“Hey, Piet, we need you to go vegan for a day.”
“Ha, seriously, what am I working on this month?”
“No, seriously.”
“Oh, man …”
Bias against vegan food is pretty common, and I’ll admit to harboring a bit myself. I’ve gone vegetarian for periods of time, but taking that extra step and dropping all animal products, including dairy and eggs, has always given me pause. I’ve come to expect certain flavors and certain textures that, to quote Netflix star and declutterer professional Marie Kondo, “spark joy.”
That said, a day as a vegan, especially in restaurants I am otherwise familiar with, sounded like it could be a learning opportunity and a chance to sample dishes I often skip over on menus. So, being a good trouper, off I went.
Lamplighter Coffee Roasters is a great way to start any day, and their Slammer — maple-Sriracha-glazed veggie sausage on a bagel — seemed like the perfect choice to kick off my 24 hours of veganism. Not too sticky or spicy on the glaze, the sausage really did approximate the mouth feel of a patty, with a taste that was amazingly close to the real thing. The Tofutti cream cheese tasted fine, but also served as an effective lubricant, as each bite into the chewy bagel caused the sausage to become airborne. Still, it was enjoyable, simply necessitating a few extra napkins and situational awareness.
While I enjoyed a little coffee, Lamplighter master roaster and owner Jennifer Rawlings recommended their Banti Korbo, an Ethiopian blend with berry and chocolate notes, to complement the veggie sausage as I plotted my lunch choices.
To my surprise, my frequent ramen spot, Tenka, offers a vegan ramen — its broth comprised of sea salt and kelp.
However, what ended up catching my eye was the tempeh, lettuce and tomato sandwich at The Daily Kitchen & Bar. How did the facon stack up? It was a fair approximation. The rice-based strips weren’t as crispy as the real deal, and had a familiar smokiness, but not quite authentic flavor. Regardless, the sandwich was enjoyable, especially after replacing mayo with a little guacamole to add the right touch of creaminess.
OK, I’ll admit, the TLT wasn’t the only thing that took me to The Daily. I was also curious about the restaurant’s chocolate torte made with almond milk. The dessert was rich, creamy and decadent. I didn’t miss the dairy at all.
Afternoon drinks with friends at Ardent Craft Ales posed a dilemma: Would I find anything to snack on? Turns out, yes. The Zorch Pizza food truck was there with vegan pies featuring locally made vegan-friendly cheese from UnMoo. I didn't get the long stretch of stringy melted cheese from the New York-style slices, but the taste satisfied my snack craving.
Dinner presented a bit of a conundrum. Unlike GF for Gluten Free, a “V” on a menu can sometimes mean vegetarian, while in other restaurants, it denotes vegan. For me it’s an inconvenience, but I can imagine it being a real annoyance for committed vegans. Questions must be asked. The Faux Pho at L’Opossum is vegan, but the charred cauliflower at Dutch & Co. is not (butter in the puree). Sometimes a vegetarian dish can be modified by omitting an ingredient, in this case the egg in the crispy broccoli at Alewife, to make it vegan. Dressings for the dish also rotate, so be sure to ask.
Even at my destination, Secco, clarification is needed. My longtime favorite dish, the Aleppo chickpeas, is vegan, but it turns out the oil they are fried in is also used for non-vegan items. Not a problem for me, but potentially a concern for others. Not of concern was the vegan grilled-mushroom paella, outstanding for not attempting to be a faux meat item, instead a truly complex dish with earthy mushrooms and rich chestnuts brightened by an oregano vinaigrette.
To wrap up my meatless day, it was time for a quick stop at Charm School. As I enjoyed a scoop of vegan mint swirl, I pondered the day and realized that I really didn’t miss meat. There might be something to this whole vegan eating thing.