Go Nuts

Whatever you want, within reason.

At Cafe Loftus, they make a mean gourmet PB&whatever. But most people usually forget that it's there. Sandwiched (forgive me) between Sansom and Walnut, the tiny coffeeshop is a nice respite from the usual lunch hunting grounds in Rittenhouse. Or if you're power-shopping and need a quick bite that's not the square offerings at an overcrowded Cosi.

For me, it's the Pear & Pistachio with cherry preserves on thick wheat bread that gets me out of a jam (you will forgive me eventually). Get it toasted or grab one to go, with your choice of nut butters (almond, hazelnut, pecan, regular, or Nutella), jams, and other fillings. They've got a whole menu of pbjs, like the Pecan Pie Sandwich, the Elvis, and the Fluffernutter. And if you ever have a six-year old, please make sure they know about pistachio butter. I wasted so many years with white bread and Skippy and no child should ever have to do that.

Cafe Loftus, 136 S. 15th St.

Veg Out: Basic 4 Vegetarian Snack Bar

Basic 4 is known for their incredi "chicken" salad, and here's why.

You can get it on a whole wheat roll or bread, but for some reason they put it on a bun today. They also added onions even though I voted no. Think that would make my sandwich any less delicious? Hardly. You might want to order the fries with that.

Basic 4 Vegetarian Snack Bar, Reading Terminal Market, 1136 Arch St.

In The Kitchen With Kelly: Blueberry Cobblah

And it's vegan, baby. This tastes amazing warm and bubbly out of the oven, but the blueberry juice does something wonderful to the biscuit topping when refrigerated overnight, and it's even better the next day. From The Joy Of Vegan Baking cookbook. I used less sugar (like 2-3 tbsp) in mine and it was still really sweet.



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Veg Out: Dock Street Brew Pub

Dock Street is cool and yet it's not hip. Set in the old firehouse on 50th and Baltimore, next to the Satellite cafe, I expected a younger, dirtier crowd. What we got was a 20-minute wait, normal for a packed resto on a Friday night, with no discernible "scene". There was even a family with non-annoying kids. Refreshing. The place is gorgeous, too, with high ceilings that give it an open feel, and a stack of firewood in one corner.

What concerns us is that Dock Street not only makes vegan pizza, but they put tofu on it. Shit yes. Made with tons of veggies and no cheese, the vegan tomato pie is decent eats. The small is big enough to split, but we ordered a California pie as well, which had goat cheese, mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes. I admit I was much more impressed with this one, but I'd like to see them offer vegan cheese as an option for their list of vegetarian pies. Also on the menu: vegan calzones and paninis.



With pizza, you need beer. Good thing their selections are made on-site and include Satellite Stout, which is brewed with espresso beans and has a bold coffee flavor, and Sgt. Pepper, a very strong and spicy ale that I wasn't too fond of. Because I'm a wuss and enjoy fruity beer? If you don't drink, just knock back a Boylan's root.

Either way, perfect weekend starter.

Dock Street Brew Pub, 701 S. 50th St.

Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies

Who thinks of this? Vegan Treats, AGAIN. Meaning that it's crazy sweet and too good to be vegan. So if you couldn't decide on either, you should just go for both. I thought it was pumpkin at first, but it definitely tastes like carrot cake. At the Last Drop, 1300 Pine St.

In The Kitchen With Kelly: Grape Leaves

I have a friend who loves stuffed grape leaves, but insists that they're one of those "old man" foods like prunes and turnips. I honestly didn't know what they were until a few years ago, and tried my first one last year at the M Room. Some of the better places to order 'em? Estia, Alyan's, Saad's Halal (my top falafel), The Royal Tavern, most Mediterranean places, and quite a few pubs.

"Dolmas" are actually easy enough to make yourself, when you find a decent vegan recipe.

Stuffed Grape Leaves

Makes 2 dozen

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, no stems
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 16 oz. jar preserved grape leaves, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup lemon juice

Saute onion in oil for 5 minutes, then stir in rice and pine nuts. Continue to saute for 3 minutes. Add one cup of water. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut tough stems from grape leaves. Line a large pot with 3 or 4 leaves. Place parsley stems on bottom.

Place on grape leaf smooth side down on work surface and set heaping teaspoon of filling near base of stem end of leaf. Fold end and sides over filling, and roll toward leaf point. Set seam-side down in pot. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling. Pack them close and layer one on top of another.

Add lemon juice and 1 cup of water, cover with 3 grape leaves, and invert heatproof plate on top to hold in place. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 45 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand 2 hours, or until liquid is absorbed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ok, so it's kind of challenging, but it's worth trying for a party or a rainy day. Or when you're old.

Superfoods

I'm up for Odwalla anytime, but Naked smoothies sound a lot more enticing. I introduce Black & Blueberry Rush, my get-tough juice. Each bottle contains 30 blueberries, 8 blackberries, 2 3/4 apples, and 1/2 of a banana. Good to know if you can't make it to the Farmers Market, right? But there's also green tea extract, guarana, and 100% of B6 and B12 vitamins. Power-hungry types, bottoms up.


Whole Foods "Everything" Super Food salad? You're better off assembling your own. Should you need to pay $6.99 for a salad at grocery store, let this be the one. It starts with trail mix (goji berries, raisins, mulberries, cacao nibs, pistachios, and cashews, on top of a bed of spinach, with onions, tomatoes, and grains, and don't forget the acai yogurt dressing. Chocolate in a salad? It works here.

One Love Vegan Cookies

The Clark Park flea market often unveils many things. This time, I discovered One Love Cookies, a local vegan baking company started by Rachel Ceci. Every square inch of her table was covered in treats made with whole grains, like fig bars, cookies in spiced pecan, peanut butter-carrot, banana, and chocolate ginger flavors. I bought a few and found them to be righteous, but will reserve my love for the peanut butter-carrot gems. The mini cookies are made with whole wheat flour and ground flaxseeds, so you're getting fiber and omega-3s as well as dessert. Chips Ahoy never did that for you.

One Love Cookies by Rachel Ceci, 484-802-5965

Veg Out: The U Arts Burger

When I said that National Mechanics had the best veggie burger, I didn't know about the U Arts Burger. On name alone, it doesn't sound appetizing, but those kids are good at two things: 1. Convincing their parents to foot the bill so their fridge artwork skills can develop. 2. Getting a burger named for them at Paolo's Pizza.

The materials:

A veggie patty (So MEAT-Y. Greasy. Insanely good.)
Sauteed spinach
Portabello mushrooms
Onions
Roasted peppers
Gorgonzola cheese
A sesame seed bun

The major difference between this burg and Nat'l Mechanics' is that this one is remarkably similar to a traditional burger in terms of smoky flavor and beefy texture, whereas the NM patty is made up of chopped veggies and is really creative and well-seasoned. It's a matter of preference here. But when you're lagging on protein and in need of comforting sustenance, either one does the trick.

You can also get a plain veggie burger, and your omni friends can try the Kimmel Burger, The Antique Row, or The Juniper Street. I don't normally go to or order from pizza joints, since the selection is generally unappetizing and I'm surrounded by some of the best ethnic food in the city. For the best veggie burger that I know of, this will have to be adjusted.

Paolo Pizza, 1336 Pine St, 215-545-2571

Cookie Of The Season

You've no doubt had a vegan cookie by Alternative Baking Company, or at least spotted them around. They're not as tasty as something you'd bake yourself, flavors can be hit-and-miss, and at nearly 500 calories per cookie, you'd expect 'em to be extraordinary. But they do in a pinch if you like your cookies soft or if you're lame in the kitchen.

Fall's seasonal flavor? Banana Pecan Bliss.

What A $2.99 Apple Looks Like

When I saw this huge Honeycrisp at WFM, I had to have it, even though it clocked in at a full pound and I could have bought a whole bag of regular for the same price. The apples were twice their regular size but this was probably the biggest one. Even the cashier was amused.

Veg Out: Just In Ques

Hate it or love it, the Rocket Cat Cafe is responsive to the veg touch. Politics/Attitude/Cults aside, they've got homemade tofu cream cheese, grilled tofu sandwiches, and enough Odwalla products to keep you in vitamin B-12 for years. So what'd I go for this time?

The Spinach Quesadilla, $4.50. And the Spirit newspaper, free, and the most terrible, adorable, mind-tripping read in the 215.

Rocket Cat Cafe, 2001 Frankford Ave.

Hooked On Bavarian Apples

There's always something new to nosh on at Red Hook if you're vegan. The "cheesecake", from Lotus Cake Studio, changes seasonally. Right now, they've got Bavarian Apple, and the year-round Chocolate Chunk, but it's only a matter of time before Vedika's sending out the Pumpkin. Her cheesecake is better than Vegan Treats' because it's creamier, and she uses higher quality ingredients. I picked her brain last year when I met her, and found out that she's responsible for so many vegan wedding cakes. Including the wedding I worked at that was dj'ed by Dave P, where all of the guests were afraid to eat the vegan buffet catered by Vesuvio because they assumed the faux meat was real, but the bride and groom didn't want to tell anyone that everything was vegan. Problems.

Also on board at Red Hook for the season, assuming chillier temperatures ever officially arrive, are some new drinks that you can soy the fuck up:

Blackberry White Mocha
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Spiced Ginger Chai

Veg Out: National Mechanics

You've seen the National Mechanics ad in the paper: The single greatest veggie burger in the known world. Well, I'm not that worldly yet, but you can have the city. If I wasn't so quick to dig in, I might have adjusted my flash so that the true beauty of National Mechanics' house-made veggie burger could shine through. You'll just have to trust that this was packed with every vegetable I can think of, did not even attempt to mimic meat, and was insanely delicious and satisfying. Both my friend and I polished our sandwiches off with nothing but praise, and left not a single french fry untouched. Plus, during happy hour from 5-7, it's a $5 special.

National Mechanics, 22 South 3rd St.

DIY Soy Cappuccino

The Urban Vegan shows how it's done...and if you can make your own foam heart, you're set for life.

Easy Soy Cappuccino

Cider, Cider, Cidertime

Mike from North Port Fishington Cookie Factory emailed me to say thanks for the article and that he recently expanded business to South Philly at Benna's, Greensgrow Farm in Fishtown, and Whole Foods Callowhill on Saturdays. A trip to Benna's revealed apple cider and chocolate cornflake? donuts, and ginger molasses cookies, plus all of his other goodies.




Faux Your Consideration
Veg Out: Vegan Donuts Made In Philly

In The Kitchen With Kelly: The Potato Chip Sandwich

You want white trash cuisine? I grew up eating these sandwiches. My mom swears that you need Stroehman white bread for the perfect one, which you can find at local stores (PA Dutch Country, bitch), and a bag of Herr's plain. Experiment with different breads and chips if you must. These are devoid of all nutrition, mind, but SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY good.

Potato Chip Sandwich

2 good handfuls of chips
2 slices of white bread

Pile the mountain of chips in between bread and press down firmly until each salty sliver is in place. Munch hard.

Today's Bite: Ginger

I went on a ginger kick at Whole Foods, the only place I know of that makes vegan gingerbread and vegan gingersnaps. Here's my cookie before I went monster on it.

I'm looking to whip up these with my wafflemaker:

Vegan Gingerbread Waffles

I show up at my coffeeshop over the weekend, spot $2 vegan cupcakes in the case, and reason that it's too early to eat cupcakes. Well, fuck that guideline, because when I came home a few hours later, damn if it wasn't cupcake time, and there were only 2 left.

Infusion, 1001 S. 10th Street, 215.413.0504

Veg Out: Evergreen Vegetarian House

I've had my share of veg Chinese food, and all of the wonders they work with seitan and gluten never fails to amaze. Even so, I was reluctant to try Evergreen simply because when you find decent Chinese take-out, you don't mess with anything else. It can be so inconsistent. I have this feeling that Evergreen might be the kind of place you have to dine at for a decent turn-out. It took them an hour to deliver my order. That would have been forgiven had the food been worthy. My sweet and sour gluten came with nothing but a container of sauce. No pineapple, no green pepper,no fun? Wack. The tofu and vegetable soup was no better, the most watered down soup to ever grace my Ikea spoons. A handful of actual veg and lifeless ghost-white tofu floated in a huge container of...water. There was more flavor in the fortune cookie, the only safe item of the meal. Stick with Chinatown, Su Xing, or Golden Empress.

And believe it, you don't want to see pictures.

Evergreen Vegetarian House,1431 W. Passyunk Ave., 215.339.5321

Veg Out: Cafe De Laos

I don't usually giggle when reading a menu. Put a 14-year old next to me who insists on pointing out every sexually suggestive dish and I'm helpless.

Thai eatery Cafe De Laos is not a palace of sin. It's actually very pretty and extremely clean, with ornate decor and pink roses on each table.

So, even though the mood was romantic, I didn't order the hot girl on fire or the vegetarian lover. There were tons of vegan options, including a separate list of veg starters and entrees.



For an appetizer, I chose the Golden Triangle, crispy tofu with a sweet & sour sauce. My entree was Tofu Supreme, stuffed with a medley of vegetables and a slightly spicy tamarind sauce. Both were excellent. Any time you want to go, just Kau Mee.

Cafe De Laos, 1117 S 11th St., 215-467-1546

Today's Bite: One Day I Will OD On Organic Sugar...

But that is not today.

Vegan Treats Coconut Cream Cheese Blondie: