via befitnola.com
A local couple started a vegetarian cooking show, promises more “New Orleans-centric” recipes in future episodes.
http://www.youtube.com/user/theherbivorenextdoor
Thanks to Daniele for highlighting this via @BeFitNOLA on Twitter.
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Oh, Asian supermarkets, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: cheap tea, affordable produce, interesting spices, awesome snack foods… My list could go on and on. But the item that is always at the top of that list is, of course, the wide variety of fake meat products that you will usually encounter in a large-size Asian grocery. In the New Orleans area, going to the big Asian supermarket means going to the Hong Kong Market. There are several other Asian groceries in the metro area on the West Bank and in New Orleans East, but Hong Kong Market is the biggest and most diverse. And fake meat products abound. Look for them in three main areas of the store: dry goods, canned goods, and frozen goods.
There are many incarnations of dried soy and gluten in the center aisles of the store. Unfortunately, I find most of them to be pretty lacking in taste. One good buy in this section is a bag of textured-vegetable-protein (or TVP if you’re hip to veggie cooking lingo), which is marketed as “veggie nuggets” or some other name more enticing than TVP. TVP is great because it can stand in for ground beef in most recipes that call for it: from stuffed peppers to sloppy joes. Canned fake meat usually succumbs to the same peril that most canned foods do: they taste like can. I’ve had some pretty good success using one of the many rubs or marinades available just a few aisles away to mask that off-taste. The fake duck in a can is especially good for this. I also really enjoy the plain ol’ fried gluten in a can. Too bad it’s full of fat and sodium, because fried gluten makes a great addition to a veggie stir-fry or a bowl of noodles. By far the best section of the Hong Kong Market to go hunting for fake meat is the frozen section. There is a wide variety to choose from and the selection changes pretty regularly. Of course, such variation also means that your favorites might not make it back to the store once they are sold-out. I miss you so much, Kung Pao fake chicken! At least the fake BBQ pork was still there when I went this weekend. Of course one caveat of a girl like me shopping for fake meat at the Asian grocery store is that most of the foods offered are made to please an Asian palate. Hong Kong Market has a lot of fake meat options that I do find to be very tasty. I can accept the fact that not all of the fake meats will appeal to my American tastes. Yes, soy sea cucumber, I am talking about you. Hong Kong Market 925 Behrman Highway Gretna, LA 70056-4569 (504) 394-7075 Get Directions
Something you should know about me is that I am very much a city girl at heart. I don’t hang out in the suburbs much, but when I do it’s nice to know there is some good food to be had beyond the Orleans Parish line. That is if you can find it hidden among the barrage of uninspiring chain restaurants and fast food joints. You just have to know where to look. And that, my friends, is why the internet is so wonderful. Type in a location, hit search, and KABLAM! – more dining choices that you know what to do with. I forget exactly how it was that I first read about Pupuseria Divino Corazon, but I couldn’t help but notice all the great reviews it got on Yelp and Urban Spoon. I’ve been meaning to give it a try for weeks, and finally got the chance when my friend and I went to the Westbank on a lady-date for dinner and a movie. Divino Corazon has a mix of Salvadoran and Mexican dishes on the menu. There are a few veggie entrée options (cheese enchiladas, platter of bean and cheese pupusas), but I wasn’t hungry enough to want a giant plate of heavy food so I went with a cheese pupusa and an order of fried plantains. For those of you who might not know, a pupusa is like a thick corn tortilla that is stuffed with some type of filling. I haven’t had very many pupusas in my life, so I don’t have much of a basis for making comparisons. But I do know tasty food, and Divino Corazon certainly makes a tasty pupusa. I also like their extra touch of adding minced scallions to the cheese filling. It’s a nice little pop of color and boost to the flavor. The pupusa is served with a side of curtido, a pickled cabbage salad, on the side which was okay but not super flavorful. The plantains were very good. They were served with the traditional crema and a side of refried beans. I usually operate under a cautious “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for things that may contain lard (refried beans, pastry, etc.), so I had a few bites. They were pretty good beans. But then I felt guilty about the potential animal products, so I stopped eating them. There is a lot of gray area in being a vegetarian. If I were in a more inquisitive mood, I could have asked the staff (who were super nice, by the way) about it. What can I say? Some times I like to live on the wild side… in the suburbs. Pupuseria Divino Corazon 2300 Belle Chasse HwyGretna, LA 70053 (504) 368-5724 Get Directions
My boss is retiring at the end of the year, so she took my coworker and me out to a farewell lunch at Café Reconcile. I feel like most people who live in New Orleans already know the story behind this restaurant, but my coworker who grew up in Central City had no idea so here is a one sentence synopsis: Café Reconcile is a program that works with at-risk youth to teach them the ropes of the restaurant industry and build their self-esteem. Awesome!
Café Reconcile serves traditional New Orleans cuisine, which can be tricky for a non-seafood-eating vegetarian like myself. Ah, but I have a tried-and-true trick up my sleeve for finding a vegetarian meal in a seemingly un-veggie-friendly environment. Side dishes! Café Reconcile seems to already know this trick as they have something called a “Veggie Plate” on their menu which is an entrée made up of your choice of 3 sides. I chose the mashed sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and collard greens. “What?! Collard greens?! Collard greens aren’t vegetarian, Daniele! They are full of cured pork products and turkey necks!” you may be yelling at me. Thank you for your concern. You’re sweet. But the staff assured me that the collard greens at Café Reconcile are indeed vegetarian. I didn’t see any meat products in them; I didn’t taste any meat products in them. What I did taste were some really good collard greens! The rest of the food was really good, too. The sweet potatoes were sweet and rich. The mac and cheese was super tasty and my portion had a few browned crunchy bits in it which are the best part of baked macaroni and cheese. Sure, these are all dishes that you will encounter all the time in New Orleans, but what sets Café Reconcile’s food apart from most of those places is that you can tell this one’s got heart. Sure the service can be a little spotty, but it’s easy to forgive these kids because they are very sweet and you can tell they are trying. It also helps that they are well supervised, so any mistakes that might happen are quickly corrected. Feel like doing some good with your dining dollars? Head over to Café Reconcile. Café Reconcile 1631 Oretha C. Haley BoulevardNew Orleans, LA 70113-1310 (504) 568-1157 Get Directions
Like most vegetarians/vegans/etc. in New Orleans, I was thrilled when I heard that we would be getting a vegetarian restaurant in town again. I moved here just after Old Dog, New Trick closed, so having a veggie restaurant option in New Orleans is a novel thing for me and oh so very welcome. I can’t describe what it’s like to finally be able to go to a restaurant where I can have anything on the menu. Usually I consider myself lucky to have two or three things to choose from, so it can get down right overwhelming when the whole menu is open to me. Being a Gemini doesn’t help in the decision making process either. Heh. I’m glad that my dining companions have been patient with me. So, is Café Bamboo the best vegetarian restaurant that I’ve ever been to? No, probably not. But is it a good restaurant? Yes, definitely. I know that this place has gotten mixed reviews on various social networking food websites, but most of the things that others have complained about were things that I either did not experience or that did not bother me. I know that Café Bamboo had a change of chefs in recent months, so I’ll just talk about my most recent experience there.
My friends and I braved the cold and the rain to have dinner there last Friday. I had the Bourbon Chick’n, which was phenomenal. I am not sure if the “chicken” was made of soy or gluten. What I am sure is that it was crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and slathered with a great sweet and spicy sauce. The sides that it came with were good for the most part as well: wilted spinach cooked with plenty of garlic and amazing mashed sweet potatoes that had coconut milk in them. The super-dry cornbread wasn’t as impressive, but it served its purpose as a conduit for the extra sauce left on my plate. So, if you are a vegetarian or a vegan, you should definitely check out Café Bamboo. And if you are the friend of a vegetarian or vegan, humor them by tagging along. They (We) put up with the paltry veggie offerings at your favorite meat restaurants all the time. I am going to go out on a limb here and recommend that even if you are a meat-eater and all of your friends are meat-eaters you might enjoy a visit to Café Bamboo when you are in an adventurous mood. Cafe Bamboo Downstairs @ The Dragon’s Den435 Esplanade Ave., New Orleans, 70116 (504) 940-5546 Get directions
Next Thursday will mark my 19th Thanksgiving as a vegetarian. (Whoa! That makes me feel old!) Throughout those many years, I have eaten a wide variety of turkey stand-ins on our nation’s biggest eating day. I’ve run the gamut from homemade veggie casseroles to amusingly poultry-shaped soy products from the Asian grocery store. These exploits have both amused and dismayed my non-vegetarian family. A few years ago, a new meat-replacement product came to the market that has been a holiday staple for me ever since: Quorn.
 Quorn Turk'y Roast via http://Quorn.us I’ll admit it: most of the other products that I’ve tried for holiday meals have been pretty bland and tasteless. And I’m sorry to report that I count Tofurkey in this bland category despite its awesome name. (Tofurkey Deli Slices, on the other hand, are delicious.) Quorn just gets it right. It’s got a good texture that is neither too mushy nor to rubbery, which are problems that other “fake meats” can have. The flavor of Quorn is poultry-like, though at this point I’d say I hardly have an accurate recollection of what chicken or turkey are supposed to taste like. I’m sure turkey and chicken eaters will be able to tell the difference immediately, but what I like about Quorn’s flavor is that it goes well with all of the traditional side dishes that compliment turkey so well: sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, etc. The major drawback of Quorn is that it contains egg products and is therefore not vegan. This makes no difference to me since I am an ovo-lacto vegetarian, but if you are looking to feed a crowd of folks who eschew all animal products, Quorn is not your food. There are quite a few Quorn products on the market, but I tend to buy the Quorn Roast for Thanksgiving because its size and shape lends itself well to the traditional Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches we all like so much. You could probably even shred it up to make a fake-turkey salad if you’re feeling really ambitious. Quorn is available at both Whole Foods locations in the greater New Orleans area. Mainstream grocery stores might also carry it, but it’s best to check with your local grocery store than take my word for it.
This week I got some flack from other NOLA Tweeters when I criticized the New Orleans Po-Boy Preservation Festival for not having many veggie options. According to the menu published online there will be one veggie-friendly po-boy on offer at the festival this weekend. Compare that to the nine vendors offering their version (or versions) of the roast beef po-boy. So today I’d like to sing the praises of a vegetarian po-boy that is as uniquely New Orleans as anything else on offer at the Po-Boy Fest: the French fry po-boy. I know you natives will stop me right here and yell “French fry po-boys aren’t vegetarian! They’re covered in roast beef gravy!” Yes. I know. That’s the traditional way to make a French fry po-boy. But it’s been my experience that most places will ask if you want gravy or not even bother unless you specifically ask for it. Chalk it up to cost-cutting, I guess.
 French fry po-boy from Vert Marte By now I’ve had many French fry po-boys throughout the city, and I have to say that my favorite is from Verti Marte, the dingy little deli on the Downtown end of the Quarter. Perhaps it’s because it was where I first made the acquaintance of the French fry po-boy, thanks to a tip from a vegan co-worker. But there is something else that sets Verti Marte’s French fry po-boys apart from the others that I’ve had: the French fries! Instead of the shoe-string style fries, Verti Marte uses the more substantial, thick-cut steak fries. This makes for a more substantial sandwich that is easier to eat because you don’t have to worry about dropping skinny little fries all over the place. It’s no wonder I love French fry po-boys. They remind me very much of the style of cheese fries I spent my youth eating in various diners throughout New Jersey. By which I mean the style that melts real cheese on top of the fries rather than serving fries drowned in a mysterious orange cheese-product sauce. Back in NJ I got/get my cheese fries with mozzarella melted on top, while here in NOLA I go for the classic cheddar as I find it goes better with the traditional mayo, lettuce, and tomato one gets with a po-boy. Let me be perfectly clear about something: French fry po-boys are a sometimes food. I only ever eat them when I’m entertaining visitors or after consuming many alcoholic beverages on Decatur St. The human body is not built to withstand such an assault of carbs and grease on a regular basis. But if you think a French fry po-boy is artery-curdling, you should have seen the mac ’n cheese po-boy they used to serve at the short-lived Nighthawk diner on Franklin Ave. in the Marigny. Verti Marte 1201 Royal St New Orleans, LA 70116-2512 (504) 525-4767
Wow, was I bummed when Coffea, the coffee shop around the corner from my house, closed earlier this year. And, wow, was I happy when Satsuma Café opened up in its place a few months ago. I finally made it over there for brunch a few weeks ago. One of my favorite things about Coffea was the ambiance and I am really happy that Satsuma has kept the funky, eclectic vibe going: mismatched furniture, original art on the walls, and warm sunlight filtering through the front windows. The menu at Satsuma is still fairly small, but I’m hoping it will expand as business gets going. Vegetarians, fear not! Even though the menu is small, we haven’t been forgotten. There are meat-free breakfast and lunch options. Also, be sure to check the specials board for dishes using seasonal ingredients. In fact, I think the most distinctive thing about Satsuma might be their ample use of local produce.
I got the veggie-Gruyere sandwich and the iced tea du jour (jasmine… yum!). The sandwich itself was good. Your standard grilled veggies on fresh-baked bread. The Gruyere was definitely an inspired addition, giving the sandwich an added layer of sharpness. But what was really memorable for me was the salad that came on the side. It consisted of hearty fresh greens that up until now I had only eaten thoroughly cooked. There was definitely kale, and I believe Swiss chard and some other stuff. Everything was tossed together with a delicious blue cheese dressing. Wow, I had no idea you could make a salad like that. Speaking of kale and blue cheese, I feel I must make a “True NOLA Eats Confession” to y’all. Those of you who attended the Fall Harvest Potluck last month may remember the kale and blue cheese salad that I made to share. Yeah, I totally stole that idea from Satsuma Café. Thanks guys! Satsuma Café will have a booth at the *Mirliton Festival on Saturday, and I know I will be stopping by. I encourage you to do the same, or pop in to the café itself the next time you find yourself on my side of the tracks. Satsuma Café 3218 Dauphine St New Orleans, LA 70117-6729(504) 342-2484
Those of you who aren’t vegetarians may have read the title of this week’s post and asked yourself “What in the heck is tempeh? Is she talking about a town in Arizona?” To which I’ll say that while I am sure Tempe, AZ is a lovely place, I am pretty sure you can’t make a sandwich out of it. What you can make a sandwich out of is tempeh – a fermented soy bean product. Oh come on, stop making that face. It’s good! The soybeans are dried and mostly left whole. The fermentation process helps them stick together to form sort of a cake. It is a traditional food originating from Indonesia, and has been a common offering in health food stores since my mom was wearing patch-work bell bottoms. Think of it as the world’s first veggie burger! Quite a few months ago, a colleague told me that there is a restaurant in New Orleans that actually serves the stuff. And that restaurant is… Garage Pizza on S. Robertson (next to Handsome Willy’s in what’s left in the medical district). Say what? A pizza place? Yup. You read that right. In addition to an extensive specialty pizza menu, Garage Pizza also offers a few things you wouldn’t expect from a pizza restaurant such as brown-rice tofu bowls and tempeh sandwiches. I had a rare day the other week when I found myself with enough time for a restaurant lunch on a week day so I decided to check things out. My verdict? Meh. I didn’t have a particularly bad experience with Garage Pizza and their tempeh, nor did I have a particularly good one. The restaurant itself is a nice enough place: a mix of airy-modern style (high ceilings, celery colored walls, concrete floor) with corner dive details (large wooden bar, street signs and license plates hung about the room). But what could have been a casual-cool ambiance was pretty much ruined for me by the big screen TV at the corner of the bar where the staff was watching soap operas. I don’t want to listen to your stories when I am eating lunch; put that nonsense on closed-captioning and turn up the radio. I ordered the tempeh sandwich, which comes served in a whole wheat pita with mayo and greens (p.s. vegan friends, ask them to hold the mayo) and a side salad. The side salad was minuscule, which is a shame because the citrus vinaigrette that came with it was really, really good. I would have liked more lettuce to enjoy it on.
I thought the tempeh itself was a little over-marinated and too salty. But I eat very little salt in my food, so it might taste just fine to you. At first I thought that the $8.00 that they charged for this fairly simple sandwich was a little pricey. When I thought about it though, the sticker shock dissipated as I came to realize that tempeh is a fairly expensive ingredient and I was given quite a bit of it. So, would I go back to Garage Pizza? Yes, I would. I’m sure I will at some point. However, when I’m there I’ll probably get a pizza or give the tofu bowl a try. If you are really desperate for tempeh or just want to support a restaurant that goes out on a limb to offer it, by all means get the tempeh sandwich. Otherwise, order something else (and maybe bring your headphones).
220 S. Robertson St, New Orleans
(504) 569-1599
Seeing as how the brief taste of fall that we had last week is a memory and we are back to summer’s standard heat and oppressive humidity, I’d like to talk to y’all about frozen desserts. Tuesday after work, I stopped at the French Quarter outpost of La Divina Gelateria for a cool treat in the middle of my daily bicycle commute. Our gal Leslie and her husband were the ones who tipped me off to La Divina back when they only had their Magazine Street location. I cannot tell you how excited I was when they opened a shop in the French Quarter earlier this year. I am a downtown kinda gal, so not having to cross Canal Street to get a sweet, sweet gelato fix is my idea of urban convenience. The service at the French Quarter location can be a little on the acerbic side, but has never crossed the line over to rude. And hey, I can’t blame them for having some attitude after dealing with the tomfoolery of the French Quarter denizens all day. (For example, when I was there I noticed a firm but polite “No bare feet, please” sign on the door.) If you haven’t been to La Divina yet, you should definitely check it out. They’ve taken the traditional Italian desserts of gelato and sorbetto to a more modern and worldly place. Standards like chocolate gelato and lemon sorbetto are still available, but why bother with them when you can experience innovative flavors like peach-prosecco or horchata? Local ingredients are represented among selections as well with offerings such as Pontchatoula Strawberry-Balsamic and Turbo Dog-Chocolate. If you’re even the slightest bit inclined to adventuresome eating, peeping the complete list of all the flavors La Divina is sure to make your mouth water. The selection on any day will vary with the season (and the whims of the gelato makers, I suppose), so try not to get your heart set on any one flavor before you walk in the store. Think of it as a super-tasty game of chance!
 La Divina Gelateria mojito sorbetto You may recall it was in the 90’s on Tuesday afternoon, so the primary reason for my visit wasn’t gastronomic exploration so much as it was icy refreshment. I got a small cup of mojito sorbetto which was cold and refreshing for sure, though I couldn’t really detect any mint in it which is what makes a mojito a mojito, really. But I knew what I was getting into before I placed my order because customers are welcome to take a free taste before committing to a flavor. Ultimately, I just wanted that zip that citrus can provide to a dessert. And this sorbetto was certainly zippy without being weighed down by too much syrupy sweetness which is sometimes a problem for ice-based treats. For the less-than-five-minutes it took me to finish my serving, getting through another day of a seemingly endless summer didn’t seem all that hard. Visit La Divina Gelateria at their Maple Street location, too!
7712 Maple St, New Orleans, LA
(504) 861-4114
You can also follow La Divina Gelateria on Facebook and Twitter  |
Social Dining in New Orleans. Combine new media & social networking with food & libations and you get NOLA Eats, a New Orleans-based social dining group and blog. Founder, Event Coordinator and habitual socializer Leslie J. Almeida writes about her favorites in New Orleans restaurants and nightlife while promoting a "live local" lifestyle. You can follow more of Leslie's NOLA adventures by connecting with her on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.
      
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