Category: vegetarian/vegan friendly

My Bryant Park Holiday Shop Picks!

The Holiday Shops and the ice rink opened up last Friday, leaving me to grab my skates and head to Midtown after work. After a couple of rounds on the ice, I decided to check out the shops that were all ready for business. There were some old favorites, new shops, and some relocations. As well as plenty of food.
Caution: You may get hungry. 

Animated Closet – A shop for people who like shopping for PopArt style clothes to match their quirky fashion sense. 
 
Big Apple Cider – One of the best shops with hot apple cider. It’s a spot I always warm up at after a couple of rounds of skating. Ask for a cinnamon stick.
 
Jammin’ Nut – A new shop for this season that brings you home with PB&J. Mixing their love of music and comfort food with sandwiches like “Fiona Apple” (apple butter, peanut butter and gala apple slices) and Smashing Pumpkins (pumpkin butter, cinnamon, crunchy peanut butter and sliced apples on whole wheat). Goes extremely well with Big Apple Cider who is right next door.
Kettle Corn NYC – is always a favorite with their free samples and their cloud-like, melt-in-your-mouth popcorn. It’s still in the same old spot right as you exit the ice rink. 
Le Churreria – Last year I stumbled upon this shop when there was long line at Big Apple Cider. This year it’s back with the usual Bavarian cranberry spice cider (my favorite now!) and churros. 
Macarons and Cookies by Woops – This shop will be a definite stop for Lolitas doing shopping or skating or both. It may be hard to spot with the long line, so to help people out it is closest booth in front of Celsius.  And then stop by LT Burger for more macaron goodness with a Macaron Shake. 
 
Max Brenner – Need I say more? It is chocolate after all.  I urge all of you to find out what a chocolate syringe is and find out what chocolate by the bald man tastes like. 
Stone Flower – another old favorite and has move from its normal location to what looks like a bigger booth. With charms and trinkets of all kinds, this place is good for last-minute presents or gift exchanges.
Raaka Chocolate claims to be vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, and made with organic ingredients. It’s also locally made in Brooklyn. 
Wafels and Dinges – For curious readers, dinges are simple toppings. And for an extra $2 you can get an unlimited amount of dinges on your wafel. Be aware to hide your wafel as you walk past jeaslous passerbys.
Wonderwarmers – These handy gadgets will keep you warm again and again this winter.  As a whim my husband made a purchase from this shop and now it’s a holiday present list staple.
WRecords by Monkey – A shop I think people should check out if they are into DIY and upcycling. It’s a shop that has taken old, unplayable vinyl records and turned them into wearable jewelry, wallets, and hangable decor.  Last year, I treated myself to a pair of earrings with the NYC skyline.

Sunday Brunch : Elephant & Castle

Menu says it all.

Elephant & Castle was a place that my husband and I had planned to go but never got around to it. Two years to be exact. And since we had a long weekend and hardly any definite plans we decided on this place for brunch.

Located in the Greenwich Village, actually near Tea and Sympathy, Elephant & Castle is small so be sure your entire dining company is present and prepare for a wait.  But like Tea and Sympathy they use every inch of their space to accommodate as much people as they can allow – there was a two-person table in that could only be classified as a nook.

Elephant teapots.

Since it was just us, we actually never waited and were seated right away.  True to it’s name there was elephant paraphernalia on shelves.  And it’s name is actually named after a pub name after the voyage Charles I made to marry the “Enfanta de Castile.” The marriage never happened, but the pub stayed and eventually the English pronunciation became Elephant & Castle.

No handles neccsessary. A Spanish Latte: latte with condensed milk.

The food is very simply but rich. And we both decided to get different versions of Eggs Benedict. He went straight for the Eggs Benedict with Apples (instead of Ham) on top of French Toast. As bizarre as it was good because of the sweetness of the apples balancing out the creaminess of the hollandaise.

As you can see there are utensils waiting to dig in

I went with a more classic Eggs Benedict but with Potato Pancakes instead of English muffin. Again rich and extremely filling.  The potato pancake was more like a potato patty but still good nonetheless.  Be prepared with an empty stomach; I was barely able to finish with only two bites left.

Eggs Benedict and Potato Pancakes

They take credit cards and the price was pretty average for New York City. The only suggestion I have is to never go with more than a group of four.

Elephant & Castle
68 Greenwich Avenue
New York, NY 10011

Sunday Brunch: Buddha Bodai

Right across from the New Chinatown Arcade.

Being a vegetarian/vegan is relatively easier in NYC than most places.  My parents tend to not venture beyond Chinatown, so I’ve been to a good portion of the restaurants that have dim sum.  However it was shocking to learn that this trip they wanted to try something different.  My dad is a very particular person when it comes to food, so it’s very surprising to find out he wants to try something he’s not used to. Especially anything vegetarian.

My husband and I had several options lined up near the area, but due to the sudden heatwave we made a spontaneous decision to go to Buddha Bodai.
We had always passed by this place, but never had the opportunity to try it. Until yesterday.  Buddha Bodai is a one of a few vegetarian-only Chinese restaurants.  The other is Vegetarian Dim Sum House that’ we’ve also tried.  They also specialize in the veggie-version of dim sum.

For reference, dim sum is sort of the Eastern version of brunch or tapas.

Menus were in English in Chinese, and unlike traditional dim sum you order from a menu as opposed to picking out what you want from carts. They also code the menu to tell you which items are gluten-free as well.  And for those who have had dim sum before, all the typical dishes are discernible. As such I ordered everything that was familiar to everyone:

Shrimp dumplings (蝦餃),
Siu Mai (燒賣)
Meatballs (牛肉球)
Turnip cake (蘿蔔糕)
Spare ribs (排骨)
Veggie Dumplings
Cruller wrapped in rice noodle 

Except for the spare ribs (a bit too chewy) and meatballs (preferred this over the spare ribs), I recommend everything listed.  They also served congee in several varieties (another typical Chinese breakfast staple).

The price is about the same everywhere when it comes to dim sum and it come to about $25 for four people. And to top it all off, it had my dad’s approval.

Buddha Bodai
5 Mott Street
New York, NY 10013
212-566-8388

Sunday Brunch: Penelope

Penelope is one of those places that you see a line out the door and wonder what the fuss is all about. I’ve passed by this place every so often, asking the wait times and see what is reasonable. So far no luck with 45 minutes to two hour wait times.

So we decided to take matters into our own hands. We set the alarm for 7AM and headed out early to literally catch the worm.

At 8:30AM there was still a wait, but only for a reasonable 10 minutes. As soon as we were seated I understood the reason for the waits. Penelope is tiny. Unlike Tea & Sympathy, Penelope has limited space but enough room for people to move.

I ordered the “Punkin Waffle” – pumpkin waffles with apple butter, dried cranberries, cinnamon-cardamom pecans, and baked apple slices. It was incredibly delicious and tasted like homemade pumpkin bread. Despite the early wake-up call I could only finish only half.

The price is reasonable despite the long waits. However both of us felt while it was good, the wait wasn’t that worth it. If you are passing by and you’re willing to wait, check out Penelope.

By the time we left the wait was well around 30 people. This was around 10:30AM.  For a few waitees, Penelope is a very gracious host and offers hot drinks while you wait, as I saw several people with mugs in hand.

Penelope
159 Lexington Ave
New York, NY 10007
212-481-3800

Sunday Brunch: Laut

When in doubt, Laut.

 
Now it’s time for the other half of brunch: lunch!  There’s nothing wrong with eating breakfast at lunch time, but it’s nice to have a real lunch once in awhile.

I had originally discovered Laut through MalaysiaKitchen two years ago and was more than pleased with my experience.  Now I try to bring everyone I know there at least once.  Laut specializes in Malaysian, Singapore, and Thai food – a real Asian fusion.  And if Lillies Victorian Bar is full, this is right next door.
One of the reasons I wanted to go here was that Laut is one of the few places that serves tea tarik. Tea tarik is warm milk tea that is “pulled” or poured back and forth between two metal cups before serving. This makes the tea very frothy and a pretty nice spectacle to watch if your near the kitchen.

Tea Tarik in action at a  Malaysia canteen.

Roti is traditonally Indian, but they serve this at Laut as well since Malay food is also has Indian originas.  There are two kinds, Roti Canai and Roti Telur — both of which you can’t go wrong. Roti Canoi looks a very flaky funnel cake that you peel off and dip into sauces. Roti Telur looks more like a savory pancake with egg, peppers, and scallions.

Roti Telur straight from Malaysia

Roti Telur with curry dipping sauce. Curry Puffs are optional, but delicious

Laksa is another dish that is delicious and best served spicy. If you have watched No Reservations, this is a dish that Anthony Bourdain raves about a lot. Ironical a few weeks ago he even visited Laut to share his Singapore memories.  I will warn you that the laksa here is so spicy that you may not be able to reach the bottom.  I love spicy food as much as the next person and can take the heat too, but I had to throw in the towel and took at least half home.

Curry Laksa.

What I also like about Laut is that you can walk in almost any time and get a table. While this is an indicator of not-so great food, Laut it just means the food is so great that most people just don’t know about it. The price was average and affordable, and the service was OK. I put an OK because waiting for the check was a bit of a hassle.


Laut
15 E 17th St
New York, NY 10003
212-206-8989

W.M.D.s found at Wafel & Dinges

Wafel truck at Central Park.

Belgian waffles are the bane of the college freshmen diet. Thankfully statistics have proven that the “freshmen 15” is completely myth.

So go out an celebrate by eating a waffle! Specifically at Wafels & Dinges. It is one of the original gourmet food trucks that roved around New York City streets leaving a trail of spekuloos spread.

Throwdown Wafel – spekuloos spread and whipped cream.

Words really can’t describe a waffle at Wafels & Dinges. You just need to try it. If you’re not sure what to order, the staff is ready to assist in answer all questions. Personal recommendations include the ThrowDown wafel (the wafel combination of whipped cream and spekuloos that won against Bobby Flay), a Chili corn wafel (limited-time special), and a W.M.D.

Bacon Liege – waffle with bacon bits in the batter and drizzled with maple syrup.

Waffles of Mass Delicious. For $7 you purchase a waffle and can have as many toppings (dinges) as you like.

Chili Corn Wafel – veggie chili, corn, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and parsley

The other thing you need to know is that these waffles are excellent hiders. So the best way to capture one is to follow their Twitter @waffletruck or at local stalls at the annual holiday fairs in Union Square, Columbus Circle, and Bryant Park.

What are you waiting for?

Sunday Brunch: Alice’s Tea Cup Chapter II

Alice’s Tea Cup is very reminiscent of childhood tea parties you use to have. Except instead of fruit punch you can have actual tea and real tea cakes. (Did I mention real cake?)

Chapter II is one of there most popular locations in New York City for lovers of pink and nostalgic for childhood fancies. As well as people who want a real tea party without the stiff and stuffy atmosphere.

Lolitas love to venture to Alice’s whenever they have the chance, and the wait staff are more than welcoming to those wearing dresses with maximum poofiness. With a short walk from Central Park and the popular shopping avenues–it’s no wonder that this place has wait times that are anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours. 

I had been several times before, but wanted to introduce the other half to the place. Luckily we had our chance on a late Saturday brunch with a short wait of 15 minutes!


He was a bit skeptical at the thought of Afternoon Tea. He presumed tea and cakes would not be a whole meal, fully knowing that afternoon tea was more of a snack time for adults when lunch was at noon and dinner was served at 8 o’clock rather than around 6 o’clock nowadays.

However when the 3-tiered tray (a Mad Hatter’s tea for two) arrived every questionable thought disappeared at the sight of so much food.

Alice’s is very accomodating for vegetarians and with the tiered trays  you can to choose what you want as opposed to being presented with something you probably wouldn’t like (and garnished with caviar).

The setup is pretty standard with sandwiches on one tier, tea cakes on another, and light sweets at the very top (since it’s the smallest and one can go overboard when it comes to noshing on too many). And for the amount of food versus the price, it is well worth the wait for a table.

Also the tea is magnificent for it’s extremely long list and wide variety – from classic English blacks to purer greens and whites to herbal and fruity there’s something for everyone. And Alice’s Tea Cup maintains it’s kitschiness with no two cup and saucers are the same at the table. It also helped we both each got and emptied a pot of tea.

The decor helps you feel at home if you’ve never taken tea what with the multicolored butterfly wings and interpretative pictures of Alice Liddell (that’s the name of the real Alice on the wall) along the walls.  It’s a place that you can never tire of and always find something new.  Being my second time, I noticed the tables were refurbished vintage sewing machines.

There is a limit to Alice’s Tea Cup and that is you will probably take something home, which is not exactly a bad thing. As you can see the bottom tier became a doggy bag of sweets.

Alice’s Tea Cup does take reservations and have private dining areas for parties and “un-birthdays”, but I find it more fun to drop in and see if there’s room at the Mad Hatter’s tea party.

Extremely Late for an Important Date: Tokyo Rebel Tea Party 8/22 in Pictures!

This is long, long, long over due, since this was in August and now it’s November with the leaves already on the ground (and we’ve already experienced our first snowfall!). So apologies to anyone and everyone who reads this.

In late August, Tokyo Rebel held its first tea party. First part of the event was a buffet at Cha-An, a Japanese teahouse in the East Village. The second half took place at their store for a live Skype conversation with Misako Aoki!

Decorations.
Place settings before people arrived.
So much delicious food.  Menu consisted of Teriyaki style meatballs, tofu quiche, chicken fried rice, smoked salmon, and green beans with sesame peanut sauce.
A little bit of everything. Everything was delicious. If you have the chance to go to Cha-An at another point in time, definitely go.
Everyone gave small introductions. It’s always interesting to learn about other people who got into Lolita. This girl is a teacher!
Green Tea Truffles
Making conversation before dessert course.
Strawberry Shortcake medley!
First groupshot before heading to Tokyo Rebe
 I really wonder what people though as twenty some girls in frills walked down the street
Another groupshot in front of the store.
Shopgirl Meg and Giftbags!
Misako thinking. Definition of Kawaii
The Grand Prize Winner of the Best Coordinate/Outfit Contest goes to this lovely lady. What did she win: $300 gift certificate to spend in their store.
Tea Party Goodies: three postcards, a box of candied almonds, Baby, the Stars Shine bright wristcuffs (made especiallyfor the tea party), and a Thank you card(not pictured).
I couldn’t get enough sweets so me and a few friends dug into these cakes from the Cake Boss cafe in Discovery Times Center.

Tokyo Rebel posted the full transcript here and photos for curious readers.

Nook and Crannies: Tea Rooms in NYC

Rose House

Ever wonder how little old Asian ladies can drink hot tea in the blazing summer heat? Neither can I, but maybe a warm cup of tea is good after being in a room with blizzard level A/C.

Not all Lolitas like tea, but this one does. I actually completely switch from coffee to tea, and it has been all for the better  (and becoming a slight borderline obsession for that perfect cup). Tea gives a nice steady caffeine boost unlike coffee which can leave you twitching for the next one.

Going out dressed in Lolita is like special treat, and so is taking the time to relax in a quiet corner with a pot of tea. This is extra special for New Yorkers who have the constant urge to always be on the move. Which is why I always enjoy when someone hosts a tea party.

Tea parties are grand, but intimate affairs for girls who are into Lolita fashion. It’s mainly a chance to reunite with others and meet new people than sipping from fancy cups with noses pointed up.

As well as discover new haunts for good food and, of course, drink tea.

Here are some chill places to try if your hankering for a nice cup of tea (hot or iced) and equally good food. Oh, and don’t forget to bring company!


Alice’s Tea Cup

Chapter I
102 West 73rd Street
212-799-3006
Chapter II
166 East 64th Street
212-486-9200
Chapter III
220 East 81st Street
212-734-4TEA

Bosies Tea Parlor (I highly recommend the Darjeeling Tart)
10 Morton Street
New York, NY 10014-4007
212-352-9900

Cha-An (Asian)
230 E 9th St
New York, 10003
212-228-8030

Danal
59 5th Ave # 1
New York, NY 10003-4349
212-982-6930

Franchia (Asian, all vegetarian/vegan)
12 Park Ave
New York, NY 10016-4307
212-213-1001

Harney & Sons
433 Broome Street
New York, NY 10013
212-933-4853

Mariebelle Cacao Bar and Tea Salon
484 Broome Street
Manhattan, NY 10013
212-925-6999

Podunk
231 East 5th St # Southeast
New York, NY 10003-8597
212-677-7722

Rose House
38-10 138th St
1st Fl
Flushing, NY 11354
(718) 465-1670

Tea & Sympathy
108-110 Greenwich Avenue
New York, NY 10011
212-807-8329

These are only a small number of places that revolve around tea. A site I strongly recommend is Teaguide and TeaMap, to find the nearest tea room or hotel that does tea service.

Is there any places you recommend for a spot of tea not listed? Please share, I always love finding a new place for tea. Perhaps one day we can have a cup of tea together!