My adopted brother, James Delisco lives in New York City. He is an icon and probably one of the most talented people on the planet. Seriously. He is also currently in Kinky Boots on Broadway if you happen to be in the city. James used to be vegan, way before I was. Now, he isn't fully vegan but he does still eat mostly plant based. I am telling you this because he suggested that we have a late lunch at Blossoms du Jour and I completely trust his opinion!
I was honestly expecting something a little more high-end. I knew from the online reviews that they had a lot of vegan junk food (which I love), but I wasn't expecting graffiti-style art work and one wall for bar seats but no actual tables. This is totally fine and the service was really fast, but "Blossoms du Jour" sounds so French and fancy that I had a completely different idea of what I was walking into. Honestly, I almost walked out because there weren't any available seats, but I'm really glad that I didn't.
James was my date, of course. He tries to be gluten-free, but he also needs a lot of protein, so it can be difficult for him to find vegan food that meet both criteria. He ordered the quinoa burger "gluten-free" which is served burrito-style.
I ordered "Mac & Jack" which is vegan macaroni and cheese, topped with barbecue pulled pork. James wanted to try the Cauliflower Wings which are not gluten-free, but worth the cheat for him! I also had to try the Philly Cheesesteak Fries. The man who took our order at the counter was really friendly and helpful! He had great energy and guided us through his top picks. We paid about $46.00 including drinks and that is insanely cheap for vegan food in New York City. Actually, all of my other vegan meals in the city were over $100, so that should give you some perspective.
The food came out in less than 10 minutes. Being that the restaurant is so small, they don't use regular dishes. Everything is wrapped to-go, which is convenient, but kind of wasteful. However, dishwasher chemicals, water waste, and labor can add up really fast and a human swapping one meat burger for a vegan burger saves as much water as a human consumes in three years. So, now I've kind of gone of topic, but I want you to be aware that the pictures don't do the food justice because they're all in to-go packaging.
The Philly Cheesesteak Fries were freaking amazing! They were crispy fries topped with a vegan queso, grilled seitan, sautéed onions and peppers. They were so delicious and even though thy were vegan junk food, which I specialize in at my restaurant, this was a variation that I had never seen. The guy who took my order said that they were his invention and I wish I had paid more attention to him, but props to you, vegan dude! Phenomenally delicious!
Vegan macaroni and cheese is certainly not uncommon. Cheese is addictive. Like, real cheese is literally as addictive as heroin (look up casein if you want to learn more) and it would be a lie to say that when you go vegan, you stop craving cheese. We still want cheese, but we know how bad it is for our bodies and the planet, so we forego it. that being said, everything cheesy and vegan is going to be a hit. Adding the barbecue jackfruit to the top is less traditional. It's something I've thought about but never executed because I usually end up making a vegan bacon mac and cheese or vegan truffle mac and cheese. Damn. I eat a lot of vegan macaroni and cheese, now that I think about it... Hahaha I would highly recommend diging your fork in and mixing the jackfruit it because it is presented just on top. The vegan cheese (I assume it's cashew-based) was spectacular. It was really smooth and offered no funky aftertaste which you sometimes encounter.
James' burger came out in burrito form, which initially threw me off, but I later considered it to be brilliant, especially as a restaurant owner. There are also so many meat substitutes like the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger, that you don't see very many homemade patties anymore. I had forgotten how delicious a quinoa patty could be. It had a great smokey flavor and it was perfectly balanced with the lemon-rosemary sauce and sautéed onions. It was incredibly delicious, flavorful, and light!
I have to be honest, y'all. I don't like cauliflower. I had this realization a few nights ago when my husband made me Buffalo Cauliflower Wings for dinner. I have tried! I have had the cauliflower fried rice, and wings, and mash, and it's just not for me. Plus, vegetables with color have more nutritional value so, if I'm going to eat a white vegetable, it's going to be a potato. I love broccoli, but cauliflower in not my jam. Many, many customers have told me that the cauliflower wings at my restaurant, Copper Vault are the best ones they've ever had. I am not such a fan, but if the customers are happy, that's all that matters. That being said, I really enjoyed the cauliflower wings as much as someone who doesn't love cauliflower could. I actually liked them more than the ones at my restaurant. We use a tempura batter, but theirs looked more like a hand-floured bater. The batter had great flavor and dry spices instead of a wet sauce. They were also served with a vegan caesar dressing, which had a ton of flavor. It was light, lemony, and paired perfectly with the wings.
The menu, while being mostly vegan junk food (there are some kale bowls and healthier options) is actually really well thought out. The flavors and combinations are complex and you can tell that the people running the show really care about the quality of food and aren't just jumping on the vegan bandwagon because it's trendy.
If you are a hungry person in New York City, you absolutely must come here. Actually, stay in your hotel and have it delivered, because you can! You do not need to be a vegan or vegetarian to think that this food is out of this world, and it won't make you feel gross and bloated like non-vegan junk food. Do it for your health! Do it for the planet! Do if because it tastes incredible and it's guilt-free!
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