Birthday 3: Blossom Organic

Right off the bat, I must apologize for the poorly lit photos that had me succumb to using the dreaded camera flash, but man, this place sure was dark. Having said that, however, the food was FANTASTIC! And the dark lighting and moody decor added greatly to the quaint dining experience (just, not for the amateur food paparazzi, such as myself).

I have heard about the almighty Blossom Gourmet Organic Vegan Cuisine for some time now, and decided to use my birthday dinner treat here instead of my usual automatic birthday go-to Candle 79 (Candle, I will always love you, and you still remain my favorite upper scale veg restaurant), but having just been there for Tim's birthday this year, I wanted to change it up this time.

We started with the divinely delicate "Ravioli with Cashew Cream," spinach, mushroom, and pine nut filling:
I might "front" on trying new things, but I still ordered the familiar dish I always order at Candle 79 (Seitan Piccata), this time going by the name of "Seitan Scallopini") in a white wine, lemon, and capers sauce, with mashed potatoes, and sautéed kale. Oh, how I LOVE that lemony zest SO!

Tim got the "Port Wine Seitan:" seitan cutlets pan-seared in a sauce of port wine and mushrooms, accompanied by mashed potatoes, tempura onion and sautéed garlic spinach. This dish was juicy and very savory!

For dessert, we ordered two luscious lovelys, the Blossom "Cheesecake" and the "Chocolate Ganache."

Overall, this restaurant was really great, with amazing food, and an excellent wait staff (the waitress accidentally tapped our wine glass with her hand, while not breaking it or touching it, replaced the 1/4 left glass of wine with another full one on the house!) They were super nice, attentive, and didn't try to kick us out or start flipping chairs over when we stayed past closing time and were the last ones in there. Bellissimo, Blossom! We will most definitely be back soon!

Birthday 2: 'SNice

I know, how many times can I feature this vegetarian sandwich joint, but when you get treated for lunch on your birthday and take such a good-lookin' close-up on the ever favorite "Vegan Panini," you want to blog about it...just one more time.

If I haven't mentioned it before, this is my all-time favorite sandwich at 'SNice Brooklyn, made so popular for it's perfectly crusty bread, smoked tofu, vegan pesto and sundried tomatoes. An ol' favorite, for an ol' girl on her birthday!

Birthday, 1: Kiku Sushi

Pop Sparrow came out to treat me for my pre-birthday, one day early. I chose a local sushi place that I've been dying to try named Kiku (which always make me think of the NY Botanical Garden's "Kiku Chrysanthemum" exhibit in the Bronx, when me & Alex repeated the word "kiku" over and over off a wine buzz...and then some).

And, while speaking of buzzed, Pop Sparrow ordered the Saki straight away to start, (while still on empty bellies), and insisted that it would make us "blitzed." Being a veteran drinker myself, I wryly smirked at him when he said, "this stuff'll creep up on ya." But damn, was he right! I got a little numb and away with myself while ordering a little too much food:

1. Vegetable Gyoza

2. Inari Avocado Kampyo

3. Miso soup & 4. Green salad w/ Carrot Ginger

5. Vegetarian Sushi combo

6. Green Tea Ice-Cream (not vegan)

I give Kiku props for including more creative vegetarian options than most Japanese places I have been to, as well as great presentation, although I still long for the day where someone opens up an entirely veg sushi joint in NYC (ha!) Any takers?

Ramen & ice cream

Finding real vegetarian Ramen has become a quest of mine. You have your supermarket 20-cent variety filled with sodium and meat stock, not to mention partially-hydrogenated oil on the otherwise outrageous ingredient list (although, the smell does bring me back to my broke-ass art school days with nostalgia). Then there are the higher end places such as Momofuku and Setagaya, which do not offer anything for a vegetarian except for maybe one non-noodle soup dish (so, what's the point?) A few take-out-style inbetween'ers have tried, but I'm always wary of what's in the broth (fish is NOT a vegetable).

So when CP told us about the grand opening of macrobitoic Souen Organic Ramen in the East Village, I were there in a flash!

We started off with the fantastic "Home-made Seitan Dumplings," steamed with hakusai, ginger, garlic and scallions.

I ordered the "Vege Shoyu Ramen," with leek kombu broth, soy sauce, wakame, kombu, kimpira, carrot, scallion, sprouts and organic wheat noodles. It was not your dirty 20-cent variety taste, but it was, in fact, dee-licious! And it felt good to slurp up with a smile, knowing your not being deceived with crappy ingredients.

Another item on my foodie quest list... good quality vegan ice cream!

Lula's Sweet Apothecary is downright adorable; from their old ice cream parlor charm to the couple that owns it. Behind the counter you can purchase any veganized candy you can think of (including white chocolate!) kept in cute ol' fashion jars.


The soft-serve "Cake Batter" sugar cone with sprinkles was SOOO GOOD, and so was Tim's choice of the rich nut-based take on the popular favorite "Rocky Road."

Highly recommended!