Rose's Noodles, Dumplings, & Sweets (Durham)

Rose's is right outside of downtown Durham, and self-described as an "East Asian inspired eatery" and bakery.

They're pretty meat-focused but are open to leaving the meat off the dish if you ask. I prefer to avoid kitchen mishaps and just went for the "House Shan-Xi Noodles - Spicy Sesame Sauce, Vegetables, Greens (vegan, Gluten Free Noodles Available)."

First glance

After stirring everything together

Sweet beejebus was that spicy sesame sauce good! Another favorite element for me were the strips of smoky mushroom. While I usually don't care for broad noodles, these were the perfect texture. The only complaint to be had was that the greens could've been chopped into smaller bits. Otherwise, would definitely eat this again.

Living Kitchen (Raleigh)

Raw vegan perplexes me. It's like someone read about probiotics and then took it way too far. Conversely, it also amazes me what raw vegan cooks come up with, especially when dehydrators are involved. I'm open to eating in this style, just not living it.


Enter into my awareness via the holiday gift of a coworker: Living Kitchen, who opened their first location in Raleigh in the dreadful year of 2016. (I wasn't in NC.) Most of their lunch/dinner menu is sandwich and salad-y. There are a lot of beverages, caffeinated and not. There is no subtext in the menu: they are a fan of nut milks.

They also do weird "health food" shit like elixirs and other juicing things. You know, pseudo-scientific tripe to get you to down shots of turmeric pulse-mixed with fruit juice. You know, weird "I get my nutrition info from the internet" shit that is too culturally refined in its emphasis on unrefined foods for my low-class hillbilly ass. But whatever, they didn't invent that, and they make vegan pie and cheesecake, so I'll shut up.

Anyways, it's a good place to go for something light, yet something that has undergone more preparation and care than your standard "chopped veg salad bar in a go box" type place. It's light, healthy fare that isn't too, too high priced and actually puts effort into making an interesting meal out of mostly raw ingredients. The food I ate was flavorful and the rest of the menu piques my curiosity about how they handle the textures of the ingredients listed. Bottomline: I'd eat there again.


"BBQ SLIDERS - locally sourced oyster mushrooms roasted in a smoky BBQ sauce on two classic slider buns spread with cashew mayo, served with bib lettuce and topped with pear, green cabbage and jalapeño cole slaw"

Had a decent ratio of mushroom meat to bread. I liked the slaw, but I didn't taste jalapeno. The BBQ sauce was western NC style, which isn't my childhood fav, but is good now and again for diversity's sake. (I don't even think mushrooms could stand up to eastern NC vinegar BBQ sauce, honestly.)


"SWEET POTATO SUSHI ROLL - avocado, red bell peppers, cucumbers, arugula and sweet potato cashew rice wrapped in nori. served with a lightly spiced Thai chili sauce"

Silly me forgot what I ordered and by the time it go to the table I thought the orange bits were carrots, but then I remembered the restaurant was largely raw and that it must be chipped sweet potato. The veg inside the nori is of course unseasoned, so you need the dipping sauce to make the seaweed-wrapped salad pleasant to eat. The spice level is well-rounded for something termed 'Thai', I think, but those who find black pepper spicy probably shouldn't eat it.

Dining out: Spotted Dog (2017)

A revisit of my 2012 visits to The Spotted Dog in Carrboro, NC. They've updated their menu, as my usual dining companion and I found out. (She was craving their food from her college days.) The only negative is they've changed the thickness of the tempeh on their Reuben to a somewhat pitiful filling, so maybe skip that choice. Otherwise, their food is still delicious.


Fried pickles with vegan ranch

Vegan cheese plate of blue corn tortilla chips and vegan pimento cheese, as well as a smoky cashew cheese with pepper jelly and pita triangles. There were quick pickled cucumbers that were mostly sweet and slightly tangy. I actually liked the pickles, despite my usual dislike of sweet pickles.

The trick here is to take a slice of the smoky cheese wedge, schmear it across the pita and then drizzle with the pepper jelly. Trés bien!


Vegan pork BBQ plate with slaw, beer-battered fries, and hushpuppies. One of those classic Southern "meat and three sides" meals.

The slaw is vinegar-based, but inadequately marinated to be tasty. The fries and hushpuppies are fried perfectly as only commercial fryers can do. However, the interior of the hushpuppies would benefit from a greater ratio of cornmeal relative to flour--it's a little gummy. At any rate, the vegan BBQ is quite juicy and I'd eat it a bajillion times over.

Dining Out: Bean Vegan Cuisine (Charlotte, NC)

Bean Vegan Cuisine in Charlotte: It's dark and dim and filled with vegan versions of otherwise artery-clogging truck stop dishes. My low class, hillbilly ass rejoices!

Side note: Their interior design as based around geek culture things, particularly comic books. That's all fine and well if you're in to that sort of thing, but I liked the little table display that touted the ecological benefits of eating lower on the trophic levels. Good job, Bean!

Above, the Cowboy Burger topped with seitan bacon, daiya cheddar, onion rings, and pickles--flavored with both ranch dressing and BBQ sauce. It was SO goddamn delicious. If I lived anywhere near Charlotte, I'd be one chubby porker for eating there all the time.

The burger is served with one side; I chose tater tot casserole, but kind of regretted it. I was expecting deep-fried, crispy tots with some diaya melted on top and some veg thrown in for color. Instead, it was mushy and gray. Should've gone with the fried pickles. Ah well, more incentive to go back and try any of the other delectable diner foods they offer!


Also of note: Bean is not only 100% vegan comfort food but also a grocer. The store was closed when I stopped in for lunch, which was terribly disappointing bc they are the one store in NC that carries "Vegan Magic" (formerly known as Vegan Bacon Grease). Very much wanting to try that product, I went ahead and ordered it online from Vegan Essentials.

I'll be back, Bean! And I will look at your gloriously large room of vegan groceries!! #ShutUpAndTakeMyMoney

Smiling Hara Hempeh

I'm not one for brands, but I am a proponent of interesting flavor combos. So while I was at the 2017 Triangle VegFest, I could not resist spending my hard-earned money on a vegan protein marinating in raspberry habanero BBQ sauce!

Before you even pierce the plastic packaging, you can smell the smoky goodness of the habaneros. Then, once you sneak a taste of the raspberry habanero BBQ sauce the tempeh been sealed in, you cut open the plastic wrap so you can lick it clean. This is what vegan food needs: good flavor profiles.

Side note: I consider this is a luxury good in terms of fat content--at 41g of fat per 4oz (aka half the block), it would be a good treat for vegans who eat a lot of whole foods and thus a lean diet. Otherwise, it's rather decadent for someone who already consumes a high-fat diet. (I am fueled by peanut butter, if you must know.)

What it looks like when cut open -- tightly packed interior

Upon the suggestion of the salesperson, I used the "Hempeh Tacos with Peach-Jalapeno Relish" from the Fork to Summit intsagram account. I adored the peach-jalapeno relish, but skipped the pickled peach skin as well as the red cabbage. Thus, my soft taco looks rather plain compared to what it could be.

It was still one of the most delicious taco fillings I've ever had, and thus will add in a gratuitous second picture. Raspberry-habanero forever!

The interior of the marinated pieces = toothsome hunks

Triangle VegFest (Durham 2017)

Still filled with throngs of people in the middle of the afternoon, several hours after starting.

Goodie Bag

As with most VegFests, the first x number of attendees is incentivized to show up on time with a goodie bag. The Triangle VegFest bag had the usual offerings of coupons and a few cosmetic samples, but then there was the sampler pack of Dandies marshmallows and the sustainable latex condom.

Receiving a condom in a food festival gift bag is one of the funniest things I've ever had happen to me.

That gift bag is like a vegan date starter kit: use the cosmetics to get ready, the coupon as an excuse to extend your date activities, the marshmallows to innocently invite the person in for hot cocoa, and the condom if things really go well (and you confirmed they don't have a latex allergy).

Baozi Food Truck

The Baozi Food Truck offered three options; I went for the "Kung Pao Soy Vegan BBQ Bao."

There was a good helping of the vegan BBQ nestled in the fluffy bao bun--they didn't skimp out. The toppings were obviously pretty: enoki mushrooms, red peppers (supposedly roasted, but their flavor didn't jump out at you), and shredded cabbage off to the side, keeping the fried rice company.

In being a Carolina native constantly lusting after a veg version of Eastern NC-style pulled pork, I though the BBQ--which I assume was TVP--was a little dry and could have used a dash of marinade or vinegar to offset the sweet sauce. But, as I've said before, not everyone can handle my preference levels for vinegar, so I understand why the food truck would cook to please as many palates as possible.

Overall: delicious and I wish I could eat these fluffy buns more often.

Souly Vegan Cafe

Their sampler plate of a main and three sides in addition to rice.

As you can see, my plate was greens, mac, and gluten-free cornbread alongside the BBQ chick'n.
I rather liked the BBQ sauce over the little bite-sized pieces of toothsome chick'n. The cornbread was a little too sweet for my tastes, but everyone knows Southerners only find perfection in cornbread they style themselves. The mac was the "soupy pasta" variety not the "heart attack casserole" kind I love best, but was still seasoned well. The greens were tender, but not very smoky and needed chili flakes plus vinegar (that's a theme with my country ass).

I really want to go to their brick and mortar location to further explore their menu and keep their business alive, since it's so damn hard to find good vegan soul/Southern food I don't have to cook myself.

Revolution Gelato

A blurry photo of a scoop of their coconut/cashew-based gelato in the espresso flavor. It was so thick and creamy! You'd never guess it was dairy free or had coconut in it, because they did not skip out on the espresso flavor. Gotta watch yourself around this brand or you'll make yourself into a piglet!

Scrambled - Southern Diner (Greensboro)

Scrambled is a popular brunch place about a mile from the UNCG campus.



This is what their "Forester" scramble plate looks like when you asked for no brie and no eggs. I wished I'd had my wits about me and asked for them to replace the omitted ingredients for extra mushrooms or tofu, because removing the animal products takes away half the dish while you still have to pay full price. Then, when I had my first piece of tofu, I was kind of glad I didn't ask for a replacement portion, as the tofu was squishy and horribly bland. Luckily there was hot sauce on the table to make it bearable.

I will say the hash browns were good; crispy but not too greasy. The biscuit was also good, but I failed to ask if it was vegan (pretty sure it was a butter recipe).

Scrambled also has a vegan chili or a mushroom gravy and biscuits. Wish I'd gone with my instinct and gotten the gravy and biscuits.

All in all, it's one of those places where your carnivorous family members invite you to go because there are some veg options, but it's mostly a greasy-spoon joint that you feel iffy about for several reasons.

Ho hum. There's perhaps never going to be a robust enough market to sustain a totally vegan Americana diner. ...Then again, we're going to have to fight climate change with diet change if we intend not to die.

Sassool (Raleigh)

Sassool's is a Mediterranean deli with locations in Raleigh and Cary. I'm a big fan of their menu, and as a picky Med. food enthusiast, that's saying something. Their Raleigh location also has a corner of the store set up like a market & bakery. There are the usual date cookies and boxed falafel mixes, but also harder to find Middle Eastern items like sumac and rose water.

Pictured, their lunchbox special: half a falafel pita with choice of two sides and a piece of baklava (you can give it away to a non-vegan friend). My two sides were rice-stuffed grape leaves (request replacement of yogurt sauce with hummus) and the black bean salad.

Look at the gorgeous interior of their falafel—herby as fuck! The way it should be!

I've sampled many of their other sides, and these are all good so far. Sassool doesn't over-salt, but lets the herbs and olive oil do the talking. I would personally like more salt, but I know other people are practically salt-phobic (my parents). My mom, a devout carnivore who now likes Med. food since I've become veg, has now really taken to eating lentils—and all because of Sassool's delicious lentils with caramelized onions.

Above, my plate on another occasion I went: their quinoa tabouli (again, needed more salt, but still so herby and good) and more of the black bean/chickpea salad.

On this occasion I noticed they have vegan versions of their stuffed dates. I have no idea what it was stuffed with, but the filling was a thick kind of creamy (like cake frosting) and perhaps a little too sweet to eat right after enjoy delicious acidic Med food. Still, it's nice they keep the vegans in mind with regards to their pastry counter.

Dining Out: Irregardless Cafe (Raleigh)

Recently had the alignment of the stars to splurge and treat myself to the renown Irregardless Café.
Seitan Tofu Reuben - "Grilled seitan (tofu mixed with wheat gluten and formed into cutlets) served on grilled rye bread with sweet & sour braised red cabbage and a tofu 1000 island dressing."

The Reuben’s contents were robust and “meaty.” I liked the red cabbage kraut and the tofu 1000 Island sauce well enough, but the sandwich was sparse on the sauce and thus slightly dry, plus the kraut juices there had more of a sweet flavor than the tangy pickledness I crave. Meanwhile, those side potatoes were delicious—well seasoned with salt and had an excellent and very well-developed crunchy crust.

Dining Out: Remedy Diner (Raleigh)

Remedy Diner of Raleigh has a famous sandwich called the Tempeh Tantrum. But I can only go on weekends, so I was stuck with their brunch menu. I resigned myself to the embarrassingly named "Hot & Gooey."

It is an oh-so-delicate Southern sandwich composed of fried chick'n and veggie bacon
smothered in Daiya cheddar cheese and a white gravy. This filling is decked between biscuit halves to form a little mound of mimicking-heart-attack-food.

Well hot dang! For once, I ain't gon' eat with mah hands, but grant myself permission to eat a sandwich with fork & knife. Fancy brunches and shit!

Note that the portion is the correct size for someone who loves to eat carbs and "meat" smothered in gravy and who needs to be restrained. However, I do not like the metal plate thing. This food isn't an individual pan pizza; it's not going to cover the whole plate and hold in its warmth. My food got cold while I chatted with my friend, and cold glue gravy is certainly not appreciated.

Meanwhile, certain bites of whatever creamy stuff (melted daiya?) they used to situate the vegan bacon onto the biscuit made it taste like I was eatin' a country ham biscuit. I welcome this, would eat it again, and demand y'all bring on the salt!!

I also love the decor. If I had money for more than just the occasional dining out, I'd buy all those vulture paintings. Every single one. They'd be hung on the wall in my bedroom, each staring cheerfully out of their one eye at whoever dared enter my lair. It'd be great. #EveryDayIsHalloween

DC VegFest 2016

Ah, VegFest. A place to sample all kinds of delicious free goodies (including the latest innovations in vegan cheese--they're getting close!), buy vegan food and wares (especially t-shirts), and to see oodles of dogs.

There's humanity of all stripes: all ages, all ethnicities, all gradients of veg and non-veg. People of all abilities and gender identities. People who dress mainstream, people who dress alt.

All of these people love nachos. There were several places to get nachos. DC VegFest: come for the nachos....and the cannoli, and the samosas, and somewhere there were popsicles, but I never found where and I'm reducing the sugar in my diet anyways.

My point is, that if everyone brought their own forks and some cloth napkins, plus petitioned for organic waste bins to compost the event's waste, then we'd basically have a frickin' utopia. (See how much I've softened in my old age?)

Anywho, there were some nifty improvements this year. For one, they moved it to Sept. instead of Oct. so that you weren't shivering. They had lots of hand sanitizing stations. They had printouts of the vendors map attached to their large maps on wooden stilts. The goodies in the freebie bag seemed to be stepped up a notch. Apparently they're makin cereal from beans, and concentrated vegan "chicken" stock, and there's such a thing as packets of veg parmesan...Take a look for yourself:

All the vendors I wrote about last year where present, in addition to well-known veg places like Busboys and Poets, but I wanted to sample the available savory delicacies widely. I do not regret this.

Three Twisted Vegans

First off, you need to know that this was delicious. Second, you need to know that I accidentally squished it and made it ugly in terms of presentation. Third, ugly food often tastes the best.

While I waited in their swarmed line, I read a DCist article on them. They've gotten some good press, and they definitely deserve it.

ATTENTION omnivore America: those vegan weirdos are making some amazing burger patties. As a former carnivore, I am actually rather blown away. If I gave this burger to my hillbilly daddy, he'd think I'd found knock-off McD's. Their "OG sauce" is a good replica of a certain secret sauce. Bonus: their pickles are properly thick pickle slices; none of that limp, paper-thin shit. Herald in the golden age of vegan junk food already.

Pep Foods

I'd never heard of them. Apparently they are "a collective of vegan businesses in the Baltimore, MD area." They had vegan cheese steaks and offered jalapenos on the side. I don't need to be called twice.

Since this was the first thing I got, and I was very hungry, I forgot to snap a pic of the vegan sliced beef. Hence, it looks like a veggie sandwich instead of a cheese steak. Don't let anyone ever tell you hunger doesn't inhibit concentration and priority-setting.

Everlasting Life Cafe 

The food truck version of Woodland's Vegan Bistro. I know I said earlier I wanted to sample widely, but I sure as hell don't want to miss out on vegan collards and mac. A familiar dinner is highly necessary.

Here are some nifty stickers I collected:

DC Dining: Woodland's Vegan Bistro

Woodland's Vegan Bistro--they're just too damn delicious.


Chick'n drums with some cayenne I sprinkled over the whole plate. Sides of vegan mac and collards, because I'm just southern af.

Need a second angle just to make you drool

The texture of the interior-- to form the chick'n drums the faux meat is wrapped around sticks, so be mindful not to bite too voraciously.

You'll wonder if you're eating actual tender chicken

DC Dining: Teaism

"wastED is a community of chefs, farmers, fishermen, distributors, processors, producers, designers and retailers, working together to reconceive "waste" that occurs at every link in the food chain. Our goal is to celebrate what chefs do every day on their menus (and peasant cooking has done for thousands of years): creating something delicious out of the ignored or un-coveted and inspiring new applications for the overlooked byproducts of our food system. " [emphasis added]

Taking a page out of the book of wastED, a DC restaurant called Teaism developed their "Trash or Treasure" menu. Only using the soft middle of the focaccia for the restaurant's burgers? No problem. Take the leftover bread crusts and make panzanella. Need only the soft parts of the leaves of Napa cabbage or chard? The remainder of the perfectly edible bunch can be stir-fried in a delicious sauce or deep-fried with a coating of panko.

Helps your restaurant's bottom line. Reduces the amount of methane that would be produced from the organic wastes going into a landfill. Prevents the wasting of the embodied resources within the food product (i.e. water, energy, nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon footprints).

Making the dish you design from food scraps accidentally vegan? EVEN BETTER! Don't have to worry about meat or dairy spoilage. The stale bread will be freshened by the sauce. The veggie scrap bits are likely to hold up well in the crisper section of your fridge.

Teaism's Bread Salad in orange-fennel vinaigrette with sunflower seeds and a few cucumber bits.

I decided to do a "soup & salad" lunch. Teaism has coconut-miso sipping broth, with kale shreds and chunks of acorn squash. Fear not the acorn squash's tough skin, for they softened it to an enjoyable degree and it serves as a welcomed break from sipping the broth.

"[...] we actually have the power and creativity to take what you deem un-coveted or refuse and turn that into the deliciousness." Dan Barber (chef) in a PBS News Hour video on Scholars Talk Trash

DC Dining: Afterword Cafe

A lovely independent bookstore in DuPont Circle has an adjoined restaurant called Afterwords Cafe.

Their Veggie Curry appears to be the only vegan thing I spotted, but they have some vegetarian options (which, alas contain parmesan cheese) and everything that comes out of the kitchen is prettily plated. The curry is pretty good, not out of this world because they have to appeal to all palates, but also not over-priced.

A small serving of white rice (gotta watch those carbs anyhow) surrounded by a moat of curried carrot, peas, potato, squash, and chickpeas, then topped with a cauliflower "steak."

NYC Dining: The Cinnamon Snail

While visiting NYC for a few days, I had to go to The Cinnamon Snail at The Pennsy (mid-town Manhattan, next to Madison Square Garden).

Beastmode Burger Deluxe - "Ancho chili seitan burger grilled in maple boubon bbq sauce with jalapeno mac n cheese, arugula, smoked chili coconut bacon, and chipotle mayo on a grilled pretzel bun"

Several elements of umami. Textural contrasts. Thick, robust, and bustin' out the bun. THIS is how you do a vegan burger!!

I briefly considered eating the paper it came wrapped in, but then I regained a fraction of dignity.



Thai Basil Coconut donut -- I loved that glaze and was obligated to lick it from my fingers in publilc.

Delectable donut interior

I would have tried more of their donuts, but I'm not wealthy enough to stay in NYC for long periods. Their display during May 2016 is below.

NYC Dining: Beyond Sushi

Beyond Sushi - Too bad I don't live remotely close to NYC, as I could eat this style of light, fresh lunch every single day. The ambience was also great--very much the "tidy minimalist" in terms of decor and with classic rock playing in the background (I heard Black Sabbath, Metallica, AD/DC).



"Fun Guy" Dumplings - "Braised porcini, shiitake, portabella, baked tofu, and spinach topped with micro arugula and chili panko. Sauce: Spicy bean and shiitake truffle"

'Twas just the right amount of spicy. I wanted a whole tray of these, but eating them in small sessions is probably best for not over-doing it and making myself sick with dumpling glory.


"Mighty Mushroom" Roll - "Six-grain rice, enoki mushrooms, baked tofu, braised shiitake, and micro arugula. Sauce: Shiitake truffle"

"Chic pea" Roll - "Black rice, roasted eggplant, artichoke, and English cucumber topped with saffron chickpea pureé and parsley. Sauce: Tahini"

Up-close look at that craftsmanship.

DC Dining: Amsterdam Falafelshop

The Amsterdam Falafel Shop in DC, offering you spices in your sauces and spreads.

Delicious falafel in a (compostable) bowl, surrounded by pickled things and charred eggplant. A lot of food for not much money! Also, the falafel is actually flavorful and texturally perfect.

Perfectly crispy fries, fitted into the holder holes in the table. Make sure you get the curried ketchup!

The 14th St location's guerrilla-decorated meter box out front.