Jap Chae and Bibimbap at Rice & Mix

Rice & Mix is a fairly new spot in Center City, located on 12th and Walnut. They serve super vegan-friendly Korean food, and it's excellent. Score for the city! Whoo hoo! I got jap chae ($8- glass noodles and veggies), my boyfriend got tofu bibimbap ($8- marinated tofu and veggies on rice.) Both were delicious, light, fresh, and something Philly doesn’t have a lot of: HEALTHY. 

The atmosphere is burrito-chain-meets-hotel-lounge; order at the counter at the end of the open assembly-line kitchen, then sit in a booth or at a table under warm mood lighting while smooth jazz plays overhead. Strange, but it works. Stranger still was the staff, who were uncharacteristically friendly for Philadelphia. It would have been easy to convince me that we were the first customers they’d ever had ("Give 'em a week, they'll get jaded and rude like the rest..."), if not for the place being full of other diners. I guess these Rice & Mix folks are actually nice. That’s about as rare as healthy food 'round these parts. Despite it being a casual spot, there were lots of people on dates around us. We held hands over our Korean grub and swore we’d go back again and again.

BIBIMBOP TIP: We had never eaten Korean food before so we ordered blind, but after sneaking peeks at other people's bibimbop we realized that we made a wrong move not ordering the hot stone bowl. (It’s a couple dollars more but dramatic- it sizzles!- and cooks your veggies while you eat.)

Here’s a little write up on Rice & Mix and a link to their menu.

Vegan Calzones at Slice

I have been vegan for half of my life and love calzones, but you know how many times I've had calzones since I went vegan? LIKE TWICE. Depressing. However, I'm happy to announce that we're entering a new era in vegan carbohydrate consumption that will lift the spirits of all Philly vegans who have a calzone-shaped hole in their diet. Meet  Slice:

For around $10 you can get a gigantic, DELICIOUS calzone with any number of fun things stuffed inside (I got red onion, next time I'd adding fresh basil as well.) I'm not sure what brand of vegan cheese they use but it's delish. I'd skip the fries though, despite that they come out in an adorable little pail, they're pretty lackluster (sliced too thin, not crispy enough, not well salted.) Not to mention if you get a calzone it's unlikely that you'd have room to eat them anyway. (Here is Slice's MENU... YUUUUM!)

Slice has two locations in the city, one in the Italian Market area, and one in Rittenhouse. The Italian Market spot is infinitely better. It's about the size of a bedroom, which is kind of cute and romantic. Only downside is that on cold nights (like the one I spent there), the door opening and closing with people coming in and out will just about freeze you. However, the calzones are so good it doesn't matter. They come perfectly browned and oozing vegan cheese and chunks of tomato. The waiter we had was awesome, leaving us to sit for a short eternity while I read Sartre's play "No Exit" aloud (with voices) to my boyfriend (it's so good!), and being extremely accommodating without being invasive.

As for the Rittenhouse location (where the above photo was taken), I have less generous things to say. We sat at the bar but has to be careful not to touch anything below eating level due to the amount of food stuck to it (...ew.) Our calzone (this time we split one, they're pretty huge) came out room-temperature in the middle and sported some mostly raw onions, which left my breath toxic for the rest of the day much to my boyfriend's chagrin. When I told the waitress after we were done (I was too hungry to care when we got it) she commented that was unusual and walked off. Meh. I'm sure I'll end up here again and again due to it's central location and taking of cards, I just hope that next time is better.

Meathead Academics, or, How I Ended Up a 30 Year Old College Freshman

Hey there! Sorry for the lapse in time between posts. Since last I posted there have been a major, life-consuming change in my life: I started college. For the first time ever. I’m a 30 year old college freshman.

I never thought I wanted to go to college. I’ve spent my entire adult life gallivanting around the world, eating foods in faraway places and doing push ups on faraway floors, but something changed earlier this year. Before going to Russia in January, I took on a solo fitness challenge to see what kind of shape I could get in before I left. From September to January I worked out 6 days a week. Gave up my daily candy meal (1 pack of nerds, every day between lunch and dinner), did Pilates and interval training, and by the time my plane left JFK I was in the best shape of my life. I went from a size 5 to a size 1 without losing a pound.

There were some really intense workouts during those months. Interval trainings where I would collapse mid-burpee, arms shaking, shoulders unable to keep me up any longer. I would get so frustrated by my own weakness that I would cry, feel pitiful, and want to stop. But I didn’t. I pushed through, embarrassing tears a’streaming, until the workout was over. And at the end, I was transformed.

(July '11 after a swim- size 5, 114 pounds , January '12 in Sweden after a workout- size 1, 114 pounds)

In March, while riding a train from one small town Russian to the next, something suddenly hit me: the stimulation of traveling was no longer enough for me anymore. I was bored. Sure I always had books with me in my travels, but the ideas were just between me and the pages. I craved conversation about them. I wanted to be around people who shared my intellectual curiosity. I felt like I’d hit the cap as far as self-education went, and there on the train, I felt my mind settling into a place I knew it would not be able to move beyond without help. It was time to stop taking my body to new places, and take my mind instead. I decided it was time for college.

Mad Mex- Last Stop on the Food Coma Express

Yo, Mad Mex is a fuuuun place to eat. I've been going for there for years and never had a bad experience. Last week I went for a late night hang with one of my besties (he took the photo above- at the time it was taken I thought that this waffle fry was as big as my face... it wasn't.) We sat outside having inappropriate conversations, laughing too loud, and pestering our endlessly patient and accommodating punk rock waiter. The food came quick, the portions were huge (the burritos are impossible to eat with your hands and finishing an entire plate results in severe food coma.) While we snacked on our not-face-sized-but-still-giant waffle fries we commented on how much we love Mad Mex. The atmosphere is great. It's just loud enough not to be forced to eavesdrop (and ensure your secrets don't leave your table), the lighting is low and warm, candles flicker on each table casting everyone in a friendly glow... in fact, it almost reminds me of being by a campfire. There's just somethin' about it, you know? They also have a massive amount of vegan options and plenty to eat for those who lack of empathy for other living things so you and all your meat-mouthed pals can roll over and chow down together in perfect harmony. (There's also a full bar for the drinkers.)

Mad Mex is over in University City on Drexel campus. Here is their menu- I really like The Angry Vegan (grilled portabello, spicy spinach, black beans, Mexican rice, pico de gallo, and daiya) and the waffle fries (obviously.)  A burrito will run you about $9.

Now here's a lil secret: If you are a student, bring your ID Mon-Thurs from 2-4pm or any night 11pm-1am for 50% off your food! 50% OFF!!! THAT IS SO CHEAP!

This place is great for big groups, hanging late with friends, casual dates (actually this is a really great chill date spot, totally taking my boyfriend here), and poverty dining (if you're a student.)

Samosa Chaat at Desi Chaat House

I finally made it to DESI CHAAT HOUSE in West Philly aka “Mars”, since that’s about how frequently I go there. Well, I’m ordering a space suit because I’ll definitely be there more often now. This place is SUPER vegan friendly, serving up a huge variety of chaat (Indian street food.) I got samosa chaat- I figured I'd start basic. What’s awesome about chaat is that it combines every flavor in food- sweet, savory, salty, and sour- with different temperatures- cold, hot, warm- with different textures- crunchy, soft, and everything in between. It’s actually kind of a wild experience for those of us with unfamiliar palates. 

This gigantic meal cost $5.99, and there are cute little tables to sit at outside and a big park to chill in a couple blocks down. LOVE THIS PLACE!

Sesame tofu at Green Eggs Cafe

I want to start this blog right. This here is the sesame tofu special at one of my favorite spots- Green Eggs Cafe. That's coconut rice, wok-sauteed veggies, and delicious deep fried sesame encrusted tofu with a sweet chili sauce. And me. Hi everyone! Now I eat a LOT of real Asian food (as you'll see) so I wasn't sure how I'd feel about sesame tofu at a neighborhood brunch spot, but this but it was A-MAZ-ING.  Like I went twice in one week amazing. The rice was rich and flavorful, I inhaled the veggies too fast to tell you about them, and the tofu, ohhhhhhh the tofu. Crisp, salty, and soft in the middle. The only thing you could ever ask tofu to be.

Green Eggs is a great spot- it's the kind of place you can take your parents and they won't freak out at your grimy city and the dives you hang at, but also where you can take all your hung-over hooligan friends for afternoon pancakes. It's cheap enough to hang and gossip at, and it's nice enough for a lunch date. There are 3 locations in the city (South Philly, Center City, and Northern Liberties) and they're open for breakfast and lunch only. There are not a lot of vegan options, but the ones they have are great.