Restaurants- Ottawa, ON....Take 3

another gem of a place in Ottawa's Chinatown.....

I found myself walking around Chinatown one night and had already eaten at So Good twice that week, so I wanted to find a new place. I walked for hours it seemed and found several Chinese places with tofu dishes, but nothing that jumped out at me. I stumbled (almost literally since I had been drinking) upon a Vietnamese place just down the street from So Good.

Vietnam Palace is located at 819 Somerset West and is a very nicely decorated restaurant. The staff there was very interested when I said I was vegan; they have what they called "Specialty Vegetarian Food". It was not much, but it was cool to see they were trying to offer something different. Their menu is 90% meat, but the 10% that is veggie was very good. Their menu is also in French and English, which meant that the section was called "Vegetarian/Mets Vegetariens". I had their Vegetarian Salad Rolls, which were what we usually call Rice Paper Rolls; tofu, noodles, carrots, in a rice paper roll with peantu sauce. Their Spring Rolls were also good (I got an order for later that night). They had some good looking soups (not that I ate them); Tomato and Beancurd Soup, Pineapple Sour Soup, and Vegetable Soup to name a few. They had a fried tofu appetizer, Lotus Salad, and Young Papaya Salad amongst other Appetizers and Salads. I was really impressed with their entrees though (yes, I got two of them). Their specialties were Vegetarian Chicken stir fried with Lemongrass and Chili, the same dish with Vegetarian Beef, Vegetarian Grilled Pork Wrap with Salad Vegetables in Rice Paper, and the same dish with Grilled Vegetables too. I got the Fried Beancurd with Tomato Sauce (and I added Veggie Chicken to it) and it was amazing! I also got the Fried Beancurd with Black Bean Sauce (and added Veggie Beef to it) and was also equally amazing. They had tons of other noodle dishes, fried rices, and assorted other vegetable dishes. I still think that So Good is a healthier and better choice, but if you are in Ottawa and wanted some good Vietnamese food; go here! 613-238-6758

Restaurants- Ottawa cont...

Just a short walk from my hotel in Downtown was a fantastic Vegetarian Restaurant next to the University of Ottawa.

Perfection-Satisfaction-Promise is a intimate place where the food is really fresh and consists mainly of Hindu/Hare Krishna philosophy and great vegetarian food. I went here MANY times since I could walk there and received excellent food each and every time. The staff was very helpful and courteous. I told them I was vegan and they pointed out the 90% of the menu that was vegan. My favorite dish was the "Tofu Tamari Painted Potato" which was mashed potatoes covered in a great sauce and Tofu with fresh vegetables. I tried another of their "Painted Potatoes", the Paprikas Roasted Red Peppers one; it was excellent as well. The dishes proved to be very filling as I had one for lunch and then forgot to eat dinner until 9 PM that night; I really was not hungry. Their Lentil Soup was fantastic, as was the 3 bean Soup that was on special when I was there. They have good salads too (not that I ate them, but if you are so inclined, they have it). They also have a homemade Veggie Burger and a Pizza that they will make vegan. This place was very healthy, so if you wanted fried food, go somewhere else. They also had a great selection of desserts in thei front case; most of which were vegan. If you are near downtown and want a very healthy and tasty meal; go to this place first. http://www.perfectionsatisfactionpromise.ca/ 613-234-7299

Restaurants- Ottawa, ON (Canada, eh?)

I have spent probably TOO much time in Ottawa over the last couple of years. It is a very vegetarian friendly city.

They have a nice Chinatown area with TONS of restaurants, both Chinese and assorted other Asian food. Most, if not alll of them, are very vegetarian friendly since there is a large Buddhist and Hindu population. There was ONE that was far and away better than the others....

So Good Restaurant was exactly that, SO GOOD. Located on the main street in Chinatown, at 717 Somerset West, it looks like a small and dirty place, but the people were very friendly and the food was excellent. It is marketed as a "Vegetarian and Asian Food" restaurant, so it is not 100% veggie, but it has so much food for us, it did not matter that it was not completely veggie. I went here three times and got different food each time and was never disappointed. They have a Vegetarian section of their menu that made it really easy. Their Vegetarian Spring Rolls were excellent, as was their Vegetarian Dumpling appetizer. They had a tons of soups, so I tried a Sweet Corn Tofu Soup that rocked! Also, their Hot and Sour soup was good. On their menu, they have different sections for certain veggies. They have a Fried Rice section, Vermicelli and Other Noodles section, Vegetables, Beancurd, Eggplant, and Mushroom sections. They have some very interesting tofu dishes; for example; Deep Fried Tofu Balls in Mushroom Sauce, Spicy Tingly Tofu, Tofu with Ginger and Pineapple, Fried Tofu with Capital Sauce, and Tofu Ball with vegetables and Bean Thread to name a few. They also have ALL the staples; Kung Pao Tofu, General Tso's Tofu, Hunan Tofu, and Szechuan Tofu to name a few. The Eggplant Section was great too, they do NOT overcook it (which is MOST places downfall with Eggplant); Eggplant with Black Bean Sauce, Deep Fried Sweet Heart Eggplant, Thai Style Eggplant in Tofu Cheese, Eggplant in Garlic Sauce and many others. If you like Mushrooms, they have over 10 specifically Mushroom dishes. I highly recommend this place if you are in Ottawa; it is only minutes from Downtown. http://www.sogoodfood.com/ 613-233-0138

Processed Food...

Andy hit the nail on the head when he talks about being less reliant on "Processing" as it pertains to our diet. The vast majority of our food these days is processed to some degree, and most to a HUGE degree. I highly recommend buying locally and doing as much as possible to minimize the purchasing of goods that have been heavily processed.

I will reference the quote from Albert Schweitzer again (from previous postings) to answer his points about eating meat....

"From experiences like these (seeing animals suffer), which moved my heart and often made me feel ashamed, there slowly grew up in me an unshakeable conviction that we have no right to inflict suffering and death on another creature unless there is some unavoidable necessity for it."

I agree that we are Animals; humans are NOT that different from the rest of the animal kingdom. What sets us apart is our cognition (some more than others...). However, I feel that this quote says it all for me. I agree that some people eat animals, but mainly I want to say that WE DO NOT HAVE TO anymore. Even without processed products like tofu and TVP, there are PLENTY of vegetable, fruit, nut, grain options for Protein and ALL vitamins. Therefore, sure we can eat animals, but we no longer HAVE to; so without a necessity, why do it? We have the intelligence to no longer kill for our food, so why not save Life? We can make a rational choice to stop whereas all other animals do it to survive.

So, to answer Andy......

Sure, Humans are Animals and have a ton of evolutionary and biological reasons for eating meat. We have evolved into a species that no longer has to do it. We should respect suffering in all its forms and CHOOSE to stop eating meat because we have the intellect. As for processing, Meat Eaters might find it harder to function without processing (all Deli meats, hot dogs, sausage, etc..) than a vegetarian as our main staples come straight from our own soil.

ps- I think that a human that eats meat should NOT be disgusted by the prospect of eating a human; cultural taboos aside. Meat is Meat. If I were stranded in the wilderness and needed to survive, you better believe it that I would eat whatever I had to......

Recipes- Lasagna

Here is my own version of a vegan Lasagna....

16 Lasagne Noodles (either prepared or using the Pre-Cooked Noodles) (if preparing the noodles, boil them in water according to package directions)
2 cups Morningstar Farm's Grillers Crumbles
1 large onion (sauteed in 1 tablespoon Olive Oil)
2 cups fresh spinach
16 oz of Soft Tofu (1 package)
1 large Green Pepper (diced)
2 cloves of Garlic (minced)
Seasonings as per your taste; Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, etc...
1/2 jar of Prego Traditional Pasta Sauce

Line a glass or metal casserole dish with noodles along the bottom; with a little sauce to cover the bottom. Using a Food Processor, put the tofu, sauteed onion, garlic, spinach, and 2 tablesopons of Olive Oil into the Processor. Blend until this mixture is smooth and creamy. Set Aside.
On the first layer of noodles, put a layer of Grillers crumbles (half) and green pepper (half). Put another section of noodles down. On this layer, spread the Tofu Mixture over the noodles (half). Put down another layer of noodles. Put the rest of the Grillers crumbles and pepper on this layer. Put down another noodle section. Spread the rest of the Tofu Mixture over this one. One more layer of noodles goes over this. Then spread the pasta sauce over top until the entire dish until sauce covers every portion. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes with foil over top. Take the foil off and bake again for 10 minutes. Serve with Garlic or Cheese bread.
Some people like to add a little cheese (soy, of course) onto their lasagna. I feel that the Tofu mixture makes up for the cheese, so none is really needed. You can expand on this recipe very easliy by adding/subtracting layers and adding your own touch.

Restaurants- Las Vegas, NV

In a place where you would NOT think of vegetarian food, even though the people are known as "Las Vegans", Vegas has a couple bright examples of great veggie food.

Long Life Vege Restaurant is a hidden gem amidst the craziness that is Las Vegas. Located at 4130 S Sandhill Rd #A4, it is in a strip mall just south of E Flamingo Rd. It bases its vegetarianism upon the idea of Health; therefore it also serves fish (which is a weird one for me). Mostly it is vegan, with the obvious exceptions of the fish. Their veggie Spring Rolls were excellent, as were the Wontons and Potstickers. They have a ton of options for entrees; from Moo Shu with Veggie Chicken/Beef/Pork, to several Fried Rices, Chow Mein, Egg Foo Young, and MANY rice based stir fry dishes. Their selection of Veggie Chicken was amazing; Chicken with Broccoli, Almond Chicken, Lemon Chicken, Orange Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, and General Tso's Chicken are only a few. Their Veggie Beef too; Beef with Broccoli, Hunan Beef, Szechuan Beef, Mongolian Beef, and Garlic Beef are, again, only a few. They also have Veggie Pork dishes. However, if the mock meats do not do it for you, then they do have a wide array of vegetable and tofu dishes; Spinach Tofu, Ma Po Tofu, Mango Tofu, and ANY vegetable dish you would ever want. This place has great Lunch Specials too. If you are in Vegas, go here for a great vegetarian meal. 702-436-4488

Compassion for the Voter

I am usually a laid back person, but this election is getting on my nerves. I am TIRED of all the phone calls and people coming by to ask us 'are you leaning for obama?'. I have talked with numerous people and am more frustrated with them every single time. I have even begun to hide from them so I do not have to talk with them. The phone calls are even worse; every day we get home from work and there are at least 2 missed calls from political telemarketers. Is it impossible for these groups to SHARE information? I do not like having to tell 15 different people that 'I have already voted and NO I won't tell you which way I voted!'. Compassion disallows me from saying what I REALLY want to say, but I also feel that the pollsters should have some Compassion for us as the voting public. I know I live in a 'Battleground State', but come on already! Stop bad mouthing each other! We want to know how you will FIX it, not how the other guy WON'T! We want to hear your ideas, not what you think your donors want to hear. Speak to the 54% of people that do not vote and tell them why they should! Too often our politicians forget that MOST people in this country simply want to believe their leaders are competent, intelligent, and most of all, doing what is best for the Country. Negative campaigning will NEVER be what is best for the Country; calling Barack a terrorist is not what is best for the Country (even if you are not going to vote for him); making light of Sarah Palin's obvous lack of experience is not what is best for the Country (even if you feel she is a terrible fit). Tell us what, SPECIFICALLY, you will do to bring us out of the messes we are in. Tell us what you'll do about Energy Policy, Iraq, China, Afghanistan, Health Care, and the current Housing Crisis. Do NOT tell us about Barack's supposed link to Bill Ayers (a CRAZY idea, but sadly, a lot of people believe that; I want to go on the record to deny that claim vociferously). Do NOT tell us about John McCain's links to the old Savings and Loan crises of the 80's. Pollsters, Pundits, and Newspeople: STOP scaring people and let's have Compassion for our voters; let's highlight the positives and throw away the old-style of negative campaigning!!!!!!

Restaurants- Rockville, MD cont....

another gem of a place in Rockville.....

Yuan Fu Vegetarian sits about 4 miles away from The Vegetable Garden at 798 Rockville Pike, across the street from the big Marlo building. The owners used to be partners with the people at Vegetable Garden, but left for various reasons and opened their own vegetarian place. It does not look like much, but I think the food is wonderful. It is in a small strip mall on the east side of Rockville Pike. I loved everything about their food, but their Crispy Beef with Broccoli was fantastic. Their Sesame Veggie Chicken was also really good. Their Wonton Soup and Hot and Sour soup werew both good too. I would recommend ANY of their appetizers, but for me the Spring Roll was magnificent. I used to frequent this place in the late High School/Early College years while involved with several Animal Rights groups. It is nice to see they have not changed much over the years and I hope they continue to provide a wonderful alternative to the traditional Chinese restaurant. 301-762-5938

Influences- John Robbins

A major force for me growing up was John Robbins and his veganism manifesto entitled "Diet for a New America". It struck me deeply because he was the Heir Apparent for Baskin-Robbins and he denied it because he felt that veganism was the better route to take. It is a scathing indictment of Factory Farming and provided me with my first insights into the world of vegetarianism. Looking back, he is a little course for me sometimes, but it still spoke to me on such a profound level that it has stuck ever since. It was (and IS) a great read (I think I read it 5 or 6 times, which for me was a BIG deal). He made some follow up attempts like "Diet for a New World" and a couple others, but "Diet for a New America" was by far the best. I would like to read something of his that is more recent to see how he feels about the current state of our farms. He was speaking of atrocities in the early 90s and late 80s that still persist to this day. I would recommend this book to any "newbie" to vegetarianism.

Restaurants- Houston again...

another post about Nam Vietnamese....

Nam Vietnamese is a wonderful place. I posted about it awhile back, but I managed to go there twice while in Houston this past weekend since my hotel was less than 2 miles from it. I went there with my brother Josh once and with my wife Kelly another time. I was struck by how vegetarian friendly the woman that runs the restaurant was. We got Spring Rolls with Tofu; a classic! With Josh I got their Garlic Vegetarian Chicken and he got their Vegetarian Beef in Orange Sauce. I liked mine a lot, but it was almost TOO healthy for me. Josh's was excellent and was significantly less healthy since the 'beef' chunks were deep fried. I ordered that dish when I went with Kelly, but the woman remembered me and gave me Vegetarian Chicken in Orange Sauce instead; she thought I would like to try different things. That is true, but the 'chicken' was not nearly as good as the 'beef'. I wish I had received the 'beef' instead. Kelly got Tofu with Tomato Sauce, which was excellent. I think everything about this restaurant is fantastic and more Asian Cuisine places should take a note of their menu and try and incorporate more interesting Vegetarian Cuisine into their own menus.

Restaurants- Long Island, NY....Take 4

My first day in Melville had me go to the town of Hicksville to find food. When I arrived, the choices at this place were magnificent and totally worth the drive.

Jaiya Thai-Oriental Restaurant is located at 46 West Old Country Rd in Hicksville. It is kind of hard to see from the road at first, but is just after you make a right onto Old Country Rd, near a tire place. It is a large place with great artwork; looks like it would have a good buffet, but I did not find out for sure. The staff was friendly and were accomodating to me when I said "Vegan". They have an entire section of their menu dedicated to vegetarian options. They have tons of appetizers and salads too. I had their Vegetarian Spring Rolls which were different than the typical spring roll. It was lightly fried rice paper with cabbage, carrot, tofu, and a few other spices that I could not put my finger on; but it was delicious! Their entrees were more Thai-like; curries, stir fries, etc... However, they use tofu AND gluten in their dishes. I had the Bean Curd Gluten with Ginger Sauce and it was excellent. The sauce was nice and light and the tofu was well cooked. The gluten was interesting, but ended up tasting fine after I got over its oddness. I like the attempt at making the proteins taste different than most places. I talked with the waitor while I waited for my take out and he said that most Buddhists in the area and assorted other vegetarians usually choose one of their MANY salads (Spicy Gluten & Mushroom Salad, Vegetarian Papaya Salad, or Spicy Gluten & Baby Corn are their usual favorites), or the Vegetarian Duck, Sweet and Sour Bean Curd, Vegetarian Pad-Thai, Gluten Bean Curd Panang, or any of their assorted Bean Curd dishes. I highly recommend this place for anyone who is near Hicksville.

Eric's Wedding

been at my oldest brother's wedding....sorry for the lack of posting....i will post more later today...

Restaurants- Long Island, NY cont... again

I found a GREAT hidden Chinese place in the village of Plainview, about 10 minutes west of Melville.

Hunan Cottage is located at 135 Central Park Road in Plainview. It is in a small strip mall and is much better than it looks. It even goes so far as to have a Vegetarian Menu. I liked their Vegetarian Egg Roll, but also their Dumplings were vegan. I had the "Pepper Steak" entree which was veggie-beef with onions, peppers, and carrots in a light Hunan sauce. I was impressed that the sauce was not overpowering and was perfectly selected for the vegetables in the dish. I talked at length with the owner and, as it turns out, he had relatives that were Buddhist and needed a place to eat regularly. He was convinced that a vegetarian food side of the business was needed. They also use tofu well, apparently even the General Tso's Tofu is better than the General Tso's Chicken (or so said the woman sitting by the door). They have tons of options, all of which were vegan; Chicken with Brocolli, Hunan Beef, Pork with Black Bean Sauce, and even a "Happy Family" (the first time I have seen a vegan Happy Family). This place was very tasty and I recommend going there anytime you are on Long Island.

Restaurants -Long Island, NY cont...

Another gem of a place is hidden in the town of Huntington, just north of Melville.

Sri Thai is located at 14 New St in Huntington. It is located just south of Main St. At first glance it would appear to be a generic Thai place. However, the staff was courteous and knowledgeable and were very open to vegetarian food. Their menu mostly typical of Thai places, with a ton of veggie options. The Buddha Delight appetizer was great; fried tofu with a chili sauce. I ordered Vegetarain Duck as an entree and was not disappointed. It was soy "duck" mixed with green beans, carrots, onions, peppers, chili, and basil. It was wonderful; the sauce was light and the vegetables cooked just right. They have several other options that I did not get a chance to eat, but talked with a patron who really likes their Garlic Tofu, Prik King Tofu, Spicy Tofu, and assorted Tofu Curries. In an area lacking in Asian cuisine, this place was a definite bright light. If you live anywhere near Huntington, I highly recommend this place.

Sentient Beings

Thank you Andy for bringing up a wonderful point that gets lost on a lot of Animal Rights people. When I speak of 'sentience', I use the old definition used by Buddhists, which tends to be incomplete. A Sentient Lifeform as it pertains to the Buddhist and Hindu world-view simply states that a being is 'sentient' when they can feel pain and have some semblance of consciousness. Buddhist never tried to understand the physiological aspects of this, they were merely pointing out that we cannot cause harm to any being unnecessarily. As for me, I know for a fact that animals can feel pain; not necessarily in the manner of which WE as humans do, but we will never know that for sure since they cannot communicate with us. If we had a term for 'being that can feel pain, has SOME consciousness (even though we cannot discern), and is "valuable" then that is the term I would use. My use of Sentient is merely making up for the lack of specific terminology in this regard.

I feel that certainty is also a problem when discussing things of this nature. As with Religion, I do not like when anyone is "certain" they are right. I hold dearly to the idea that all Life is sacred; does not mean we cannot eat animals. Life begets death begets life in the circle of Samsara (for the Buddhists) means that some die, some live. It is HOW the life is taken that is the issue for me. MOST people in this world do not give a shit about from where their dinner comes. Most Christians, Jews, and Muslims believe that God gave them dominion over the animals and therefore should not care about them. The Pure Science version seems to be in line with the Pure Religion version here; neither of which give a second thought to being Compassionate. I also hold dear the fact that I might be wrong, which keeps me on my toes and allows me to fully delve into the issues.

All in all, Sentience does not enter into it (shout out to Monty!). The term is a human construct and has had different meanings in different times. Compassion makes one rethink from where their dinner comes, and most people if they really thought about it would come to the conclusion that the current system is terrible. I hope that we can all agree that cages where chickens, pigs, and veal calves cannot even turn around should be BANNED.

Restaurants- Long Island, NY

The first place to mention from my time on Long Island would be Croxley Ale House in Farmingdale.
Croxley Ale House has four locations in the the greater New York area. The location I visited was the one in Farmingdale, near Melville; on Long Island. I had the pleasure of eating here twice on my visit. It is a great place in downtown Farmingdale, at 190 Main St. At first glance it is a typical American restaurant. The staff was very friendly and was very courteous when they found out I was a vegetarian. They had several options for me, but the big one was their Veggie Burger. It was obviously homemade and was delicious. I have been on the hunt for places that make their own Veggie Burger instead of simply reheating a Boca or Garden burger. This place had plenty of good beer and other options. They have good fries, zucchini sticks, onion rings, salads, veggie soup, and a grilled vegetable sandwich. If you find yourself on Long Island and need to have a good beer and a meal, check this place out! http://www.croxley.com/

Compassion for Chickens

It was reported today in our paper, the Daily Camera, that Caliornia has put a Proposition on its November ballot that would make it illegal for poultry farms to house chickens in spaces where they could not turn around. It should be pretty obvious that this should be the case, but obviously in our world of cheap goods, people have become accustomed to turning the other way when confronted by truths like the fact that most poultry farms keep their chickens so crammed together. The measure is meant to allow egg-producing chickens to have 'a little more room' instead of spending their days in a 'battery cage'. It is also meant to have an effect on pig farming and veal; two other industries that notoriously keep their animals in terrible conditions. It will be interesting to see how the people vote. If you vote against the measure, you will appear to have NO compassion for the animals. Therefore, I encourage ALL Californians to vote for this measure, even if it means your Fried Chicken will cost 50 cents more. It baffles me that still, to this day, people are more concerned with their profits than the lives and suffering of the sentient lifeforms that give them their sustenance. Even if you eat meat, this type of Factory Farming should not exist. Please go to the polls and vote for Compassion.

Recipes -Pasta 2

if using spinach in Pasta, I suggest steaming the spinach with the pasta noodles in its water...
if you want to put spinach in the sauce, i would put it in about 5-7 minutes before you want to eat...spinach does not require cooking for very long at all....

New York....

I am in New York for the week, so that is why I have not posted in a few days....but rest assured that when I return I will begin posting again....

I also want to emphatically deny that I meant my wife was "Flaky"....only that Nutrition was not her Number 1 priority back then.....

Financial Compassion

Many people have asked about my impression of the current financial "crisis" and how Compassion could intercede and assist.....
First and foremost, the issue is with Greedy Wall St types trying to make 100 Million instead of being happy with 50 Million....therefore, there is NO compassion at play in the High Finance game....to be truly compassionate, we should now move into a country that helps its poor, not hurt them....now that we as taxpayers have purchased all of these bad mortgages, we should hold our leaders accountable and make sure that they use the profits for helping inner city kids, education, and other infrastructure that is in desperate need of assistance.....if we can turn this around and use it for good, we could become the only Nation on Earth to actually care for its less-economically gited citizens.....

Influences- Dave Hucks

My Father-In-Law, Dave, was a big influence over my cooking. When I started dating his daughter (my wife Kelly) she had been vegetarian for many years at that point. Dave and V (Mom-in-Law) had me over one evening at their previous house in Virginia Beach for a cook out. We were grilling veggies and it was Dave's first try at Tofu. They had expressed concern over the vegetarian diet because Kelly had not been too interested in Nutrition; she was mainly against Animal Suffering and, at that time, couldn't have cared less about getting the necessary vitamins. We had a great conversation that evening and I began to think moreso about making sure we got sufficient nutrients. I think that over the years Dave's questioning of our diet kept me on my toes and made me a better Cook. I feel that I have shown them how you CAN get all your vitamins eating a well-balanced vegetarian (vegan) diet. I hope to have impressed Dave to a degree with my skills and knowledge. Dave and I have a lot in common; both Kelly and V do not cook, leaving the cooking to us. I know I have relished this experience because cooking is something I love to do. I have also loved eating Dave's vegetarian Stir Fry and Pizza. I hope that our relationship as Father-In-Law to Son-In-Law will only continue to grow; I thank him for making me a better Cook.