Review: 26.04.10 - Veggie Bite

VeggieBite

1300 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Chicago, IL 60622

http://veggiebite.net/APRIL2009VB(2).swf

Hours

12h - 22h - Lunch and dinner

I first went here when I got to Vegan Mania last October and needed to eat something. Double burger, chili cheese dog, gyro, italian beef melt, buffalo wings, nachos surpreme? Where the hell am I? Why is this place on a vegan blog? Look again, please. All these items are vegan and organic. Yea, you may all know the Chicago Diner (to be showcased in a future blog), but VeggieBite takes the VEGetariAN thing to the extreme. Look at that menu, that's not right, is it? Surprise! You can get pretty much anything you can get at other fast food restaurants, but these are all vegan and cruelty-free. Aside from the menu, they have several leaflets at all times on various topics in AR. It's a cool place with free WiFi if you buy something. They have ice cream, chix-free nuggets, philly cheese steak, everything a meat-eater turned VEGetariAN might miss.

So how do I feel about this place?

On one hand, it's nice being able to go into a fast food restaurant and order anything off the menu, it's liberating. On the other, while they have tofu, they have some items that are questionable at best (at least to someone who has been vegan for two years and has gotten used to whole foods and everything looking like it's supposed to except tofu and seitan). The time before last that I was there, I wasn't really impressed with the food and quite frankly, it wasn't very fast. The last time I was there, it didn't take too long and their bite burger really isn't too bad for a veggie burger. Long story short, if you're on the prowl and need a bite to eat, grabbing it at VeggieBite wouldn't be all too bad; but if given the choice between VeggieBite and somewhere else when I weren't too hungry, I'd choose somewhere else.

In the end, I give it a sad bunny to bunny rating for the service I had two times ago and the quality of food. Go there if you must, but keep in mind it's not really what vegans want. It might be better to just stay home.

Review: 23.04.10 - The Loving Hut

The Loving Hut

5812 N. Broadway

Chicago, IL 60660

lovinghut.us/Chicago

Every day

11h-14h – Lunch

16h-21h - Dinner

My friend Piotr introduced me to this place. It used to be a vegetarian restaurant named Alice and Friends. Very recently, it joined a global collection of vegan restaurants called Loving Hut (The Palo Alto location in California advertised quite frequently on Go Vegan ! Radio with Bob Linden). The cuisine is pan-asian and offers items such as California roll sushi, Royal Pho, Thai curry and Dol sot bi bim bob, as well as nicely-named items such as Almond joy, mama’s love, home run ball and golden heart. I think this is one of the secrets of vegan dining in Chicago. I’ve been to a few places, but the environment is nice, with quotes about being green and going veg as well as playing Grand Master TV on all televisions in the restaurant.

Looking for TVP ? Tofu dogs and veggie patties are on the menu but only for lunch, at dinner time, they’re no where to be seen. They advertise no dairy, no egg and no MSG (which is nice for someone who gets migraines from MSG).

Craving that piece of dessert at the end of the meal ? No problem, all their desserts are vegan as well and they’re homemade !

When I’ve been there, I’ve had the California roll sushi or the dumplings, Almond Joy, Golden heart or spicy bbq. Everything was excellent and I cannot say enough good things about the food. It came out hot, there was enough wasabi and Ginger for the California rolls, and the spicy bbq… delicious.

I firmly believe that you can take a non-VEGetariAN to The Loving Hut and they will not miss meat. Everything is either tofu, soy protein or seitan.

Very delicious, and not badly priced for the North side. If you’re up that way, or looking for a new place to eat, definitely make it a stop, it’s well worth it.

Oh, and did I mention free WiFi ?

I give it a happy bunny rating.

En la semana que viene...

Things to look for shortly:
a restaurant review for:
-The Loving Hut Chicago
and
-Veggie Bite
as well as:
A vegan family feast and alternative to Tofurky my office favourite: Seitan roast.

Welcome to Vegan Chicago!

Welcome to Vegan Chicago

Here's a little tidbit about me: my life's passion is veganism. This will be reflected in my blog.

Below is an outline for my blog

• Restaurant reviews (both VEGetariAN and Non-VEGetariAN restaurants)
• -Given in five bunny emotions - crying bunny, sad bunny, bunny, happy bunny, elated bunny
• Vegan recipes
• -Great animal-free, cruelty-free recipes I designed or modified.
• Vegan consumer
• -Tips about buying vegan products and vegan grocery shopping
• Random thoughts on veganism
• Vegan SmartPhone App reviews
• Suggested readings