While back home in New Zealand for 18 months, I was first introduced to Vegan food at a well-known cafe in Auckland called Little Bird. I have never been a vegan, nor a vegetarian, but I was immediately impressed with just how delicious vegan food can be. Long gone are the days where healthy food is bland or boring. When I returned to NYC recently, I was very excited to try out the vegan food scene here. The first vegan restaurant to come up on my radar was Peacefood Cafe. They have two locations: the original on the Upper West Side & a sister location in Union Square. This past Sunday I visited the former, and I tried out two of their most popular dishes: the Vegan Cheeseburger ($14.95) and the Pumpkin & Cashew Quiche with quinoa salad ($12.50).
The Vegan Cheeseburger is served on house-made focaccia bread, and has a garden protein (soy & wheat) patty, dalya cheese, avocado, garden blend sprouts, jalapeno, lettuce, pickles & caramelized onions. Talk about a powerhouse of nutrients! Along with the tasty patty, I really appreciated the added spice that the jalapeno gives the burger and the distinct flavor of the caramelized onion. This cheeseburger really does have it all, and you can feel great about eating it!
The Pumpkin & Cashew Quiche is a daily lunch special, served from 11am to 5pm only. Diners have the option of choosing which salad they would like to accompany their quiche, including a caesar salad and a fruit salad. I had the Fluffy Quinoa salad which consists of baby greens & sprouts of the day, avocado, sweet peppers, corn & onions, tossed with a creamy lime mustard vinaigrette. I make quinoa at home often, but never with a lime mustard vinaigrette. This was super tasty, and I can’t wait to make it myself one of these days. The star of the show for me was the Pumpkin & Cashew Quiche, which is gluten free. Seriously, it was love at first bite. Made in-house, it’s packed with layers of mashed Japanese pumpkin, homemade cashew cheese, kale & tofu. The flavors here marry so well together, and the pumpkin melts in your mouth. A truly satisfying eating experience!
Owners Peter Lu and Eric Yu, both Hong Kong natives, founded Peacefood in 2009 with the belief that ‘the awareness of non-violence can be spread through feeding people with delicious vegan food’. Peter Lu was an interior designer, and Eric was an antique dealer. Their vision was to educate people on vegananism, and at the same time, to promote the positive energy that comes along with it. Peter & Eric bring the most amazing, delicious food to your plate made with only the freshest products, without harming or killing an animal in the process. Everything at the cafe is kosher, as well as the distributors who supply the vegetables and fruits. All of the desserts are prepared in-house, as well as the famous chickpea fries, soups, and raw dishes.
One important thing I would like to note: even though I ate a lot of food here and was very full, I didn’t feel bloated or uncomfortable in any way. I think that really says something about the vegan lifestyle. Not only will your tastebuds love eating the food at Peacefood Cafe; your body will be happy too.
Next on my agenda is the raw Key Lime Pie. Made with young coconut, cashew, avocado, agave, lime filling, with an almond brazil nut crust. I can’t wait to try it!
Peacefood Cafe: Uptown: 460 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024 & Downtown: 41 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003.
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