As promised, here is a more thorough recap of the first dinner with my parents.
I like taking non-vegans to Blossom because the menu is impressive for vegans and non-vegans alike. They have interesting dishes that showcase a variety of non-meat “proteins” including seitan, tempeh, and tofu, as well as a few raw options and yet they aren’t presented in an ostentatious way. I love when restaurants have diversity in their menus without an air of arrogance about them. Unassuming and delicious.
It took no time for us all to find something on the menu that we couldn’t wait to try.
We started with the Black-eyed Pea Cake appetizer: a crispy cake of yukon gold potatoes and black eyed peas, served with chipotle aioli. They were soft and warm on the inside with the perfect crispy top. And even the tiniest drizzle of sauce made the bite pop in my mouth.
Then my mom and I split the Butternut Squash soup.
I’ve had this before, so I knew exactly what to expect. Delish. The texture was thick but still light. My favorite bites were the croutons soaked with soup. Mmmm…
And since we were coming from The Plaza’s Oak Room & Bar we had to keep the wine flowing…
After we finished our starters, my dad’s Field Greens salad arrived. I’m pretty sure he thought this was going to be a small started salad. Yeah, not so much…
This salad had mixed greens tossed with candied walnuts, tofu croutons,
and grilled pears in a shallot vinaigrette. Clearly this salad was meant to be an entree, so my dad solicited our help with it…otherwise he wouldn’t have had room for his main course (no objections here!).
Finally it was time for my entree.
I love seitan!! I ordered the Lemon Peppercorn Seitan served with sautéed spinach & a black olive-Yukon Gold potato cake, over truffle cream. It was plate-licking good. I was never a big fan of white creamy foods before I discovered I was lactose intolerant, but this “truffle cream” sauce was out-of-control tasty.
I literally cleaned my plate. There was not an ounce of sauce left when I was done with it.
My mom ordered the (raw) Zucchini Linguini with almond pesto, cherry tomatoes, Portobello mushrooms, kalamata olives, and v-parmesan cheese.
I was SO excited for my mom to try a raw dish, and she loved it. She has been a vegetarian for a majority of her life (even back when going veg wasn’t as accepted), so she’s had some experience with trying to get others on board with different dietary preferences. I love my hippie parents, and how flexible they are with accommodating my veganism, but her willingness to try a raw dish just shows you how awesome she is. She let me take home her leftovers too, which came in handy when I was making my work lunch for Monday.
Kyle ordered the Soy Bacon Cheeseburger with caramelized onions, soy cheese, soy bacon, mushrooms, lettuce and tomato with chipotle aioli.
He cleared his plate, naturally.
Like my mom, my dad was equally as adventurous with his order, and got the Moroccan Glazed Tempeh with glazed tempeh in an eggplant-chickpea stew with red bell peppers and sweet potato topped with a creamy fennel-black olive relish.
I had a bite, and I will most definitely order it next time. Tastayyy. My dad enjoyed it too, and it is gluten free if anyone is wondering.
Even after all those starters and entrees, we still HAD to try their desserts. Had to. No ifs, ands, or buts.
We grabbed the very last slice of this vegan double chocolate cake. Holy YUM indeed.
We also had a trio of soy ice cream with chocolate, strawberry, and cookie dough. I wasn’t overly impressed with these. They were good, but I’ve had other vegan ice creams that were creamier and more “ice cream” like (such as coconut based frozen treats).
As usual, Blossom did not disappoint in providing a simply wonderful dinner that satisfied my vegan appetite as well as my non-vegan family’s. I am so lucky this place is so close by. I would go everyday if I could afford it.
Oh my GOSH! Blossom looks amazing! I was so close to going there this summer, but we went to Candle at the last second. But now I wish I could go back this instant because you made it look so incredible.
Oh girl, you are so lucky to live in NYC. (Of course, NYC is lucky to have you too ;))
This place is amazing, I need to go there!!!
Yep, this will be our first date spot. Don’t even need to twist my arm!
whenever I hear “Blosom” I think of that show on Nickelodeon. So good.
anyhoo..
looks amaze, girlie girl!
That cake is RIDICULOUS! I want some RIGHT now!
I will have to venture out into the meat substitutes though I fear it almost impossible if I’m trying to stay soy AND wheat free. Hmmmmm.
Thanks or the deets! Yum!
(I would have had your mom’s dish – no question about it)
The bacon cheeseburger is the biggest stretch, but it looks like something my husband would try!
Loving the chocolate cake!! Divine!
Yeah, I’d like some of that bake right about now!! 😉
The vegan double chocolate cake just JUMPS off the page to me. As in leaps into my mouth. Oh, I wish.
And as for my drinkey drinkey or lack thereof. Book it. D—en Vineyards. Spring/early Summer 2010. I should def be back to the promised land by then and hopefully so shall you 🙂 LOVE THAT!
Blossom. Wow. Amazing lookin’ food. And your mom’s spirit….sooooo awesome, I need to meet her! What a trooper, raw entree.,, love that hippy mamma action!
I love Blossom! You’re right that it is a great restaurant for vegans. So far I’ve only had brunch there, but that cake looks amazing. 🙂
Oh girl I am FEELIN that tempeh dish. Dying to try Blossom! Add it to the list, sigh…
PS what a rockin time you’ve had with the parentals, eh?! Rockettes and the Plaza–it doesn’t get more fabulously NYC @ Christmastime than that. 🙂 Enjoy!
all the food from blossoms look great!!
This looks really similiar to the restaurant snack face kailey and honey nut lo lauren went to this past weekend together! Check out their posts to see if it was 🙂
Oh WOW! That food all looks amazing!! Especially the zucchini linguine and that chocolate cake – yum! I want some now!
Merry Christmas 🙂
Wow! What an amazing dinner. Everything looks delectable.
AAHH! All that food looks divinely delicious!! Especially that beautiful chocolate cake. Bet there weren’t any leftovers of that!
that dinner looks absolutely fabulous!!
xoxo
shelley
http://findinghappinessandhealth.wordpress.com
Black-eyed peas and butternut squash in the same meal?? Amazing!
HOT DAMN. This may be the best thing I’ve seen all day. I cannot get over how awesome that soy cheeseburger looks. I haven’t seen a burger like that since back in my pre vegan days. That is what I would order for sure. And then I’d follow it up with about 15 slices of that double layer chocolate cake. YUM!
I want to live in NYC! You have the best food options! All those dishes looks sooooooooooooooo amazing. Especially loving the look of the linguine and your seitan dish, oh and the tempeh one and the black eyd pea cakes….heck, everything!
xxxxxx
You’re so lucky that your parents will venture into vegetarian restaurants, I had such a hard time convincing my mom to try Blossom;) The raw pesto dish looks great, as does that Moroccan tempeh. If you’re around at all over the next few weeks I’d love to meet up again!
aww i like that there will be a “next time” do it up girl because that looks crazy good. the zuke spaghetti sounds divine and i’m pretty sure you could remake that yourself!
i checked out the website and there’s like two diff ones uptown and the restuarant. whats the diff? do you know? or is it just same as the other but just diff places..
I’m with Jenny – Blossom makes me think of 90s TV and floppy hats 🙂
What a scrumptious dinner! Gotta love it when moms are adventurous in their eats!
i think the downtown one did so well they opened another uptown. ive been to the uptown location a handful of times and it never disappoints. i still havent made it to the chelsea location. im pretty sure the menus are nearly the same though.
Impressive meal! I really wish we had eclectic places to eat where I live. I doubt you could even find seitan in a grocery store!
Glad you all enjoyed it 🙂
OMG!!! This makes me want to be vegan…haha! I love love the image of your dish. And yes, I tend to not do creamy dishes even with a lactaid pill, so that “truffle cream” looks divine! E, I totally want some! And Kile’s “cheesebuger” looks just like something I’d order at Counter’s or this shee shee burger joint called Umami here in Los Feliz. You know how much I love love burgers! You missy, make veganism look fun and easy to lead…I’m sooo gonna plan a trip to NYC just so you can take me to these places…watch out, I mean it this time. =)
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