Veggie Burger Chronicles: Shenanigan's

Hey everyone! I hope you have all been enjoying October. I am definitely sad that its already half over!  While I usually am loving the fall weather at this point, it has been feeling quite summery around here. I mentioned before that I recently went to Ocean City, MD and enjoyed a nice beach day! Before Ben and I hit the beach, we decided to stop at a pub, called Shenanigan's, for lunch. Perfect opportunity to try another veggie burger!







As I have explained before, veggie burgers usually fall into one of two categories: "meaty" based, or veggie based. This patty was definitely on the veggie based end and pretty mild in flavor. I loved seeing all the different colors of vegetables in the burger. It was also full of grains which gave in a nice bite. The lettuce and tomatoes were super fresh, and the coolness paired well with the warm burger and toasty bun. The bun was whole grain and it was really nice and flavorful. Unfortunately with everything going on, it was hard to taste the cheese or the sauce.

Overall this burger was pretty good, but not one of my favorite VBs.

Have you tried the veggie burger from Shenanigan's in OC?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

The Veggie Burger Chronicles: Red Robin (Yum!)

Hey everyone! I hope you are all having a good week. I have really been enjoying my new job so far. Hopefully It stays that way. I notoriously love jobs when I first get them, and eventually grow to hate them. I'm crossing my fingers I keep liking this one!

Today I have another installment of the veggie burger chronicles. This time, I'm focusing on a pretty popular burger chain, Red Robin.  The first time I tried Red Robin was about 6 years ago. My dad and I were driving home after visiting the college I ended up attending.  We were looking for something to eat and we saw a Red Robin. Neither of us had eaten there, let alone heard of it, but we decided to try it out. Keep in mind that I, of course, am a vegetarian, and my dad doesn't eat red meat. Neither of us knew Red Robin was a burger place, but we both ended up finding something we loved. My dad got a chicken salad, I got a veggie burger, we shared the towering onion rings, and I have been in love with red Robin ever since.



Now I find myself craving visits to Red Robin, and luckily Ben loves it too, so we get to go pretty frequently. In the 6 years I have been eating there, I have only ever ordered one thing: the veggie burger.  Red Robin's veggie burger is a Garden Burger brand rice based patty. The burger is pretty good, but what I love is the sauce.  The veggie burgers come with a tangy and spicy Dijon mayo spread which is so delicious and perfectly goes with the burger.



The veggie burgers come with pickles, perfectly cold tomatoes and crunchy lettuce, on a soft, whole grain bun which really completes the burger.  And every burger on the menu comes with bottomless steak fries. You really can't beat endless fries!





Luckily, there are lots of Red Robin locations, so its pretty easy to get one of these veggie burgers whenever you want. This is a great place to go with your meat eating friends and family. Everyone I know from my carnivore boyfriend, to my non-red meat eating dad love this place. Its great to have a place that has something for everyone and its all delicious*.

Have you tried the Red Robin veggie burger?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

*I am only relaying the information that other things on the menu are delicious, as I have only ever tried 2 items.

The Veggie Burger Chronicles: Richboro Pub

Hello and welcome to another installment of The Veggie Burger Chronicles, where I review veggie burgers from different brands and restaurants. Today I am going to talk about a local bar in the town that Ben grew up: The Richboro Pub. Even though its has "pub" in the name, it really is a cross between a bar and a family restaurant. They mostly serve meaty sandwiches and burgers, but since I'm mentioning it here, you know they must have a veggie burger.



This is a veggie based burger with an emphases on mushrooms. The mushroom base gives this burger a pretty meaty bite, and mixed in with the other veggies, it tastes pretty good.



This veggies burger comes with the classic toppings of lettuce, tomato, and pickles. What I love most about this burger is that it comes on a kaiser roll!

I don't come to the Richboro Pub for the veggie burgers though, I come for the incredible homemade cheese sauce!



I can't tell you how good this stuff is! Its so creamy, cheesy and flavorful. I love dipping fries in it, or pouring it on my veggie burger.



This is definitely one of my favorite places to eat at when I'm visiting Ben.  I'm sad that we both live in Virginia now and I wont get my regular fix of cheese sauce. Hopefully we will be back soon!

Where is your favorite bar to get a veggie burger?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

4 Amazing Years: The Melting Pot

Hello everyone!  I hope you all had a great Memorial day weekend.  This year, my 4 year anniversary with my boyfriend, Ben, actually fell on Memorial day.  Unfortunately due to scheduling, we were only able to spend the day together on Saturday.  Because of that, Ben planned out a whole day for us to enjoy together.  We started with a trip to the zoo, one of our favorite activities together.  Then we had dinner at one of my favorite nice places to eat, The Melting Pot!



I'm sure many of you have heard of The Melting Pot, and some of you might have even gone.  I wanted to give you guys the run-down from the vegetarian point of view...when dining with a meat-eater.  This was our second trip so we pretty much mastered it.



My first tip is make a reservation!  This place is usually pretty popular, regardless of the time of year.  Plus the dinners here take longer than at other restaurants.  If you are looking to go during a holiday, like Valentine's day, make your reservations well in advance, unless you want to want dinner at a weird time.

When you get taken to your table, you will have a large burner, and a double boiler pot already waiting for you.  Your server will come over, take your drink orders, and turn the burner on to get the water boiling.  If you have never been to a Melting Pot before, they will explain how it all works.  Luckily, you are reading this post, so now you'll know :-P

Austin, Texas: Day 3 - The MOTHER of all posts!

Hello everyone! I hope you have been liking my Austin, Texas vegetarian round up. The last day I spent in Texas was Mother's Day. So after a morning of breakfast in a local college coffee shop, and and afternoon playing pinball, it was only natural that we went to Mother's, out favorite vegetarian restaurant, for Mother's Day!

Of course this wouldn't be a meal if David and I didn't order the same thing. When we were looking at the menu, David asked me what I wanted.  I told him I couldn't decide between the BBQ tofu sandwich, or the sloppy Joe. He also couldn't decide between those exact two options, so we each ordered one, and split it with the other. Ahh, sibling love!

Then the waiter informed us that the soup of the day was a tomato, spinach, and feta soup. Instantly my eyes lit up, and I knew I had to start with that.



This soup didn't have a strong tomato flavor, but you could really taste the spinach. I loved when I got a spoonful of feta cheese too.



I havn't had a sloppy Joe since I gave up meat, and when I did eat them it was with turkey, not beef.  It was awesome getting to enjoy them again, since I remember loving them so much.  David ordered the Joes, so he ordered them with cheese.  These were so good! The sauce was on the tomatoey side, so with the added cheese and the bun, they tasted like pizza.



The BBQ sandwich was absolutely amazing, and it was my favorite of all the foods we ordered that meal.  It was like nothing I have ever tasted before. The sauce didn't taste at all like BBQ sauce, since it was peanut butter based.  You might think tofu with peanut butter on is sounds like something pregnant or stoned people would come up with, but it was so delicious!  Both sandwiches were vegan (as long as David didn't order cheese on his) and came on really tasty vegan buns.

After a late lunch, we hung out outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather while we still could.  Then David and I had so much fun playing with his Xbox Kinect which was so much fun, and quite the work out! We were both so sweaty after, but we had a great time making fools out of ourselves four our mom's amusement  What could be a better Mother's Day gift then that?

We had some leftovers for dinner since we were too tired to go out. And then the fun began!

Austin, Texas: Day 2

Hey guys! I hope you liked my last Austin post, because it's time for another!

After that rainy night, we all woke up to a beautiful day!  The sun was out, it was warm, and the air smelled like fresh flowers. We knew it was the perfect day to spend outside, and in one of the most vegetarian friendly cities in the world, it was time for a vegetarian restaurant.

Counter Culture is actually a vegan restaurant which also has lots of gluten free and raw food options.  All the food is locally grown and organic, and of course they recycle and compost!  Its an environmentalist's dream, so I was really happy to eat and support this local restaurant and make good vegan meal choices!



When we got to Counter Culture, brunch was still being served.  I was a little hesitant at first because I don't like breakfast foods since I don't eat meat or eggs.  But a totally vegan breakfast? Yes please! For the first (and only time this trip) my brother and I didn't end up ordering the same meal.  Even though I try to avoid eggs when I can, I still miss them. I used to love omelettes, but I haven't had one in ages. Amy's makes a tofu scramble, so I get my fill of that, but to have an omelette again?  I couldn't pass up the opportunity, no matter  how good everything else looked.  The "eggs" were made of tofu, and they actually tasted a lot eggier than I expected, though not as eggy as real eggs. Definitely eggier than the tofu scrambles I've had, so it was nice satisfying that egg craving, even if they were a little crumbly.  This omelette was filled with roasted potatoes and fresh, locally grown spinach.  It also had vegan cashew cheese in it which was mild and creamy, but still very good.

Even if my brother got a different meal than me, we both made sure to order a side of tempeh bacon.  I've never had tempeh before so I was excited to try it. I wish it was more bacony like some of the soy bacon's I've tried. It had more of a nutty flavor. It was alright, but definitely didn't fill my desire for bacon. My brunch also came with whole wheat, vegan toast and vegan butter which was very nice and light.



I love root beer, so when I saw they had an all-natural version, I knew I had to try it. It had a lighter and more natural taste that normal root beer. I loved that it was made with stevia!

After brunch we spent the rest of the day shopping at an outdoor mall and I was guilty of buying waaaaay too many clothes!

After a long day of shopping, it was time to eat again! The ongoing joke in my family is that all we do is eat. But with so many good restaurants around, its hard not to. For dinner we went to a place called Korente, which serves Asian fusion food.  What I loved about this place was the really interesting story behind it.  The father of the man that opened the store was an Asian diplomat, so the family traveled all over Asia.  While traveling, his mother learned how to cook food from many different countries   She then thought her son, who decide to use this knowledge to open Korente.



Again, David and I both ordered the veggie curry with rice medallions and tofu on top of greens. I have to say I was in love with those rice medallions.  I had never tried anything like it before.  They were both chewy and smooth with a rice flavor.  Its hard to describe but it was so good!  Everything was tossed together in a flavorful and spicy curry. However, the most exciting part of the meal was the vegan miso soup! I love miso, but I never get it when ordering out since I'm never sure if it is vegetarian, or if it has fish stock in it.  We all shared some Asian pickles, bamboo soaked in pickle juice and jalapeños. They were so crunchy, fresh, and spicy, we couldn't stop eating them!

After dinner we stopped by Whole Foods (the cooperate office is in Austin!) to pick up some treats that I will show you in my next post :)

Do you have vegan restaurants in you area? How easy is it for you to find vegetarian options when you go out to eat?

Don't forget to stay tuned for my last Austin post coming up!

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Austin, Texas: Day 1

Hey everyone! I have something special planned for my next few posts.  Last weekend I went to Austin, Texas to visit my brother, David, and my sister-in-law. I really love Austin! I havn't spent much time in the other Texas cities, but from what I know, Austin is completely different than the rest of the state.  While Texas might be full of steak, BBQ, and cowboys, Austin is filled with hippies, art, and vegetarians!  Austin's motto is "Keep Austin Weird." I have heard my brother call it "the blueberry in the cherry pie."  I love seeing my brother and I really love Austin too!

Like me, both David and my sister-in-law, Deborah, are vegetarians.  Luckily Austin is filled with vegetarian restaurants  plus regular restaurants with lots of veggie options! I always knew that I would find something great to eat.  Over my next few posts I will be highlighting the foods I ate white visiting Austin!

The first place we ate after the plane landed was a place called Diner 24.  This wasn't a diner in the regular sense, it was really nice and had lots of great food.



I ordered the veggie burger, which was really good!  It was a beet based burger which gave it that pretty purple color.  It was also filled with flax and pumpkin seeds which gave it a nice bite. It was topped with goat cheese, that when it melted was more like a sauce than a cheese. It was super creamy and tasty.  Last, this burger had roasted tomatoes and basil which gave it an Italian flavor. I opted to have mashed sweet potatoes as my side, which were so amazingly creamy and delicious. This was such a unique veggie burger, it was a nice change from the same ole same ole.

My brother also ended up ordering the veggie burger too, you will notice that is going to be a recurring theme.

For dinner that night we went to place called Kerby Lane.  Again this wasn't a vegetarian restaurant, but it did have lots of options for us to choose from.



Both David and I ordered the Asian tofu sandwich off the specials menu. We both really liked this sandwich.  The tofu itself was a bit bland, as tofu has the tendency to be, but the siracha sauce that was on it gave it a great kick.  This sandwich was then topped with cucumbers and Asian coleslaw which gave it a great flavor.  The creaminess of the coleslaw really went well with the spicy siracha. I paired my sandwich with fresh cut french fries. Yum!

After dinner we got hit with a killer storm that ended up flooding some of the streets, and if even hailed in some areas.  Overall we had a nice first day with some great food.

Have you ever been to Austin?  Would you like to go visit?

Stay tuned for more Austin food posts!

Bye from the Veggie Side!

The Veggie Burger Chronicles: Nifty Fifties

Hey everyone! Today I have another installment of the veggie burger chronicles. This one is about a local 1950's diner in Pennsylvania. This one doesn't have many vegetarian options, but it does have a great veggie burger!



This burger is so full of spices and flavor! It doesn't really fall in the vegetable flavor, or the meaty flavor category  but falls somewhere in the delicious middle.  I also loved that this was served just like a regular meat burger at Nifty Fifties, in a basket with red checkered paper-so classic!



I got my burger with a side of spicy onion rings! These are so good, super crunchy and with a touch of heat, yum!



One of the coolest things about Nifty Fifties is the crazy soda menu! They have like 50 different flavors, and you can even mix them if you'd like. The mint flavor is seriously amazing! So cool and refreshing, and I love that bright green.

If you ever find yourself in the 'burbs of Philly, go ahead and stop into Nifty Fifties.  Go ahead and enjoy one of these awesome veggie burgers, and try to decide on a soda flavor!

Do you like fifties diners?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

College Memories: TJ Rockwell's

Hello everyone! As you can tell I'm posting on a Tuesday, which I usually don't do, but I have something quick to show you guys.

I just returned last last from a weekend in Pennsylvania to watch my boyfriend, and his sister, graduate from graduate school and college.  The weekend was beautiful, and we got to spend some time out in the beautiful weather when we weren't attending meals and ceremonies. On the drive back we actually passed through the little town that I went to college in exactly 2 years ago, and we got lunch at the place where we had my very own graduation dinner. Well...why am I telling you all of this? Well if you remember the post on Melted Mozzarella Minestrone I did, I mentioned my inspiration of a vegetarian tomato soup prepared like French onion, with croutons and cheese melted right on top, that I got at a restaurant near where I attended college. Well we went to eat at that very same place, and I had to order that melty tomato soup!





Look at how amazing that is!  There's nothing like some hot, melted cheese on a perfect bowl of tomato soup. It's easy to see how I needed to find a way to enjoy this on my own home.

I opted for the lunch special and paired this soup with a fresh salad topped with walnuts, craisins, cheese, and a raspberry vinaigrette. No matter what I was eating, every bite was so delicious and filled with college memories!

I thought I might share some photos from the graduation, there are after the jump if you want to see how else I spent my weekend away!

The Veggie Burger Chronicles: Scarsdale Metro Restauraunt

Hello everyone! Today I am going to introduce a new segment on my blog, The Veggie Burger Chronicles.  As all you vegetarians know, a major staple in out diet is veggie burgers.  Mostly because if you decide to go out to eat with your meat eating friends and family, pretty much the only thing you will find to eat on most restaurant menus is a veggie burger.  But that's ok with me since they are delicious!  Many frozen food brands like Boca and Garden Burger, which some restaurants serve.  However many make their own veggie patties with a variety of ingredients like veggie, beans, lentils, and even quinoa!

I have decided to show you guys all the different veggie burgers I have from local restaurants  to chains, and even the frozen brands you can buy in your own super market!  I find that most veggie burgers fall into two categories  the ones that are made to look like meat, and the ones made to look like veggies.  I tend to like the ones that you can see the vegetables in it.  The meat-like ones taste to meaty for me, and unless I can read what's in them myself, I am wary of them.

For the first installment of the Veggie Burger Chronicles, I am going to show you a veggie burger I had at a local diner by my house, The Scarsdale Metro Restaurant.  My mom actually took my brother, sister-in-law, and I there over the summer during our last visit.  Not only do they have a great veggie burger, they also have a whole PAGE of different salads! Now, normally I am not a big salad person, but they had so many kinds to ones with fresh veggies, and my favorite with goat cheese and avocado, mmm!  So I knew that I needed to go back again...and again and again!




This Veggie burger came just like the meat ones do, with lettuce, tomato, coleslaw, pickles and fries.  Oh the fries!  Some of the best fries I have had in a long time! They reminded me of McDonald's fries, at least I think they do, since its been 11 years since I had them.  They were so salty and crunchy, yum!

As you can see, this burger is the veggie packed kind.  You can even see the soy beans in it, so you know you are getting lots of protein in this burger.  This was so delicious, packed with veggies and spices. Of course I loved it, since I made sure to come back just to have it again, or maybe it was for the fries :-P

Do you like the the meaty, or veggie veggie burgers? What are some of your favorite local veggie burger spots?

Bye from the Veggie Side!