining

This little eatery in East Village will make you rethink vegan food. Avant garden transforms vegetables into the main event of the evening with combinations that hit just the right spots. All the dishes are created with whole foods rather than meat or dairy alternative. The seemingly simple menu is in fact dynamic and bursting with flavour. It is a little gem for those looking to have a more refined and upscaled vegan dining in New York. 

 

"Avant Garden’s dynamic menu couldn’t have arrived at a better time, as New York diners are hungry for more upscale meatless options. This is excellent food that just happens to be vegan. " - Michelin guide

My must haves are the Celery Root, Roasted Carrots, and Broccoli for the hot dishes. Any of their signature toasts are great but my top two are the Sunchoke and the Cremini Mushroom.  As for dessert, they don't have a set menu but for the two times that I've tried their dessert of the day, (olive oil cake and white truffle ice cream with pistachio cake) as good as they sound, they were the least exciting dishes of the meal. 

*Reservations are highly recommended (646) 922-7948

Sun-Thur  17:00-22:30      Fri/Sat  17:00-23:30

P.S. KITCHEN

246 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036  (Hell's Kitchen)     

Price : $$ - $$$

I've only been to P.S. Kitchen twice, both times for brunch and the french toast so I can't comment much on the lunch and dinner experience. However, after my first time there, I knew I had to include it in one of my top fives because of their concept:                                                                           

1. Creating jobs for those marginalized in New York
2. Donating 100% of profits to sustainable charitable work locally and overseas.

I'm usually not a big fan of sweet things but the french toast was not too sweet, very soft and had lots of strawberries (which I love). Again, I rarely eat fried things but the Truffle Fries were very good and had me wanting more. So props to them for getting me to want to eat things I usually would not eat. 

 

"PS Kitchen dishes out sophisticated vegan fare using fresh, organic ingredients."

Although my first experience at P.S. Kitchen was great, I'm sad to say that the food was not on par the second time I was there. The French toast was over done and not fluffy and soft like the first time. My friend's match waffle was also too hard and we both struggled to cut into our food (which is not fun). While most of the reviews are good, it seems that there are times when the food can be a hit or miss. I will, however, return for dinner as most people speak more about the dinner dishes than they do about the brunch dishes.  

*Reservations are recommended (212) 651-7247

Sun-Wed 11:00-23:00       Thur-Sat 11:00-2:00am  

Price