A dive into veganism, and also foraging.

RESTAURANT:  Organic Avenue

DATE: 12/4/2014
LOCATION: 5 Bryant Park


Hello Friends, 
I know we've been gone. Don't worry we've still been eating a lot of food, but for me, at least personally, I haven't had anything adventurous enough to write home about. Until NOW!

Last night my friend S and I met up for a quick dinner at Mexicue (this review is not about Mexicue even though it was amazing and deserves a review. I forgot to take photos so I'll have to go back and review it at a later time). On our way to the train, we happened upon a small group of people huddled over a black garbage bag. In NYC this means one of two things: 1. They're all homeless and digging for dinner. This wasn't the case though because hobos usually work alone, and also they smell gross. These people all had decent looking coats on.  2. Someone was selling illegal merchandise, namely watches or knock off hand bags, which is the norm for a mid-Manhattan side street. I insisted they were handbags because there was an Asian woman crouched near the bag, and stereo-typically and also factually the fake bags are made by some Asian people in Chinatown, but that's a story for another time. S wasn't buying that it was handbags, so she crept in for a closer look. I was totally wrong!  Turns out to be a bag full of vegan salad wraps, vegan soups, and vegan cole slaw, oh my! Now let me explain how this was not the same as digging in the trash for spoiled or half-eaten food. We were in front of an Organic Avenue, which had just closed up for the evening and the employees were cleaning up. One of the employees had dropped the bag of left over unsold items off on the curb minutes before S and I walked by. Additionally, all the food items were pre-packaged and well wrapped. S dug in and grabbed some items out, but upon realizing they were vegan handed them to me knowing I'll eat anything. So I went home with two Lunchbox Salad Wraps and one Shredded Curry Cabbage bowl. It felt exciting to scavenge for food with other well dressed people who could also afford to pay for food, but what the hell, Christmas shopping is expensive, so I'll save where I can. 

Anyway, there was a sticker on the items that read "Use by 12/3," but to me that means I have like a week to eat it, but I wasn't quite that disgusting and ate it today for lunch.  

I'm going to go ahead and get the shredded cabbage out of the way because I didn't eat it. 

I opened it, took a whif, couldn't tell if it there was something valid about that Use By sticker, or if I just didn't like this particular mix of curry. Normally, at this point people put things in the garbage. I took my fork and picked up a few pieces of dry cabbage and chomped. It wasn't expired. It tasted like it should, but it just wasn't my jam. So, I closed it back up and offered to some coworkers who would better appreciate the flavors this little bowl had to offer. OK, moving on...

To reiterate that this experience is less gross than it seems, this wrap was extremely well wrapped, I had to cut it out of its plastic with scissors. 

OK, at first glance... an unassuming wrap. 

A peak inside... this looks like tuna, I like tuna, so maybe I'll like things that LOOK like tuna. 

So, I don't know how to explain this, but it tastes like Tuna, but not like fish tuna. The consistency of the mashy parts is like tuna salad, and upon reading the ingredients and finding that they use cashew mayo, I assume that's why it's also blended and creamy the way tuna salad is. It also has carrots and some onions that you can easily find in tuna salad. After my first bite I was thrilled I wouldn't have to go buy a replacement meal, but I do admit that I ate that first half of the wrap very cautiously, like maybe mid-bite my food would turn into something disgusting and scary and I'd have to spit it out. By the time I got to the second half of the wrap I ate it with confidence and even gusto. My second half had a whole olive, which I hate. But then I went to remove it and realized it was a cranberry, so hooray! There was other tiny bits of cranberry with in the wrap that gave it itsy-bitsy pops of sweetness. 

My final thought upon completing the consumption of my wrap: Yay! I still have another one for tomorrow! 

That's my jam!

Esther Fiesta