EAT THIS NOW: Cinnamon Snail at City Acres Market

As you know (because I told you; duh), The Cinnamon Snail opened a FiDi location on Friday afternoon. I'm sorry to report that it took me until Sunday morning to FINALLY check it out, but it was well worth the long, arduous wait. I'll get into all the details of the new space in a minute, but I want to start by saying that it is of the utmost importance that you stop whatever it is that you are doing and get to City Acres Market RIGHT NOW in order to get your hands on the exclusive, exalted, Cambodian Crispy Tofu sandwich of your every-loving DREAMS (patent pending)!!!

"With tamarind plum reduction, smoked chili roasted peanuts, umeboshi plum marinated cucumbers, baby arugula, and wasabi mayo on a grilled pretzel bun," you have never had tofu at this level of unmatched, crispy perfection before. Correction: you have never had ANYTHING at this level of unmatched crispy perfection before; I'm sure of it.

Stonehenge, crop circles, Cinnamon Snail Cambodian crispy tofu: all unexplained phenomena that must settle for adulation because their mysteries will never be solved. HOW DO THEY DO IT? Such a behemoth, succulent, firm slice of tofu encased in the tastiest perfection of crispiness without so much as a hint of sogginess, oil, or grease. IT IS A MASTERPIECE OF EPIC PROPORTION. Crowned with a combination of sweet, salty, and spicy accoutrements: every mouthful is wondrous. LOVED the bite of the wasabi mayo and the crunch of the cukes and peanuts; could have used a smidge (or a pool-full) more of the luscious tamarind plum reduction, which was positively decadent. And, of course, that pillowy pretzel bun deserving of heart-eyes. Not the heart-eye emoji, legit heart eyes all the way.

Bear in mind that this is the only Snail location that offers this particular sandwich, as well as other special items you've not seen before. Behold the other sandwiches, inclusive of staunch favorites:

 Burgers, FRIES (!!!!), and drinky drinks:

AND, breakfast: served weekday mornings and all day on weekends as nature intended.

 

Okay; now that that PSA is out of the way, let me give you some other pro tips. In theory, City Acres Market is located at 70 Pine in the Financial District.

 

GPS will take you to the entrance...seemingly of a hotel. But, 70 Pine is, in actuality, a single enormous building that faces Pine, Cedar, and Pearl. Much like our beloved Terri has a Maiden Lane address but exists on Pearl Street, City Acres Market has a 70 Pine address, but the entrance, specifically, lies on the corner of Pearl and Cedar. If you didn't know, now you know (I didn't, but apparently this has been confounding peeps for decades. As it turns out, decades ago my family owned a restaurant on the next block over).

The street level of City Acres Market is food court style: if food courts were clean with bountiful vegan options. Proudly plant-based Beyond Sushi- woot woot!; Juice Brothers; Vanessa's Dumplings; and the City Market deli- just to the right of Snail, offer vegan options. But, let's face it; it's gonna be all Snail all the time for me and the staff of family members I employ to procure and deliver me yummy vegan food from their stomping grounds.

The A-level of City Acres Market is a large food market (get it?), but I admit that between my excitement over the new Snail appearance and my obsession with the Cambodian crispy tofu sandwich (of your every-loving dreams), I didn't even make it down there. But, don't worry; I'll be back. That almond challah French toast is to be the next menu item I conquer...

The mighty gem that is The Cinnamon Snail is nonchalantly tucked away in the back left corner of the vendor space- kind of like where supermarkets put the most popular items so that you have to meander through the whole establishment before getting to what you really want. We see you, City Acres Market; we know where your head's at!

While I stood there IMPATIENTLY waiting for my friends to arrive, I watched as Snailiens found their way to their intended destination: faces determined as if on a mission. I also kibitzed with the Snail manager and staff, who were absolute friendly delights of personality and made me feel so much less lonely as I awkwardly stalked the resto in anticipation.

In case you're worried, there are donuts. PLENTY of donuts. Although I wouldn't go so far as to say ENOUGH donuts, because really- what does that even mean; what would that even look like? Probably something like this:

These were our choices: apple cider (mine), meyer lemon twist (not mine), blueberry rhubarb (not mine), and peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough (MINE!); thanks, John.

One other thing so you're not surprised on a busy day: as of right now, when you place your food order, you don't actually pay at the vendor; you pay at a "cashier" as you exit the food area that leads to the seating and/or exit. This enables you to shop at multiple vendors and only pay once. DO NOT shove four donuts and the bag they came in into your face before you get to the cashier area. THAT'S BAD FORM!

Okay; that's all I have to say on the subject as of this moment in time. Go forth and eat all the Snaily things!!

Vegicano Cinco de Mayo Pop-Up with Peaceful Provisions

Last month, Vegicano hosted a pop-up dinner at Urban Vegan Kitchen with desserts by Peaceful Provisions; you can bet I was there.

The cocktail list was varied and I was glad they offered mocktails; it's so boring when the only options for those not imbibing are water & soda.

I chose the non-virgin madame du berry: mezcal, blackberry, lemon, peach bitters. It looked like it would be fruity and was served in this delicate champagne glass, but the surprise was on me because I forgot that mezcal is a smoky tequila. My fault entirely, and it's not the first time I've made this mistake. I get it, many people like to mix their sweet and savory. I am not one of these people! 

 

I was uber grateful when the amuse bouche showed up to cleanse my palate: brocetita de sandia vestido: watermelon, cucumber & red onion with chile, salt, & lime. What a bolt of flavor! We were definitely off to a good start.

*the picked onion was sandwiched in the cucumber fold

The evening's food menu:

 

The appetizer was guacamole estilo vegicano: with chipotle roasted chickpeas & walnut cotija and the guacamole was so delicious that I was able to look past the customary cilantro within. The crunch of the chickpeas were such a nice counter to the creamy guac (why haven't I seen this paired before?!) and the homemade chips were divine. It was really difficult to share this with my 3 tablemates; I easily could have commandeered the whole bowl and left happy.

There were two dinner options: glutenous or gluten-free; we all of us went for the gluten. Filete de seitan a la mexicana: with arroz y rajas, refritos, and cucumber pico turned out to be a flavorful spin on traditional beans and rice featuring seasoned rice and peas, melt-in-your mouth refried beans, and a slice of succulent seitan topped with onions and tomatoes (gluten-free option substituted jackfruit and yuba for the seitan). As someone who is used to the multi-faceted tacos and tortas served to order at Vegan Shop-Up, this struck me as Vegicano Unplugged.

For dessert, Peaceful Provisions offered the choice of either a donut hole trio (gluten) or chocolate cake: salted coconut dulce de leche, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and spiced almonds (gluten free). I was THRILLED with my donuts, but had the opportunity to try the cake via my generous pal and it was amazing as well.

I know; it's blurry and dark. It was the best I could do before it was speared by 4 forks.

Three flavors of giant donut holes: chocolate ganache filled & tossed in spiced sugar, raspberry & cholula glazed, dulce de leche filled & topped with pepita. I expected to automatically love the chocolate the most, but they were all so wonderful with distinct flavor profiles that I honestly could not pick a favorite.

Keep your eyes and ears open for whatever Vegicano and Peaceful Provisions do next- either together or individually. They are talented people who continue to surprise and delight.

Dottie's Donuts: Vegan Philly

I don't get to Philly much. In fact, I think I've only been there four times in my life. So, when my friend and I finally chose a day to visit, I was really excited. We planned a full day of eating and sight-seeing. Okay, mostly eating. First stop? Dottie's Donuts!

Dottie's was unassuming on a quiet, mostly residential street. Love the vintage feel of the sign.

Inside it was all pink and donuts! There are few things I appreciate more than an efficient menu/sign.

The assortment that day, part 1: almond joy, lemon curd (filled), apple fritter (deluxe), thai tea, Boston cream (filled), cinnamon bun.

 

 
The assortment that day, part 2: mango sugar, chocolate glazed, earl grey, cinnamon sugar, vanilla glazed, blueberry maple.

They also had two kinds of scones, two kinds of muffins, and bagels with assorted vegan cream cheeses. That was unexpected and pretty impressive, but we were definitely there specifically for the donuts- which are huge by the way. Naturally, I chose a Boston Cream; it's one of my faves.

TBH, that was the donut I chose, but I also had a "box of dots:" a french fry box filled with vanilla glazed donut holes, and a Thai iced tea: the special drink that day (they seem to rotate). They have ample seating for a busy, little place.

Let me just say a word 6 words about this box of dots. They are not to be missed!!! Fresh, chewy, bites of soft, vanilla goodness; possibly my favorite of everything I had.

But you know that's not all I had. I also had another BOX of Dot's, which I took home to share with the fam. I tried them all- even the ones I normally wouldn't touch with a ten foot poll, just to report back to YOU so that when I meet you at a Vegfest or at VSU you know that I care.

Disclaimer: I am a huge fan of cake donuts because, well, I'm a pretty big fan of cake. I mention this because, while I'm no expert, I'm pretty sure all of Dottie's donuts are raised donuts. I apologize to all the raised donut enthusiasts that I've assuredly offended with my previous statement about cake donuts which, I have come to understand, are regarded as blasphemous to many donut aficionados. That being said, these are my thoughts on the flavors I tried.

Almond Joy: The reason I normally don't like raised donuts is because I feel like they're all the same doughy base with assorted toppings. That may be, but Dottie's "doughy base" is pretty damn great and this chocolate/almond/coconut topping was terrific. VM concurs.

Cinnamon Sugar: I've been obsessed with The Cinnamon Snail's apple cider donut since opening day, 2010 and I was assuming this was going to be a jumbo version of the same. I was wrong. You know why? Because apparently apple cider donuts are cake donuts! I have so much left to learn. Because of the lack of icing, this one was a little dry for me. But, if you love cinnamon sugar (I do) and aren't expecting a cake donut, which is completely different (like me); I'm sure you'll like this a lot.

Lemon Curd- who invented the word "curd" anyway? I'm really not into it. I can sometimes be into lemon, but curd? Just bad PR in my opinion. I bought this for VM, who loves fruity things and guess what? She dubbed it "the most flavorful of the bunch." She convinced me to taste it, so I cut the world's tiniest sliver. I love a powdered sugar donut and the "curd" was actually quite pleasant, but boy was it TART! I can respect that people like that kind of thing, but it makes my lips pucker into duck lips, which I am most definitely not into (we see you, duck lips; just stop).

Apple Fritter- I wanted to love this. True, I hate apples. BUT, look how glazed and crispy it looks: so appealing. Unfortunately (or fortunately; depending on how you look at it), there were real apple slices inside; Dottie's seems to be showy that way. So, even if you were to painstakingly cut a slice of donut so that there was nary a visible apple bit within, you'd still sense the essence of apple. But, you know what? Without an actual apple bit, it doesn't really count. Yeah, I said it. I ate an apple donut (piece without any apples) and I liked it! VM said this was her fave.

Cinnamon Bun- I love the coil of a cinnamon bun and the icing is crucial. This one made use of a spicier cinnamon than I'm used to, but high marks otherwise. VM chose this as her 2nd favorite.

Boston Cream- Here's the thing: until an unfortunate incident in grade school wherein VM and OD unknowingly bought me a coveted (non-vegan) Boston Creme donut with spoiled custard, I was obsessed with them. It wasn't until years later when I discovered the Vegan Treat's version that I was able to reignite my love affair and it's been a smooth transition back into our longterm relationship; I think it's going to work out. That said, this donut was yummy in its own right, but it wasn't authentic for me. There's something about the dough and icing of a BC that is very specific and this was, in my opinion, a good donut that wasn't a BC. It was a delicious, chocolate-iced donut, but the custard was really where they lost me: it was runny and not sweet enough. OD never agrees with me on anything, but even he had to concur.

Let's talk one more time about those dots though, shall we? I think the lesson here is that the ratio of icing to dough in a raised donut is skewed too lightly for me and that's why I loved the dots so much. Maybe Dottie's will expand their dot offering? One can dream.

I would not hesitate to stop at Dottie's on all future Philly visits (hopefully more soon)- probably for a million boxes of dotses.

Word of caution: rumor has it that they sell out, so plan to get there early if you go!

Father's Day treats (mostly for me)

We usually spend our Father's Days barbecuing by the pool, but this year the pool was giving my dad a run for his money, so we rather indignantly stayed inside. I chose this exceedingly warm card from 89 and I, because that's how we do.

Without poolside fun & frolic, there wasn't much to do but to hang out in stripes and play endless games of rummikub.

Then VM made her famous sauce and we dined on piles of pasta.

Of course there was some of my signature cheesy, roasted garlic bread on the side.

 

And, dessert.

Three new to us cakes were the main event: chocolate speculoos, white chocolate blueberry cheesecake, and coconut caramel cheesecake.

Full disclosure: because we went to pick up the these cakes in person from Vegan Treats, we also picked up some donuts. Boston creme, powdered jelly, s'mores, triple chocolate, and chocolate-encased angel's food cake. You know what they say, "If they all fit one one plate they count as one serving." Or maybe that's just me.

And ice cream. Did I mention ice cream? I mean, none for my dad; I just got some for myself when we were picking up the cakes: cotton candy and blue raspberry with rainbow sprinkles. Pretty spectacular!

 It's always a party when you include Vegan Treats. How much of a party depends on you. ;-)

Vegan Treats Carnival

You guys, I love Vegan Treats; I can't help it. Everything is just so purty and delicious...and there's so much to choose from! This weekend VM, 89, and I hightailed it over to Bethlehem because the Vegan Treats instagram was blowing up with all kinds of carnival craziness and I am not one to pass up things like vegan funnel cake and cotton candy.

 

But, let's start at the very beginning. The typical, stunning array of cakes, pastries, brownies, donuts, cookies, and cannolis were out in standard force.

In addition was this carnival-esque spread of yumminess. Yes; those funfetti cupcakes are decorated with circus peanuts; this is the level of detail you find at Vegan Treats.

It's no secret that I hate apples, but even I was mesmerized by this gorgeous display. After all, candy apples are a whole other food group.

VM was all about this monkey bread: a dense, cinnamony nub-bread with a drizzle of icing.

I'm more of a donut gal myself. It's been a while since I've had one of Vegan Treats' French silk- filled confections, this time it was in a powdered sugar donut.

But, we were just getting started. Funnel cake time!

Made to order, these funnel cakes were generous, created with flair, and cooked to perfection.

We even got an extra one to-go and are happy to report that with a little extra powdered sugar, you can reheat in a 350 degree oven for ~ 6 minutes to (almost) perfection.

As fate would have it, one of the ice cream flavors of the day was speculoos, which happens to be one of my Vegan Treats faves. They make the best soft serve I've come across and their rotating list of flavors is as impressive as the flavors themselves.

Aaaaaand, 89 received another one of the coveted mini-cones, so everyone was ecstatic- including the entertained onlooker who took one look at her "Hello, my name is 89" tag and said it couldn't be. Oh, but it is.

In order to keep up with my high standards for personal sugar content, I followed it all up with this beauteous wand of pink, vanilla cotton candy.

 

89 wasn't really sure what to make of it, so she mostly just rubbed her face on it.

While I'm generally a woman of principle, in the interest of full disclosure I must admit that I did get both a caramel apple (dipped in peanuts) and a candy apple to go. In my own defense, I maintain that when coated with candy it ceases to be considered an apple- particularly because I pretty much just lick off the candy and throw the apple away.

The caramel and peanuts were delicious, of course, but the apple was as gross as ever. The red shell on the candy apple, however, was much more conducive to eating with the smallest bit of apple possible, so that's definitely my preference for future carnivals.

It's hard to pinpoint my favorite confection at Vegan Treats, but aside from them being 100% ethically vegan, one of the things I appreciate the most about them is that they're always doing something new. And, if anyone is keeping track, the carnival treats have been some of my favorites!