vegansaurus!
Posts tagged "oakland"
02/24/2010
Restaurant review: Spices 3 in Oakland!
Have you been to Spices? You shouldn’t have to think. With dishes like “Numbing Spicy Salad Noodle”, this Chinese mouth-on-fire hole-in-the-wall is hard to forget. My location of choice, nestled in the depths of Oakland’s Chinatown seems like an unlikely contender for vegan options, but to the contrary… I think they love us.
The menu is chock-full of carefully marked vegetarian items, of such volume and variety that a decision was HELLA hard to come by. We got the vegetarian chow mein (by default made with eggless noodles!) and IT WAS SPICY! I’ve never had a chow mein so HAWT. Come to think about it, I’ve never had one that was so delicious.
We also ordered a tofu vegetable curry, which came out on fire (literally) and it was pretty tasty. It might make you sweat a little. It is worth noting that they know how to cook tofu much better than I do.
But it got really exciting when I caught a glimpse of “fried tofu snowed in garlic”. They really did snow it in garlic. The tofu was crispy and it was delicious. I just want to encourage you not to eat a chunk of the fried garlic when your friend dares you. You’ll be off aromatic root vegetables for a week. 
Anyway, they give you complimentary tea, the prices are low, the food is plentiful. And they’ve got three locations—conveniently titled Spices!, Spices! 2, and Spices! 3—two in San Francisco at 294 8th Ave. and 291 6th Ave., and one in Oakland at 369 12th St. Go! Get sweaty!
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02/17/2010
A pit bull doing a head stand STFU I LOVE YOU. The video was taken at Oakland Animal Services (aka, THE POUND) but don’t worry, Newman (yes, that is his name! SO CUTE!) was adopted! GO ON, SIR! Read more about Newman on BadRap because you want to.
Video posted at 12:10 by mrpenguino 
01/25/2010
Just look at those sons of bitches. JUST LOOK AT THEM. If you’re not turned on, you don’t have eyes or your eyes should be taken away from you (and given to me! I NEED MORE EYES!!!).
The purveyor of those insane looking things is new vegan bakery Cinnaholic. Its bakers specialize in cinnamon rolls and these things are pretty much everything you look for in a man. Sweet, doughy, and delectable. It also helps if your ideal man is the Pillsbury Dough Boy DON’T JUDGE I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME SHAMEFUL FANTASIES ABOUT DOING IT WITH A SANDWICH. Or is that just the people I hang around? Well, YOUR LOSS.
Cinnaholic plans to open up a storefront sometime soon (FASTER!), but until then you can order from a whole line of custom cinnamon rolls. DO IT. Also, if you want to win a dozen, come to SF Vegan Drinks on Thursday and make it happen. ALSO DO IT.
I’m sleepy. This review has been less than stellar but like, I’m trying to do 50 things at once here so lay the fuck off. I don’t come into your home and break your dishes, OK? OR MAYBE I WILL HAVE TO START. I know, it’s my charming insouciance that keeps you coming back for more. Bye!
Photo posted at 12:23 by mrpenguino
01/05/2010
The East Bay Vegan Bakesale is this Saturday, January 9th! It’s not too late to bake, just email them! And it’s not too late to eat, just show up! Let’s raise a shit ton of money for some awesome dogs and kids. You can’t deny a puppy, can you? HAVE A HEART.
Photo posted at 14:10 by mrpenguino
12/29/2009
Encuentro!
Encuentro, a new vegetarian restaurant in Jack London Square, is a pretty modern, minimalist space. Floor-to-ceiling windows and corner wood tables create a hip ambiance. I went with two other people, and a quasi-filling lunch for us cost $30 (which is a bargain, especially compared to its creator’s flagship Millennium in SF). Note that the menu is not entirely vegan—many dishes contain cheese and I believe one menu item has eggs. We got a bunch of dishes and split them; I highly recommend doing this as the portions are on the smaller side, and you want to taste as many different things as possible.
Between the three of us we split the arugula and pear salad with Banyuls vinaigrette, hazelnuts, hazelnut-vanilla oil; avocado, olive oil and cilantro bruschetta with chile jam and black salt; the tempeh bacon sandwich with sun-dried tomato jam and avocado topped with romaine; and a split-pea soup [Ed.: all menu titles are [sic]]. The salad had by far the most interesting flavors. You can really taste the vanilla oil, and the hazelnuts add such an important crunch texture to the dish. The bruschetta had perfectly toasted bread. As a huge fan of avocado, I couldn’t not love the dish. An order consists of two pieces of bruschetta—more than enough for one person, but kind of difficult to split between three! I found the sandwich definitely underwhelming. I think the flavors could have been more pronounced and the tempeh a little crispier to add some texture to counterbalance the gooeyness of the avocado.
Overall, Encuentro strives to create a place where people can gather. I do think that the menu offers ample opportunity for people to share many dishes; however the space and the ambiance did not. It seems a little bourgeois, like it’s catering to a very specific crowd of people—maybe the power/business lunchers. It’s so hip and modern—almost in a frigid way—that I can scarcely envision people hanging out there. The food is very delicious, though, and when ordered smartly you can get a pretty reasonable deal. The portions are a bit smaller, maybe a testament to the bourgeois attitude I couldn’t help but feel. Perhaps their ideal customer has the luxury of not being completely filled up by the food, the luxury to simply order to taste instead of to nourish.
That said, I do recommend that you experience Encuentro for yourself. It may be different things to different people, and I don’t want to color your perceptions too much!! We left the restaurant feeling a bit unsatisfied, like we could go for another light lunch or something. I wouldn’t recommend this place to someone who is completely famished!
[All photos by Brianna]
Posted at 15:19 by tempehtation 
12/28/2009
AHHH, The East Bay Vegan Bakesale has the CUTEST FLYER EVER. Of course it’s by Minty Lewis. I want to marry it.
See you all there on Saturday, Jan. 9! Let’s eat our weight in vegan donuts and then puke it up and eat our weight in vegan twinkies and then I THINK YOU KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING.
Photo posted at 17:26 by mrpenguino
12/08/2009
East Bay Vegan Bakesale, you guys! It’s sponsored by friends of Vegansaurus Fat Bottom Bakery, and as you can see by this super-duper old-school ’90s-zine-style flyer, it’s looks to be the perfect melange of new-and-improved! and comfortingly familiar (the part where you buy and eat a metric ton of vegan sweets).
It’s set for Saturday, Jan. 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in front of ISSUES, at 20 Glen Ave. at Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. Volunteers? Needed! Beneficiaries? TBD! Get a hold of them to donate your time/baked goods NOW!
Photo posted at 08:05 by meaverly 
11/24/2009
shopping vegan at the 99 Cent Only store (read: being broke AND awesome)
I love the 99¢ Only chain. I mean, it’s dirty, has hella long lines, and may be actively displacing the people of West Oakland, but shit. 99 CENTS ONLY!
If you can look beyond the box of frozen sausage marinara for kids and neon green “less than 2% avocado” guacamole, you’ll find a veganic wonderland of expired goods and opportunity. The West Oakland branch (across the street from BART!) carries those delicious cartons of Imagine Organic No-Chicken Broth (four bucks at health food stores!), half moldy lemons and Smart Balance Light (regular Smart Balance has whey; these fuckers want to keep vegans skinny). They’ve got every necessary condiment aside from Vegenaise, those two Top Ramen flavors that are vegan (though the MSG headache still remains), soymilk (with high fructose corn syrup!), ricemilk (without high fructose corn syrup!), some obscure brand of soy chorizo, and gigantic bags of kettle corn.
Don’t forget the refried beans that taste like nothing (no lard! Yay!), totally ripe avocados, chipotle salsa (they call is “sauce” here but it’s the best!), corn tortillas seemingly made for Daiya quesadillas, almost attractive produce (you only need it for a one night stand!), and the light of my life:
Nacho cheese flavored sunflower seeds!
So rather than speculating as to why this synthetic nacho cheese powder is vegan, or asking yourself whether its ethical to consume metaphorical dairy products, I suggest one personal inquiry: “should I crack open the shell, or just chew ‘em up?”
Additionally, the 99 Cent Only store carries laser pens. This is the best way to play with cats ever. 99 cents!
[Ed.: Bryan May is new to Vegansaurus, and you’re gonna fucking love this guy. He grew up between christian rock and a hard place, but middle school found Crass, and all those forward thinking punx led him to coming out as a vegan to mom in 9th grade. It went well. He lives in the Westest of the Oaklands and is interested in making zines, taking pictures, child development, and trying to keep the company of cats (especially those with disabilities). He bleeds garlic and sweats nutritional yeast.]
11/10/2009
Manzanita Macrobiotic Restaurant!
Manzanita is the place to go when you’re sick of feeling like a big fat greasy intoxicated pig and need to feel cleansed, which is obviously not good for all occasions but certainly has its place. It’s organic, vegan, macrobiotic food FOR CHRIST’S SAKE. I know that just made half of you go, “oooh…tell me more” and it made the other half (the smarter half, some might say) go, “DISGUSTING I HATE YOU LAURA I HOPE THIS BLOG BURNS TO THE GROUND.” However, I would ask you to reserve judgment as I am so often unwilling to do. Manzanita is actually quite fantastic. Be prepared to be surrounded by white people with dreads who might step outside for a delightful mid-meal game of hacky sack (but you’re used to that by now, aren’t you). Just go with it. If you can’t handle a woman coming up for some fresh air after an invigorating partner yoga session to openly breastfeed her seven-year-old, what can you handle!? JESUS, GROW A PAIR.
Things that are especially delicious: the salad dressings, the kale (I don’t know what they do but MAGIC!), and actually pretty much everything is really good. Except the vegan baked goods. As you might have guessed, I’m a junk food vegan so I know how hard it is to get the baked goods right, but come on. You’ve got time and a kitchen, let’s get to practicing! Less time making daisy chains and sexing in communal hot tubs (SHUDDER) and more time in the kitchen! ALL SAID, this place sounds way more hippy-dippy than it actually is (lie) and the food is way worth a visit (truth).
Posted at 12:56 by mrpenguino
11/09/2009
» Encuentro Cafe (Erik Tucker's restaurant!) to open this month!!
More specifically, the second or third week of November, in Jack London Square in Oakland. It will offer wines and vegetarian small plates. You’re invited to contact Eric directly and ask him to please at least make most of the dishes vegan or easily veganizable. Because that’s dope that he’s keeping it all vegetarian but really, you are ERIC TUCKER from MILLENNIUM. We have expectations, Tucker. Your empire is built on the backs of vegans so do not forsake us or we’ll go totally non-violent and pacifist on your ass!
Link posted at 12:13 by mrpenguino
