Secret Feast at Weird Fish

The Chef: Hilary and Weird Fish

The Menu: A formidable feast for two, with fried pickles, seitan buffalo wings with vegan ranch dip, a farm-fresh salad enlivened with orange and white carrots and Chioggia beets, and a deconstructed "Caprese" with heirloom tomatoes, crispy basil, and seasoned tofu. 

The Goods: A mere two blocks from the VNHQ lies Weird Fish, a tiny eatery that has been a longtime favorite of local vegans for its impressive array of meat-free options. A friend of mine, Mark Amezquita, recently became its head chef, and treated me and my friend Jackson to a few favorites—and off-the-menu creations—during my Wednesday lunch hour. We started with the requisite "buffalo girls" and "YoYos", made with spicy seitan and crispy super-dill pickles, respectively. 

Next, we were presented with the aforementioned gorgeous—and very colorful—salad, overflowing with tasty beets and carrots, fresh from Roshambo Farms, followed by the refreshing but hearty tomato-basil-tofu creation pictured above. It pays to have friends in high places. Want to rub elbows with some of your favorite chefs? Pick up a ticket to the VegNews Book Bash with Spork Foods, where you can celebrate the launch of Spork-Fed with the authors themselves on the VNHQ's very own rooftop deck. 

Spectacular Salad

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: A big, beautiful (if I dare say!) salad. This poppy meal featured romaine lettuce, chopped fennel and avocado, and huge pieces of a giant, gorgeous late-summer heirloom tomato, all topped with a balsamic vinaigrette.

The Goods: Salad days are here again! So maybe it's foggy at the VNHQ today, and Anna's lentil soup from Monday would have been a more appropriate midday meal, but when there's a tomato this alluring sitting on your countertop, you're having salad for lunch and that's that. Also, you and I are evidently interchangeable here, so I hope you (I?) are comfortable with that. Sometimes identity, voice, and authorship can be tricky topics, but a stellar salad never fails to satisfy.

Enchilada and Tomato Salad

The Chefs: Hilary and Whole Foods Market

The Menu: A mouthwatering vegan "chicken" enchilada smothered in melted Daiya and an heirloom tomato salad with peppers and dill. 

 
The Goods: After all of the wild 'n' crazy taste tests we've been conducting at the VNHQ yesterday and today, I'm surprised that I had any room left for a full lunch. However, when I spotted these vegan enchiladas at the local Whole Foods, it was love at first sight (and bite), and as you may have noticed, I've been on a nonstop heirloom tomato bender. While we noshed on the deck, our publishers Colleen and Joseph shared tales of the awesome vegan eats that they got to experience at Chicago's VeggieFest this weekend. According to the cover showdown currently raging on our homepage, it looks like our readers have a craving too—for carrot cake. Whether the apple of your eye is sweet or savory, be sure to give your favorite snacks, restaurants, and products your seal of approval by casting a vote in the 2011 Veggie Awards poll. 

Heirloom Tomato Salad and Savory Gnocchi

The Chef: Hilary

The Menu: Savory whole-wheat gnocchi with vegan bolognese sauce, Daiya, and mushrooms; a refreshing heirloom tomato salad with basil, silken tofu, avocado, and balsamic vinaigrette. 

The Goods: I decided to come prepared with a lunch suitable for rain or shine, given San Francisco's schizophrenic weather, so I packed both light and rich options today. Most of the staff was gone this weekend on an action-paced foray to the Animal Rights Conference in Los Angeles, so much of the morning was spent sharing stories about the trip's inspiring speakers and amazing screening of Vegucated, as well as the staff's enthusiastic sampling of The Veggie Grill secret menu. My stomach was grumbling with envy, but thankfully I had prepared an heirloom tomato salad and some rich, satisfying gnocchi. The Italian-inspired combo served as a great pick-me-up for a Monday afternoon (much needed as jackhammers deafeningly ravage the sidewalk outside), and the sunshine came out just in time for a rooftop picnic.

Quinoa Salmon Salad

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: A hearty salad with quinoa, heirloom tomatoes, English cucumber, cashews, mixed greens, and shredded fish-free salmon, all tossed in a rich dressing of Vegenaise and mustard.

The Goods: Every once in a while, I get this craving for either tuna salad sandwiches or some other faux-fishy dish, and this lunch was definitely a response to one such craving. I pretty much eat salad at every possible opportunity, and it's nice to vary up my regular kale-avocado-green onion routine with something a little bit more diverse. This satisfying meal was scrumptuous to scarf down before rushing back to work. We're busy putting the final touches on our November+December Veggie Awards issue, which is pretty stinking thrilling. Which Veggie Award category are you most excited about?

Chickpea Salad

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: An enormous salad of romaine, heirloom tomatoes, avocado, and chickpeas. Topped with Goddess dressing, this hearty meal could not have been more simple to make, nor more delicious.

The Goods: If there's anything better than a fantastic salad with really, really flavorful tomatoes on a hot day, I don't even want to know what it is. This lunch was somewhat inspired by What's Cooking over on vegnews.com, and the lettuce and tomatoes both came from my local farmers' market. Ok, you're saying, a farmers' market is great and all, but is it really that exciting? BUT! Consider that I purchased these gorgeous veggies exactly a week ago, and the lettuce was still crisp and perky, and the tomatoes were incredibly delicious. Since store-bought produce typically takes all of four seconds to wilt in my fridge, this salad was nothing short if thrilling. And really, if you're not thrilled by a standout salad, what joy can you hope for in life?