Forbidden City Bistro

Forbidden City Bistro
335 Main Street
Middletown, CT 06457
860-343-8288
website

To be honest, we had planned to have dinner at It's Only Natural on this visit to Connecticut but discovered that on Sunday they are only open for brunch.  My poor planning resulted in us seeking out an alternate plan.  Middletown has a surprising number of vegan options, so this afforded us an opportunity to try something new.

We wandered down Main Street, checking out menus posted outside numerous restaurants, and at last settled on Forbidden City Bistro.  They have a completely separate vegetarian/vegan selection.  Most items are vegan.  Vegetarian ones are marked as such.  We were blown away by the variety of appetizers and entrees available.

The food was delicious.  We sampled Edamame Dumplings flavored with truffle oil and served in a delicious broth.  In addition, we tried Shanghai Wontons that came with a wonderful peanut lemongrass sauce.  Everyone enjoyed them.

For dinner, we had Five Elements Quinoa, Longevity Noodles and the Layered Tofu Cake.  The quinoa was flavorful and the goji berries worked quite nicely in a savory dish.  I ordered the noodles and the mung bean threads were pleasantly spiced.  The tofu cake was made of pan fried yuba.  If you aren't a fan, it can be a bit off-putting.  I enjoyed it; my girlfriend did not.  However, she loved the bok choy and the peanut and sesame sauced noodles that came with it.  We'll definitely be planning another visit soon.  Note: You can see pictures of most dishes on their website.  Had I known this, we wouldn't have been surprised with yuba when ordering something that was labeled tofu cake on the menu. 

Also, don't forget It's Only Natural has a great whole foods market down the street. They are open even if the restaurant is not.  If you need any hard-to-find vegan or bulk foods, it is worth a stop.   Parking here is easy.  There is plenty of on street metered spaces.  A town lot is also available behind the stores.

Shanghai Wontons

Longevity Noodles

Layered Tofu Cake

The Grange

The Grange
166 Broadway
Providence, RI 02903
401-831-0600
website

The Grange opened a few months ago in an up and coming Providence neighborhood.  Julian's is down the street as well as another great stop, Seven Stars Bakery.

The restaurant is located at the corner of Dean Street and Broadway.  There's plenty of on street parking as well as a shared lot in the back with the Kitchen store (ignore all the scary signs).

Step inside and you'll find an urban oasis.  The waiting area has hanging swings, plants, and a small library.  Many of the furnishings are reclaimed.  At night candles light the walls in muffin tins.  One of the waiters mentioned that the floor is from an old bowling alley.  A string of antique telephone pole insulators glows above the bar.  In the evenings, the lights are low and the atmosphere is cozy.  During the day, the windows let in lots of light. 

The menu focuses on local foods, so it changes often.  All entrees are vegetarian and many can be made vegan.  Late night or at lunch time, you'll find the incredibly creative carrot dog!  My favorite standby is the chicken fried oyster mushroom po'boy on a pretzel roll.  For breakfast, the pretzel bread french toast with maple "butter" is mighty tasty.  There are also very impressive vegan desserts.  We love the coconut creme brulee.

Don't forget to visit the tiny bakery/cafe called Chicory that is attached.  They brew Stumptown coffee from Oregon and have many vegan baked goods including donuts (beignets).

 Carrot dog with Gochujang BBQ, kimchee, daikon, and chili aioli

Chicken fried oyster mushroom po'boy 

 Grilled spiced tofu with pistou and olive tapenade

 Apple galette

 

Coconut creme brulee (vanilla with a coconut milk base)

Chocolate dessert trio: (brownie, mousse and mocha chicory ice cream)

FoMu Vegan Ice Cream and Cafe

FoMu Ice Cream and Cafe
481 Cambridge St.
Allston, MA 02134
617-903-3276
website

FoMu, you gotta love the name!  When I first heard Boston would have a vegan ice cream shop, I was ecstatic.  Allston is a bit of a drive for us, but it was well worth it!  The Allston location is right near Grasshopper, so you may need to hunt for on street parking if you aren't taking the bus or hoofin' it.

The store has funky art, shiny steel furniture, and a ginormous chalkboard detailing all the ice cream flavors.  Expect to see 15-20 options, including a few soft serve varieties.  They generally use a coconut base, but a couple of flavors are nut based.  If you can't decide what to get, you are welcome to sample.

My current standby is usually the salted caramel.  However, I've recently been digging the saffron rosewater.  There are also limited edition flavors that come and go.  A couple of our faves included: coffee and donuts as well as caramel samoa (caramel ice cream with coconut and chocolate covered shortbread).

I'm not much of a sundae person, but FoMu also has a ton of toppings including vegan marshmallow, gummy bears, mochi, sprinkles, and sauces.

Not in the mood for ice cream?  They also have smoothies, coffee, and tea.  Plus they carry a myriad of vegan baked goods and local chocolate from Taza.

A second FoMu location just opened in Jamaica Plain.  The JP location is a little smaller.  We didn't see soft serve there and they don't make the ice cream cakes at this location yet either.  That doesn't stop us from visiting though.

Above is carrot cake and salted caramel.
The topping is a local Taza Chocolate company mix of nuts, cacao nibs, and stone ground chocolate.
 

This is saffron rosewater with baker's dozen (a mix of random baked goods). 

Food @AS220

Food@ AS220
103-105 Empire St
Providence, RI 02903
401-831-FOOD
website

Food is the reincarnation of Taqueria Pacifica.  I'm pretty much in love with their philosophy of cooking from scratch and working with local farmers and vendors.

The setting is funky and the crowd is a random mix.  AS220 is the non-profit community arts and performance space in the area, so that makes sense. 

When you get there, pick up a menu and order at the counter.  Once you pay, they'll give you a playing card that serves as your number to pick up your food.   You have to love that they say, "We are an equal opportunity eatery.  Please alert us of any food allergies or aversions and we will administer appropriate alchemy to accommodate you."

Just about everything on the menu has a vegan option.  I've been there four times now and have enjoyed almost every dish.  I'm not a huge fan of the vegan Spicy Portuguese open faced sandwich though.  On the other hand the Herb Roasted Chicken Seitan with lentils and veggies is awesome.  I also highly recommend the vegan Cauliflower Empanada and the Crispy Chickpeas side dish.

 Cauliflower Empanada

Crunchy Chickpeas

There's plenty of on street parking available in Providence!

*Note about AS220: This performance space is unique. They have artists in residence and various shows throughout the week. There is almost always graphic art or photography in the gallery. Nights you find poetry readings, musicians, and film presentations. Thursday the Poetry Slam takes place and the show is a must see. Saturday afternoon in the cold months, AS200 hosts a winter farmer's market.

Peace o' Pie

Closed in 2013
Peace o' Pie

487 Cambridge St

Allston, MA 02134

617 787 9884

Website

Sunday, I headed into Boston to visit the SOWA (South End Open Market). Since I was already in the city, I decided to try one of the new vegan restaurants.

Peace o' Pie opened up in the old skeleton of TJ Scallywaggles, near Grasshopper in Allston. They did a great job cleaning up the store front. Seriously, it no longer looks like it was designed by elementary school kids. The counter is redone with with sustainable bamboo and the kitchen area is spotless. There are handful of nice tables and chairs for customers who stay to dine in.

The menu is definitely more upscale and gourmet than the old digs. They use Follow Your Heart cheese, though it can be upgraded to Daiya for a small fee. In addition, both Dandies vegan marshmallows and Daiya cheese is available for sale.

I checked out the menu and opted for "The EP" which is: Smoked tempeh, sundried tomatoes, sauteed spinach, and garlic. Based on what I'd heard from other folks, I also ordered a side of breadsticks. For my first visit, I chose to stick with FYH. Next time, I'll give Daiya a try. While waiting for my pizza, I got a feel for the atmosphere.

The new owners are really great folks. They checked in with any of the tables, cleared plates, and delivered orders to folks who were waiting. The vibe was a lot different than the self service attitude of TJ's.

When my pizza was done, I grabbed it to go and headed home. The car smelled wonderful and I ended up sampling one of the breadsticks on my way back. They were full of garlic and "buttery" flavor and the texture was just great. At home, I gave the pizza try. The crust is a far cry from the cardboard base that their predecessor used. The topping mix they came up with was wonderful and the sauce was just right. All in all, I was very impressed and can't wait to visit again the future.

They have daily specials on the board, so check those out. On the counter, they had some mighty fine looking desserts. One of the customers was gushing about how great the cinnamon peanut butter roll was. I'll have to snag one, next time.

Plenty of free on street parking available.

Below is a pic of my pizza. It doesn't really do the pie justice!

Prana Raw

Prana Raw Cafe
292 Centre St
Newton, MA
617 527 7726
Website

Prana is the newest raw restaurant to the Boston scene. I've enjoyed Organic Garden in Beverly, but the food is definitely a little on the "granola" side. Grezzo is amazing, but it is very high end. Prana falls right in the middle. This includes price as well as food.

The restaurant is very bright and cheery. There is a children's club house/seating area and a children's menu. Since the family that owns the restaurant has 3 young children, they definitely know how to cater to a more picky palate.

The staff was extremely friendly even though we showed up shortly before closing. We were never rushed at all. I had the burger with kale chips. It was very good! On the way out, I ordered the chocolate torte to go. When I dug into it later, I found a very creamy chocolatey pie.

Prana is great and I'm looking forward to when they are open in the evening too. For now, you can only stop in for breakfast or lunch!

Lots of on street parking is available. The closest public lot is on Pearl St.

Malachi's

Malachi's
134 Ives St
Providence, RI 02906
401 861 2977
Website

We stumbled upon Malachi's after we stopped for dinner at United BBQ next door. This is a cool coffee bar with lots of vegan options. They serve organic fair trade coffee and offer either soy or hemp milk for those looking to avoid dairy.

The night we stopped in, there was a sign outside advertising vegan brownies and cookies. The brownies were very good. The menu listed vegan lentil soup, Tofurky sandwiches, hummus, Tofutti cream cheese, Earth Balance, and even soynut butter. They also have smoothies!

The owner was super nice and told me all about the vegan offerings and chatted with us for quite awhile before we headed out to the movies. As we left, he told us to stop by and tell him about the film on our next visit!

Fiore's Bakery

Fiore's Bakery
55 South Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617 524 9200
Website

Fiore's is a standard bakery that happens to offer a large amount of vegan treats. You'll find cookies, tarts, truffles, pies, cup cakes and loads of other goodies to appease your vegan sweet tooth. They are located just a short way from the Arboreatum in Boston, so you can easily make a stop at Fiore's into a a day trip.

On our visit we tried an orange spice cookie and two of the tarts (gluten free, BTW) Both the peanut butter and the chocolate tarts were delicious. The cookie was mighty tasty as well.

Little Lad's Vegan Bakery

Little Lad's
482 Congress St
Portland, ME 04101
207 871 1636
Website
*Also has an NYC location

Little Lad's is one of my favorite places to stop when I am in Maine. The have a $3.99 lunch buffet with loads of healthy and delicious vegan dishes. In addition the have a regular menu which consists mainly of sandwiches served on Lad's fresh whole grain bread. Each entree comes with their famous herbal corn. My favorite is the Stake Out sandwich, it is soooo good.

The store also has a small grocery area where you can purchase more of the popcorn including herbal, Snacker Jack (better than CrackJack), and BBQ flavors. You'll also find breads, crackers, granola, cookies, and hand pies. In the refrigerator case you'll find Not Cho' Cheeze (makes great mac and cheese or nachos), Buttah (made with no uddah) , ice cream and other items depending on what day you stop in.

Everyone in the store in incredibly friendly and helpful. In Maine, there is on street parking only. Garages are nearby if the town is busy.

If you are lucky enough to see cherry hand pies on your visit, gobble one up!

Cafe Noche

Cafe Noche
147 Main St
Conway, NH 03818
603 447 5050
Website (not operational at the time of this review)

I found Cafe Noche while I was in North Conway for two weeks of training related to work. Cafe N is not 100% vegetarian, but veg friendly. Honestly I didn't expect authentic Mexican fare in NH, but they surprised me. The restaurant is small, but cozy with funky decor. The wait staff were very attentive and answered any questions I had about which dishes I could eat. The food was wonderful

Parking is on street, but plentiful. Don't forget to pickup some of their delicious homemade sauces on your way out.

Elephant Walk

Elephant Walk
663 Main Street
Waltham, MA 02451
781 899 2244
Website
(Additional locations in Cambridge and Boston, check their site for address and info.)

Elephant Walk is rather well known and has won awards for both the food and wine list. The fare is French Cambodian. Surprisingly, their have a separate vegan menu. My family and I visited EW for my 30th birthday after my skydiving adventure. I had a wonderful salad from the specials menu that consisted of endive, beets, almonds and a lemon vinaigrette. My meal was the Mee Siem. It was flavorful, but very salty. Last weekend, I was also at Elephant Walk with a larger group of vegan friends. After our food arrived, most everyone at the table also noted the saltiness.

A public parking lot is available at the Waltham location. There is a restaurant owned lot behind the Cambridge location. In Boston, you will only find on street parking.

While Elephant Walk is a great change of pace when looking to try something different, I can't recommend it as highly as other restaurants. The salty food and high prices are a turn off for me.

When Pigs Fly

When Pigs Fly
447 Route 1
Kittery ME 03904
207 865 6006
Website
*Also has a Freeport, ME location.

When Pigs Fly bakery is not 100% vegan, but all of their breads are made sans dairy. You may find a few with a honey and some artisan breads have eggs, so check the ingredients which are listed prominently on signs above each loaf.

As you walk inside the store, you'll be amused to find tables filled with baskets of bread and bags waiting for you to pack some up and take it home. There are wicker baskets by the door to carry with you. All the staff are smiling and helpful. A table towards the back of the store has one of each loaf available for sampling. They are more than happy to slice your bread for you, before leave. My favorite breads are the "Sicilian Green Olive with Hot and Sweet Cherry Peppers", "Cranberry Lemonade" and Chocolate. The garlic and sesame rolls are also mighty good.

They also carry Happy Bean vegan cookies. Unfortunately, I am not a huge fan of them. They are a little on the crunchy side for me. Tshirts, mugs, bread mixes, jams, jellies, and various other items are also available.

Check out their website to order bread to be delivered to your house.

A few photos from the store:

Cafe Indigo

Cafe Indigo
128H Hall St
Concord, NH 03301
603 224 1770
Website

Ever since trying Cafe Indigo's awesome carrot cake a MyThai in Boston, I couldn't wait to visit their restaurant and bakery in New Hampshire. I headed up north for work last week, so I finally got the chance.

Getting to the address was easy, finding the cafe was a little difficult for me. It is a few blocks of industrial looking strip malls and they are in the back. Fortunately, once you step inside it is rather cozy.

They had a number of baked goods on display and all of the staff was very friendly. I placed an order to go and then wandered around a bit to look at the pastries and bread and read some of the signs. They have a small fridge with some take out foods which is where I was very excited to find some Sheese, the vegan cheese from Scotland. If you've been looking for a local place that carries it, Cafe Indigo is it!

The ToFishy sandwhich I had for lunch was delicious. The home made bread was incredibly good. Later after my long drive home, I tried the grilled seitan wrap. It was also very good. Of course, I had to try a slice of cake. My choice was lemon poppy seed as I hadn't had it before.

The cake itself was mighty tasty. I personally wasn't a huge fan of the frosting. Though lemon fans would love it.

Cafe Indigo also sells their baked goods online. I've tried quite a few of the cakes in Boston and they've always impressed. Even my non veg friends love them.

Plenty of parking is available in the lots around the restaurant.

"ToFishy Sandwich"

Crazy Burger

Crazy Burger Cafe and Juice Bar
144 Boon St
Narragansett, RI 02882
401 783 1810
Website

Crazy Burger is a funky little place in RI near the beach. You can literally walk from the restaurant down to the ocean and then along the road to beaches. Inside there are lanterns, fun napkins, and bright colors. You can dine outside (no kids allowed) in the cozy gazebo behind the restaurant. It is decorated with strings of lanterns and lights, plants, and cool murals.

The restaurant is not exclusively vegan, but the menu is veg friendly and the wait staff are very knowledgeable. They offer 5 vegan burgers, a number of vegan side dishes, vegan breakfast, and yes...desserts. The carrot cake is noteworthy. Oh, did I mention they have sweet potato fries?

On street parking is available and there is a large lot around the corner behind the all the stores in that block.

A few pics from my last visit:

The "Wild and Crazy Mushroom Burger"

"Just Plain Nuts Burger"

Organic Garden Cafe

Organic Garden Cafe
294 Cabot St.
Beverly, MA 01915
978 922 0004
Website

Organic Garden is the only raw food restaurant in Massachusetts. They have wide array of items on the menu from smoothies, to salads, to veggie burgers. The fresh lemonade with agave is a treat and unlike any lemonade you've tried before. My favorite entree is the sampler which contains sprouted rice, greens, pate, falafel, a thai dumpling, a mini veggie burger and dehydrated crackers. It is a lot of food, but also a little on the pricey side at $17. The offer a number of raw desserts as well. The brownie we tried was very good.

If you are adventurous and like veggies, this is a great place to try. It may not be a the best option if visiting with omni friends that are used to restaurant chain food.

The restaurant is cozy with just about a dozen small tables. They also have small raw foods store in the back. A few parking spots are available in the lot behind the restaurant. There is plenty of on street parking. Nearby is a cool little indie film movie house called the Cabot Street Theater.

Veggie Planet

Veggie Planet
47 Palmer St
Cambridge, MA 02138
617 661 1513
Website

Veggie Planet was started by Didi Emmons the author of the Veggie Planet cookbook.

VP claims to sell the best veggie pizza in Boston. While it is good, they serve more of a flatbread than a pizza. They have great salads and I'm told the vegan brownies rock. Though they never have any available for me to try when visiting. My favs include both The Odd Lot (tomatoes, spinach, basil tofu ricotta, calamata olives, and fried garlic) or the Peanut Curry. The curry is wonderful over coconut rice. Often times I order the double header, so I can try two menu items.

On Sundays they serve brunch. We've tried the waffles and the coffee cake. Both were great. The food at veggie planet is very reasonably priced. Unfortunately, parking is difficult. On street is available, but the area is very congested. There is a pay lot nearby, otherwise take the train to Harvard Square.

Byblos

Byblos
678 Washington St.
Norwood, MA 02062
781 762 8998
Website

Closed Mondays. Byblos is by far, the best Middle Eastern food I've tried. The hummus, tabbouli, and falafel are spectacular. Though not exclusively vegan, their menu has a separate vegetarian section.

Byblos is family owned and the friendly staff can answer any questions about the menu or ingredients. The tahini sauce on the falafel is dairy free. Their fresh squeezed lemonade almost rivals my aunt's home made recipe.

Friday and Saturday nights there is music and belly dancing.

On street parking out front and plenty of space in the public lot behind the restaurant.

Garden Grille Cafe

Garden Grille Cafe
727 East Ave.
Pawtucket, RI 02860
401 726 2826
Website

Garden Grille has a varied menu. The restaurant is 100% vegetarian and most menu items are vegan or can be. On weekends they have a wonderful brunch. The pancakes are great as are the tofu scrambles. Many smoothies are available including the famous Crazy Weech which is chocolate soy milk, peanut butter, and bananas.

Dinner can be pricey, but the funky eclectic meals are worth it. Often times we order one of the specials as you may not see them again. The vegan nachos appetizer is great. They generally have a few mediocre desserts on the menu. Beer and mixed drinks were are a recent addition.

Plenty of parking available.

It's Only Natural (ION) Restaurant

It's Only Natural (ION) Restaurant
386 Main St.
Middletown, CT 06457
860 346 9210
Website

ION is mostly vegetarian with one seafood entree on the menu. The majority of the menu is vegan or can be vegan. They have daily specials that are usually pricey, but worth it as they are creative dishes that you may not get to try again. One of the little things I love about ION is the freshly brewed iced teas they keep on hand like earl gray or bancha. Ion also has a veg wine/beer/dessert menu.

The restaurant itself is bright and decorated with local art that is for sale. They have take-out options and a cookbook for sale.

The sweet potato fries and cajun tempeh are my favorite items on the menu.

A public parking lot is available behind the restaurant and street parking is in the front. Ion is in the back of the Main Street Market. Toward the front of the Main Street Market is the It's Only Natural Market which is worth checking out if you are there. They sell locally made tofu and lots of other great stuff.

Cabot's Ice Cream

Cabot's Ice Cream
743 Washington St
Newtonville, MA 02460
617 964 9200
Website

Cabot's is not vegan by any means. However, they do carry non dairy soft serve. I'm sure this is to accommodate people with dairy allergies, but it sure is convenient for us vegans. They have plain vanilla and it can be combined with any number of mix-ins. Be sure to check whether the additions you want are vegan. Flavors we've tried include coffee oreo, peach strawberry, and coconut cherry. (Butterscotch is not vegan, we asked.)