Today marked the opening of Mixt Greens, a self-proclaimed “Eco-Gourmet restaurant that serves environmentally responsible fine food.” Founded by a brother-sister team of Johns Hopkins grads (and her hubby), Mixt Greens has already conquered San Fran and LA and now offers salads and sandwiches to DC in an environment a touch more upscale than Chopt or Cosi.
When I arrived at Mixt Greens a little after 3 PM, I was happy to find that there was no line, despite being opening day. And then the smiling clerk hit me with the bad news: they were closed. Apparently Mixt seeks to serve an exclusively lunch crowd. However, the clerk graciously offered me one of their pre-made deli items on the house. I grabbed the vegan Siam with Tofu salad, which consists of lettuce, green papaya, jicama, mango, cucumber, red pepper, fresh herbs, spicy peanuts, thai lemongrass vinaigrette and seasoned tofu. It was love at first bite. I’ll definitely be back to Mixt Greens, even when I have to pay for the pleasure.
Mixt Greens currently has one location, located at 1200 19th Street NW. However, it plans to open several more spots around DC.
Posts Tagged: Food
27
Jan 10
No Mixed Review for Mixt Greens
9
Aug 09
What about our companions?
Should our dog and cat companions be vegan as well? This debate seems to be never ending in the vegan world because being the animal lovers that we are, we want what is best for our furry friends. I haven’t had to come to a conclusion because for now, I have a bird who loves to eat tofu (Seriously). However, I plan to adopt a dog in the near future. So, what should I do? From doing the research, it seems that dogs can receive the appropriate nutrients from a vegan diet since they are omnivorous. But, cats are carnivores and the transition over to a vegan diet must be slow and made with caution. If cats don’t have taurine in their diet then they could go blind or suffer heart disease. Pangea offers a supplement for both dog and cats (Vegedog and Vegecat, respectively), which includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals. You can also buy directly from the Vegepet company. Bark! has an extensive supply of natural and organic dog and cat food, which is a much better option than commercial brands. Natures Recipe (Which can be found at Petco and Petsmart locations) carry vegan dog food but not vegan cat food. Of course, there is always Vegan Cats which offers both vegan dog and cat food. My conclusion to the debate? Do whatever it takes to make your companion happy and healthy, whether that be with a vegan diet or not. What do you think? What are your personal experiences with having a vegan dog and/or cat?
3
Aug 09
S’mores, anyone?
So, I was shopping at the Pangea store in Rockville yesterday when I noticed an item by the register that I’ve never seen before. They were Sweet & Sara (http://sweetandsara.com/) vegan marshmallows, which are also 100% gelatin free. Looks like you can pick up Sweet and Sara products in most states and even overseas. Even more convenient, you can shop online. Has anyone tried Sweet and Sara products? Let me know!
18
Apr 09
Got Vegan? More restaurants respond to growing demand
As a long-time vegan and D.C.-area resident, I’ve talked with hundreds of Washingtonians and restaurateurs alike about the growing interest in meat-free meals. Sure, meat may still dominate most restaurant menus, but in the last several years, vegan options have been shifting from the margins to the mainstream and are now prominently featured in more and more eateries in and around the nation’s capital.
That’s in large part because as consumers are increasingly examining their dietary choices—where different foods come from and exactly what (and who) they’re eating—many are discovering the benefits of leaving animals off their plates, or, at the very least, reducing their consumption of animal-based foods. And restaurants are responding.
Want to know where to find the newest vegan options in DC? Read the full article here.
11
Mar 09
Restaurant Picks for Washington City Paper’s Best of DC
Earlier, we shared DC Vegan’s voting recommendations for Best Art Gallery, Best Place to See a Movie, Best Doggie Daycare, Best Pet Shop and Best Vet in Washington City Paper’s Best of DC 2009. Today, we tackle the District’s best grub. Check out our endorsements after the jump, then head over to the City Paper’s reader’s poll. Voting ends Sunday Friday, March 13th!
Best African Restaurant – Ghana Cafe
This Adams Morgan favorite provides authentic West African food and features many veg-friendly options. Be sure to sample the fufu, a favorite among Ghanaians and locals alike.
Best American Restaurant – Ben’s Chili Bowl
Is there anything more quintescentially DC than Ben’s? Established in 1958, Ben’s Chili Bowl has an amazing history, but it is still thoroughly modern chili. Ben’s features veggie chili, veggie chili fries and veggie burgers. Plus, Ben’s is 100% wind powered!
24
Feb 09
Home Grown Veggies
In October 2008, author Michael Pollan called on then President-elect Obama to go meatless once a week, a simple act that, if undertaken by all Americans, “would be the equivalent, in carbon saved, of taking 20 million midsize sedans off the road for a year.” Pollan also suggested that Obama appoint a White House Farmer and plant an organic garden on five acres of the First Lawn.
The idea of a White House garden isn’t a new one. John Adams, the first resident of the White House, planted veggies there in 1800, and Eleanor Roosevelt tended a victory garden during her days as First Lady. Although the White House lawn is now devoid of a garden, advocates for local foods, like Pollan, have taken up the cause.
Another local food guru and the founder/director of Kitchen Gardeners International, Roger Doiron created the Eat the View campaign urging the First Family to grow produce for the White House kitchen and local food pantries. Since its founding one year ago, Eat the View has been featured in over 450 newspapers and has garnered more than 60,000 electronic signatures on its White House Victory Garden petition. In the past week, Doiron succeeded in making contact with the First Lady’s staff, who was very receptive to the idea.
If you want to plant your own garden but lack a lawn…
Continue reading →
20
Feb 09
A New Java Green?
I am not sure if I am living under a rock or what, but I came across this. Seems that Java Green is opening another location in Dupont.
And their website does confirm this…
Reminds me I have not been there in a while, I need to stop buy soon. And if you havent been there in a while you should go TOMORROW cause…
You’re invited! Support COK while enjoying delicious cruelty-free fare and socializing with other activists! Please join us at the monthly Java Green funding day on the third Saturday of every month, when a portion of your bill will benefit COK. In addition to their regular menu, Java Green offers a delicious vegan brunch available only on Saturdays until 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Java Green, 1020 19th St., N.W., D.C.
METRO: Both the Farragut North and Farragut West Metro stations
WHEN: All day from 10:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m.!
12
Feb 09
All’s Fair in Love and (Cupcake) War
DC is a latecomer to the cupcake war. It’s been raging in New York since Carrie Bradshaw introduced the world to cosmos and Magnolia Bakery. Blessedly, we’ve moved on from the pink drinks but the cupcakes remain.
Here, the cupcake war reached a frenzy in October and November 2008, when the Washington Post sampled cupcakes from Arlington to Georgetown to Shaw, in its effort to crown the King of Cupcakes.
All of which makes Yellow House very late to the game. But, our latest entrant refuses to fight fair. Word-of-mouth advertising. An intriguingly barren website. No storefront.
Enter the cupcake speakeasy.
Finding themselves victims of the economy, roommates Thuan, Ilana and Eric created Yellow House cupcakes to make ends meet. Their friends — and, increasingly, strangers — are finding themselves the beneficiaries of the roommates’ bad fortune. The three serve up cupcakes for $2 a piece at their monthly happy hour and continue to take orders all month long for a mere $20 per dozen. Among their monthly offerings is a vegan selection.
Although Yellow House has no intention of establishing a permanent location, this month’s cupcake happy hour was held in the roommates’ home: a delightful space that showcases the group’s creative personality and has clearly hosted some rockin’ theme parties. This month’s vegan offering is a chocolate cupcake filled with — wait for it — Thuan’s amazing, homemade raspberry jam, and sprinkled with a powdered sugar heart. (We immediately began pressuring her for a jam making class.)
Yellow House’s goodies surpass many of the city’s retail cupcake shops, and the fun of the hunt certainly adds to the experience. It seems that there’s a viable new contender in DC’s cupcake war. They’re bringin’ us cupcakes, guerilla style.
13
Jan 09
VegNews interview with Erica Meier
Here is a recent inveterview from VegNews with Erica Meier about a recent campaign that Compassion Over Killing did with Lightlife to use fewer eggs in their products.
from VegNews.com
The recent announcement that Lightlife Foods has committed to using 166,000 fewer eggs in its line and will be coming out with three new, completely vegan products this spring is some of the best news we’ve heard all year. While it’s easy to see producers of veg goods as faceless corporations, it’s important to realize the possibility for real change to take place. To find out exactly how these victories are won—and what each of us can do to help—VegNews chatted with Erica Meier, the executive director of Compassion Over Killing, who worked with Lightlife on this campaign.
VegNews: How long did you work with Lightlife on this effort?
Erica Meier: After we announced in December 2007 that Morningstar Farms committed to reducing its use of eggs, we immediately began reaching out to other companies, including Lightlife Foods, asking them to move in the same direction—decreasing their use of eggs and increasing their vegan options. Lightlife Foods was responsive from the get-go, and we maintained a positive relationship with the company throughout the year.
VN: Morningstar Farms similarly committed to using one million fewer eggs per year beginning in 2008. Is there hope that Lightlife will decide to make a similarly large reduction?
EM: Morningstar Farms offered far more items that included eggs than Lightlife, so Morningstar was in a position to decrease its egg usage by a greater amount. We’re thrilled that both companies have committed to reducing their use of eggs while also introducing three new vegan products this spring. This is a very positive movement, and we hope to see even greater reductions in egg usage in the future, as more egg-free items enter the marketplace.
5
Jan 09
The Perfect Pizza
I decided last Thursday to start 2009 off right… with pizza! I was never really into soy cheese or meat substitutes in the past, but at some point, every vegan needs pizza. So what’s a Washingtonian to do? Hit up one of the many pizzerias that serves soy cheese, of course!
On Thursday I was going to see Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind in Chinatown, so I decided to try Ella’s for the first time, since I recently sent a vegan friend there on the recommendation of VegDC. And hey, it’s across the street from the Gallery Place Metro, so how much easier could it be? We had the melanzane and the bosco pizzas with soy cheese (they use Follow Your Heart here). I can never get FYH to melt like that at home, but it was perfect; even my lacto-ovo dining partner was impressed. The crust was fabulous, thin, slightly crisp, but delicate– Neapolitan-style, says the menu. Didn’t try any of the small plates or beers, but you can check out the menu online to see the other offerings.
I’ve also had some tasty offerings at Moroni & Brothers, which I found cruising through Petworth last spring just by happenstance. And what luck! They serve Teese on any pizza or panini on the menu (and interestingly enough, they also serve traditional Salvadorean food, so I wonder if they’d make a vegan quesadilla or pupusa). Their pizzas are great, with a thin crust and several nice veggie combinations– I had the parma last time I was there with eggplant and sweet peppers. Their website says soy cheese coming soon, but I promise it’s already there! If you haven’t tried Teese yet, you must! It’s a great melty soy cheese (the pic above is Teese).
Lastly, I can’t neglect to mention Pizzeria Paradiso. The Georgetown location is a pain to get to (and a bigger pain to park, if you drive), but the ambiance is nicer than the Dupont Circle location. Still, the food and drink is great at both, although the Dupont location’s beverage menu is not nearly as extensive as the Birreria in Georgetown. Their specials are often vegetarian (and vegan, if you substitute the soy mozzarella, obviously– they also use Follow Your Heart soy cheese), or you can choose from a few good options on the regular menu. As expensive as some of those beers are, the prices on their pizzas are right about in line with the other restaurants I mentioned above.
Next up, I’m going to hit Pete’s APizza (I love that name!) in Columbia Heights, since I spend practically all my time there these days. I don’t know what the heck New Haven style pizza is, but I love the look of their a la carte toppings and their happy hour specials. These pizzas are large 18″ pizzas, not individual pies, so bring a troupe of your vegan friends to share with you.
Do you recommend any other delicious pizzas in the area that I should trek to try? I’ve experimented with my own homemade pizzas with varying success, but I’ve never tried any of the commercially-available vegan pizzas out there. Any honorable mentions?
