Restaurant Roundup: Fresh Pizzeria, Au Bon Pain, Black Market Bistro and Chipotle

A busy week prepping for one of my office's major events meant a lot of eating out this week.  I feel like the times when people are pressed for time and on the go are the times when it's easy to fall off the vegan wagon.  Fortunately, there are a ton of options available to make eating out as a vegan easy.

After a late work night Thursday, my husband and I decided to try Fresh Pizzeria on Rockville Pike.  I was disappointed when Z Pizza closed, since it was a reliable source of vegan pizza.  When Fresh Pizzeria took over the space, fortunately, they decided to keep the vegan pizza options open, offering daiya cheese and vegan burger crumbles, and a variety of vegan pies to choose from.

I tried the Vegan Garden Pizza. without olives.  The crust was good and the veggie toppings were fresh.  Additional vegan menu options include the Vegan Fiesta, which has black beans and guacamole, and the Vegan Burger.  You can also make your own vegan pizza.  Also, if you're gluten free, any pizza can be made with a gluten free crust.

Friday, I had to grab a quick lunch before running back to my desk, so I hit up Au Bon Pain.  There are at least five Au Bon Pain locations in walking distance to my office, so it's incredibly convenient.  They seem to have moved away from the "make your own sandwich" slips to more of a set menu, but they will still happily make an off menu sandwich for you.  I chose multigrain bread, avocado, arugula, tomato, onion and cucumbers.  The woman making my sandwich couldn't believe that I didn't want mayo, but I assured her the avocado made an excellent condiment.

I also had a chance to peruse the soups, which are clearly labeled with their ingredients, including milk, so it's easy to choose a vegan soup.  I went with the Barley & Creamy Lentil ,which I found to be hearty and flavorful.

I wish Au Bon Pain had a vegan sandwich on its set menu, but since they offer a variety of veggies, it's easy to make your own sandwich.  Most of the breads are vegan, but note that some include dairy, including the Ciabatta and the Cornbread.  The soup menu includes a plethora of vegan options, including the 12 Veggie, Black Bean, Tomato Lentil, Gazpacho, Tuscan White Bean and Vegetarian Chili.  Not all soups are available every day, but there should be at least one vegan option.


Friday night, we took my parents to Black Market Bistro in Garrett Park.  Black Market Bistro is located in a historic post office, and tucked away in a residential neighborhood, over by the Garrett Park MARC  station.  One of my favorite things about Black Market Bistro are the quality of their salads.  Last night, I had the Black Market Salad, which was a variety of lettuces, orange wedges and almonds with a citrus vinaigrette.  The salad normally comes with goat cheese, but the kitchen was happy to leave it off.

For dinner, I opted for the Black Market Vegetable Plate.  When I asked the server if it was appropriate for a vegan, she shared that the chef normally finishes the dish with butter, but that they could easily omit it.

The veggie plate changes regularly, based on what fresh vegetables are available.  My plate included eggplant, yellow squash, broad beans, cauliflower, asparagus, carrots and wax beans.  It was beautifully seasoned with a variety of fresh herbs and sea salt. As you can see, the portion is enormous, but I easily got three meals out of the plate above, which helps soften the $22 price tag.

Today, my husband and I were running a bunch of errands, and we ended up grabbing a quick lunch at Chipotle.  Chipotle is a fantastic choice for vegans.  Choosing a black bean burrito or bowl with a peppers and onions, any of a variety of salsas and guacamole will make a hearty, satisfying meal.  As it's clearly stated on the Chipotle website and on signage, the pinto beans are cooked with pork, so stick with the black beans if you want to stay vegan. 

My preferred meal is a burrito bowl with brown rice, black beans, peppers and onions, fresh tomato salsa, chili corn salsa, guacamole and lettuce.

I know living in the DC area means I have a ton of food options, but, no matter where you live, vegan options can be plentiful.  What are some of your favorite vegan menu options?

More Time with Victoria Moran and Easy Vegan Takeout

I wrote yesterday about hearing from Victoria Moran and her inspiring words about what it means to live a vegan lifestyle.  Tonight, I got to hear more from Victoria when she led a workshop at Tranquil Space where she again talked about the vegan lifestyle and her formula for healthy living - M.E.N.D.  This stands for Meditation, Exercise, Nourishment and Detoxification.  I don't think I can describe it as eloquently as Victoria did, and I fortunately found a video on YouTube where she talks about M.E.N.D.



My fellow workshop participants were a mixed bag when it came to their vegan journeys. There were folks who have been vegan for years, folks who have been vegan for days and folks who were vegetarians or flexetarians and curious about being a vegan.

During the workshop and in our conversations afterwards, we talked about the common perception that being vegan equals feeling deprived and how, when you're starting out down the vegan road, you might not be sure what to eat, especially if you're "too busy to cook."

I've had a pretty hectic few weeks, but I have managed to do really well with finding quick vegan meals.  Here's a few things I've picked up recently for lunch and dinner.  Now, I don't advocate eating out for every meal, but I want to show how easy it can be to find vegan options, even when you're busy.

Today, I went to a "lunch and learn" professional development event.  When I registered, I requested a vegan lunch.  Today, when I picked up my badge, I was also handed this "Pan-Asian Vegan Salad," courtesy of Lawson's Catering.  The ingredients included Red Peppers, Carrot, Eggplant, Jicama, Cucumbers, and Crispy Fried Wonton Noodles on a bed of Field Greens.

Tonight, on my way to the workshop, I hit up Marvelous Market for this yummy bean and wheat berry salad, as well as the most delicious fresh pineapple.  I need to eat more fresh pineapple - I felt so energized.

This was my lunch yesterday, a Falafel and Hummus whole wheat sandwich from Perfect Pita.  The sandwich typically comes with provolone and feta, but since they are made to order, it was easy to get mine without any cheese.  Check out their vegan menu for more ideas.

This was my lunch from last Friday, the Farmer's Market salad from Pret-A-Manger.  Look at that avocado!  It also had garbanzo beans, lentil salad, pine nuts, shredded beets, shredded carrot, spinach, cherry tomatoes and roasted red peppers.  

I could go on and on - soups, salads, wraps, stir-frys . . . YUM!  What's some of your favorite easy vegan takeout?

Continuing Adventures in Veggie Burgerdom: Shake Shack

Shroom Burger and Fries from Shake Shack

DC has been going bananas for Shake Shack, the New York burger chain that finally opened an outpost between Dupont Circle and Farragut North (on Connecticut Ave, where the Fuddruckers used to be).  Lines are usually around the corner, so it seemed like a good idea to check it out at 4:00 on a Friday.

The vegetarian option at Shake Shack is the Shroom Burger - a "crisp fried portabello filled with melted muenster and cheddar cheese, topped with lettuce, tomato and shack sauce."  Anything fried is a little bit of a gamble for me allergy wise, but in the name of research (or in the name of me loving fried things) I was going to give it a try. 

Portionwise, it's a little smaller than I expected.  Also when I bit into the "burger," all of the cheese immediately oozed out, so keep it in the waxed paper wrapper.  However, the taste was ok, and I had absolutely no allergic reaction whatsoever, which is practically miraculous when dealing with any kind of fried food.  Also, the crinkle cut fries were very tasty, and reminded me of the Micro Magic Fries I enjoyed when I was a kid.  So yes, while I try and healthy, oh, 75% of the time, it's nice to have a somewhat indulgent option every once in awhile, and I think I may have found it at Shake Shack.

Other nice tips about the menu.  Allergen information is available for the "Top 8," and the same chart notes what's vegetarian and what's gluten free.  There was soy in the Shroom Burger and fries, but clearly it wasn't a big amount.   Also, you can get beer there (yay!).  I have a number of friends who swear by the shakes, especially the peach pie shake (I got two electronic recommendations to try it immediately after my FourSquare check-in), but since I knew I'd be getting the Shroom Burger, I didn't want to overdo it with the dairy.

Eventually, I'll do a DC-area vegetarian burger place ranking, and Shake Shack will be on the list somewhere. 

Bobby's Burger Palace and a Vegetarian Conundrum

My co-workers were making a trip to the new Bobby's Burger Palace in downtown DC and invited me to come along.  They know I'm a vegetarian, but since most of the burger places in DC have a veg option, they invited me to tag along.  I checked the menu before I left and while there are no veggie burgers on there, I knew there were salads and sandwiches, so I was happy to give it a try.

I did get one of the salads (more on that later) but what I found to be more intriguing was a conversation we had with the people in line behind me.  Well, it wasn't so much of a conversation than a blunt statement, but let me recap.

Since there was a lot of buzz about Bobby's Burger Palace, the line was long, so we had plenty of time to review the menu and decide what to order.  I thought the toppings on the burgers looked good, so I wondered aloud if I should ask if I could get a burger without the meat, but just with the toppings.  My co-worker ended up asking an employee monitoring the line if this was an option.  The employee rep said he wasn't sure.  The guy behind us asked my co-worker if he was a vegetarian.  When I replied, "He's not, but I am," the guy shot back "Well, a better question is why a vegetarian would go to a burger place?"

It was our turn to order, so I didn't get a chance to respond.  But, here's what I would have said:

I Love Bobby Flay - It's true.  I watch Throwdown and squeal like a little girl.  I now pronounce chipotle "chi-po-tah-ley."  I still rave about a meal I had at Mesa Grill a few years ago.  If I ever meet the man in person, I'd probably resort to babbling idiocy.  If he has a new restaurant, I was going to try it.

I Love Trying New Restaurants - This wasn't your average fast food joint.  It was a cool concept with different menu items.  If there's a new place in DC, I'm going to check it out and find something to eat there.

I Like Being Included - When your co-workers want to go out to lunch, it's nice to be able to tag along.  My one co-worker who I went wish frequently tags along with me to Java Green, a vegan cafe near my office.  So, I was happy to accompany her to her choice today.

Anyhow, this whole encounter today made me think of the flip side of the equation . . . should all restaurants have at least one vegetarian option on their menu? 

Ultimately, running a restaurant involves making business decisions, and what goes on the menu is a big part of that decision.  If a restaurant doesn't feel they have customer demand for a vegetarian option, they're not going to put it on their menu.  That may be why Burger King has veggie burgers on their menu, but other fast food operators don't. 

It could also be a quality decision.  Take the burger place argument. Let's say they want to make their burgers from scratch, rather than frozen.  So, perhaps they haven't found a veggie burger that they can make from scratch that fits with their kitchen's flip time. 

But, here's the thing - I'd argue that including more vegetarian options is a great business decision.  As articles like this one suggest. More and more consumers are looking for meat free options, even if they're still omnivores.  And this Vegetarian Resource Guide Blog notes that:

• In the National Restaurant Association's "What's Hot in 2011" survey of more than 1,500 professional chefs, over half rated meatless/vegetarian entrées and vegan entrées as a "hot trend."
• Health and nutrition claims on menu items are increasing as consumers look for healthy options in restaurants as well as at home. Mintel found 42 percent growth in such claims from the first quarter of 2005 to the first quarter of 2007. Items labeled vegetarian, low-fat, gluten-free, trans-fat free, or low-calorie grew the most rapidly.

There's also a report you can order -  Vegetarian Means Business - if you want to learn more about it.

There are a variety of reasons folks might elect to order a vegetarian meal.  Like, me, they may have concerns with the treatment of animals in the food industry.  Like Bill Clinton, it could be a health choice.  It could be a religious choice.  It could be a taste preference.  But, the numbers are growing, and the foodservice industry should tap this market as soon as they can.   And, ultimately, an omnivore will happily eat anywhere, and, if the omnivore is in the company of a vegetarian, they'll both end up eating at the restaurant with a vegetarian option.  For example, when my husband want to go out to eat together and he wants a burger, we would likely go to Elevation Burger or BGR, both of whom have terrific veg options.  He gets his beef burger, I get my veggie burger and we're both happy. 

Crunch Salad from Bobby's Burger Palace

So, looping back to Bobby's Burger Palace, yes, their menu has vegetarian options, namely a "griddled cheese" and the Crunch Salad I ordered.  Honestly, I went in with low expectations - I knew the restaurant was showcasing burgers and I wasn't expecting the salad to be the star.  It was solidly in the "ok" category.  A nice surprise was that, although it's not in the menu description, the salad includes kidney beans and chickpeas, which are a tasty addition that adds heft to the salad.  The balsamic vinaigrette was also very good, and didn't have soy.  I found this out by accident when it was accidentally left on my salad when I asked for it not to be included.  But, the good news was no allergic reaction, and the dressing was also very, very good.  The white cheddar chunks were tasty, and I also liked the flavor of the tortilla strips.  The green onions also added some nice flavor.

The downsides - the quality of the lettuce was not so good.  When a salad is advertised as romaine, I expect lots of dark green leaves, but this salad was pretty pale.  Also, when a salad is advertised as having "Chopped Vegetables" and there are a ton of neat toppings on the menu (avocado, watercress), I had higher hopes for something other than just tomatoes.

So, would I order the salad again?  Given all the cool salad places near my office, probably not.  Would I try a griddled cheese?  Maybe - I am trying to cut back on dairy, but every once in awhile, I cave.  Would I call to see if I could get the LA Burger or the Napa Valley Burger as just the toppings on bread?  Definitely - I will try that soon, and try the sweet potato fries as well. 

A Vegetarian Goes on the Road Part IV: Eating Along the Highway

When I was about to embark for two weeks of business travel that involved a lot of highway driving, my biggest anxiety was what to eat for lunch on travel days.  In my mind, most places off highway exits and at rest stops didn't seem likely to have veg options, and I wasn't sure what I was going to get to eat on car trips.

However, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was for me to find filling and yummy veg friendly meals at fast food establishments.  Almost every fast food restaurant out there has a salad option, but most of them have chicken.  Good news - most fast food restaurants warm up their chicken before adding it to the salad.  Why is this good news for us vegetarians?  It means that it's amazingly simple to just get a salad without chicken.  I was able to do this at Burger King and Wendy's.  The Wendy's Almond Berry Salad (pictured above) was especially good.  It's a seasonal item, so it won't be available year round, but there will still be other salads on the menu and I'm sure they'll be just as good.

While we didn't eat at any of them, a number of the gas stations we stopped at had a full service Subway restaurant inside.  Subway is a good option for lacto-ovo vegetarians and not a bad one for vegans.

A number of rest stops/convenience stores had fresh fruit and vegetable snacks.  WaWa in particular had a good selection.  Pair the fruit or veggie packs with trail mix and you have a good back-up meal.

Readers, what are your go to options for vegetarian food along the highway?