Veg Out: Taqueria Los Jalapeños

Who needs chips when you can order a burrito crammed with guac? Inspired by Burrito Club's venture to the tiny bodega that turns out some mighty Mexi fare, it was time to jala at it myself. Generally, there are two giveaways that signal your taqueria take-out will be authentic and alarmingly delicious: the proximity of bins containing chiles to the register, along with the availability of Choco Tacos in the ice cream freezer.

Los Jalapeños, I am proud to report, has both. With this confidence, I requested a Guacamole Burrito. Guacamole is likely my favorite food of all time and I didn't realize that until today. The Avocado Taco Salad and Oaxaca Cheese & Bean Gorditas sounded intriguing, among the veg possibilities. A few minutes later, I had all of the guacamole I could handle.

The substantial burrito was well-crafted and easy to manage without a fork. Not one chunk of avocado, bean, rice, cheese, lettuce or tomato escaped during consumption. I prefer my guac salty and this was rather mild, but the freshness and ratio to the other components was right on. It came with both red and green sauce for the heat-seekers. This is the beginning of a very intimate delivery relationship.

Taqueria Los Jalapeños, 1800 S. 4th St., 215-468-1828

Green Points: Protein R Us

Tofu: It's not just for us.

Personal chefs: Not just for them.

The Fishtown KFC: It's closed for good. It's not for any of us.

Boston Creme Upstaged By Belgian Creme For Vegan Donut Supremacy

Oh, hey, obligatory Vegan Treats post here. The much-hyped donuts (the kind I only find in NYC) are now available IN PHILADELPHIA. As they should be, about time, and all that. For now, Govinda's is carrying Cookies & Creme and...Belgian Creme. What's that, you ask, there's a better cream than Boston? Maybe the counter guy who I spoke with was bored or rushed. Belgian Creme does have more sell-ability. Either way, the vegan kind have more heft than the Dunkin' variety, thicker frosting that isn't gloppy or shiny, and a rich filling that is reminiscent of vanilla pudding. Delivery is on Thursdays at 5pm if you want 'em fresh, I'm betting they sell out by the weekend. Bostonian, Belgian, I'm into it.

Veg In: The Lazy Vegetarian

When the farmers markets start up, my kitchen becomes more than the other half of my office. Please don't think less of me, but lately most of my food hunting is done by phone. Observe:


I didn't want to try out Old Towne & Sanna's, a hybrid pizza/middle eastern jawneria, because of the logo. It features a chicken with a wing cut off, the flapping appendage floating away from the rest of its body. Oddly enough, the place is halal and delivers veggie steaks, veg burgers, and pierogies. Flip to the back of the menu and you'll find the awesome-sounding grape leaves sandwich, falafel, and a number of Greek salads and platters. When I received the generous spinach and feta cheese platter, I remembered that delivery always delivers twice-as lunch the next day. I unfolded pitas the size of records and got to work-hummus and baba ghanouj drizzled with oil, creamy cucumber sauce, flaky pie, those fun little grape leaves. Why are they even frontin' with pizza? Dial this operation and let's get to know a Lebanese Bread Salad.

Old Towne/Sanna's, 2301 Graysferry & Bainbridge St., 215-731-1911, campusfood.com

Citizens Bank Park To Please Crabby Vegetarians

Your #1 Vegetarian Ballpark, Citizens Bank Park, just scored some more vedge points. The home opener on Monday will see the debut of some curious additions to their existing line-up of veggified fare: crab-free crab cakes at Planet Hoagie and "chicken" cheesesteaks at Rick's Steaks. Full details on the crabless crab to come.

A Tour Of The Burgs

PW presents a Field Guide for veggie burgers. There should be no frozen burgers on that list. It's unacceptable for any kitchen to use store-bought veggie burgers, and while I'd never call White Dog Cafe lazy, it's the only thing on the menu there that does come from the freezer. They're so easy to make in big batches and freeze anyway, ay yi yi...here are some additions to that list:

The Abbaye's veggie burger (pile on the gruyere for me...)
A Full Plate (they make 3 veg types-spinach & black bean, sun burger, and regular veggie)
LeBus of Manayunk's veggie burger
Viva Las Vegans Bacon Burger

Veg Out: Azure

Azure calls itself vacation-style. I call it very conscious of veg needs. The comforting fact-it has been from its very start in 2004. Long before the Northern Liberties area had a gas-pub on every corner that paid attention to vegankind, Azure was there, with a flair for margs and seitan tips and waitresses who took their time. If you find yourself in an equal distribution of omnis and herbivores, Azure is food sex for all of you.

What's even more impressive than the seitan (which they add or sub for anything) and the well-done veggie burger? The tofu tacos drenched with soy chipotle aioli are a messy appetizer that pleases like a main. It's my favorite thing on our almost-half of the menu.

Azure, 931 N 2nd St, 215-629-0500, www.azurerestaurant.net

A Cake Walk At Dock St.

Chocolate Cake Rule #1: Cake should look similar to this.
Cake purists have wondered. If I'm not vegan, why do I even bother with vegan cake?

Simple truth is, I like it. Regular cake is not very consistent, most of it is not great, and most restaurants that I dine at carry vegan desserts. There's a new reason why, however, and that would be the vegan chocolate mint cake at Dock Street Brewery. It follows every chocolate cake rule and is exceptional for sharing, chocolate mustaches, and endorphins. So thanks to reader and baker Vanessa for the tip.

Dock Street Brewery, 701 S 50th St., 215-726-2337, www.dockstreetbeer.com

I Might Never Use My Avocado Slicer Again

Veg Out: Royal Tavern

I never thought I'd see Vegetarian Crab Croquettes advertised as a special anywhere. The veg-friendly Royal was touting this starter, as well as a vegan caesar salad. Never one to shy away from a food challenge within my dietary parameters, I bit.

The deep-fried app came complete with jalapeno tartar sauce. I have never tried crab, but this looked the part. My dining partner and I could not identify a meat substitute, but I believe it was a variation of this. The chef's english would only reveal that the appetizer was soy-based.

The vegan caesar was not the best. That honor was bestowed long ago upon Foodswings of Brooklyn for their No Chicken Caesar. It was still a nice try.

The coconut cheesecake was Vegan Treats, no question. Now go work out your fake crab fantasies before the special is done.

Royal Tavern, 937 E. Passyunk Ave, 215-389-6694

In The Kitchen With Kelly: Cheddar Muffins

So I found this magazine called Clean Eating. What a moneymaking "now" concept. The writing itself is bland. How many times can you encourage readers to consume their weight in kale before it gets yawny? I did come away with a neat recipe for "cheddar" muffins, which can be veganized by using soy cheese, soymilk, and egg replacer. Here's a similar recipe to Clean Eating's. The only difference is that they add Yves Veggie Ham and a bit of brown sugar.

Cheddar Muffins

In The Kitchen With PhillyChef: Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

PhillyChef has an easier-than-buying-$1.50-tomato-pie recipe for us: Vegetarian Sloppy Joes with absolutely no simulated meat for all of you naturalistas out there. Pinto beans and rice do the trick. [PhillyChef]

Veg Out: Sarcone's Tomato Pie

Heartburn-prone vegans, really, eat your hearts out.


Sarcone's Bakery, 743 S. 9th Street, 215-922-1717

Best Use Of Strawberries And Watermelons In A Video, Ever.

Hey, PBJ, Have You Met Seitan Cheesesteak?

James Saul goes on a vegan sandwich bender and doesn't overdose on protein. His Top 5 Vegan Takes on Classic Sandwiches is right on. I'm a number 5 girl, if you must know. Other must-have sammies?

-Viva Las Vegan's Bacon Burger

-Those Healthy Corner chicken salad sandwiches that you can buy at Essene or Asian-run cornershops (it is what it is)

-Vegan oatmeal raisin cookie sandwiches from Whole Foods

Veg Out: Matyson

A mother-daughter outing to the Flower Show involved us barreling through enough out-of-town senior citizens that sufficient energy was expended for lunch. Or s'lunch, rather, as we were nearing mid-afternoon. We briefly considered raiding the Swiss Pastry Shoppe to replace the lingering scent of hydrangeas with eau de chocolat, but ventured next door to Matyson instead.

The Wild Mushroom Hoagie seemed out of place on Matyson's contempo-American menu. Did this mean that I should look away from the fried goat cheese and bitter greens salad? Did there have to be mozzarella on the "hoagie"? Why not gruyere or the aforementioned goat cheese? Should I shed a tear for any vegans that might hope to lunch here? Snippets of conversation included:

"No, mom, I am not breaking vedge for the burger."

"Our quiche of the day has bacon."

Mushrooms and spinach were sauteed into a wonderfully wilted pile atop mozzarella and pesto on a sesame seed roll. Wild. Can a hoagie ever be sophisticated? Yes, yes, it can. Swap out the mozz with a creamier cheese, and I'd drop dime here again. It was very similar to the Ugly American's Mushroom Po Boy, although I'd give UA my heart.

Did we eventually dessert with the Swiss? Nay, we split the Lemonade Poundcake w/ Blueberry Ice Cream, thinking it would complement the balmy weather mood. It was nothing memorable. BYOB desserts are almost never worth it. It's always the pubs and bruncherie cafes that nail the apres-meal.

Matyson, 37 S. 19th St., www.matyson.com

Attn. Vegan Reich: Fake Veal

Even the most blood-lusty vegans that I know are frowning upon Natural Corner's latest invention: Vegan Veal & Pepper Salad.

Now, Natural Corner happens to make packaged-yet-nutritious vegan and macro meals that are perfect for those dining solo or al fresco. The food always seems fresh, even though it's meant to vacate at organic groceries until you, pale-faced and in starvation mode, are in need of a $5 pick-me-up.

As much as I try to stay out of the Faux Meat Substitute VS Real Vegan Food With Actual Vegetables debate, the availability of vegan veal is uh, curious. Disgusting, but certainly intriguing. I didn't even realize that regular veal & pepper salad existed. Must be some old-guard Italian thing.

Of course I bought it. I scanned the ingredients and didn't see any soy protein or other meat sub, just vegetables, tomato sauce, and....rice? I have never been able to eat veal, but I'm confident that the "veal" in this was quite dissimilar. It had the consistency and flavor of a chewy piece of pasta. I can safely advise you not to buy this disturbing concoction.

If you miss veal that badly, I'd rather not console you. Buying fake veal is a very sad move that only a veg food blogger would do just for the hell of it.

Available at Essene. Don't walk so fast.

A Little Bit Of NorthPortFishington In South Philly

Vegan donut baker extraordinaire Mike Landers of NorthPortFishington Cookie Factory has more where that came from. New items like Cashew Macadamia Blondies and Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies are at Benna's (SOUTH PHILLY WHATWHAT) and One Shot now. Landers probably has more empty Earth Balance containers than anyone I know.

In The Kitchen With Kelly: Home Creperie

Crepes seem intimidating to make, but my first attempt at making them from scratch turned out to be a success. After screwing up Crepe No. 1 (typical in any pancake endeavor), the rest turned out normal enough. I topped them with sauteed bananas, drizzled honey, and whipped cream. Not vegan, but you can go your own way, of course.



Here's a vegan crepe recipe: Vegan Crepes

Here's the non-vegan mix that I used, which is tres delicieux: Stonewall Kitchen French Crepe Mix

And here is the sleepiest vegan cooking segment evs, that will show you the love that Robyn used to sing about:

Veg Out: Cream Chipped "Beef"

Now amongst your veggie options on the Belgian Cafe's brunch menu.

Cream Chipped "Beef"

sliced seitan with well seasoned, tofu "cream" served over multigrain toast

This is a proud day for the vedge community in Philadelphia.