A Lotus Grows in Harlem


Afternoon Wisdom
January 30, 2010, 4:13 pm
Filed under: Photography, Quotes | Tags: , , ,

“Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it.”

–Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Photo by whiskeybravo on Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.



Peacefood Cafe, Vegan Done Right
January 24, 2010, 9:54 pm
Filed under: Bars/restaurants, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: ,

PeaceFood Cafe is a recent addition to the vegan panorama of the Upper West Side in Manhattan.

Patrons are greeted at the front by a large case of treats, from cakes and cookies to cinnamon buns, muffins and brownies. Some casual seating is across the counter but, in back, is a slightly more cozy atmosphere, where I recently had dinner with a friend.

I did previously visit PeaceFood just a few weeks back, but it was only to quickly grab some take-out treats for dessert (after a meal at the well-known and much ballyhooed Cafe Blossom, which is virtually just around the corner — it was the waiter there who sent my companion and I over to Peacefood due to his restaurant’s dearth of dessert options [more on the wonderful Blossom meal another time]).

dumplings

The first thing that struck me about PeaceFood was how simple the menu was. There are only a few options for salads, sandwiches and sides, but that was plenty, and each one sounded intriguing. They also have daily specials, many tea and drink options, and, again, lots of tasty treats for dessert.

I’m a sucker for a good sandwich — it’s comfort food — so I had the roasted Japanese pumpkin with caramelized onions and walnuts. A trifle messy, they serve it on toasted whole spelt rye, which helps keep it together. The menu states these sandwiches are “adapted from Urban Spring Cafe, and are Best Sandwich Winners in the 2008 NYC Vegan Guide.” No surprise.  It was unusual and yet seemed like a simple idea — and it was absolutely delectable.

Chickpea fries

I also gave two side dishes a try; both were topped with alfalfa sprouts, which actually worked as more than just a green decoration for the presentation but truly complemented the dishes: The Shanghai-style dumplings were definitely good but did not necessarily standout in any particular way, and the chickpea fries, which have a look and consistency similar to zucchini sticks. Instead of a red sauce, these “fries” come with the “house dipping sauce” (a white sauce, which seemed to have a slight dill taste to it). They melted in my mouth and were a surprisingly and impressively yummy treat!

I also sampled a hot cider and soy drink, which was lovely and, for dessert, took home several sweets: A chocolate cupcake, which was very rich but not too sweet; the icing was very good. An oatmeal raisin cookie, made just the way I like them — thick and very soft. And what they called a “magic cookie.” This was a sweeter cookie with miniature chocolate chips, tiny carrot pieces, and a few other bits and pieces all put inside a near giant-size cookie that I liked far more than I expected to.

Pumpkin sandwich

The only downside to PeaceFood is the service. Finished with my meal, my waiter brought to the table next to mine menus, then their four waters, and, soon, their appetizers, all whilst I patiently waited for the bill.  The entire staff, although extremely friendly, fun and nice, seems terribly discombobulated. There looks to be no real system to how they help the patrons, leaving those waiting for their bill, waiting for a while, while those standing at the counter are wondering which person — if any — is going to have a moment to help them.

The night I was there, they had no less than seven people working, and each one of them seemed crazed and even a little confused. The place isn’t big enough for seven people to be that addled. They (mostly) remained friendly, but it was clear this staff has not been properly trained; the management needs to create a better system to help these people work better as a team. Once they do, this will be a highlight of vegan eating in NYC.

Overall, though, some of the absolute best food I’ve had in a long while, vegan or no, presented in a nice, laidback space, with reasonable prices. (Sun In Bloom, take note: This is how a vegan cafe should be!)

Photos taken by cellphone, hence the quality.


Best Way to Sugarcoat Your Tongue
January 11, 2010, 1:28 pm
Filed under: Bars/restaurants, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , ,

Display case o' vegan goodness at Voodoo Doughnut

 One thing I loved immediately about Voodoo Doughnut upon entering their tiny storefront during my recent trip to Portland, Oregon, is that they spell “doughnut” correctly. Over here in Dunkin’ Donuts territory, I sometimes feel the word is in danger of losing its silent letters forever, à la the commonplace and ridiculous spelling of “drive-thru.”

Typical cloudy Portland day—perfect for doughnut comfort!

Ahem. Grammatical considerations aside, I was excited to go see the selection of vegan doughnuts at Voodoo, a mecca for hip kids and drunkards (as it’s near a lot of late-night bars in downtown Portland) as well as for vegans tired of missing out on fluffy, sticky, delicious sweetness. Midday on a Thursday (Christmas Eve, actually) the line for Voodoo snaked not quite out the door and the air was thick with the scent of sugar.

Now, Voodoo is the kind of place you go for the novelty, really. With a bacon-draped maple bar and doughnuts festooned with Fruit Loops and crushed Butterfingers, the point here is as much the entertainment value as it is the flavor. My brother and mom selected six regular doughnuts (although there’s nothing much normal about a giant chocolate doughnut dredged in Oreos) and I asked for an assortment of six vegan ones.

My vegan assortment: grape, orange, maple, oh my!

We spent the next couple days sampling the doughnuts little slices at a time, because there’s really only so much fat and sugar that’s appealing to an adult before you start craving an apple or some nice steamed broccoli. In general, I’d say the vegan doughnuts were so-so. My assortment included cake and glazed varieties, one with what tasted like grape Pixy Stix powder on top, a couple with blah vanilla glaze and sprinkles, one with what appeared to be (and tasted like) orange crayon shavings, and one maple-glazed (with which you can never go wrong!). Maybe Voodoo puts too much emphasis on the sugary glaze and toppings and not enough on the taste and consistency of the dough itself. Or maybe I’m just not a sweets fanatic.

Still, I definitely recommend stopping by Voodoo if you’re in the Portland area. Next up I need to get my hands on some Mighty-O “Donuts”(!) from Seattle. And am very much craving a vegan version of apple cider doughnuts (one of my favorite treats ever!) so let me know if you’ve a line on where to get them!



Sun Rising on Bergen Street
January 9, 2010, 1:11 pm
Filed under: Bars/restaurants, Park Slope, Vegan, Vegetarian | Tags: , , ,

Sun in Bloom is the new incarnation of what was previously Organic Heights in Brooklyn. The vegan cafe just opened on what I’ve called the “Brooklyniest block in Brooklyn,” on Bergen Street between Fifth Avenue and Flatbush. (A Babeland, a comic-book store, an upscale hot dog shop, a chic maternity boutique–everything that hip, bougie Park Slopers could ever want.)

I went to Sun in Bloom last night, and had a somewhat mixed experience. They are obviously just getting off the ground, as the signage in front still says Organic Heights and their cold cases are fairly empty. No bakery items as yet.
The proprietor Aimee was very attentive and friendly, asking customers’ names and making sure they were happy. One complaint is that despite the cafe’s emptiness, it took a long while to get my food.

I had the “Rockin’ Veggie” wrap, which featured live hummus with a base of zucchini instead of chickpeas, which Aimee said makes it “fluffy.” It mostly consisted otherwise of red cabbage and sprouts and honestly was a bit lacking in flavor. Prices were not listed on the menu, and I was surprised to be told the wrap cost $8.50, or $9.25 with tax. I’m all for paying for quality, but I think that price is definitely high for what you get. The menu also includes juices, breakfast items, and “make your own miso,” as well as rueben that sounds pretty tasty.

Overall, I’ll give them high marks for friendliness, but the food was so-so and overpriced, and the ambiance, as it was with Organic Heights, is a bit austere. Here’s hoping they improve with time.



Portland Preview
December 29, 2009, 10:20 am
Filed under: Bars/restaurants, Photography, Vegan | Tags: , , ,

Had much vegan deliciousness and interesting experiences in Portland, Oregon, over the past week! Soon as I get over the shock of returning to near-zero temperatures in NYC I’ll post photos and write-ups of:

  • The trials of my omnivore-friendly Christmas feast
  • Why Voodoo Doughnuts is overrated
  • Thoughts on the vegan mini-mall
  • And more! (I’m not sure what the “more” will be, but it will definitely be extra words and photos sure to delight! :) )

 

Photo by my brother Steven a couple years ago. No, it did not snow during my trip but I’ve always loved this image and it looks holiday-ish. See more of Steven’s wonderful pics at his website.



Merry Christmas, Everyone!
December 25, 2009, 10:43 am
Filed under: Quotes | Tags: , , , ,

Today is a brilliant reminder to appreciate those you love and to open your heart to love of all in the world around you!

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.”

–Calvin Coolidge

Photo by robotgoboom on Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.



Holiday Wishes for All!
December 23, 2009, 12:53 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , ,

We’ve just passed solstice and begun the time of year when the sun begins creeping back up in our skies.  To celebrate, I’m sending out warm thoughts and mistletoe kisses to all you marvelous Lotus Brooklyn readers!

Photo of mistletoe by harold.lloyd (won’t somebody think of the bokeh?) on Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.



Don’t Be Alarmed, Folks
December 21, 2009, 5:20 pm
Filed under: New York miscellany | Tags:

While I might not have power over my travels (and yes, am still stranded at JFK but trying to remain positive) I have wrested control of Lotus Brooklyn back from the slightly insane but well-meaning and fun-loving hands of The Cockroach. And for the time being I’m leaving his silly posts up, because at least he made the effort to touch on veganism and … um … leaves? Do I really talk about leaves so much? Just for that, I’m publishing the following photo of the hijacker. All I can tell you is he is one of the gentlemen in this photo. And he may or may not be hijacking the other fellow’s car. (Or helping to shovel out, hard to tell.) Face obscured to protect the possibly innocent.

Do wish me luck in my travels, please. I could use it. Also, everyone wish The Cockroach a happy late Chanukah, early Christmas, and late late birthday. Cheers!



Everybody clap your hands if you believe in fairies (hijack III)
December 21, 2009, 4:52 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized
No, this isn’t a GLBT post.
Carrie M. is still grounded at the airport. If all of her readers clap their hands and wish and believe … perhaps she’ll be able to fly once more.
Oh…Go Veg!


If a plane stalls in the woods, can anyone get me a new flight? (another Hijacker post)
December 21, 2009, 3:37 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized
So, it seems Carrie M. is stuck at the airport. This confuses me.
I understand Washington D.C. might be a hub (mostly for in-the-closet Republican leaders and lethargic Dems), but you’d think in this day and age, the airlines would have a computer program ready to go that could help re-route people in a more orderly fashion.
As it stands, it’s sort of like a pot luck party. Or a key party.
Now, lessee if I can break into Carrie’s Twitter account….
Oh wait, I haven’t said anything about veganifying the world. Um… stop using paper, you’re destroying the forests and there’s not going to be anymore bears if you destroy the forests, and with less bears there’ll be more fish. And with more fish…we’ll, er, be able to feed the world.  Damn….
OH! But you shouldn’t even be eating fish b/c they have a right to their lives as much as you do! Yeah, you stink on ice! Here’s a vegan recipe I found:
http://www.recipezaar.com/Vegan-Golden-Vanilla-Cupcakes-302367
Personally, I’d much prefer pretzels covered in dark chocolate.  Now, I’m sure some pretzels aren’t vegan, due to the kind of sugar used and the like, and some dark choc. isn’t vegan either. So please read your labels before making these and sending them to me via Carrie M.  Thank you.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2179547_chocolate-covered-pretzel-rods.html

The Cockroach.