With the launch of his Web site in 2004, the blogger known as the Brooklyn Vegan — he prefers anonymity — has become a must-read for news about music and culture in the borough. Having developed a strong local following, Brooklyn Vegan has started throwing parties, and his radio show, “Left of Center,” can be heard every Tuesday night at 10 pm on Sirius Satellite Radio.
In honor of “Brooklyn Goes Veg!” [see GO page 11], GO Brooklyn’s Adam Rathe caught up with Brooklyn Vegan to get the lowdown on living a meat-free — not taste-free — lifestyle.
GO Brooklyn: How long have you been vegan and what made you decide to give up animal products?
Brooklyn Vegan: I’ve been vegan for about 10 years. Giving up all animal products was a slow process that started with just a feeling, and grew to an action, as I learned more about the animal industry. Before I was vegan, I was vegetarian for about two years — that meant I still ate a lot of pizza.
GO: What do you think the best vegan dish at any Brooklyn restaurant is?
BV: That’s a tough one. Does dessert count? I’m a huge fan of the “Peanut Butter Bomb” cake made by “Vegan Treats” that’s available at many restaurants. Although I try to be as healthy as possible, most of my favorites are either dessert or fried.
Vegan restaurants like Foodswings, V-Spot, Vegetarian Palate and Red Bamboo have no lack of fried, fake “insert your favorite type of meat here” dishes, and they’re all usually pretty good.
My favorite vegan meal is brunch, and lately I’ve really been enjoying the brunch at V-Spot.
There are also two non-vegan restaurants in Park Slope that I get really excited about. One is Pizza Plus on Seventh Avenue, [that] recently re-opened after being wiped out by a fire. They have the option of vegan soy cheese on your pizza, which is extremely rare for a real New York pizza place. Hunan Delight on Sixth Avenue and Union Street has a separate vegetarian menu, and I think it’s the best vegetarian Chinese food anywhere.
Veggie Castle in Flatbush — a [vegetarian] Caribbean and soul-food restaurant housed in an old White Castle — is probably my favorite restaurant of all. That might be because I rarely make the trek over there to experience it, but nonetheless, there’s nothing else like it, except maybe Veggie Castle II in Queens, which I’ve never been to.
GO: And what dish do you miss most from your non-vegan days?
BV: Cheese.
GO: Where in the borough can you score clothes that are vegan-friendly?
BV: I don’t buy much more than jeans and T-shirts in Brooklyn. Unfortunately, for the hard stuff like non-leather shoes and belts, I’m usually heading over to Manhattan or ordering online.
GO: Does Brooklyn beat out other boroughs in terms of being easy to maneuver for vegetarians and vegans?
BV: Williamsburg, Park Slope and the East Village are probably the best three places for vegans to live in the world, I think.
GO: What are the strictest diet rules you’ve come across, like those people who only eats nuts?
BV: I haven’t met anyone nutty like that, but sometimes I meet someone who only eats raw food. A raw diet is vegan, but also excludes anything cooked. I could never do that, and I’m not a fan of the creative creations they come up with at raw food restaurants. Not surprisingly, most of them don’t stay open for very long.
GO: Are there any great secret vegan specialties in Brooklyn?
BV: Thanks to Brooklyn’s ethnic diversity, there’s no lack of accidental “vegan” options. Falafel, hummus and spinach pies are staples in my diet. For those, try Sahadi’s or one of the many other Middle Eastern food places along Atlantic Avenue. I also like Oasis — right outside the L train on Bedford Avenue and North Seventh Street in Williamsburg.
