RESTAURANT REVIEW - Satay, Austin, TX

Satay
3202 W Anderson Ln #205, Austin, TX 78757
(512) 467-6731
Sun-Thurs: 11am-10pm / Fri & Sat: 11am to 11pm

I was very impressed to see quite a few dishes on the menu with a symbol meaning "Can Be Prepared Vegetarian", but some of the symbols seemed to be next to dishes that couldn't possibly be veg, and there were no symbols next to seemingly naturally veg dishes. I ended up ordering the Laksa Noodle Soup which the American waiter told me confidently was vegan. Veggie dumplings were lovely and the Asian hostess explained that the lack of "Can Be Prepared Vegetarian" labels by some of the dishes was due to lots of menu reprints instead of actual presence of meat. The soup, which came in a *huge* bowl, was very flavorful and had a spiciness that built up. I had the chocolate pie with fruits for desert. It was clearly marked vegan, as was the dark chocolate pudding. However, the pie came out topped with something that looked suspiciously like whipped cream. My omnivorous dining partner scraped it off, remarking that it might be something else, since it tasted a bit odd for whipped cream. The pie and fruit were very tasty, though.





Overall, a really tasty meal, and I'll definitely be back to try the vegan corn cakes and vegan yam cakes. I just wish they would fix their menu. Vegans will need to check with the wait person to ascertain the exact ingredients in any given dish.

Pros
Many vegan options, including items not normally available vegan
Delicious food

Cons
Symbols designating vegetarian menu options not all by correct dishes

Vegan Food Pictures!

I just posted a ton of pictures from various restaurants of completely delicious vegan food over at my Flickr photo stream. Before I had even finished adding the maps to the pictures, Erik Marcus had already blogged about my picture of the Veggie Royale burger from Bouldin Creek Coffee House. Woo hoo! I feel so honored!


I'll be inserting pictures into my existing restaurant reviews and posting pictures with my yet-to-come reviews, but I wanted everyone to have a sneak peek!

RESTAURANT REVIEW - Hoboken Pie, Austin, TX

Hoboken Pie
718 Red River Austin, TX 78701
(512) 477-HBKN
Mon-Fri 11 AM - 2:30 AM
Sat-Sun 12 AM - 2:30 AM


"Proud Like The Pigeon" is the slogan of this tiny pizza parlor on the corner of 8th and Red River. The actual location is easy to miss - it's sandwiched in between Bull McCabe's and Headhunters. Hoboken Pie appears to have wi-fi, though it's password protected. However, one can connect using the signal from Bull McCabe's.


My vegan dining companion and I ordered a large pizza with mushrooms, black olives, tomatoes, pineapples, artichoke hearts, spinach, and Teese (vegan cheese from Chicago Soy Dairy). The pizza was the largest one they offered, and when it arrived, we found that it took up almost the entire table! We did manage to finish it, but just barely. Teese doesn't turn out as good as Daiya; it melts into a very liquid-y pool of molten cheesy lava on the pizza, and cools within 10 minutes or so to a reasonable consistency, but has a taste that's not quite as convincing as Daiya. I'm not all that picky about my vegan cheeses (I'll certainly pick favorites, but if offered a vegan cheese, I'm not likely to turn it down), but I did suggest to my dining companion that he wait a few minutes before eating the first slice. He was hungry and decided not to wait...which meant that some of the molten Teese slid off the slice he picked up and dripped on the rest of the pizza and the pan. I think he also burned his mouth a bit. I discovered that the ideal waiting time for Teese cool-down and solidification is about 5 minutes, at which point it was quite tasty. My dining companion also pointed out that the molten Teese had mixed with the sauce a bit, producing a somewhat pink pizza. *grin*


Hoboken Pie is open quite late, which is a good deal for vegans who want to grab a bite to eat after hitting some of the downtown bars or clubs. One thing to keep in mind, though - they only have 2 or 3 small tables inside, so if they happen to be busy, you might need to get your pizza to go.

Update on Dog Almighty

(Oops - coming home from Texas Renaissance Festival yesterday took longer than expected, so I didn't get to post. I'll do two posts today to make up for it!)

One of the things I love about Dog Almighty is that they can make almost anything on their menu vegan (I'm still a bit bummed that they don't have vegan cheese; it's ridiculously easy to get in today's market). However, my biggest complaint right now is that they advertise "Vegan Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers!" in a large jar on their counter. My friend Terri (who is omni, but *very* understanding about veganism) and I have been there several times and ask about the graham crackers each time we go. We've been told that the crackers are Honey Maid brand (and therefore not vegan, though just try telling that to the employees!) Terri sent an email to the owner of Dog Almighty, and here's what went down -


(From Terri - )
I have a question about the vegan chocolate-covered graham crackers sold at your store. I was getting dinner there when I noticed them, and remembered that my vegan friend had been lamenting about not being able to find vegan grahams anywhere, so I asked the person at the counter if he knew what brand the person who makes them (I do realize they’re made by a separate vendor) used. He told me right away “Honey Maids”, to which I replied, “Those contain honey and honey’s an animal product…that’s not vegan.” He seemed a bit perplexed and I just asked for your card, seeing as a) he could be wrong and b) he’s just a guy who works there and it’s not his fault. So, my friend and I wanted to know if we could find out if the grahams used are actually vegan…if it is just a random store brand, it’s very likely to contain honey and the product is mislabeled. I do know there are some vegans who don’t object to honey, but that’s like vegetarians who occasionally eat fish—if the product does contain honey, unsuspecting vegans should really be able to know that so they can make the choice.

Thanks so much,

Terri (and her vegan friend April)


Jenny Kress ( jkjac53@yahoo.com )
Sent: Monday, November 08, 2010 4:46 PM
To: Terri
Subject: Re: Vegan customer question

There is honey & I thought all of my employees know to tell people that there is honey. I have found doing it this way more vegans that do eat honey (& there a lot of them that do) will get to enjoy them. Most people think that all chocolate has dairy. A "real" vegan would not wear leather either but there are a lot vegans that do wear leather. Vegans that do not eat honey will for sure ask. I do not feel there is a health danger or any risk in how they are labeled, since in the dictionary vegan simply says an extreme vegetarian.
I will not be changing the sign; however I will speak to all of my employees again, at least his info was right.

------------------

I think that the only way that Austin vegans are going to be able to get truly vegan graham crackers at Dog Almighty is for as many of us as possible to (nicely!) let Jenny know that no, we don't eat honey, vegan means "no animal products", and we'd love to see some 100% vegan deserts at her establishment.

------------------

Update the 2nd

My omni friend Abby sent an email to Jenny expressing her concern for truth in labeling -

"You'll probably laugh at my suggestion, but I just wanted to get the point across that it was misleading to say nothing... at least write *something* that would cue vegans in on the idea that this might or might not be exactly vegan. Here's my email and her response."

From: Abby
Subject: "vegan" grahams
To: jkjac53@yahoo.com
Date: Tuesday, November 9, 2010, 12:22 PM

I understand you have a loose definition of vegan. I don't know a single person who calls themselves vegan who eats honey or gelatin or wears leather - if someone wears leather they are most absolutely NOT a vegan. Vegans are typically pretty rabid about their choices. If a vegan does make an exception they say they are a vegan except for x. Same with vegetarians. I know some vegetarians who say they are vegetarian except for salmon on Christmas. The vegan or vegetarian is the discloser, not the product....

I did look up the definition of vegan:
a strict vegetarian; someone who eats no animal or dairy products at all

Veganism is a diet and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. Vegans endeavor not to use or consume animal products of any kind. .

Wine is sometimes made with animal products. While wine is essentially made from grapes, on occasion animal products are used in small amounts in the production process, and these wines would not be suitable to be part of a vegetarian or vegan diet.

A person who does not consume, use or eat any animal products;

veganism - The practice of eating neither meat nor other animal products, such as fish, milk and milk products, eggs, and honey; A way of life which strictly avoids use of any kind of animal products and services that are based on exploitation of animals

Lifestyle choice which excludes the consumption and use of animal flesh and by-products.

A Vegan is an individual who avoids all animal-derived foods from their diet, including honey and gelatine.

That's just from googling "define vegan".

I hope this might help you and your customers with the confusion. Vegans are a pretty hyper sensitive group that does not like being mislead. You might wanna mention the honey thing. Maybe you can coin the phrase Honey-Vegan.... kinda like lacto-vegetarian is a vegetarian who includes dairy even though I think of that as pretty redundant... Honey-Vegan actually makes sense.... then vegans would certainly ask and not feel mislead.

Yours truly,
Abby

(From Jenny - )
I like the honey-vegan idea... I was thinking veganish (+honey), but I like yours better!
Thanks for the constructive advice.


Also, Wes from the Vegans Rock Austin group sent an email as well -

From: Wes
Subject: Concerning Chocolate-Covered Graham Crackers
To: jkjac53@yahoo.com
Date: Tuesday, November 9, 2010, 11:52 AM

Jenny,

Truth in advertising is important & your products should be labeled accurately in order for your customers to make informed decisions. Nabisco Original Graham Crackers do not contain honey if you are looking for an acceptable vegan replacement for your chocolate-covered graham crackers.

Thanks for your time,

Wes

From: Jenny Kress
Date: Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 1:45 PM
Subject: Re: Concerning Chocolate-Covered Graham Crackers
To: Wes

Thank You for Your constructive advice; I will try to find that particular brand.

----------------

Final Update - I have just been informed that Jenny has now replaced the sign with one that reads "Honey Vegan".

RESTAURANT REVIEW - Dog Almighty, Austin, TX

Dog Almighty
3005 South Lamar, Austin, TX 78704
Phone: (512) 912 - 1105
Hours: M-S: 11-10, Sun: 12-9

I went to Dog Almighty on South Lamar with an omnivorous friend, and found out that the other two locations had closed. However, upon talking with the manager/owner, I decided that it was worth the drive from North Austin. She found out that I was vegan, and immediately set about answering questions that I hadn't even asked yet (I imagine she's had them from other vegans before). Just about everything on the menu can be made vegan (the corndogs are done in a buttermilk batter, and there's no vegan cheese option), and she told me the brands of a lot of the products - Smart Dogs vegan hot dogs, Boca Burgers vegan burger patties, etc. Their vegan chili is hand-made in the restaurant and won 2nd place in the Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-off. Whole wheat buns (from Sara Lee, I think) are available for a slight extra cost, and all of the vegan products are cooked separately from the meat products. I was thrilled to find someone at a restaurant who was not only knowledgeable but passionate about these sorts of details.
The hot dog part of the menu is set up sort of like a pizza parlor - they have a list of pre-configured hot dogs with toppings (for example, The Pfluger Dog with kraut, deli mustard & onions, The Chicago Dog with tomatoes, pickles, relish, onions, mustard & celery salt, and The Broken Spoke Dog with caramelized onions & BBQ sauce), and then an option at the bottom (The Slacker Dog) which encourages you to "create an Austin original and keep it weird". I went this route and got a vegan hot dog on a whole wheat bun topped with vegan chili, caramelized onions, sweet relish, and deli mustard. I was tempted to get the kraut, but was afraid it'd be too messy to eat. (Next time, I'm going to do it anyway, and just get a fork and bunches of napkins.) I also got a side of vegan chili fries (though they accidentally served me cheese fries first) and a pomegranate Izze soda.
It was a bit messy, but worth every bit of it. The chili has a deceptively slow burn and a great flavor. The onions and relish added a nice touch, and an extra cup of deli mustard was just the thing in which to dip some of the fries that weren't completely covered with chili. I'll definitely be back!

One more note - the "Vegan Chocolate Covered Graham Crackers" are reportedly made with (non-vegan) Honey Maid graham crackers. Both one of my friends and I have called this fact to their attention, and were told something along the lines of "Oh, well, honey's vegan." So, it might be just a matter of enough vegans going there and setting the record straight. UPDATE - As of 11/12/10, they have changed the sign to read "honey vegan". It's a step in the right direction. All we need to do now is convince the owner to use vegan graham crackers!

Also, as of March 2009, it was reported on Vegans Rock Austin that the whole wheat buns are not vegan, but the white buns are.

From the website - "Please be aware that EVERYTHING on this menu can be veggie. Chili dogs, Frito pies, burgers, corn dogs, etc. can all be veggie. And our 'hard to believe it's not beef' chili, kraut and the dogs are vegan as well. To top it off, our chili has won awards 2 years in a row at the Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-off, a statewide event."

Pros
Vegan versions of hot dogs, burgers, chili
Low prices

Cons
All disposable dishes - paper boats, plastic forks, etc., so not as eco-friendly
No vegan cheese or vegan corn dogs

RESTAURANT REVIEW - Mangia Pizza, Austin, TX

Mangia Pizza
3016 Guadalupe Suite 100, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 302-5200
11 am - 11 pm Sunday - Thursday
11 am - 12 pm Friday & Saturday

2401 Lake Austin, Austin, TX 78703
(512) 478-6600
11:00 am - 10 pm Sunday - Thursday
11:00 am - 11:00 pm Friday & Saturday

8012 Mesa Drive, Austin, TX 78731
(512) 349-2126
11:00 am - 9:30 pm Sunday - Thursday
11:00 am - 10:30 pm Friday & Saturday

12001 Burnet Road @ Mopac, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 832-5550
10:45 am - 10:00 pm Sunday - Thursday
10:45 am - 11:00 pm Friday & Saturday

1700 E. Palm Valley #300 (Highway 79, next to HEB Plus), Round Rock, TX 78664
(512) 238-6300
11 am - 9:30 pm Sunday - Thursday
11 am - 10:30 pm Friday & Saturday

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Gate 12
Serving Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Mangia offers both whole wheat and white pizza crust. The wheat is definitely vegan, though I didn't ask about the white. There are no vegan appetizers on the menu. There are a large number of vegan toppings, but lots count as two ingredients, which makes it more expensive. A personal stuffed pizza with artichoke hearts, kalmata olives, and sundried tomatoes ends up counting as 6 ingredients. As far as sauces go, they have both pizza and marinara sauce, which the waitress told me were pretty much the same thing. I asked if the BBQ sauce was vegan, and I was told it was. It is from the County Line BBQ (I tried to verify ingredients for this sauce online, but couldn't track any down). I ordered a stuffed personal pizza with a wheat crust and no cheese, with black olives, pineapples, and artichoke hearts. The pizza was very good, but very hot, and I scorched my tongue even after a decent cool down period. The stuffed pizza meant that the artichokes and olives were in between the two layers of crust and the sauce and pineapples were on the top. Don't even bother looking at the desert menu, as Mangia has just standard omni offerings.

There are several locations of mangia in austin, and all of them seem to favor walls in large solid blocks of colors such as golden yellow, brick red, butter yellow and avocado green. There are several TVs which all show sports. If you want to talk to your dining companions, don't go to Mangia during a UT football game.

Overall, pretty good pizza with unique toppings and cool stuffed crust presentation. However, make sure you let it cool off enough before you eat it. Also, know that Mangia isn't designed with vegetarians in mind, as evidenced by the posters advertising the carnivore lovers pizza with the oh-so-witty statement, "no veggies were harmed in the making of this pizza".

The Parlor, Austin, TX - REVIEW

The Parlor
4301 Guadeloupe St. & 43rd. (512) 323-0440
(Other Location - 100 B. North Loop Blvd. (512) 454-8965)

Back in 2008, there were no places in Austin with vegan cheese pizza. I had heard a rumor about pizza with *Actual Vegan Cheese*, so I decided to visit The Parlor to investigate. Imagine my joy and surprise when I read on their MySpace Blog - "We also have weekly VEGAN TOPPING SPECIALS when AVAILABLE (Ask us what is available that week: Vegan Pepperoni, Vegan Sausage or Vegan Chicken). All VEGAN TOPPINGS are made from scratch by THE PARLOR!! YAY! THEY ARE ALL VEGAN FOR REAL, and our SOY CHEESE is "VEGAN GOURMET" brand (really Vegan)".

Wow.....

So, I simply had to go. When I walked in, I was greeted with a very dark, cave-like atmosphere - dark burgundy walls, black ceiling and floor, gothy/moody artwork, and a few strategically-placed white spotlights breaking up a bunch of fixtures with red lightbulbs, candles in red holders, and red Christmas lights around the menu. I also spotted a two-person table-style arcade game, two pool tables, and a jukebox. They have free wi-fi as well.

I ordered a 14" pizza with vegan cheese, vegan "chicken" (handmade from scratch at The Parlor), avocado, pineapple, fresh spinach, and artichoke hearts. My dining companion and I played a game of pool while we waited for the food, and bought a song on the jukebox (the selection of which was mostly punk with some heavy metal, and random other things thrown in just to break it up, like Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, and some Irish drinking songs). My pizza arrived loaded down with a huge amount of toppings. My omnivorous dining companion deemed that the vegan "chicken" didn't really taste like chicken at all, but I thought it had a nice flavor and added an interesting texture to the pizza. The rest of the toppings were fresh and flavorful, though the soy cheese didn't melt. There was so much substance to the pizza that I was only able to comfortably eat two slices, which actually worked out in my favor, since it left me with tasty lunch for the rest of the week. *smile*





(The above pictures are different pizzas from the one described above, from later visits to The Parlor.)

In conclusion, The Parlor has yummy pizza and their toppings are delicious, plentiful, and extremely varied. I will certainly go there again.