Pennsyltucky Veggie Awards 2012 – Best Restaurant

Pennsyltucky Veggie Awarded, Best Restaurant 2011

What a splendid year of dining out 2011 has been. Sometimes accompanied by our friends and family, Jim and I have tasted foods from all over this region (see map here). The most difficult part was when we interrupted our dining experiences to actually photograph, write down, and try to subjectively judge the food and restaurants. We hope that the sharing of it has been interesting, maybe even helpful, for a few veggie folks who may want to eat out in this area.

Elk Creek Café + Aleworks, mentioned as noteworthy in the Vegetarian Specials award this year, is the winner of Pennsyltucky Veggie 2012 – Best Restaurant. This is the second year running they have won for best overall restaurant.

Turnip + Lentil Stew with Roasted Beets

Innkeeper of this laudable restaurant in Millheim is Tim Bowser and he has crafted the perfect balance of color, flare, seasoning, rhythm and down home goodness all under one roof. The feel of the place is hospitable, everyone from granny to toddler is welcome, and every member of the staff treat the customers with care and high regard. Assistant General Manager Genny Uhl sees to everyone’s needs with gentle conduct and a caring smile.

If live entertainment is your thing, there are high quality performers brought in a few times every week and celebrations that embrace local events. Art buffs can look forward to receptions or enjoy the works of art displayed on the cheerful main dining room walls. These are some of the pluses that have kept Elk Creek Café + Aleworks king of the heap.

The Green Room Bistro & Juice Bar, Carlisle

It is true that there are other regional restaurants that have a rotation of quality local art, fine musical groups and outstanding staff. The Green Room Bistro & Juice Bar in Carlisle is such a place that is a burning close second place for this 2012 award. Executive chef Pippa Calland can create culinary magic with local and sustainable resources that are regularly vegetarian and vegan. The interior is charming, a perfect place for the local balletomane soiree or family dinner celebrating their Dickinson grad’s accomplishments.

Elk Creek Cafe – Soba Noodle + Seaweed Salad

What still sets Elk Creek Café + Aleworks apart for 2012 is that it offers a more complete spectrum of hospitality for vegan, localvore foodie, pub hanger, and city slicker all under the same roof. World travelers and sophisticated diners have been known to choose the vegan bowl specials over what was offered on the regular menu because of Chef Mark Johnson’s carte du jour mojo. Such patrons share the same pleasure as the kiddos at the next table munching Belgian-style Hand-cut Fries and their parents marveling at the perfectly prepared Walleye Fillet on the plates the smiling server just placed in front of them.

It is only at Elk Creek Café + Aleworks these myriad diners can sit happily together and raise a glass of head brewer Tim Yarrington’s finest together. Bring your whole family out to celebrate this fine establishment’s 5th anniversary this month or go by yourself and cozy up to the friendly bar. Either way you will then personally be able to smile and know why this is the best stuff in Pennsyltucky, especially for us veggie folks. Cheers for winning the Pennsyltucky Veggie 2012 – Best Restaurant!

Have you enjoyed a restaurant better than Elk Creek Cafe? Share it with me so it can challenge the best for 2013! If it’s in central PA (see map here) let me know and I will include it in the judging next year! Drop me, Pennsyltucky Veggie, a line or feel free to leave a comment!

You can’t beat…

You can’t beat beets! That what my Dad always says and I have to agree with him. This vibrantly colored root vegetable is frequenting local food markets and CSAs right now. Amy shared a couple with me from her bounty and yesterday I put one of them to good use by making a batch of my Walnut Beet Burgers. They were as quick and flavorful as I remembered and I was glad to have blogged the recipe I came up with last year.

Beets from NYC certainly aren’t local for us so it will make more sense when I share that we went to visit Arron & Amy this past weekend. Arron’s week of performances in City Center culminated in my favorite ballet of all time, In the Upper Room. His artistic prowess was lauded in the New York Times a couple of days ago. The reviewer found his phrasing in the piece unbeatable, comparing him to one of the world’s top ballet dancers.

Arron Scott is so stylish a dancer that, even when he’s beside Mr. Cornejo in “In the Upper Room,” it’s to him I look to see just how a phrase should be accentuated.

I seem to be blogging backward because even before going to the city to visit with Amy (her first time seeing In the Upper Room) Jim and I had some wonderful times together earlier that day. We made time to finally stop in Bloomsburg and had lunch at Prana Juice Bar and Namaste Cafe. Columbia County is just a hair outside of the limits that are set for the judging for the Pennsyltucky Veggie Awards but it is still home to one other very few all vegetarian restaurants in central Pennsylvania.

Prana was having a Harvest Festival and it was in full swing during the time we chose to visit. This may have caused minor delays and unsynchronized arrival of our food being served but the staff was great about it all. They were cheerful and not in a spacy and oblivious way. They were aware of the increased patronage of the day and recognized it to us in a way that was a pleasant matter of fact and didn’t come off as a whiny excuse as it could have. The place was very busy but we were well taken care of as we placed the order, were directed to seating of our choice, getting our order correct and checking that it was to our liking.

We sat at a cute two-seater in a small room toward the front of the building where we could enjoy the live entertainment that was on the front porch, pleasant acoustic guitar performances graced the length of the festival. It was during this time that some of the other guests were the only unpleasant issue we had. One mom’s free-range parenting style allowed her elementary school aged girls to bang their small pumpkin gourds on the keys of a piano that we sat 3 feet from. She stood over them, enjoying the cacophony until I had to tell her that Jim and I couldn’t hear what each other were saying. Soon after, a young man in his late teens came wandering in and started looking under the cushions of a plush couch that was on the other side of our table. I assumed he had lost something but he turned to explain to us he was looking for spare change, ” …hoping to find $.50.” He went on to share that he was hoping to buy a small portion of one the cleansing juices, “…before I have to poop.” I grabbed up my change purse and gave him 2 quarters so he would be able to… um… get on with his business somewhere other than the dining area.

The juices do sound incredible and I am hoping the fellow got a schmecken of the Pranayumma, carrot, apple and beet juice because it would be my choice. We stuck to water though and ordered the Organic Soup du Jour, a thick vegetable stew with so many hearty and tender veggies we couldn’t count them all. It was well seasoned and might have even classified as a mild vegetable chili, a perfect bowl and a crisp Fall day.

We also shared and Avocado Jalapeno Cilantro Hummus Wrap. The hummus wasn’t super spicy but the flavors of jalapeno and cilantro were just enough to set it apart from the traditional. Fresh and perfect avocado wedges, crunchy but mild onions and other veggies were all wrapped up together with a nice sprig of kale to make a huge wrap. A few slices of gala apple and seedless grapes blessed the plate and added fresh color and flavor as a garnish, very nice.

Prices were pretty reasonable for the quality of food, portion size and customer service we received. The staff really seemed to care about how our meal was and we assured them that we would be returning. Prana Juice Bar and Namaste Cafe isn’t just a groovy idea, it is a well run restaurant that should be on every vegetarian’s radar. We were assured that it is rare to come across a menu item that can not be made vegan (vegan cheese choices on sandwiches) and the kitchen and staff are eager to please all dietary needs without being preachy, judgmental or conversationally aggressive.

You can’t beat a nice run before a long trip in the car. Yet one step earlier in our day we made a stop in Mifflinburg to participate in a local fundraiser for the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail, the Flat ‘N Fast 4-Mile run/walk. I used this well maintained and new rail trail for quite a few of my longer training runs before my first marathon this year. Jim biked as I logged many a mile so we were very appreciative of the location and condition of this trail. The entry fees and festive race were all in support of the trail, we got on board by pre-registering a few weeks prior.

When you pre-register for something you never know for sure what the weather will be like or how you will be feeling the day of the race. The weather was perfect and but poor Jim had been pretty sick the day before and wasn’t quite up to a 4 mile jog followed by a drive to the city and then also attending the ballet. He decided to just collect his race shirt and rest while he waited for me at the finish line.

The race was well run, they provided a shuttle to the start line and transported warm-up clothes back to the finish line for all runners. I chose to warm up by jogging to the start line but did take advantage of clothing transport by tossing my gloves in and collecting them later. They also had markers for specific pace groups so that the slower runners and walkers wouldn’t get trampled by the speedsters.

This was the first time I ever toed the line with the sub 9:00 minute milers. It made me feel almost legit as I stayed up with a woman who looked like she could be in my age group as long as I could. I had to let her go after the first mile and she came in 6 runners ahead of me by averaging an 8:25 minute mile. She took first in the 55 – 59-year-old women. Luckily I am only 50; she took veterans but I got 1st in my age group of 50-54!

As we waited to collect my award, a cool ceramic mug with the race logo and year printed on it, Jim entered a raffle for a basket of local goodies. I told him that I hoped they would choose his ticket since I wanted him to come away with something since he didn’t run that morning. I screamed with delight when they called his number. He was such a good sport about letting me still run the race and driving to the city, his support is unbeatable and he deserves prizes like this all the time.

Season’s Splendor

Autumn is such a beautiful time of year. Nature’s colors and annual harvest of produce are a feast for the eyes. It was so gratifying to be able to take an afternoon last week to hike Nittany Mountain. It has been a couple of years since I was able to and that made it a very special outing for me. I biked to the trail head, hiked to the top and committed to the entire white loop of trails that treated me to a couple of vistas. The leaves were close to peak but because it was a weekday I ran in to very few other hikers. The solitude on Nittany was an added bonus before I biked home.

Although artichokes are not a vegetable of autumn, I got a couple on sale at our local grocery outlet. I quickly steamed them and served them with a Creamy Vegan Dipping Sauce that doubled as a salad dressing. This was delightful recipe I found for one of the warmer days last week.

Jim and I ran a local race last weekend called the Clearfield Pumpkin Run 5k. It started early on a super chilly morning. but we both had a really enjoyable time. We didn’t run together and I saw Jim speeding ahead before I settled into the groove. This was my first race since my full marathon last month. The course had a mile loop through downtown Clearfield where they were also having a fall festival. Then we ran along the river and cut across a bridge. The next couple of miles were in very pretty residential areas. Finally we cut back across the bridge to the finish line and I met up with Jim to walk a bit and “cool down.”

We always like to try to stay and cheer the award winners but it was still quite chilly. I saw that I had won first place in my age group so I found a place to stand in the sun and happily waited to receive my cute medal. They also gave some awards to people who ran carrying pumpkins for the whole race, that was a lot of fun.

The day before had also been chilly and our lunch was full of colors of the season and a pumpkin-like squash was one of them. I steamed some butternut squash and brussels sprouts and blended a little hoisin sauce in with them. That and a side of rice warmed our bellies and tickled our taste buds.

Autumn frequently makes me feel nostalgic for some reason. On our return trip from Clearfield we stopped at a cute diner in Philipsburg that was like trip down memory lane. We made a stop at the Retro Eatery specifically for their veggie burger, the Ritchie Valen Burger. As far as I know, Ritchie Valens wasn’t a vegetarian but all of the menu items are named after famous icons of the 1950′s. This burger was a homemade, super thick, black bean cake grilled on both sides, nestled in a thick soft bun and topped with lettuce, tomato, and guacamole. We got ours without the cheese it normally comes with but it was a quite a hearty sandwich without it. Clearly a front runner in the race for the Pennsyltucky Veggie Awards – Best Veggie Burger of 2012.

We also ordered some extra appetizers to go along with them. We got the sample Somewhere Over the Rainbow Platter (choice of 3 apps) and tried the French Fried Zucchini Sticks, Fried Green Beans and Rocky Graziano deep-fried cauliflower. Each of these normally comes with ranch or cheese dips but we opted for good ol’ ketchup for ours.

The Retro Eatery opened spring of 2011 and seems to have a steady clientel. It doesn’t have that greasy diner smell that you might expect. The interior of the dining and public areas are all bright and very clean. We enjoyed the free Wifi, loved the pinball machine and jukebox and thought it was cute they had Loony Tunes on one of the 4 tvs.

The service was prompt, appropriately friendly and most helpful. When we ordered the sample platter, we had originally chosen fries as one of the choices. She let us know that, just in case we were thinking of getting burgers that they all came with fries. Thank you very much, we WERE getting burgers and changed our order to include the cauliflower instead. She also checked back and asked if we were enjoying the platter and we assured her that it was fun to try a few of 3 different things instead of full orders of all three. She agreed and shared that she felt a full order of the green beans is sometimes a but “waxy” for her. Like I said, appropriate comments and very helpful.

So much to enjoy this autumn, we hope you are enjoying the beauty and bounty of this season too.

Fiddlehead

11 Bean Soup (vegan)

Just after Penn State’s Spring Break in 2012 a fresh new restaurant opened downtown 134 W. College Ave., State College. After some hands on researching of similar dining establishments like Sweetgreen and Chop’t, owners Marya, David, and Jack Schoenholtz opened Fiddlehead.

With a focus on fresh ingredients, large serving sizes, and overall sustainability, Fiddlehead has filled a niche in the jungle of pubs, pizza and burgers on College Avenue. The focus is soups, made from scratch daily using fresh stocks and preparing their salads made to order using fresh and locally sourced ingredients. All foods are served in environmentally friendly packaging and they are happy to fill your own to-go container.

Literally their first paying customer, I have enjoyed Fiddlehead from day 1. The interior is clean and set up in an efficient way to minimize waiting time for those on the go. There is limited counter seating and a few token tables by the window for those who need to take a break and enjoy the healthy offerings of this restaurant. The interior isn’t just nice to look at, the materials from which it was constructed were carefully chosen with the health of the environment in mind. Read all about their green philosophy here.

Care has been given to the flavors that come together in each of their 6 suggested salad combos but us veggie folks want to focus on the Own It! option. I can just imagine a lot of you thinking, “Salad? I can get that anywhere.” I will try to make it clear through my descriptions and photos that the ingredients are all crispy fresh, no slimy nasty greens to be found, the choices are varied enough that you can put together myriad salad combinations and the portions are immense.

The Own It! allows for a choice of leafy greens (romaine iceberg mix, baby spinach or spring mix) a choice of 4 toppings plus a dressing. Toppings for vegans include: Artichoke Hearts, Banana Peppers, Beets (raw!), Black Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Celery, Cherry Tomatoes, Chick Peas, Cucumber, Dried Cranberries, Edamame, Frizzled Onions, Grapes, Kalamata Olives, Mandarin Oranges, Mushrooms, Pears, Radishes, Red Bell Pepper, Red Onion, Roasted Corn, Roasted Potatoes and Sundried Tomatoes. Lacto-ovo vegetarians also have the choices of: Bleu Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Hard-boiled Eggs, Feta Cheese or Asiago Cheese. If 4 toppings isn’t enough for your hungry belly, for an up charge you can get extra toppings for an additional $.50 each, Avocado ($1.25) or Seasoned Tofu ($1.75).

Tomato Basil soup and Own It salad.

Initially, it was unclear which of the more than a dozen of the house made salad dressing was vegan. Upon discussing the options with Marya on the opening day, she was surprised to learn that vegans typically don’t eat honey thus eliminating the Honey Mustard and Grapefruit Honey dressings as vegan safe. It was on my second visit of many over this spring that the owners had clearly marked which of the dressings were vegan, eliminating all confusion. The dressings containing honey were not included. This is a business that clearly cares about getting things right.

I have enjoyed the Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette , Lemon Tahini and Fresh Lemon Squeeze as dressings. When the time comes to choose your dressing, they also allow you to choose how much dressing you like on your salad; light, medium or heavy. I have found light to be plenty even when I get as many as 4 extra toppings but they will be kind and ask you if it is enough before they move the salad to the cashier station.

Sweet Potato soup and Own It salad.

The reasonably priced cups and bowls of soup have been so various. Each we have tried have been delicious. Top vegan choices for me have been the 11 Bean, Hearty Bean, Carrot Curry, Tomato Basil and Sweet Potato. Other vegetarian options over the past weeks have included (v = vegan): Cream of Mushroom, Mushroom Bisque, Carmelized Onion & White Bean, Roasted Vegetable (v), Roasted Red Pepper with Cilantro Lime Cream as well as Spinach & Rice with Lemon (v). For a full list check out their Twitter Feed. I think it is obvious that Fiddlehead is strongly in the running for the Pennsyltucky Veggie Best Soup of 2012 award.

The owners are no newcomers to the game of successful restaurateuring. In 1993 they successfully launched and eventually relocated Irving’s to E. College Ave. It is known for its bagels and baked goods. They also took the same care in researching both east and west coasts before bringing the beloved Green Bowl to downtown State College before selling it. Their fresh ideas have added so many veggie dining options to downtown State College and I salute them for their care and good business practices.

Grab it to go or sit, listen to the mellow music while taking advantage of the free Wifi. Fiddlehead is set up for a streamlined, green and healthy dining experience via counter service leading to a clear self-service station for utensils and drinks. I haven’t explored the options that their Gelato offers, vegetarians may want to check this out too. The menu is limited to soup and salad but you can make it as delicious as you can only imagine. The staff is friendly, well-trained and have no problem in asking management for clarification if they cannot directly answer any questions about the menu. Parking is not free, either metered on street or nearby garages but it is worth it to experience this bright new place.

aardvark kafé

State College has been blessed with more vegan options since early February of 2012 when the Original Italian Pizza on 906 West College Ave. dedicated a section of its kitchen and menu to 100% vegan food preparation. Many improvements have been made over the past 3 months, with the menu is still changing and expanding. It is a sincere wish on my part that it will continue to improve and be a wonderful place to dine for many years to come.

A woman from our region reviewed the atmosphere of aardvark kafé as “homey” but other than the fact employees eat and surf the internet in the dining area, I am not quite understanding that description. Unless she was referring to the dying poinsettias that were on a cart in a corner from the first time I visited or the large screen tv, but I am thinking not. The interior has been simplified somewhat over the past months and it gives a clean feel to a typical OIP restaurant with a counter. The only thing that has ever been displayed on the television on my visits was titles of the music being played – it is a monster of a tv for such a small place and seems totally out of place.

Teriyaki Mushroom Pocket

No customer Wifi seems to be had at aardvark kafé and upon my first visit the only way to access the vegan menu was online. Facebook is the main way the owner/chef communicates the menu changes, price changes, or when he decides that he wants to close early. This is closer to fine for those who are techno savvy and it certainly was no good to me the time that aardvark kafé closed while I was on the bus. I was meeting Jim there for lunch but our second visit to the restaurant was a complete washout.

Vegan Chili

The third time found the food improved from the overly salty Teriyaki Basil Mushroom Pocket we shared the first time. The Crab Cake with red pepper “aoli” (no garlic in it) was no longer on the menu but we were there for the Chili. Just like the first time we visited, we were told it would take about 20 minutes for the menu items we chose. The Chili came out well seasoned, a nice temperature and decent portions. Twenty minutes is a bit of a long wait when you are 2 of only 3 customers and the other was an employee and/or had already been served.

The prices have always been higher than what we normally pay for a vegan only cafe or diner style menu in the Pennsyltucky region. To compare, Eden – a Vegan Café (100% vegan cafe) has a similar Hummus Platter for $5.75 (aardvark’s is $8.00) and a portion of Mock Buffalo Bites for $4.25 (aardvark’s is $7.00). Once on Facebook, aardvark was trying to get a feel for how customers would respond to a brunch for $18.00 a person. I compared an almost identical brunch at Broad Street Market in Harrisburg for 1/3 the price, $6.00.

Veggie Crab Sandwich

It is only here that you will be able to read about my brunch price comparison post since the owner/chef deleted it from their Facebook wall, as they are more than welcome to do. By bringing it up on this review, I want customers (current and potential) to know how the establishment takes solicited information and criticism. Other examples on Yelp, Urban Spoon, Happy Cow, when a dissatisfied customer posted their review, it elicited knee jerk defensive responses (now changed to syrupy sweetness on Urban Spoon) and a plea on Facebook to rally supporters to post reviews to balance the negative. Keep all of this paragraph in mind if and when reading any comments that might get posted at the bottom of this candid and comprehensive review.

Almost Raw Veggie Sandwich

I think it is only fair to mention that, especially in this case, it is not just myself whose opinions are weighing in on this specific review. Ultimately I take the credit and the blame but this allows their honest opinion to be added to my review with only myself taking the fallout. Along with myself, this review represents the experiences of 6 separate diners. I will eventually excerpt this review for the above mentioned restaurant review Web pages. Do note, I was the one who added aardvark kafé to Urban Spoon.

$30.00 Special

In the case of this review, it has been a total of merely 3 months since the opening. The enthusiasm of the owner/chef can be contagious but also overwhelming. He has been known to announce a special for $20.00 but after a only a couple of hours increase the price to $30.00 and encourage diners who can’t afford it to split it. That would be unfortunate for those who read the first price, jumped into their car to come across the Seven Mountains and were in transit to take advantage of it when the price changed. It is poor business practice to announce prices of specials before it has all been settled.

Mick Mick Mick with regular fries.

Since the time the “kafé” has opened, a few of my secret diners (not all vegan) and I have tried 9 separate regular menu items. Most of the food is quite good in spite of having awkward names that don’t describe the dish. At least menu items like Jayyid Harvest’s Simple Heat or Humana Humana Hummus at Brew’s n Bytes give you more of a clue to what the dish with be compared to aardvark’s names like The Merrick or Mick Mick Mick.

If judged on food alone aardvark kafé would be pretty darn good. The Almost Raw Veggie Sandwich was good except for the teeth numbing cold roasted red peppers, and the marinara on the Sweetball Sandwich was perfectly balanced and thick enough that it doesn’t ruin the signature OIP bread that my omnivorous sister loves. The Buffalo Tofu Bites our neighbors shared with us were just hot enough to enjoy and the cubes of tofu were a good size unlike the sorry ones served at Bullfrog Brewery. Regrettably, no foods seem to be locally sourced.

The Cheese Pizza is sadly nothing special. One friend of mine called it “roller rink pizza.” It may be because the chef admits to not tasting anything that isn’t vegan, relying upon the recipes from the prior ownership and other employees that work at there. To quote the infamous chef Gordon Ramsay, “A head chef who doesn’t taste his food is asking for trouble. It’s the only way to maintain control and keep up standards.”

Marinara Sweetball Sandwich

Our neighbors got the Hand Cut Sweet Potato Fries for their kiddo and I counted on observing their experience to help me determine the “family friendliness” of aardvark kafé. I noticed the 1 1/2 year old kept trying to eat them but putting them back onto his plate. Those fries could be a perfect finger food but as it turns out, peels left on those sweet potato fries–not delicious. It might have worked if they had a crispier exterior like the tofu bites. The fries, not being offered a high chair upon sitting down and wrongly relying of hydrating their kiddo on a little cup of tap water reflects that the place could seriously do better for the under 2 crowd. Hipster vegans are now growing their own kids and it is a demographic that should be catered to in a restaurant like this.

To clarify about the tap water, it is another atypical thing to know before going. There is no free water, only water to be purchased in bottles. Patrons are welcome to bring their own neoprene or bike type bottles (or even BYOB after 5pm). I feel badly for people who haven’t researched this information before visiting and have to make the decision whether or not to purchase an Aquafina(!!) bottle of water. I have actually chosen to go without drinking anything until I got home the one time I forgot.

I don’t rate a place on the food alone; service, accessibility and overall vegetarian dining experience all matter. I think it is really important for vegetarian diners to know this restaurant is NOT 100% vegan. When I read “Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant” at the head of their Facebook page it gave me the impression that EVERYTHING in the restaurant is at least vegetarian. This is not the case. Separate vegan food prep station, menu and food – yes but the restaurant serves meat and the label is misleading.

To add to the confusion, there is no storefront sign directing you to find aardvark kafé from the road. You have to know that it is inside the Original Italian Pizza and the parking lot is easy to miss. I suggest when heading from town, heading West on W. College Ave., that you be ready to turn left as soon as the traffic becomes 2 way. This is across from where the old O.W. Houtz used to be (now leveled). On the entry door is an 8 1/2 x 11″ paper sign on the door assuring that you are at the correct place.

That same paper also directs you to order at the counter. If the staff is busy and is unable to greet you, it is easy to miss. Prior to the sign on the door, one of the few employees was the only person in the dining room as we stood in confusion upon our first visit… he was eating and didn’t alert anyone that we were waiting. Customers are asked to order at the counter, yet the staff bring your food to your table. They don’t readily direct you to forks and knives from the self-service station yet there are no trays or anything that tells you to bus your table. I have seen orders taken at table too if that helps make things even less understandable. It’s hard to learn the drill when things aren’t consistent.

At the top of the list alphabetically but nowhere near that quality wise; this is a restaurant I selfishly want to succeed. Unfortunately I have, as of September 2012, had some really lousy food at this place as well as more inconsistent advertising and food prep practices. I have dropped the rating to less than an average dining experience and can not recommend it to vegetarians nor vegans.

Over-sized portions of gross, undercooked food with missing advertised ingredients (crunchy raw onions, anemic slices of tomato and no vegan mozzarella in the 20″ long Veggie Calzone that was so soggy that the bottom fell off when I tried to cut a human sized portion) is not what I want to spend $20 on. That includes the tip to the non-vegan cook. When I was introduced to Less he was not a vegan and, as far as I could see, he did not use the vegan work station. So much for the advertised “everything on this menu is 100% vegan – prepared by a vegan – at 100% vegan workstations” (Oct. 2012 the verbage was changed to “created by a vegan”).

I have the photos and even more details if anyone wants to contact me privately, PennsyltuckVeggie@hotmail.com. I am tired of wasting time even typing about this place and yet need to update Happy Cow, UrbanSpoon and Yelp. I can’t see ever wanting to go back. If I want an OIP style veggie sub, I’ll go to the Brother’s Pizza & Pasta near Luna2 and tell them to hold the cheese.

Bullfrog Brewery

Bullfrog Brewery is a well established pub in Williamsport with many stellar microbrews. What a lot of folks don’t realize is that some of the proprietors are super health conscious and have crafted a menu that will please almost everyone, vegan through carnivore. We will focus on the great things that vegetarians and vegans can enjoy there.

Seating is vast with multiple hightop pub tables, and over 2 dozen 2 and 4 seaters if you include the backroom. If you like to sit at the wooden bar and enjoy the shiny brew vats, don’t discount being able to enjoy a meal there. They have a nifty platter that is fashioned to sit securely on the bar in front of you to optimise your dining pleasure.

Bullfrog Interior looking toward the Back Room

Don’t be fooled by the amount of seating that you will always get a table if you just drop by. This place is super popular especially when they have entertainment booked. This isn’t just in the evenings; weekend brunch hours will have bands booked and you will want to call ahead to make reservations unless you want to risk being turned away at the door.

Also take into account the pre and post theater crowds that will be taking in shows at the nearby Community Arts Center and cinema complex. This will snarl traffic on the one way Fourth St and also limit parking. In the evenings, free parking can be had in the off street lot with the large mural just before the Bullfrog. At other times you must not ignore feeding the on-street meters, traffic tickets will be given.

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Over the past year, the vegetarian food that was once almost a special request has made its way onto the printed menu (online version not as complete). Imagine our surprise one day when we came in and saw they had Daiya Cheese (pronounced DAY-uh for you newbie vegans who care to be in the know) and many other things listed that the staff was very familiar with. None of it was new to them since it had been an unwritten option for quite a while. We thanked them for putting it on the menu.

Nachos with Daiya!

The menu had always had the house made veggie burger called the Veggie Frog and Frogobello but now they offer vegan options with the Daiya Cheese! Add to that the lightly grilled tempeh or tofu vegan Rachel and Reuben and the veganizing either the Cheese or Veggie Supreme Fajizza and a vegan could have a feast!

Feast we did many times this past year. Our favorites included a huge portion of Mucho Nachos smothered in Daiya, veggies and their house made Vegetarian Chili with a side of guac. This was a fun nosh that was outstanding with its very reasonable price and amazing toppings compared to some lesser piles of chips that we have gotten at similar pubs. I would also suggest the Veggie Frog burger served on a nice pretzel roll. The house made burger is grilled and packed with veggies. It’s hearty with a mild oregano seasoning and comes topped with avocado, sprouts, red onion, lettuce and a nice slice of tomato.

Vegan Fajizza with Daiya & Tempeh

Another menu item we had was the Veggie Deluxe Fajizza and we want to encourage you to eat it right away if you order it.The crispy outer crust only gets soggy if you allow it to sit for too long, enjoy the toppings of browned tempeh and thinly sliced broccoli and veggies while the crust is at its best. The only veggie item I would not suggest is the one appetizer, Tofu “Wings.” They cubes of tofu are nicely hot when they are served but, especially with the garlic sauce option, were unceremoniously presented in an oily mass with celery sticks. Meh.

Most of the menu is always very good but the service is hit or miss. We have noticed they don’t seem to have enough staff during some of the busier times before local theater performances and one of the owners had to pitch in to help her frazzled waitresses. Other times, they have been the friendliest most obliging wait staff. They are a wealth of knowledge about their menu, the beers that are on tap at the time and if they don’t know an answer to what you have asked are willing to ask someone who does. You can’t want for more than that.

After a handful of visits over the past year, I can say we highly recommend Bullfrog Brewery to vegetarians and vegans alike. When it is good, it is very, very good. At other times, not too bad. Be aware of when they might be busy and call ahead. If you get in during those times, enjoy the free WiFi if you have to wait an extra moment or two. Check out all of the cute kitschy frogs that are on the shelves and order a well crafted brew. Mostly, be prepared for some of the regions’ best vegan pub food with a strong emphasis on local food sources. I wouldn’t be surprised if you decide to return enough times and become a member of their Pub Club (best to enquire with the bar staff).

B’s Best Bites – March 2012

This month has been filled with some of the greatest injustices a cat can ever endure. I have been shut away multiple times in a single room, for hours while a stranger bangs around in our bathroom. Every evening, when I am finally allowed to come out, it has all been changed again and again. I have no idea what was wrong with the old bathroom, it smelled much better, less like fresh paint.

The sights I saw one day were enough to keep me hiding under the bed until after my people came back from one of their many Wednesdays that they visited Otto’s Pub & Brewery. Oh yes, that brings me to the topic at hand, the best bites my people had this month.

They were all focused on Otto‘s this month. Every Wednesday, when the daily menu would go up, they would make plans how they could meet after the stranger wrecking my bathroom left. One day, Millie ran 8 miles to meet Frank there. They didn’t get to take pictures of that meal and Millie came home with an ear ache but they also brought the food home boxed. They weren’t letting any of it go to waste.

One Wednesday, they had a vegan dish of Root Vegetables and Rice that had fancy mushrooms in it. The sauce was so good, I could smell it on their breath when they came home! I acted like I wanted a kiss but really wanted to smell that sauce.

Another Wednesday, they shared a Stuffed Pepper with Provençal Sauce and a plate of Beets, Tempeh and Grilled Tofu in a Tarrgon and Citrus Demi-Glace. Millie was all geeked out because Chef Pete allowed her to come back to what the kitchen calls the lineup. It is when the chef describes each of the specials of the evening to the staff so they know just what has gone into it and how to describe it. They each then get to taste it so they can be knowledgeable servers for the evening meal. She heard Chef Pete share that his black bean soup was thickened with a bean purée as opposed to a roux of butter and flour. She was heartened to know such care was being put into making meals vegan and knowing the difference from being vegetarian. Millie bowed out of the tasting since she knew that she was ordering many of the tasty bites later. She ended up loving the pepper filled with grains and black beans and the chefs have a great way with every tomato sauce they touch.

Some of the other things Otto’s has had on their Vegetarian Wednesday Specials I know I would have liked even more since they have cheese in them. They have had lasagna and pizzas, all very creative in flavor combinations. My people won’t eat cheeserz pleaserz any more since they have become vegan but I would be much pleased if they brought some back for me! The Asian Tofu Pizza this week would have been great (they heard people loved it) and I would have picked around the tofu for that Amish Cheddar they put on it!

Grilled Polenta - best app ever.

My people say that Chef Pete and the newer Chef Steve have been out-doing themselves with the vegan and vegetarian specials every Wednesday. They had the most scrumptious Grilled Polenta this week that they could hardly believe it was vegan! It came out piping hot, that gave it a crisp grilled exterior and the interior was a perfect texture. It wasn’t oily nor not too dense and seasoned just so. The tangy acidity of the slow roasted yellow and red tomatoes along with a premium olive oil made this maybe the best appetizer they have ever had. For $7.00 it was priced just right and they were so glad to have decided to share a little something extra at the beginning of the meal.

They usually just get the main vegan special and, even after their delicious appetizer, decided to do as they normally do. They each got a different vegan special and shared a bit with each other. The first special was Jerked Tofu. The extra firm tofu was not marinated but seared with peppery Caribbean spices so that its exterior was crisp and spicy. Eaten on its own would have been a bit much but balanced the hot with some sweet in a salsa of tiny diced mango, pineapple, red onion and sweet red pepper. The side mash of rutabaga and vegetables added a complimentary starch that stayed with the theme of the dish gave symmetry to the over-all palate.

You can see this isn’t your everyday gastropub fare; the second vegan special this week was a Vegetable Panang Curry. I have heard from many Abyssinian cats that curries in the middle east are nothing like what we American cats ever experience. This curry was along the lines of what any central PA diner would expect, not blistering hot, a little sweet and coconut based. That said, it was as good as, if not better than, any Panang Curry sauce that any of the local Thai restaurants serve. Along side a fluffy jasmine rice timbale, the sauce covered a bricolage of vegetables. The colors were well-balanced with cute little peas and broccoli florets adding the green and the textures reminded my people of what is usually served with a Massaman Curry.

Other things that they carried on about after they got home were how nice it was that the green beans were seasoned and hot but not over cooked. They also liked the micro greens that have been topping many of the specials this month. They were sad not to have had room for the dessert, Mango & Sticky Rice nor the Gazpacho soup. So many good things on Wednesdays at Otto’s and the chef shared that it would continue even after the religious season of Lent.

Because of all of this good news, I have been given the honor of announcing that Otto’s Pub & Brewery BiNah Rating has gone up not just 1/2 but a whole star. The kitchen and wait staff seem so much more in the know about what a vegan or vegetarian can eat and the Wednesday Vegetarian Special are currently among the best in the region of Pennsyltucky.

Now I have to take a nap and prepare for a great weekend with my people hanging out and cooking at home. The bathroom is to be completed today and I will get to show it off to Amy when she visits. As I mentioned in February, I love when she holds my dish for me while I eat. Life is good and my people are very happy with the food in their town.

Brews n Bytes Café & Eatery

Brews n Bytes Café & Eatery has not had an easy time of it over the past few years. The little sign from the outside announces that it is a “bastion of music, arts & free speech.” They might want to add a parenthetical title of “when the flooding waters of the nearby Susquehanna cut us a break.” Danville frequently floods and Brews n Bytes is doing its best to, yet again, rise phoenix-like out of what had been a sopping mess on Lower Mulberry Street.

The co-owner, Jason Leonardo Rafael Perez-Dieppa, is gregarious and enthusiastic about his business. Although I could not tell you what the place was like before the multiple times it had been flooded, he is applying a lot of love and elbow grease into what is shaping up to be a lovely little café. From what I can derive from their FaceBook history, it was a favorite (and seems to be again) drawing performers and a regular coffeehouse kind of crowd.

From a cultural standpoint, coffeehouses serve largely as centers of social interaction, Brews n Bytes seems to be just that kind of place. I do ask why I, as an introvert, find myself popping into places where many congregate to commune and chat. It is clear that the vegetarian food options had been calling me for some months and for those who like catching up on the local scene, my telling of the social aspect will be an added enhancement.

Chef Lisa, co-owner, has crafted yet another exciting menu with many vegetarian and vegan options. Between Jim and myself, we ordered the Veggie Chili and the Putini Panini (vegan). Above and beyond that, when we visited in the very last days of 2011, the menu then included a lot of vegan wraps like a Veggie Burger in strips or the Portobella Lagosi. Next time I think I will order a Humana Humana Hummus.

They had just re-opened and were still pulling together a few things like the espresso area but that wasn’t stopping local performers from already booking gigs. It was a bit drafty because of some final repairs that were being made but we had a good time knowing that when we next visited it would be even more attractive than it already was. The brightly colored walls, cozy furniture and temporarily quiet musical equipment all radiated a place that was filled with joy.

Jim said his coffee was “really good” as we sat enjoying a jazzy Pandora Radio station at one of the dozen little tables in the back dining area. We were glad to sit and enjoy our surroundings at leisure; parking is cheap on the one-way Mulberry Street at >10 for 30 minutes. Families and veggie folks of all ages will feel comfortable and welcome and I have been eager to write this glowing review since December 2011.

The Vegan Putini Panini was served halved on a super-fresh, thyme seasoned 6″ panini. It was pleasantly warm and crammed with hummus and oodles of soft grilled vegetables. Not just a variety of flavors and textures had been paid attention to, Chef Lisa obviously considered color and chose carrots, zucchini, red onions, mushrooms and red peppers to fill our sandwich. A festive little portion of creamy corn and black bean salad dressed up the plate and added a gentle south-western flavor to the meal.

The Veggie Chili was served with sour cream and cheese on the side and was wisely spiced mild/medium for the Pennsyltucky palette. It was thick with TVP, black and kidney beans, onions, red and green peppers. Very hearty on such a chilling day, I appreciated that it came out piping hot.

Not far off Interstate 80′s Danville exit, this is a spot all Pennsyltucky veggie travelers should know about. They are open Tues-Sat 10:30 AM to 9 PM and you might want to check the Webpage or FaceBook to see if there is a band playing. Brews n Bytes boasts the most extensive and unique fusion/eclectic vegetarian (seafood too) menu within 100 miles and it’s true. You can enjoy a vegan meal, great coffee and take advantage of the Wifi in a warm and hospitable atmosphere. Something tells me with Brews n Bytes, the best is yet to come.

Cozy Thai Bistro / Galanga

Panang Curry & Drunken Noodles

I promised this review to someone in December 2011 when I went with (now defunct) State College Vegetarians meet-up group. That is how backed up I am, so I am writing two restaurant reviews in the same post! Never to worry, they are both in State College, both part of the same ownership and the one is in that same location as the other was. Allow me to back up in time and explain a bit.

During the week of Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in 2007, Cozy Thai Bistro first opened its doors. The style inside was classy and made up for the amount of space. They weren’t kidding when they chose the word “cozy” to describe themselves and even the fact they crammed tables into every usable space didn’t eliminate an almost guaranteed wait during the first couple of years.

Spring Rolls

The staff was always friendly and accommodating, the food quite good and it was much appreciated when they added a separate vegetarian menu. Even now, we still make it really clear that we don’t want fish/oyster sauces because it is still listed on some menu items in the vast vegetarian section.

The menu has not changed much since those early years and the quality has stayed the same. Because of the nature of this college town, the waitstaff changes over time but they are always good about checking as to what can or cannot be made vegan if they don’t already have that knowledge set to memory.

Drunken Noodles

One thing that changed in late 2009 was that Cozy Thai Bistro moved to a larger location from 454 E. College Ave. to 232 S. Allen Street. Neither location has off street parking but there are more metered municipal lots by their new location.

Cozy Thaiis now a bit brighter with more and larger windows in the front. Their decor and food is still very nice but it there is still frequently a wait for seating and the payoff for that isn’t quite as “cozy” as the original location. It’s actually quite noisy most of the time.

Mee Ka Ti @ Cozy Thai

So what happened to the old spot on College Avenue? In the second half of 2010, the same owners opened a short-lived restaurant called Tana Asian Cafe that only had 3 vegetarian options. They must have learned from any mistakes they made so tried yet again in June 2011 by opening Galanga by Cozy Thai in the original College Avenue location.

It took us over 6 months to finally visit Galanga by Cozy Thai. We wondered just how different their menu would be and if they were also tuned into the needs of vegetarians and vegans. Without a microscopic inspection of the menus, side by side, I would say that what Cozy Thai Bistro and Galanga by Cozy Thai offer is identical.

Crispy Tofu Appetizer

Galanga’s interior has the same charm that we remember it having back in it’s Cozy Thai days but the crowds have thinned just a bit. This may be because their sister restaurant is so well established downtown that it takes some of the urgency off of needing to get your Pad Thai on in only one location. Also, a little after Cozy Thai made its move to Allen St., My Thai opened up across town in Westerly Parkway Plaza and it was only recently that Viet-Thai finally closed its doors at 149 North Atherton.

Don’t be confused or lured by other State College Thai places. If you in the area, are vegan or vegetarian, either Cozy Thai or Galanga are going to serve you the same delicious dishes with the same care to your dietary needs. Neither offer Wifi and the larger Cozy Thai is a lot more family friendly that the more romantic Galanga. From the sweet and hearty Mee-Ka-ti (cannot be made vegan) to the earthy and verdant spirited Pad Khing you can find over a dozen entrées to choose from. If you really like the heat, ask for it Thai Spicy. When you add to that the various appetizers and salads, you can be assured to find something you like every time you visit, either location.

Callao, Snow and Goodbye ol’ Joe

Callao Cafe and Market opened here in town this past November. The snowfall limited our travels to just local explorations and since they were featuring a vegan soup by Harrison’s we thought it would be a good time to stop in.

In the space that Webster’s abandoned in the Aaron Plaza near ProCopy, local David Price has set up a very nice little cafe. It opens early enough, 6:00 AM, for those who drink coffee to get their day started. Featuring light fare for dine in or take out, Callao stays open until 6:00 PM.

We popped in for the Vegan Vegetable Bean soup, saw some Liz Lovely Ginger Snapdragons cookies and decided to dine in. As I snapped a few photos, I caught the proprietors also having a snack in the one photo. We made sure to thank them for having some vegan options and Mr. Price admitted that he was dedicated to keep the Vegan Vegetable Bean soup on as his second standard soup.

Even though they are still just settling into their digs, with 4 flavors of Liz Lovely vegan cookies, a vegan soup and even another vegetarian soup, Butternut Squash Bisque, we thought mentioning Callao Cafe important. They have many gluten free options (fresh baked goods), it is clean, inviting and has ample parking. We were able to snag some free WiFi from a neighboring business but saw none offered by the cafe.

We didn’t find anything other than snowshoveling to do in town and I have no good segue to what our evening brought. Last evening it was announced Joe Paterno almost 2 week stay in the hospital had deteriorated and announced to be in serious condition and he died this morning. We felt sad that his last days were surrounded with so much turmoil and made a little trip to his statue. Sure enough, others had thought to do the same thing; a group of athletic youth were shoveling snow around the area to make space for those with candles on the death watch.

We don’t always make the right decisions in our lives and hope that our mistakes do not cause harm. Mr. Paterno had expressed that in his final weeks of life. It brings to mind the aria Dido’s Lament,
“When I am laid, am laid in earth, May my wrongs create
No trouble, no trouble in thy breast;
Remember me, remember me, but ah! forget my fate.
Remember me, but ah! forget my fate.”