Home-made Veggie Chili

Dan made vegetarian chili using soy chorizo and fake ground beef (also made of soy.)  Plus usual black beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, beer, onions, and jalapeno peppers.  Everything tasted as good as meat chili and actually tasted like meat.  I think I could get used to eating less meat when there are such great protein alternatives.

Home-made Veggie Breakfast Tacos - two ways

I made breakfast tacos (once for dinner, once for breakfast) using meat substitutes.  Both times they were pretty tasty though preferred the soy chorizo tacos vs. veggie sausage patties.  The latter were a little dry, though a nice substitute.  I parboiled potatoes, chopped them up then sauteed.  Then cooked the meat, scrambled the eggs with them, then added potatoes and cheese.  Then put everything atop corn tortillas for some delicious veggie breakfast tacos.

Skilled filled with egg, potato, soy chorizo, and cheese scramble

Full taco with avocado slices

Taco #2: egg, veggie sausage, potato and cheese

Home-made veggie spaghetti

Made spaghetti with kale, mushrooms, and soy chorizo.  I am really loving soy chorizo.  It tastes a LOT like real chorizo because of all the spices, and does not gross me out like normal ground meat.  Adds a nice kick to regular pasta and fills you up just like meat, plus tons of protein.  Amazing find from Trader Joe's.

Home-made veggie massaman curry

Made massaman curry but without meat, and it was pretty amazing.  Instead of meat used potatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and cauliflower.  All served over jasmine rice.  Curry is one of the few dishes where I really don't miss meat because there's so much flavor in the sauce.

Brunch at The Sixth Ward in NYC

Sejal, Debbie and I hit up the East Ward on the LES for brunch.  I think they possibly have the best brunch deal in the city - 2 hours unlimited bloody mary's or mimosas + any brunch entree.  Again eating veggie I ordered their home-made veggie burger with sweet potato fries.  Served with chipotle mayo.  Pretty damn tasty, probably because the patty seemed deep fried or at least very crisp/crunchy.  The service was ehhh but the place was pretty cool.  Inside was a typical bar and then there was a pool table in a separate room then huge outdoor backyard with a movie screen.  Seemed very biergarten-esque, but weird to be located where it was.

Dinner at La Lucha in NYC

Nicole and I went to La Lucha on Avenue A for some tacos since I was still eating vegetarian.  The whole restaurant was pretty small but had very good reviews, and had an interesting theme - Mexican wrestling, hence the name La Lucha.  All my veggie tacos were okay but had way too much onion, and in my opinion less tasty than the veggie mushroom and pepper tacos I made a few days prior.  Nicole also seemed to have an ehhh opinion of the meat tacos she got.  Pretty cheap or the city but not as good as Taqueria or really very memorable at all.  Cute theme/decor though.

Villano - grilled corn. with chipotle mayo and cotija cheese

(L to R) Mano Negra - mushrooms with fresh cheese, Grilled zucchini and corn tacos, Matematico - chile poblano with cheese

Pork and steak tacos

The bill in a wrestling ring and wrestling mask

Dinner at Razza Pizza Artigianale in Jersey City, NJ

So this is my third post on Razza, highlighting my third trip.  Each and everytime the food just gets better and better.  Dan and I both agreed that this was probably the BEST meal we've had in Jersey City.  Possibly one of our top meals ever.  Everything is so well done, the ingredients are so fresh, and just works perfectly.  Even the drinks and super secret dessert.  We almost didn't want to tell people because the food is so good, but Razza is probably the best restaurant in JC currently.  Everyone should go and it should be packed every night!  Fortunately for us it was not haha but soooo worth it. 

Pikeland Pils beer and Vanilla Coke (plantain rum, vanilla, bitters, and Coke.  GET THIS.  Dan fought me for it)

Ceci - chickpeas in extra virgin olive oil and parmigiano reggiano.  A repeat from last time because it was so damn good.  Who knew chickpeas could be this good??

Polpette al forno a.k.a. fire-roasted meatballs.  Beef meatballs in delicious red sauce

More oblong shape than round

Cinghiale - tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, wild boar sausage and NJ kale.  The pizza of our dreams thanks to ThirtyAcres' instagramming this a few weeks ago.  So happy it's on the menu!  So delicious and sooo much better than traditional pepperoni.  The kale also adds something special.  Bonus - we kept the leftover red sauce from the meatballs and used to dip the crusts.  Genius.

Crepe cake with chocolate and creme fraiche and raspberries.  Apparently there were only two slices of this left and the waitress sneakily told us about it because there were lots of other patrons.  This was probably one of the best desserts I've ever eaten IN MY LIFE. SO GOOD.  Like 10 layers of crepe with chocolate and creme fraiche dripping all over and inside.  It was INSANE.  I don't know if they're going to have this on the menu ever again, but I will pay to have the pastry chef make me some ha