vegansaurus!

BREAKING: Escape from New York Pizza in the Mission HAS VEGAN CHEESE!  »

Yo! Another SF pizza parlor serving up the good stuff with Daiya. That makes Amici’s (the review says they serve Cheezly but it’s Daiya now!), Patxi’s, and now Escape from New York Pizza on 22nd Street in the mission, all carrying vegan pizza made with Daiya! Delightful! We have confirmation that their crust is vegan, but we’re not sure if the other locations are serving it. Street team, where you at?! If you know, leave it in the comments and we’ll update the post. Further, you can get POTATOES on your pizza. I love potatoes on a pizza. That starch-on-starch goodness makes me very happy. We haven’t tried this one yet but we hear it’s amazing so everyone, order it tonight! And report back! Thank you much!

UPDATE 11/7/10: They’ve got Daiya at all five Escape from New York Pizza locations! Get on it!!

[image by Troy Holden on Flickr!]

Tasty vegan recipes from non-vegan blogs! Holla!  »

Apparently “The American People” (shittiest expression ever) aren’t eating produce anymore. WELL WHY??? Vegansaurus to the rescue! The recipes below leave you no excuse for not getting your 5-Alive. Do it up, fatties!

Bay Area Bites wants us to make apple butter (DO IT!), and The Paupered Chef has some Mexican food snacks that aren’t deep-fried (don’t hold it against them!). You could easily veganize this Avocado Milkshake over at The Kitchn by subbing coconut creamer (yum!) for condensed milk. Have you ever had an avocado milkshake? It’s like a party in your mouth meets a party in your pants and everyone wants to do it with each other. GNARLY MAGIC. Seriously, make one! Or, if you’re too lazy, buy one! And if you’re into doing it in the raw (NO COMMENT), check out Blisstree’s Sun-Dried Tomato and Sunflower Seed Burgers. I’m only 1/4 hippie, and those look damn good to me!

Finally, because you’re all a bunch of fucking lushes, you should probably check out The Acadian from Beretta. SFist has the recipe and it’s so easy to just replace the honey with agave and have a par-tay. Haven’t tried absinthe? Well, you’re in for a hallucinogenic treat! Also, get some vegan pizza while you’re there—it’s the shiz!

Also, if you’re eating downtown in the FiDi, our Megan Allison says that the Siam salad (sub avocado for cucumber DO IT UP, FATTY) at Mixt Greens is the only food that does anything for her anymore. She ain’t mad atchu, lemongrass vinaigrette. Also funny that at salad place Mixt Greens, that’s the only salad that’s vegan by default. AMERICA!

[photo by Nick Kindlesperger of The Paupered Chef!]

Financial District foraging: Stone Korean Kitchen!  »

You’ve probably seen it on the Yelp or the Groupon, but Stone is a semi-new Korean place in Four Embarcadero (right on Justin Herman Plaza by the fountain, and with outside seating, too) with a young-ish, hip-ish vibe. At least as compared with the gross-ish Japanese place that used to occupy the space. 

Anyway, I dig it. They have a great happy hour (two for one giant bottles of Korean beer!) and some delectable snacks. Including these, the Duk Kochi (crispy rice cakes with spicy sauce and sesame seeds): they are like little savory fried rice marshmallows with hot sauce on them. Leave your depressing-ass office RIGHT NOW!

[photo by Megan Allison. Ed. note: check the flat, metal chopsticks—authentic Korean!]

NEWSFLASH: Plant Cafe is open at 101 California!!  »

I know this is exciting news for nobody but me because our readers all have twee creative-class jobs like “writer” and “pop culture strategist” and work in airy Dogpatch lofts (or at home in their sweatpants and own filth), but for everyone who slogs to their depressing-ass desk job in the bizarro world that is the Financial District, PLANT CAFE IS NOW OPEN AT 101 CALIFORNIA! I reported on this previously and promised to follow up as soon as they opened, so here’s your follow-up. I owe back taxes and I’m living in piles of unpacked moving detritus, but I am bringing this information to you efficient-style, because it is clearly Very Important.

Some things to note about this location, vs. the Pier 3 location which was previously the closest to my office (though still too far to walk over, wait 45 minutes for food, and walk back in under an hour):

There’s a bit more of a focus on prepared to-go foods, which is probably the right call, since the prevailing culture down here in bizarro world is picking up your depressing processed foods wrapped in plastic and eating them alone at your desk. Except now, you can be enjoying delicious salads out of compostable plastic containers with this amazing creamy dressing (vegan! made out of macadamia nuts!), “sprouted” bagels with almond butter for breakfast, and the famous Wasabi Burger (GET IN MAH BELLY.) It looks a little more like an airport, maybe because of the to-go focus and the fridge cases, or maybe because the menu is projected on flat screens like departure times.

Yes, they do have the amazing Plant Burger on the menu at this location. I’ve only been once (this morning, for breakfast, where I ate the sprouted bagel and the salad), so I can’t comment on the lunch scene but I will definitely be back. Maybe not every day, because I’m trying to save money in 2K10 and DANG THIS PLACE IS HELLA EXPENSIVE.

But the value of good, whole, delicious foods and fresh juices in this location is priceless, so the portion of my budget that does go to prepared lunches will now be going only to this Plant Cafe.

Updated: Island Earth Farmers Market!  »

Hey you guys! There are big things happening inside the Metreon with Island Earth Farmers Market, and when you hear it, you will flip.

First, the market has expanded! They’ve got new vendors, including Kingdom Cake, a cupcakery whose menu lists five vegan flavors: vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, coconut, and basil lemon blueberry; All Star Tamales, with a “vegi-vegan” tamale; Vn’V Momo, with a veggie momo (yes please); Soleil’s African Kitchen, where it would appear a vegan could eat chef Soleil Banguid’s fried plantains (maybe the beignet de banane? That life should be so fair); and El Porteño, where the humita Argentinian empanada appears to be animal-free.

Secondly—and this sounds pretty terrific—Island Earth has introduced what they’re calling “Curb to Your” service, which is basically just what it sounds like: you shop at the farmers market, leave your purchases there, go about the rest of your day/errands/whatever, and call when you’re ready to pick up your stuff. Apparently “they” will bring all your purchases out to you, “without the shopper having to leave their car”! AMAZING! That is some convenience, there. Is the produce worth it? Are the new foods? Vegansaurus will find out for you, though probably not in a car. I don’t suppose “they” would bring your bags to a bus stop or Muni/BART station—yet.