The LA SV HQ packed-up the ol’ Prius and headed north for the holidays. We ate a lot of truly delicious things along the way. Here’s our foodiary:

First stop was Sunnyvale, CA. We celefeasted at Great Vegi Land, whose owner stayed open late just for us, so we ordered half the menu! This is the kind of vegan restaurant that also abstains from onions and garlic, two of my favorite things:

Top row: Hot & Sour Soup, Tofu Clay Pot, Mao Pao Tofu With “Fish”
Bottom row: Dry Salted String Beans, Veggie Beef With Black Pepper Sauce, Kung Pao Veggie Chicken

We sandwich’d at Ike’s and then tweeted with the man himself about getting a location for ourselves in LA:

Vegan Captain Kirk, Vegan Pilgrim, Vegan Chocolate Chili Banana Cookie From Cake Monkey

We ate until all the food was gone at Merit Vegetarian, my fav:

Spicy Delight, Mocha Chocolate Cake, Strawberry Cheese Cake, and Vietnamese Crepe

We left Sunnyvale and continued north to Hiouchi, where the food paled in comparison to the trees. We went on a hike through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and found Grove Of The Titans, a secret trove of trees the size of skyscrapers.We actually had a couple other dishes, but they were so good I forgot to photograph them!

That’s SV mascot Argon, a XL dog.

Then our pilgrimage to vegan Mecca began: PORTLAND!

We had sweet and savory vegan waffles from The Heart Cart:

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Banana, Coconut Waffle, The Heart Cart, Gravy & Kale Waffle

We were Hungry Tigers Too!:

Spicy Wings, Corn Dog Basket and Portland Scramble with Biscuits and Gravy

We had Chili Pie at The Bye And Bye:

And a Brussel Sprout Bowl, too.

We had approximately 4 doughnuts each at Voodoo Doughnut:

Check out some video of their revolving doughnut display of doom!

We finished-out 2012 with two exceptional meals, the first was at Blossoming Lotus:

Potato Leek Soup, Crispy Thai Wrap, Whiskey Ginger BBQ Sandwich

And the second was at the dimly lit and hard to photograph Bamboo Sushi:

310 Roll (marinated fried tofu, roasted peppers, cucumbers, asparagus and yamagobo wrapped with avocado and sweet shitake glaze), PDX Roll (tempura shishito pepper, smoked pickled asparagus, pickled shitake, pickled red onion garlic tofu aioli and shitake glaze– so hard to photograph, so delicious to eat), Coconut Panna Cotta in a Yuzu Sour Cherry Reduction and a Sesame Granola Tuile.

An amazing way to ring in the new year!

We started 2013 off right with some pizza at Sizzle Pie:

Apocalypse Dudes Slice, Spinal Tap Slice, Caligula Salad

And a new pair of kicks! Some Movmt sneakers while listening to MGMT courtesy The Shoe Store, which has a fabulous vegan footwear selection.

Sadly, we had to leave Vegadise (vegan paradise) and begin the long journey home. Don’t worry Portland, Jason and I will be back to eat the rest of you during the Vida Vegan Con in May! There was some emergency Taco Belling, but there was also this lovely Summer Harvest Salad (in the middle of winter) with oriental sesame dressing at the Black Bear Diner in Mt. Shasta:

And a tasty lunch at The Plum Cafe in Sacramento.

3 Baha Street Tacos, A Peanut Butter Creamy and an Entertainer, Award Winning California Burger and fries

And after approximately 80,000 hours in the car and one last run for the border, we made it home only to find that our waistlines hadn’t.

Eat anything amazing over the holidays? Let us know in the comments!

Heads up, Cheese Alternative Shoppers– you might be perplexed when looking for your favorite Galaxy Nutritional Foods product at the market starting later this week.

For some business-ey type reasons I don’t fully care to understand, Galaxy is renaming itself GO Veggie! (Yes, the exclamation point is included). I’m pretty sure this re-branding is going to make all the difference for them.

If you’d like to know more, go here and read on.

Remember that pizza I blogged about a few days ago? Well, it won! Two Boots Co-Founder and Owner, Phil Hartman* decided that our pizza pie plan was way better than a bunch of other vegan bloggers’ pizza pie plans.

You’ll be able to eat it for a week starting November 1 (World Vegan Day), Update: postponed due to Hurricane Sandy. We’ll post the new date once we know it.
and that day only they’ll be giving away free sample slices from 6pm to 8pm at all NYC Two Boots locations (except Park Slope, which is under separate, less-vegan-friendly ownership). They’ll also be unveiling some kind of eco-friendlier pizza box called the GreenBox.

Apparently they did separate East Coast and West Coast contests, and the retired-from-blogging-but-ha-no-not-really QuarryGirl won the West Coast. Congrats to her! But look out next time: if we’d known there were two contests, we would have tried to win both, because, if you hadn’t noticed we have an active and awesome Los Angeles bureau! (As of right now, Quarrygirl’s site is down right now, because she hosts it on Tumblr (I don’t mean to sound smug, my personal site is down for the same reason!))tumblr’s back up!

Here’s the official descriptions from Two Boots HQ:

Representing the East Coast (the pizza that will be served in our NYC stores) is SuperVegan.com!
Meet The SuperVegan: Artichokes, Vidalia Onions, Sundried Tomatoes and Daiya Cheese with Polka Dots of Basil Pesto on a Thick Sicilian Crust!

And the West Coast winner (whose pizza will be served in our LA locations) is QuarryGirl.com!
The Quarry Girl: Organic San Marzano Tomatoes, Shitake Mushrooms, Artichokes and Fresh Garlic with a Swirl of Basil Pesto on a White Cornmeal Crust!

I’d rather eat our pizza than her’s but we both like garlic, artichoke, and basil pesto, so that’s cool. And her spiral is really pretty! Wish I’d thought of that. And I’m pretty sure we didn’t have the option of organic tomatoes; that must be a Cali thang.

We happily deferred to Two Boots’s expertise in making a couple of modifications to the original design: instead of little letters of pesto, our pizza will have polka-dots, and instead of regular thin crust, structural concerns demand a thicker Sicilian crust.

For the picture, they wrote our initials on it GIANT STYLE. But the real pie will be dots.

–
* Not to be confused with the Phil Hartman peddling pizza here:

We got an intriguing offer from the PR department of the venerable “quirky” NYC-based pizza chain Two Boots. Two Boots has long been one of the best places to get a vegan slice, with their veggie-laden “Earth Mother” and more recently the “V for Vegan“, all tarted up with Daiya. They have lots and lots of non-vegan food, too, but Two Boots’s interest in serving more and more vegan food is highly commendable.

So, about that intriguing offer: they want to launch a brand-new vegan pie for World Vegan Day (November 1). And they’re offering a selection of vegan bloggers a chance to design said pie. If they pick ours, they’ll name it after us! I am not above doing a bit of PR for Two Boots if it means a good chance of being able to walk in and order a slice of the SuperVegan pie, with our logo on the label and all. And hey, even if we don’t win, more vegan pizza is a win for everyone.

My first thought was to make a vegan “meat-lover’s” pie, loading on as many greasy pink mock meats as Two Boots’s thick crust can support. I was going to name it “The Patrick Kwan“. But Two Boots doesn’t stock any mock meats and they told me they weren’t going to start just for this. (You might send them friendly e-mail suggestion, though.)

What was the best pie we could make with Two Boots’s available toppings? And what would make it distinctive enough from the “Earth Mother” and “V for Vegan”? The “Earth Mother” is basically a ginourmous pile of mild vegetables, and “V” is Daiya, artichokes, shitakes, red onions, basil and red pepper pesto. We’ve eaten plenty of both. But we can do even better.

One thing’s for sure, this SuperVegan pizza pie’s gotta be decadent. No vegan health-pie here. So we’re using the Daiya, loading on the fatty toppings, and skipping the whole-grain crust. And it can’t be too spicy. I can enjoy jalapeños all over a pizza, but too many people I care about wouldn’t go near such a thing.

Here’s the final proposal:

Vidalia Onion, Artichoke Hearts, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Garlic, Daiya, and Tomato Sauce, on regular white crust, with basil-pesto “S”s and “V”s scattered all over. You know you want to eat that right up. I sure do. I even have the conceptual diagram to prove it:

(Note to Two Boots; if the pesto-decorations are too labor-intesive, we’ll understand if you need to simplify a bit.)

Over in our bi-coastal SuperVegan Test Kitchens, we recently tried Galaxy Vegan Shreds, in two “flavors”, Mexican and mozzarella. So here is our Point, Counter Point style review:

Melting Point, Jason:

Do these shreds melt? Oh yes. They get good and molten, so feel free to enjoy recreating Mount Doom in your toaster oven like I did:

In addition to the pizza in that video, I also tried the shreds rolled up in Pillsbury crescent rolls, in mac and cheese, and on cheeseburgers. Worked dandy for all of them. it never got gooey in that way that I think a lot of people like their melted cheese to be. If you want gooey, shop elsewhere.

Counter Point, Andrea:

First, that’s not pizza. That is toast with ketchup and cheeese. That’s “pizza,” in a raw-menu-style co-opted way.

After first, this stuff melts, yes, but it’s 67% Daiya stretchy melt and 33% Tofutti slice oily melt.

Here’s a still photo of my actual, honest-to-goodness pizza with Trader Joe’s pizza dough, marinara sauce, Galaxy Mozzarella, a bunch of spices (list upon request) and marinated artichoke hearts. I also topped it with some Parmela. It was delicious.

Match Point, Jason:

Like when a new computer tablet comes out, the first thing everyone wants to know is how it compares to the iPad. So, how do Galaxy Vegan Shreds compare to Daiya? Well, they’re different. And that’s a good thing!

Galaxy shreds don’t have much taste. But if you’re as sick as I am of that distinctive aroma-de-Daiya, Galaxy shreds offer a welcome neutral. I couldn’t taste a significant difference between the Mexican and mozzarella; choose Mexican if you want white and orange. Choose mozzarella if you want white.

The package is resealable, which is a blessing. However, it took me a few weeks after opening it to notice its says to use it within 7 days. It still seemed fine. It’s a lot of cheese to eat in a week. But don’t blame me if you get sick.

The shreds are cornstarch-based, and soy-free, non-GMO, and hydrogynated-oil-free. And there’s no saturated fat (compared to Daiya’s significant 2g per 1/4 cup serving). Playing amateur food scientist, I’ll assume that this cornstarch is the reason these shreds are so, well, chalky before you melt them. To the point where they’re hard to work with and scatter all over the kitchen counter. The last ingredient is powdered cellulose, “added to prevent caking”. When do you need to worry about cheese caking? When it’s made of cornstarch, apparently! (Or when you’re making cheesecake, haw haw.) Anyway, not a problem when melted, but these are no good uncooked. But who eats uncooked shredded cheese?

(Galaxy also makes sliced and blocked cheeses, but those are soy based)

Counter Point, Andrea:

I already started making the Daiya comparison, jeez, it’s like you’re not even reading this, Jason.

But I will concede the following points: Galaxy shreds’ cup does not runneth over with flavor(s), the re-sealable packaging is an integral part of a more-than-single-use product lest the company support plastic waste, they last a lot longer than one weeks time (probably thanks to said re-sealableness), I also don’t want to be blamed for any sickness, and they are chalky like my 3rd grade teacher.

I disagree, however, that not having taste is a positive. This is a bad quality in both food and people. I could discern a slight difference in the two flavors, but I wish it was more than slight. A touch even. And I’m all for labeling flavors by colors, as seen by Slurpee’s “Blue” and/or “Red,” but those color-flavors have totally distinct tastes. And while white and yellow might not be that different on the color spectrum, they are on the cheese map. Cheeses are like people, each one has their specialty– things they should or should not be used for. I think the good people of Mexico would take umbrage with the monicker. And sick of Daiya or not, that is one thing they definitely have going for them– their newer flavors have their own flavor profiles; from the pepperjack to all the different wedge cheeses. And that’s what we want, right? Simulacrums of the things Regs eat? Unless you didn’t even like cheese in your pre-Vegan days, in which case all your arguments are moot. Awwww, snap.

In conclusion, we both agree that this new Galaxy line is leaps and bounds above their previous ones, a great option, and that you should try it for yourselves. To help, and in honor of Vegan Pizza Day this Saturday, the fine folks at Galaxy are giving away product coupons to three lucky readers! All you have to do is leave a comment (make sure you enter an email address so we can contact you if you win!) below and tell us what you’re gonna do with your bag of cheeese! Winners will be chosen on Friday and the rest of you can print coupons HERE.

This June 30th is not just the 22nd anniversary of my Bat Mitzvah, it’s also Vegan Pizza Day.

This is a glorious day where Vegans everywhere congregate in their local to distant pizza serving establishments and order up some pie topped with Freaky Cheese like Teese, Daiya, Galaxy, or Follow Your Heart.

To make it extra easy for you Vegalenos (that’s Vegan Angelenos) to celebreat (celebrational eating), I’ve compiled a list of all your options I can think of. Extra points to whoever goes to the most places in those 24 hours.

Cheezy Pizza
299 W Olive St
Colton, CA 92324
(909) 370-2644

Cruzer Pizza
This place is ALL Vegan ALL the time.
4449 Prospect Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 666-0600

800 Degrees
10889 Lindbrook Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(424) 239-5010

EVO Kitchen
offering 10% off all Vegan fare including pizza, beer, wine, brownies, sorbet, and etc.
7950 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 375-3390

Follow Your Heart
Specials TK, but, I mean, these people MAKE freaky cheese.
21825 Sherman Way
Canoga Park, CA 91303
818-348-3240

Fresh Brothers
Multiple locations Here’s one:
4722 1/2 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 823-3800

Hard Times Pizza
2664 Griffith Park Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
323-661-5656

Lenzini’s
5044 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 506-0200

Lucifer’s
1958 Hillhurst Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 906-8603

Masa of Echo Park
Offering 25% off all Vegan deep dish pizza
1800 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 989-1558

M Cafe
This is an extra special special with details TK
Two locations. Here’s one:
7119 Melrose Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90046
323.525.0588

Mohawk Bend
They are up to something…
2141 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
213-483-2337

Native Foods
Multiple locations. Here’s one:
9343 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 559-3601

Pitfire Pizza
Multiple locations. Here’s one:
801 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 544-6240

Pizza Cookery
Offering 20% all Vegan orders, and did you know that you can get vegan cheese stuffed bread rolls for free with your order? FOR FREE.
6209 Topanga Canyon Blvd @ Erwin St. 
Woodland Hills, CA

818.887.4770

Pizza Guru
No, Santa Barbara is not part of LA, but it’s on the list anyway.
3534 State St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
805-563-3250

Pizzanista
These people sell slices, if you’re on a diet or something.
2019 E 7th St
Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 627-1430

Purgatory
1326 E 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 262-5310

Tomato Joes Pizza
27732 McBean Pkwy
Santa Clarita, CA 91354
(661) 263-8646

Two Boots
1818 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 413-2668

Unique Pizza
180 S Glendora Ave
West Covina, CA 91790
626-593-1149

Urbano Pizza Bar
630 W. 6th St. Suite 116 B&C
Los Angeles, CA 90017
213-614-1900

Z Pizza
Multiple locations. Here’s one:
123 N Larchmont Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 466-6969

So tell everyone! Make an e-vite, spread the face-vent, meetup or however you do it. We want Vegans everywhere, attacking pizza, slice by xlixe. Can I get an Amen?

Have I accidentally left your Vegan Pizza serving establishment off this list? Or, would you like me to update your details with awesome special offers? E-mail me!

• Today is World Vegan Day! There’s no end to the things you can do to celebrate.
• Two Boots fetes us with a new pie called V for Vegan. It’s available by the slice today through Saturday, and ever after by the pie. Get to Avenue A tonight for a free tasting from 6-8pm.
• Gardein wants to spread the love too: You can win $500 and a three months’ supply of meatless meals by liking Gardein on Facebook, taking a photo of yourself serving Gardein to friends and family (with the package in plain view) and posting the photo on their Facebook page.
• Even The New York Times is getting into the spirit with a post about turkey-free Thanksgivings.
• In other news, New Yorkers for Clean, Livable & Safe Streets has an alternative to the carriage horse industry: fully electric, vintage-replica vehicles. I think that’s a swell idea. Donate to the cause here.

I spent the vast majority of this past weekend holed up in a hotel at 18th and Market in downtown Philadelphia for the annual National Lawyers Guild Convention. You know who we are. We’ve been around since the late 1930s—the radical alternative to the American Bar Association—but now you see us on CNN wearing fluorescent green hats while legal observing at the Occupy protests throughout the country. (We also run the Green Scare Hotline—1-888-NLG-ECOL—among a larger menagerie of projects.) So, yep, a bunch of vegan lawyers, legal workers and law students spent our days in panels and workshops and nights relaxing with (many) adult beverages. Little sleep was stolen. But, somewhere amid this panoply of activity, I found time to ride my bike every day to Blackbird Pizza on South 6th near South Street to consume their pitch perfect Philly Seitan Cheesesteak.

What makes this vegan version of the city’s namesake sandwich so appealing? First up: UPTON’S SEITAN! The seitan is just damn good. Now imagine it sliced incredibly thin and generously piled in ribbons on a chewy baquette. Add strings of grilled onions and green peppers, the cheese (it’s Daiya) and mushrooms, and you’ve got an incredible sandwich.

Here’s a pictorial that documents the evolution of my love for this sandwich (and Blackbird) over the course of three days:


Friday (I was so enthralled I almost forgot to take a picture.)

Saturday (Oh, the pizza is amazing, too!)

Sunday (I was so sad to leave Philly and my close proximity to Blackbird.)

Blackbird Pizza is located at 507 South 6th Street, Philadelphia.

Make it a point to learn more about the National Lawyers Guild and its support of the Occupy movement! In NYC, Guild members have been providing mass defense and other legal support (all FREE of charge) to activists since the late 1960s. Know folks who have been arrested at Occupy Wall Street? Tell them to visit www.nlgnyc.org or call 212-679-6018.

This is one of Supervegan’s posts for Vegan MoFo 2011.

The Legumes du Marché at DB Bistro Moderne, as tasty as they are pretty.

I’m assistant managing editor at a Big Fancy-Pants Magazine, and I have the corporate card to prove it. This means that occasionally I have to take people to lunch, at high-end restaurants in Midtown. You know what that means: not a whole lot of options for the token vegan.

Now, you’d think that when you’re paying that much for a meal, you’d have better options than asking them to leave the cheese out of the salad. But at places like these, meat commands respect, the rarer the better; the soups are all made with some kind of animal stock; and maybe they can make the vegetables with oil instead of butter, but doesn’t that get boring after a while? Plus, it always leaves the omnis looking at you like, Is that all vegans can eat?

Recently I had back-to-back lunches in which I had to play well with omnivorous others, and I hit three of the top spots around our office. The first was The Lambs Club (I know, even the name…), a very who’s who in the magazine world kind of place with a huge fireplace. While my lunchmate dined on a lobster roll sandwich (and I apologized to the poor little crustacean in my head), I had a side of corn and a side of lentils. Maybe a salad sans chicken, egg, hanger steak or tuna would have made a better showing, but I just didn’t feel like asking for Item A Minus Pretty Much Everything Besides the Lettuce. And there were French fries, but what’s the fun in that? And then of course, came dessert: none for me. No surprise there.

Next up was DB Bistro Moderne, also elegantly decorated but a little less stuffy-feeling. Aside from there not being much vegan-friendly fare, things like foie gras, country duck pâté, escargot, and rack of lamb were on the menu. And what did my dining companion order? Coq au vin. I know I live in the world at large, and I know I was once a meat eater too, so patience is a virtue, we need to accept people where they are, blah blah blah. But there are certain menu items that are just harder to stomach, so to speak, than others, and the aforementioned ones are at the top of the list. (Note: I know that no animal-based meal is “worse” than any other; all of the animals suffer and die so that people can eat them, end of story. But the younger the animal and the more cruel the practice, the more difficult it is to be compassionate toward the misguided.) I ended up ordering the Legumes du Marché, young garden vegetables with lemon confit and arugula coulis, without the ricotta cheese. The waiter kindly offered to make the plate, which is an appetizer, a little bigger. And it was tasty, I’ll give them that, as well as pretty (see photo above). But having no options was getting more than a little annoying. And having to smile and choke out a “How’s your food?” was quickly becoming the hardest part of my job.

So how surprised was I when I went to Bond 45—billed as “New York’s Best Italian Steakhouse Seafood Restaurant and Prohibition Bar,” with the decor to match—and found a selection of vegan pizzas on the menu??? Well, there were two: Olive Pizza, with arugula, roasted tomato, and basil, and the one I went with, Seven Vegetable Pizza with artichoke, asparagus, broccoli rabe, hen of the woods mushrooms, eggplant, roasted peppers, and zucchini, all served up on an amply sized, thin-crusted dough. And man, was it good! I was truly shocked. Of course, there was a piece of mozzarella on the side of my plate that looked suspiciously like dairy cheese, so I pushed it away. But the pizza was delicious. So if it is truly vegan (is it just me, or do you think that chefs are in the kitchen laughing their heads off about fooling the unsuspecting vegan too?) and you have to take a bunch of corporate omnis out to lunch in Midtown, I highly, highly recommend Bond 45. The pizza was so good, in fact, that I took the rest with me and finished it as a midafternoon snack.

Bond 45 also has a huge antipasto bar, which is on your left as you enter, plus the usual sides; that said, I don’t know if the vegetables are prepared in oil or butter. There are also French fries, fitting with the steakhouse vibe, and I guess you could get the bruschetta without the cheese. But for once it was nice to be able to order something just as it appeared on the menu, without any questions about preparation or exclusion requests.

Not that I have a problem doing that; my ethics trump ease every time. That said, when you live in NYC and can walk into 50-plus veggie restaurants and never have to ask a question, you get a little spoiled. It would be nice to be able to experience that when I eat at a restaurant that doesn’t specifically cater to us, too, you know? Hope springs eternal.

Have you had a good experience at a restaurant that’s not outwardly veg-friendly? Please let us know in the comments!

This is one of Supervegan’s posts for Vegan MoFo 2011.

Attention vegan nerds or those who love one! If you find yourself making a run to Fry’s Electronics in El Segundo for an adapter, hard drive, or $10.99 Blu Ray of Total Recall around meal time, there’s vegan pizza right across the street! There’s also a vegan burger at The Counter, vegan everything at Veggie Grill and a Whole Foods the size of one of the bigger Hawaiian Islands. Hurrah for Plaza El Segundo!

This was my first visit to Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza but it was my second time in a matter of weeks learning the same exact lesson that will change my life forever. Two words: Truffle. Oil.

Sammy’s looks like any other chain restaurant, but has a whole separate menu for vegans and gluten-freeites, which makes them good people (cause businesses are people now, right?). Vegans can choose between Tapas, Salads, Wraps, Tacos, Pasta, even Oak Roasted Gardein Chick’n! I went with the Vegan Margherita Pizza, which comes on a special whole wheat crust (the regular crust has honey and the artisan has butter) and is topped with Daiya cheese. After becoming full-on addicted to the Truffle Fries at Wurstküche, I thought I’d truffle up my pizza, too and added the toppings of the Brie Cheese & Truffle Oil Artisan Thin Crust Pizza– fresh sauteed wild mushrooms and truffle oil. This might be the best decision I have ever made. Now, I have been spoiled by having a Pitfire Pizza (and Fresh Brothers) within walking distance, so the bar has been set real high.

Sammy’s pizza was good, the crust was a little chewy and the daiya a bit sparse, but the addition of the truffle oil and ‘shrooms with the basil and tomatoes was brilliant. I ate the whole thing minus half the crust and immediately upon exiting the restaurant, walked directly over to Home Goods and purchased a bottle of White Truffle Oil on sale for $12.99 that I now plan on drizzling atop everything in my life.

This is one of Supervegan’s posts for Vegan MoFo 2011.

Vegetarian establishments suffer from the same punny name curse as hair salons, tailors, and Pho spots– Green Peas is no exception. In fact, it’s right down the street from a place called Pho Show. I generously overlook the moniker, it’s worth it. Take one step inside and you’ll see why: it’s LA’s version of my Barrel (this is an obscure reference to the finest TeeVee show to ever get cancelled, Wonderfalls, where Jaye, the main character, could always be found at her local food-serving establishment, The Barrel. It’s like a Jean-Pierre Jeunet film meets Daria as written by the same guy that made Pushing Daisies.), Atlas Cafe! It doesn’t have Vegan Treats or a giant shoe on the wall, but it does have a strikingly similar aesthetic, lots of great vegan grub, a display of vegan cakes, wifi and ample seating!

I’ve been to G.P.’s a bunch of times and enjoyed everything I’ve tried thus far, minus the tuna melt. But I never liked real fish, so I only have myself to blame on that one. The Vegan Curry salad is great, the Breakfast Burrito just hits the spot, and the pizza was good, too. On my most recent trip, I had the Rolling Steak Sandwich.

This thing has Gardein steak, grilled onions, cilantro, spinach, avocado, mozzarella Daiya cheese and Veganaise. The bread options are many (and clearly labeled for Veganity), but when the guy behind the counter says to get it on a baguette, you get it on a baguette. I got mine with a side of potatoes (over the salad or soup options) and it was awesome. The sandwich was warm and gooey and enough to feed two of me, or me twice. I could only conquer half. The baguette was perfect; fresh and crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and the combination of Daiya and Veganaise made for a stretchy, creamy dream. The potatoes were really on point this visit; hot, fresh and with tons of rosemary and other herbs and spices.

Fine Print: Like Atlas, this place has real meat and faux, so it’s perfect for a diverse group of diners. Order at the counter and food is brought to the table of your choosing. The staff is super friendly and helpful. There’s a self-serve water station where you can choose between an infusion of fresh oranges or fresh lemons (cause LA water is nasto on its own).

I couldn’t bring myself to get one of their treats though. Maybe next time, after it’s been longer since my last NYC trip and I’m in severe treat withdrawal.

This is one of Supervegan’s posts for Vegan MoFo 2011.

I love the future and the future is now! The Great Vegan Cheese War of the 21st Century rages on! Teese vegan cheese is now available at Whole Foods in California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii! AND, if you give the fine people over at Chicago Soydairy your email address over here you can get a coupon for $1 off!

Is it in the tube or will it be a bag of shreds? Does it re-seal? Does it cost less then the $6.29 bag of Daiya? There’s also a handy list of participating stores. Now we have options, people! Which do you prefer? I’m gonna do a pizza test!

This is one of Supervegan’s posts for Vegan MoFo 2011.

This weekend’s going to rock your veggie world, if you’re into that sorta thing! Veggie Prom is tonight, followed by a post-prom potluck picnic at Central Park. Finally, the Veggie Pride Parade rounds out the weekend Sunday starting at 11 a.m. in the Meatpacking district.

Hungry after all the parading, yes? Z Pizza‘s got vegan slices this weekend, starting today! That means no more staring in their window wishing you had friends to go in on a pie with you, and no aging pizza in your fridge. (But leftover pizza is the best, no joke!)

Jonathan Horowitz’s art exhibit at a former meat locker in the Village called “Go Vegan!” looks brilliant. Have you been? What’d ya think?

At least two carriage horses have crashed in the last two weeks, Gothamist reports. It’s been just a month since the City Council approved changes to the carriage horse industry that support more humane treatment of the horses, but the new legislation does nothing to protect horses from injury due to crashes. Hey, it looks like you can’t make carriage-hauling safe or humane for horses unless you eliminate it entirely. News. Flash.

The LA Times blog’s “L.A. Unleashed” column has a snappy animal round-up of its own: Labradoodle breeder’s regrets, gray whale in Israel, and researchers hurt mice to see the looks on their faces. Guh.

The Humane Society of the United States gives us a peek into Richard Berman’s absurdly shady lobbying tactics and how they threaten animals. You wanna read this!

Remember when Compassion Over Killing encouraged us to enter Dunkin’ Donuts’s “Create Dunkin’s Next Donut Contest,” and asked us to share our vegan creations with them? They’ve picked their favorite 12 contestants’ dreamed-up sweets and will make one of those dreams come true! Vote for your favorite by next Friday, May 21 (and you’ll be entered to win one of 10 prizes, too). Vegan Treats will produce the winning doughnut, which will be announced in June. I will take a box of each!

Daiya-serving pizza chain Z Pizza opened in the West Village this week. Gluten-free crust available! Huzzah! Fill out a two-minute survey (really, I tested it out for ya) to get a $5 coupon delivered to your inbox.

Even better: the largest foie gras farm in the U.S., Hudson Valley Foie Gras, will pay $50,000 for violating the federal clean water act after a judge ruled against them in a lawsuit brought by the Humane Society of the United States.

Pepperidge Farm is way behind the times, still using eggs from caged hens. Join East Bay Animal Advocates in telling Pepperidge Farm’s parent, Campbell Soup Company, that cage-free is the way to go by e-mailing Douglas Conant at douglas_r_conant@campbellsoup.com or calling him at (856) 342-4800, ext. 3752.

Haven’t seen Fowl Play yet? MFA has organized a screening at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center for Thursday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. The movie will be followed by a Q&A with MFA campaign coordinator Matt Rice, Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary founder Jenny Brown, chicken keeper and blogger Martha Lazar, and Elizabeth Ayer, BK Farmyard’s farm director and consultant and caretaker at Wyckoff Community Garden and Farmers Market. Tickets are $12, or $8 for students and seniors.

VegNews won the best lifestyle mag category for the third consecutive year at the Maggie Awards this week! Yaaaay VegNews!

A mere round-up mention of Mia MacDonald’s HuffPo article about the relationships between Goldman Sachs and agribusiness and your tax dollars, “Investment Bankers with Wings: Making a Killing”, doesn’t do the story justice, so go read. You will be horrified.

And finally: Holy cannoli! Mike Tyson is vegan!

Imagine it vegan: Saluggi’s spinach and garlic pizza. Photo by Rachel Kramer Bussel on Flickr.

Saluggi’s pizzeria in Tribeca has Daiya vegan cheese in the house as of Thursday, April 29, at the suggestion of Mercy For Animals. MFA is contacting pizzerias in Manhattan and Brooklyn to ask them to add Daiya to their menus, says NYC Campaign Coordinator Matt Rice. (Hand me my handkerchief! Vegan pizza brings TEARS TO MY EYES.) Saluggi’s is the first restaurant MFA’s contacted that has agreed to test-run Daiya. I said test run, which means get your ass over there and eat ALL THEIR PIZZA so they keep Daiya in stock. And hey, maybe they’ll add more vegan options, like vegan pepperoni or sausage HINT HINT, SALUGGI’S, ARE YOU LISTENING?

Huge thanks to MFA for spreading vegan pizza! Do like MFA and bring vegan food to traditional restaurants by encouraging them to stock up on your favorites!

Got Pizza? We do now! (Photo: courtesy of Daiya)

As most vegans know, the biggest thing to hit our culinary universe this year is Daiya. It’s a totally yummy vegan cheese that melts and shreds just like dairy cheese. (Check out SuperVegan’s love-letter, er, review.)

We thought we’d take a look behind the curtain and find out more about the wizards behind this new Canada-based cheesy phenomenon. Here they are, the Daiya Dudes. Andre Kroecher is the mad-scientist inventor of Daiya, and co-founder of the company with business-savvy Greg Blake.

SuperVegan: Why did you set out to create vegan cheese and what were your main criteria?

Andre Kroecher: I have always really loved dishes such as pizza, lasagna, quesadillas, burritos, which typically have cheese in them. Being a vegan though, I found that simply removing the cheese from these left me terribly disappointed. I tried replacing the cheese with extra salt and olive oil, but to me the taste and texture is just not nearly as satisfying.

Having a background of more than 10 years experience as a product developer, I had a real passion for trying to invent a vegan cheese that might actually have the properties of real cheese. I also love imported exotic cheeses and other European cheeses like havarti, so I decided to just start experimenting to see if I could make something that would satisfy me more than the other [products] out there. I tend to naturally approach things in an unconventional way and this yielded some unexpected results. Eventually, I developed a block of something quite like a soft havarti style cheese.

Greg Blake: When I tried the havarti style cheese Andre made I was convinced that it had commercial potential, but what would be even better would be to create a cheddar and mozzarella style vegan cheese that actually tasted, shredded, sliced and melted like dairy-based cheese.

We wanted chefs and food preparation staff to be able to use Daiya just like cheese – on a pizza in a conveyor oven running at very high temperatures, in a salamander [broiler], in a sauce, baking – you name it. All things considered, it was a pretty tall order. Andre and I set up R&D kitchens in our own homes and went to work. Eventually we ended up with some exciting and unexpected results, but both of us know that the R&D has just begun.

SV: How is Daiya different from the other products on the market?

AK & GB: There are some great products out there and all categories of vegan food are constantly improving as is demand, which is good for everyone. People like Bob Goldberg from Follow Your Heart are real pioneers who actually helped create this category and should be applauded for all of the great products he and Follow Your Heart provide to vegans [such as Vegenaise and Vegan Gourmet cheeses - C.C.]. As for our products compared to others, Daiya differentiates itself in that it brings together all of the desirable attributes of dairy-based cheese in terms of taste, shredding, slicing and melting without casein, soy or any common allergens.

SV: How did you settle on tapioca as a main ingredient?

AK & GB: Tapioca is actually only one part of the puzzle. It works in concert with the other ingredients. But a large part of what gives Daiya its unique properties has more to do with our proprietary manufacturing process.

SV: What’s up with the name ‘Daiya’?

AK & GB: Daiya is a play on the word dairy – it’s like dairy but different. We didn’t want to try so desperately to say some version of the word “cheese,” especially since there are quite a few of those in the market already. We wanted to create a distinct brand that can stand on its own – and thanks to all of the early vegan adopters we’ve made a good deal of progress given that the company is less than one year old.

SV: When will Daiya go mainstream retail – meaning, when will folks be able to buy it at their local grocery stores?

AK & GB: We anticipate launching our retail product in spring of 2010. Many consumers have wondered why it is taking us so long to get to retail and we certainly understand their frustration. Our approach is based on our corporate philosophy of creating the very best tasting and performing vegan products we possibly can. We concluded that the only way to achieve our goals without compromise was to produce the retail products in an entirely new manufacturing facility which is, of course, both time consuming and expensive to get up and running.

SV: Are there ready-made food brands or national restaurant chains that are – or will be – using Daiya in their products?

AK & GB: Gardein and The Higher Taste Vegan Buzzito are products using Daiya that are currently available. We are working with a number of other well known manufacturers and expect more products using Daiya to be released very soon.

SV: What’s your favorite way to enjoy Daiya?

Andre: I love to make pizzas and quesadillas. My favourite, however, is to prepare a mixture of sauteed black or pinto beans with onions, garlic, and peppers, add fresh tomatoes and cilantro. Turn off the heat and cover with shredded Daiya and leave the lid on the pan. After a few minutes, the residual heat and steam [will] make a nice cheesy topcoat on the beans.

Greg: Nothing resonates with my idea of comfort food like a Daiya grilled cheese sandwich. When I serve grilled cheese sandwiches made with Daiya to my non-vegan friends and family they have no idea that it isn’t made with dairy-based cheese – I still get a kick out of that.

SV: When did you go vegan and why?

Andre: I grew up on a strict vegetarian diet as both my parents were vegetarian. It was a logical progression for me to go vegan for so many reasons. We had a miniature dachshund or “wiener dog” and I figured that if I wouldn’t eat him, how could I eat other animals which are easily as emotionally developed? In the early ’90s my wife and I started going vegan and pretty much phas[ed] out the last remaining dairy (cheese) from our diet. This was largely in response to all of the information relating to [the] ethical and health aspects of vegan diets. I remember waking up and realizing that if I had to be born a livestock animal, a modern dairy cow would have to be the worst because of the prolonged torture these animals have to endure before their eventual slaughter. When T. Colin Campbell’s The China Study came out it really reinforced my feelings on the health aspects relating to animal product consumption.

Update: Due to a technical error, Greg’s answer to the vegan question was omitted from the original post. Here it is.

Greg: I became a vegan in 1978 when I first moved to Toronto. I had read Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation and it had a profound effect on me. I remember feeling disappointed with myself – it had never occurred to me how food magically appeared at the grocery store and how that might impact an animal’s welfare. Back then, it was pretty slim pickings for vegan restaurants and grocery options so I was compelled to learn about cooking from cultures where vegan dishes were staples. Although my parents were very good cooks, they stuck to traditional North American fare, so veganism exposed me to a whole new culinary experience. Still, I missed some of the traditional comfort foods and longed for the day when great tasting vegan alternatives would arrive on the scene. That day has come and we now have so much wonderful food to choose from, and with great chefs like Tal Ronnen to guide us, it’s the advent of a whole new era for vegans.

To stay on top of all things Daiya, visit their website www.daiyafoods.com.

I flew into Portland on Friday to attend this year’s National Animal Law Conference at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, OR. I visited the “Brooklyn of the West” to make my jeans fit tighter and attend conference sessions on issues relating to the criminal prosecution of animal cruelty, the link between domestic violence and animal abuse, the intersectionality between animal rights and human rights, and so on and so forth.

But, in honor of Vegan MoFo III, you want to hear about the food, right? For the first time in a very long time, I received a vegan meal on the plane. I stopped requesting them long ago, but my Continental Airlines frequent flyer profile still lists me as a scary, radical vegan. Much to my surprise, about an hour into the flight, a box containing a vegan soy patty with cheese on a whole wheat English muffin appeared on my tray table. It was surprisingly good. A partially frozen fruit cocktail, a Sara Lee “bagel”, Smart Balance (the vegan kind) and a packet of Mrs. Dash, which I’m still not sure of its intended use, accompanied it. Continental gets thumbs up on the English muffin sandwich and for getting me to Portland on time.

My first stop in Portland was La Bonita for some of the tastiest black beans to pass through my digestive track. For only $6.95, I procured a large plate with two soft tacos, a heaping mound of rice, a liberal portion of beans and chunky guacamole. Good job, NE Portland.

A few of my friends then piled into a car and we headed off to Seattle for the night. Inappropriate dinner conversation was shared at Teapot in the East Capital Hill neighborhood. I am pretty much a pro at consuming vegan Pan-Asian food, but Teapot introduced me to the Mandarin Crispy Tofu, a thickly battered soy fillet fried to golden brown perfection. Where can I find this in NYC, East Coasters?

The food at the National Animal Law Conference never disappoints. Coffee flows freely. As do the pastries, breads, Tofutti and Earth Balance. (Mom, yes, they serve fruit, too.) During the conference sessions, the snack room provisions are replenished by a mighty team of caterers. Saturday’s lunch included a choice of sandwiches (gluten free option available!). I opted for the butternut squash and caramelized fennel on a baguette, a fitting combination of flavors as we move further into the best season ever.

Equally as important as my attendance at the conference was spending time with my family of Portland friends. On Saturday night, we filed into Portobello, which is currently my favorite Portland restaurant. Chef Aaron makes the kind of Italian food that reminds you that pasta need not be relegated to a lazy weeknight dinner. Take one bite of his lightly pan fried gnocchi or pumpkin cappellacci smothered in cashew cream sauce and hazelnuts and you will become a believer, too.

Saturday nights in Portland should include a trip to Whiffies and Potato Champion. After standing in the carts’ lot at SE 12th Avenue and SE Hawthorne for about an hour whining about how full we were from our Portobello feast, someone who will remain nameless said to herself, “screw it,” and ordered a cone of always-perfect fries with satay sauce and Vegenaise from Potato Champion. Quickly, all of her friends became “a little hungry” and helped her finish the fries. Then her friends carried her home and put her to bed.

After grazing on more pastries and a faux bánh mì mushroom sandwich during Sunday’s animal law conference sessions, I rode a bus to the vegan minimall and filled my bag with such revered vegan staples as Tartex, Dandies marshmallows, Go Max Go’s Jokerz candy bars and Leahy’s Mac and Cheese sauce at Food Fight Vegan Grocery. I snuck into the all-vegan Scapegoat Tattoo and chatted with the über talented Brian Wilson while he made permanent markings on some guy’s back. (You are a strong dude, Scapegoat customer.)

Following a pit stop at Voodoo Doughnut to procure a small selection of vegan yeast donuts for the trip back to Brooklyn, we worked our way through gigantic, thin crust slices topped with seasoned tempeh at Bella Faccia Pizzeria. We then arrived at the counter in Back to Eden, the Alberta Arts District’s newest vegan bakery boutique. I ordered a cup of Temptation soft serve with white chocolate chips and homemade caramel sauce. One of my nicer friends permitted me to try a bite of her cheesecake, which was delicately flavored with Chai tea and thoroughly refreshing.

With less than half a day of non-conference time to spend in Portland, I think I made a valiant effort to visit the best new eating experiences, as well as the perennial hits the city has to offer.

And so, the 17th National Animal Law Conference has come to a close. I’m a little wiser, a little heavier, and a whole lotta motivated to run the loop in Prospect Park this week.

This is one of Supervegan’s posts for Vegan MoFo 2009.

Eggplant Parmesan Hero for the Famiglia Bean

When I was a vegetarian, I was fat and unhealthy. There was one reason and one reason only: CHEESE. No, seriously. My cholesterol count rivaled the one belonging to my carnivorous dad, and he eats the really gross stuff like liver and tongue.

I was always a picky eater; I eschewed most of the animal products offered me growing up in a S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) household–even as a baby. But cheese was a different story altogether. We were friends.

I officially went vegetarian in my early teens and basked in the excuse to eat cheese all the livelong day. Then, when I went vegan in my mid-twenties, the sudden omission of cheese was pure culture shock: it seemed you could get a substitute for just about everything–even caviar and haggis–but not simple cheese. While many vegan items on the market surpassed their non-vegan counterparts, the cheese options were just place fillers.Time passed and many improved substitutions surfaced, but nothing really hit the spot. I eventually stopped trying to replace my old friend after paying a small fortune to import a product from the other side of the world, only to have it arrive an unappetizing grey, gelatinous blob.

And then a vegan acquaintance whispered magic words to me as we wandered amidst the pigs at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. “I’ve found cheese,” she said, and I believed her immediately. Besides having been a reliable source of food recommendations in the past, vegans generally just don’t lie about these things: specifically not in a setting as serene and noble as a farm sanctuary!

So, I tried it immediately. Wow. People, I’m talking about Daiya. If you’ve had it, you understand. If you haven’t, go order some pronto! It’s. That. Good.

I often joke that I went veg on the merits (or lack thereof) of hot dogs and lunchmeat–before being introduced to more grown-up cruelty like veal and lobster. So, when I tore into my first package of cheddar Daiya, I began happily reliving my childhood with staples such as grilled cheese, nachos, cheese fries, and ‘tato skins. Yum, yum, yum, and yum. I immediately ordered the mozzarella flavor. Unfortunately, I had exhausted my long-lost cheese repertoire; I could barely remember what to do with mozzarella since it had been out of life for so long. And then I convinced my incredible cook of a mother to make eggplant parmesan. Amazing. My father even thanked her profusely for making him a separate platter with “real cheese” (give us a break with the lying; he’s the type of man who would stop eating edamame if he knew they were soybeans). Then came ziti, cheesy garlic bread, and pizza. And then I ran out… but more is on the way!

The experimentation will continue and I can already feel my cholesterol rising again. KIDDING! It’s vegan, duh. But I will have to make a concerted effort not to plan every meal, every day out of this delectable cheese that has made an unexpected reappearance in my life. I’m telling you, this changes everything.

To be completely honest, I’m not sure why Daiya seems to remain such a secret amongst vegans even though it’s been out for months. Maybe each person who finds it wants to stockpile it for themselves, for fear that the supply will run out? The company seems to be focusing on distributing to the food service industry (yay!), but the veg community does a lot of home cooking. To that end, until the retail version is released, the lovable folks at Pangea are repackaging the food service version so that we can get our hot little hands on it right away. Thank you, Pangea cheese angels!

What else? Oh, it’s kosher and free of many allergens: soy, wheat, barley, corn, rice, gluten and nut for starters. For goodness sake, see their website for the particulars; I need to go make some baked macaroni & cheese!

Oh snap!

Chicago Soydairy, of the superdelicious Temptation Vegan Ice Cream fame, now makes cheese and, get this, it actually melts! I mean it really melts– check out this side by side test of it against Follow Your Heart cheese. Teese Vegan Cheese is currently available in mozzarella flavor and they’re working on more varieties. Chi-town locals can enjoy it at The Chicago Diner and at the Halstead Street Whole Foods pizza counter. Sadly regular folks can’t buy Teese at supermarkets, but they can harass their local restaurants to stock up on the stuff.

The Park Slope Food Coop is now carrying Williamsburg based Dr. Cow brand raw, organic cashew cheeses in cream cheese style and aged style. Has anyone tried this yet?

L.A. based vegan squeeze cheeze company Play Food finally has its goods back on the market following a nasty custody battle between its founders, former child star Taran Noah Smith (a.k.a. Mark from Home Improvement), and his ex-wife, raw chef/cougar Heidi Van Pelt.

Speaking of celebrities, Natalie Portman bakes her own vegan cupcakes (unlike Joaquin Phoenix who had Isa make his prop “egg” rolls) on the set of Brothers whilst (allegedly) wearing cashmere!? This has got to be a mistake! NaPo wouldn’t dare go there, especially when she is set to star in the unfortunately titled Bollywood romance, Kosher Vegetarian and is hawking her own line of upscale, handmade vegan shoes, which are now available though the Soho-based Te Casan, NYC’s largest women’s luxury shoe boutique.

Vegetarian rocker Chrissie Hynde is combing Columbus, OH to find a second location for her restaurant, VegiTerranean, which opened in Akron last year.

Mighty Diamond’s veg curried goat w/ sides. Photo: Michelle Cavigliano

Here’s some great restaurant news to start off the week!

• SuperVegan reader Tomato tips us about Mighty Diamond a new vegetarian Caribbean restaurant that opened last month in Williamsburg near the Graham stop on the L train. Kudos to another veg restaurant in Brooklyn!
• Zen Burger is currently interviewing employees and will open by the end of the month at 465 Lexington Avenue between 45th and 46th Streets near Grand Central.
• Vinnie’s Pizza has started carrying Danielle’s VeganTreats donuts. Get ready for the fresh shipment tomorrow on Tuesday!
• Feeling the heat from Chipotle, the Midtown locations of Burritoville have introduced a combo lunch deal valid on weekdays from 11am to 4pm that includes your choice of any burrito, medium soda and chips & salsa for just $7.49 plus tax. Eat in (unlimited soda refills and chips & salsa) or take out.

Today is the 13th annual World Vegan Day, which celebrates the foundation of the Vegan Society in 1944 and the coining of the word “vegan.”

Activists in Britain are campaigning for legal definitions of the words “vegan” and “vegetarian” and for more vegan pizza (they’re totally jealous of us New Yorkers).

Plenty of celebrations are happening around the world; check out ActiVeg or the Vegan Society for event listings. (New Yorkers: the American Vegan Society will be celebrating on Saturday, November 17, from 1pm – 4pm at Candle 79.)

Today’s a good day to get your non-veg friends a Vegetarian Starter Kit or a Why Vegan. Just remember to soften them up with some good food first.

Oh yeah, and happy All Saints Day, Day of the Dead, and Halloween-hangover-recovery day! (Maybe we should’ve chosen a less crowded date for our holiday…?)

Mushroom and parsley pizza from Pala. This was actually the most interesting vegan topping combination on their menu.

Pizza is one of the top search queries on SuperVegan (right after brunch and ice cream; we vegans want our comfort food).

Right now we’ve got 18 restaurants in the pizza category. My latest discovery is Palà Pizza on the Lower East Side, which offers vegan versions of four of its pizzas, plus has late hours and a nice large delivery range. The menu conveniently tells you what’s vegan, and they offer a gluten-free crust with 24 hours notice.

If you’re in it for soy cheese and a fancy crust, this place might be heaven, but if you’re into lots of toppings, you’ll be disappointed; they haven’t got much for the vegans.

Pizza Plus, meanwhile, is going all out with the toppings; they’ve recently added vegan sausage and pepperoni to their extensive menu (call first to make sure they have it in stock). If only they delivered to me in Manhattan; heck, I’d even be happy if Viva would offer soy cheese….

So what’s your favorite place to go when the pizza craving hits? Tell us where and why in the comments.

Isa has a fancy camera.

Back in May, we reported that a fire had destroyed Park Slope’s Pizza Plus. Well, I guess they had good insurance, cause they’re back open, and the new space looks great.

More importantly, they know how to make a damn proper vegan pizza pie. I went there with a few Post Punk Kitcheners, and we all agreed that they take Follow Your Heart mozzarella to exactly the right melting point.

Note that this is a totally legit old fashioned New York crusty, cheesey, pizza–not nouveau (like at Slice, Pie, or Two Boots) or health-food (like Viva or Benny’s) or the upscale naturally cheeseless kind (like you’ll find at Una Pizza Napoletana or Franny’s). Not to mention the hundreds of pizzerias who will make you a perfectly decent veggie pie, hold-the-cheese.

I think the only other contender for “real” vegan pizza is Vinnie’s in Williamsburg. Pizza Plus is nicer looking, but Vinnie’s has the advantage of offering single slices and rolls. Either way, I love Brooklyn!

Update, September 20, 2007: Uh, you might want to call ahead and confirm they have the vegan cheese in stock before you go. Seems to be an issue sometimes.

Update, October 11, 2007: They now have vegan sausage and will soon have vegan pepperoni. And they say they have a more reliable supplier for the cheese now.

Dodo Café.

We just added a whole freakin’ lot of restaurants to the sweet-ass New York City vegan restaurant guide. All these entries need to be complete are your witty, informative reviews, so check ‘em out!

• Mama’s Food Shop and Old Devil Moon serve up soul food brunch in the East Village.
• If you’re in the mood to play fancy, there’s Franny’s in Prospect Heights and Abistro in Fort Greene.
• For veg sushi there’s Brooklyn’s Bozu and Miyako on the Upper West Side.
• Tillie’s is the usual Brooklyn coffeehouse scene, plus vegan cookies and Tofutti grilled cheese.
• Try the weekend jazz brunch at Dodo.
• Pizza Plus in Park Slope has soy cheese for your pizzas.
• 71 Irving Coffee has vegan muffins.
• And No Malice Palace has vegan White Russians!
• Park Slope’s Second Helpings is worth battling the strollers.
• Live Lucky’s Café makes the poetry at Bowery a little tastier.
• And don’t fret if you find yourself hungry and stranded in W’burg on an L-less weekend. For classic brunch fare, there’s hole-in-the-wall Phoebe’s Café. For lunch, try a soy dog at Sparky’s with lots of fixins. And for dinner, head to Taco Chulo for tacos and burritos with tofu sour cream, plus a full bar.

Stay tuned for more additions in the next couple weeks.