What went down in new york

So, here's the story. I went to New York City over spring break. I was there three days and got one exquisite meal each day. (The other two meals each day were run-of-the-mill and don't really deserve screen time.) See my previous post for the daily coffee adventures, which wayyyy exceeded my expectations. Yeah, with four W's, yo.

Day one: Lunch stop was One Lucky Duck, also cleverly referred to as 1LD, known for its juices and raw vegan takeaway. Le food is all made in Pure Food & Wine, its parent restaurant.


S&m salad: Mesclun greens, dulse, hemp seeds, avocado, rosemary quackers, and lemon-argon dressing, with a side of delicious and subtly-sweet manna bread

Best salad I've ever, ever, EVER had. No joke. I immediately bought packages of dulse and hemp seeds when I got home, in order to replicate this salad. (I have made it about six times now. Expect photogs in a future post.)

And don't mind the to-go ware. My family is insane and didn't want to indulge in any delicious vegan food on the trip. I had to order every meal to go. This whole to-go thing was so annoying and so frustrating (not to mention environmentally unfriendly)...but at least they bought my meals for me! (The only exception to the to-go phenomenon when we all agreed to eat at Jamba Juice for breakfast - three yay's for carrot juice and blackberry steel-cut oatmeal.)

A treat to have throughout the week...



I'm a chocolate snob and almost hesitated to buy this. These days I only buy bean-to-bar single-origin or direct trade dark chocolates, but I decided to keep an open mind and was fairly impressed with this bar.

Day two: Lunch, to-go again, from Candle Cafe on the Upper East Side. Got to enjoy a long walk along Central Park en route. (Okay, I almost enjoyed the walk thoroughly - I just had to ignore the bitchnmoanin of my sister...who hates walking but was dragged on 17+ miles of NYC steppin' over our few days there. Hahaha Ruby Red wins.)






BBQ Tempeh & Sweet Potato Sandwich: stuffed with "wilted kale and grilled red onion on toasted multi-grain bread. Served with a shallot sage aioli and a mesclun salad drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette."

Dia tres: Blossom for dindin. I complained and finally the fam let me have one vegan sit-down meal. This is a fancy place, you probably can't get this to go anyway.



My dad's choice (and lovely hands too):


Handmade ravioli in a delicious finger-lickin' cashew sauce

My entree:


Phyllo Roulade: "French lentils and root vegetables baked in a phyllo crust, served over a carrot-cream sauce. Caramelized onions and swiss chard complement."

The roulade was pretty good, but better when my dad's cashew ravioli sauce was dumped on top. I'm a genius for coming up with that. (Okay, fine, it was his idea...I won't lie now. All the credit goes to pops.) Yeah, Blossom was the least impressive of all my meals, but I had it coming because I already knew that the place gets mixed reviews.

I would go back to 1LD and Candle Cafe in a heartbeat. If my parents would have let my 22-year-old self explore to my soul's content (I am naturally an independent roamer/wanderer and need that typa freedom desperately!!), I would have eaten at 1LD for lunch every day, complemented by Candle for dinner. And I would have met up with some NYC bloggers at Pure Food & Wine. But I was not about to tell the 'rents that, on our family trip, I was gonna go wander off into the city with some people from the internet. They wouldn't understand. But I know you guys and ladies are supa cool. We'll have to make it happen some other time.

I didn't get to try Candle Cafe's famous Chocolate Mousse Cake, or the vegan shakes at Lulu's Sweet Apothecary...or Vegan Treats cakes or 1LD Almond Butter Cup ice cream... Or Everyman Espresso, and not Gimme Coffee, either. And I did not get to grace Angelica Kitchen or 'Snice with my presence. And the chocolate makers at Brooklyn-based Mast Brothers Chocolate did not get to impress me with their dark choco bars yet because I just didn't have enough time in New York. I didn't get to ride bikes through the new experimental cycling lanes... Dang, I really regret that... But this is all to say that there is so much fun to be had in the city, and I can't wait to get back.