Update and Throwback: Veganized, NJ

In light of the recent, exciting news that New Brunswick's own, Veganized, is going to be expanding to a larger location and keeping the original as some variation of a pizzeria, here's a throwback to my original post about them, as well as the follow-up I wrote-up for Vegansaurus, wherein I delved a bit deeper into the over-bearing waitstaff and the unusual exultation visited upon non-vegan customers.

I'm thrilled that they're so successful, but the chef/owner's habit of taking their vegan clientele for granted is still going strong and just rubs me the wrong way. As quoted in the article linked to above,

"Since those who are vegan will likely try Veganized anyway, said Biton, his target customer base is non-vegans who are learning what vegan food really is."

I recognize that the goal is always more vegans (or even more vegan meals for non-vegans), but the dismissive sentiment continues to be off-putting. Why? Why alienate your own peeps- both in person and in print?

Wishing them every success, but likely not a must-visit for me.

Veganized in New Brunswick NJ

After a nearby NJ restaurant recommended the then brand new restaurant Veganized for dessert when they couldn't deliver, I was there within ten minutes for a takeout slice of their chocolate peanut butter torte: oat coconut crust, peanut butter whip, vanilla sauce, raspberry coulis because that's how I roll, my friends.

 

It turned out that my inaugural visit had coincided with their soft opening and, in the month since their grand opening, I've done my best to sample as many things as possible on the menu. For you.

 

To start, I want to mention that it's within walking distance from the New Brunswick train station on the NE Corridor line. So convenient!

You can order at the counter and have a quick bite at the window bar, where you'll find some Evolve for Animals literature.

 

Alternately, you can dine upstairs for full-service.

 

The decoration throughout is colorful, quirky, and meticulous.

A week after my cake run, I returned for a sandwich- also to go: righteous reuben: tempeh, russian dressing, sauerkraut, cashew cheese, sauteed kale, house bread, as well as a side order of sauteed kale with toasted hazelnuts and lemon. It was flavorful and hardy with great proportions.

 

Finally, I dined in (!) with two omnis shortly thereafter. We shared the rawvioli: raw beet ravioli, herbed nut cheese, pesto, saffron cream. I never would have chosen this on my own, but it was phenomenal and fresh.

 

For dinner I had the mackin cheese: elbow pasta, sweet potato cashew cream, smoked shitake, broccoli rabe, bread crumbs. It was certainly reminiscent of this version, but with its own twist.

Then I visited again with a friend to cap off a day of being very vegan. We shared the timbale of black beans, sweet potato, guacamole, cashew sour cream, and fresh tortilla strips. It was top notch.

 

We sampled their fries; baked sweet potato wedges with cashew sour cream for my friend.

Real crispy fries triple cooked, organic ketchup for me.

I had the Roma grilled flatbread with cashew cheese, slow roasted roma tomatoes, caper kalamata tapenade, pesto, and arugula. This puts pizza TO SHAME! I want to eat this combination all the time.

For dessert we shared the vanilla cheese cake with oat coconut crust, strawberry compote, and strawberry coulis. 

Because they were working on an upcoming dessert, we got to try their vegan version of Nutella, "notella." The samples were generous, but we both left wanting a whole bowl.

I couldn't wait to try the completed dessert, so I brought my parents there as soon as it was up on the menu.

VM was all about the Roma flatbread; I can't blame her.

OD had the deluxe lentil mushroom burger: smoked eggplant, charred onion, special sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle, sweet potato bun with real crispy fries. That bun! Those onions!

I, however,  won the whole table because I had the weekend special of pasta casserole over nomato sauce (guess what it is: not tomato!) with grilled eggplant roll stuffed with roasted fennel and carrots, topped with pesto. It was one of the top entrees I've ever had at an upscale vegan restaurant.

For dessert, OD had the 14 karat date pecan carrot cake with vanilla sauce.

But enough about that; I had the coffee cake with crumb topping, house made notella, and vanilla sauce. I have dreams about this dessert! Not only was the cake the perfect texture to be paired with the exquisite notella, but it was sitting in an almost invisible pool of vanilla sauce whose sweetness ideally complemented the subtlety of the cake.

Overall, I'm thrilled by the addition of Veganized to the northeast, vegan restaurant landscape. Thanks in no small part to the chef's experience at renowned vegan establishments in and around New York City, the menu pays homage to dishes that have become somewhat ubiquitous while managing to maintain originality in both execution and flavor. I'm already plotting my next visit; if they had outdoor seating 89 and I would be there every day. Best of luck to Veganized!