Candle 79

It was balmy spring day in the heart of New York City, when a co-worker & I decided to check out the infamous Candle 79 for dinner.  After fighting a bit of cross-town traffic, we happily arrived at our destination. The 35 minute wait-time did little to quell our anticipation and hunger to experience this culinary gem.

Atmosphere

Aesthetically, the interior of Candle 79 leaves nothing to desired...every detail is well-crated & scientifically positioned via the ancient science of Feng shui.  Upon entering, I was immediately impressed with the immaculate, upscale, yet inviting feel.  Unlike most Vegan eateries, Candle 79 boasts a full-service bar, much to the delight of some other 'first-timers' whom we met while waiting to be seated.



Food
Much like the atmosphere, the menu consists of elegant, yet tasteful options.

I indulged in a tasty appetizer, the Butternut Squash Ravioli.  This exquisite dish was made from whole wheat pasta, spinach, cashew cream, and crispy capers.  This was the first time I had crispy capers, to my surprise this added a delightful taste to my pallet. 

Next, I ventured into my main entree of Live Zucchini Enchiladas.  I had felt I had to constantly ask my server if "real" cheese was apart of this dish, due to the extaordinarily smooth consistency of the cheese alternative used in the Enchilada. 

After experiencing, what I thought would be my feel of food, I laid my eyes on the desert menu.  I scanned the menu haphazzardly, when I set my eyes on the Live Pumpkin Pie.  Since any desert that involves pumpkin is automatically one of my favorites, I had to sample this delightful treat.  The huckleberry ice cream and the candied pumpkin seeds provided the right amout of sweetness to make this wonderful desert the pièce de résistance! 

Price
Although the food was beyond outstanding, there was a bit of sticker-shock when I received my check, but I would expect nothing less from any upscale restaurant located in Upper-East Side Manhattan.  Luckily, I only had to worry about the cost of the feast that I'd eaten (which was about $42)

Rating

Given the overall combination of food, prices and atmosphere, Candle 79 scores 4.5 out of 5 vegetables on the V.W.C. scale. We recommend this restaurant to any and everyone traveling or living in NYC that wants to have the ultimate Vegan experience.  Venture to Candle 79 and tell us about your visit.

Happy Vegan Living!!!

Chowpatti Vegetarian Restaraunt--North Chicago Suburb

 
It was beautiful mid-July Saturday as my wife & I were making our weekly rounds for groceries & other essentials, preparing for the up-coming work week, when I was pleasantly surprised to find a completely vegetarian restaurant.  Although the Chicago-land suburbs are full of $1M+ homes, gourmet groceries & eateries, it is also known to be an absolute food desert for vegans such as myself.  Located in Arlington Heights, IL, Chowpatti Vegetarian Restaurant was a welcomed oasis while navigating this suburban vegan-food desert (vfd).

Atmosphere
Located in a strip-mall setting, the curb appeal of this restaurant seemed relatively generic, but not in a negative manner.  As we walked through the doors, I was immediately impressed with the clean & inviting feel of the place.  The seating arrangements reminded me of a cleaner, and more upscale White Castle restaurant, without the unmistakably obnoxious aroma of  reconstituted (formerly dehydrated) onions.  After being seated, our server promptly arrived with menus and some quick facts about the restaurant. She stated that everything on the menu was vegetarian, but could be made vegan by request.  With that arrow of knowledge in my quiver, a began to peruse the menu ferociously, seeking the most delicious-sounding, yet economical lunch item.

Food
In terms of the actual cuisine, I was pleasantly surprised at the extensive variety across the menu. Check it out:
http://www.tpsiclients.com/chowpatti/takeoutmenu.pdf
Since we were just stopping in to grab a quick lunch, we decided to sample from the  appetizer offerings. I ordered the Special Sev Batata Puri (Loaded Vegan Indian Wheat Nachos), which was a truly delightful culinary experience, albeit I was deeply disappointed by the portion size. I somehow kept thinking that the server had mistakenly brought me a 'kid's meal' serving, but after I'd confirmed with her several times, I reluctantly began to devour my order. Fortunately, every bite was packed with a load of fresh deliciousness. The 6 crispy wheat chips were topped with potato, onion, cilantro and three special chutneys (sauces).  And I still regret the velocity of which I ate that meal; it was over way too fast.  ;)

Price
The Chowpatti Vegetarian restaurant, is a tasty place to visit & try out some 'outside the box' vegan cuisine, but I must warn readers that I consider this establishment more on the pricey side. I believe that their pricing-strategy has a lot to do with their location & the amount of business they see in a given week. My opinion on the pricing strategy of such niche restaurants, is that they have to run a 'happy-medium' between aggressively pricing to cover costs, yet still be attractive enough to draw repeat business.  An appetizer-lunch for two, with drinks, cost me nearly $30...I don't know about your budgetary constraints, but this was definitely not in my food budget for the week. ;(

Rating

Given the overall combination of food, prices and atmosphere. Chowpatti Vegetarian Restaurant scores 3.5 out of 5 vegetables on the V.W.C. scale. We recommend this restaurant to any and everyone. Try it out and let us know your thoughts.

Happy Vegan Living!!!