NYC: a Get Sconed! Vegan Food Porn Post.

My arrival to NYC last month was reminiscent of so many trips home I'd taken in college, via Fung Wah bus from Boston.  The last time I'd taken that bus on vacation, I was more hungover than I'd ever been in my life.  It's been four years, and I still don't have any wish to drink or even smell gin again.  

This time, I napped, and had a pleasant, quick trip with no traffic.  

There was no fire on the bus (I know there are crazy incidences with this bus line, but I've had a bigger issue with Greyhound breaking down outside of NYC on the highway and taking 4 hours to send a replacement bus.  I started taking the Fung Wah when it was just a small shuttle!) and my sister was shocked at how early I was.  With that, let us enter the first part of my NYC rambles....

Chinatown, NYC.

About me

I make a point of travelling to New York at least once a year to see my family and get my fix of East Coast life.  I cherish the visits to my sister, brother and grandparents.  We grew up on the South Shore of Long Island, but both of my siblings are currently in the Queens area.  Both of my parents grew up in Brooklyn and moved out to the island as teenagers with their families. Suffice to say, I used to have a thick New York accent.  Years in Boston and a degree in Speech Communication later, I wiped most of it off but it comes out on special occasions.  My siblings, particularly my brother, still tawk like there's no tomorrow. My friend Maria and I are convinced that my sister will be cast on a reality show one day as the bitchy, beautiful New Yorker, probably on Survivor.

Toasted Poppyseed Bagel.  Tofu Cream Cheeeze.  Bagelsmith.

This brings me to my list!

Things I really miss about NY:

My siblings

My grandparents

Bagels

Falafel 

Vegan Chinese food!!

Winter snow

Rainstorms 

friends!

The PPKers

tall buildings

Cheap. Great. Falafel.

This one's from Mamoun's.  I went twice.  $2.50.  

The tomatoes sucked and I didn't even care.

Oasis Falafel.  This puppy (yum?) has pickles and cabbage, holla. This is my friend Lisa from Panda with Cookie's favorite, too!

Bedford Ave.

Another thing I miss - is the faux chicken dishes you can get at Vegetarian Paradise 2, Red Bamboo and the owners' newest venture, Soy & Sake.  I would always insist on meeting friends and family for lunch or dinner at the first two when I was in town from Boston.  

Chicken and Veggie Tempura

Not only did I visit this newish restaurant twice, I made sure that tempura was ordered twice. Lightly battered delish.

Brace your eyes for this one -

Buffalo Chicken with ranch dip

I'd never had fake buffalo chicken before, and I honestly can't remember ever eating the real thing.  I was grossed out by meat and messy foods at a very young age.  This was predictably sweet and spicy and again, delish.  My siblings dug it and my brother was somewhat disturbed that I was enjoying it.  He's omnivorous but one of those people who can't stand the term "faux meat".  When I describe things as soy protein, he's more easy going.

My brother's favorite - Lettuce wraps.  

I wasn't into the mass of green onions in these, but the pine nut addition is cool.

The first time we went, I decided on the grilled Bourbon Chicken sushi roll, and was misheard. Poor me, the massive Bourbon Chicken plate was delivered:

Even taking in the boring steamed veggies, it was great. 

 I quickly stir fried my leftovers with garlic the next night for dinner.

My sister's Bento box:

Mike's General Tso's dinner

Exterior

Although it was a staple when I was in college, I didn't find myself drinking any Dunkin Donuts while in NYC.  I only had a couple lattes - the best being this one from Kaffe 1668.

Hmm, I suppose I didn't porn the desserts yet!  

Or a visit to Buddha Bodai, or two to Vegetarian Dim Sum House, or PIZZA.....stay tuned, pretty please.