North/South (Odd) | Veggin' Out And About

Sue’s Super Nutrition, Harrisonburg, PA

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jun 11, 2013 in Grocers, Harrisonburg, VA, I-81, Markets | 0 comments

If it had been a snake it would have bitten us. Rich and I were in Harrisonburg, PA to review Indian American Cafe and The Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant. On the way back to our hotel we chanced upon a terrific health food store. If you need to stock up on plant-based supplies while traveling I-81, this is just off the highway and is definitely worth the small detour.

Sue’s is a clean, well stocked, medium sized store. You can find some fresh and frozen foods, and plenty of bulk bin items. This is the ONLY place I’ve been able to find dried fava beans other than on-line. You can believe I stocked up!

Sue carries lots packaged goods, like Bob’s Mills products, herbs and supplements, essential oils and your typical health food fare. Her daughter was working the register the day we were in. She was pleasant and helpful. If you’ve left something behind in your travels, Sue’s may be just the place to find a replacement.

Blue Nile Ethiopian Cuisine, Harrisonburg, VA

Posted by Danielle Bussone on May 31, 2013 in Ethiopian, Harrisonburg, VA, I-81 | 2 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Blue Nile is an Ethiopian restaurant/music club located on Main Street in Harrisonburg, VA. When I called to find out when they were open the noise blaring in the background made it nearly impossible to hear the answers to my questions. Since I was never able to get concrete information, I will do the best I can to enlighten you by sharing my experience and observations. It’s quite possible I’m just making this stuff up. There are two floors to the Blue Nile. The downstairs has a full bar and a dance floor with live music every night and dance parties on Friday and Saturday from 7pm – 2am daily. I don’t know if the phone was answered from this floor when I called or if the music was so loud it overwhelmed the second floor as well. The waitress wasn’t very helpful in answering my questions, though it was quiet when we dined there.

We stopped in for an early dinner and it was relatively empty at that time. The noise level was normal, no blaring bands in the background but the downstairs was not yet opened for business. We ordered traditional Ethiopian food which is comprised of Injera, a spongy Ethiopian sour pancake made from an African grain called Teff. On the top are little piles of food which you can order as an individual dish, each vegetarian entree is $9 or as a combination platter. We ordered the combination vegetable platter for two. ($30) This comes with two pieces of extra injera and a sample of most of their entrees. (more…)

Phoenix Garden Vegetarian Restaurant, Richmond, VA

Posted by Danielle Bussone on May 28, 2013 in Asian, I-95, Organic and/or Non-GMO, Phoenix Garden Vegetarian Restaurant, Richmond, VA, Vegan, Vietnamese | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

We discovered a real treasure in Richmond, Virginia. Phoenix Garden Vegetarian Restaurant offers Vietnamese cuisine and is the only completely vegan and completely organic restaurant in the city. The food was as gorgeous to look at as it was delicious. We were traveling late at night en-route to Washington, D.C. and only had time to review one restaurant during this mad dash through Richmond. We used a particularly ingenious and sophisticated method to determine which restaurant we would review. One of our monsters is a beautiful dog named Phoenix so we decided to grace Phoenix Garden Vegetarian Restaurant with our first review of the area’s cuisine. As it turns out, it was meant to be!

Phoenix is chef and co-owner with her husband, Vi Trinh. Phoenix became a vegan three years ago. She wanted to experience the foods she enjoyed as a child in Vietnam so she began preparing vegan Vietnamese food. They opened their Phoenix Garden Vegetarian Restaurant a year ago. The food is so flavorful it is no wonder it attracts visitors from as far away as Boston and Miami. It is a perfect stop when traveling I-95, accessible easily from the interstate. (more…)

Abingdon Olive Oil Company, Abingdon, VA

Posted by Danielle Bussone on May 28, 2013 in Abingdon, VA, Grocers, I-81, Markets | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

After reading the book, Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, which exposes the seedy underbelly of the olive oil industry, I sought out Veronica Foods in California to learn where I can buy their products. This company was specifically mentioned in the book as a reputable purveyor of excellent quality olive oil. To my complete surprise they have a retailer three blocks from my house in Abingdon, VA!

Since my first visit to Abingdon Olive Oil I have visited numerous retailers and have found the experience at all the others lagging far behind what you will experience here. You will be met at the door by the owner, K.C. St. Louis or her culinary expert, Penny Arrington, or by Ashley Johnson or Lori Price, two of Abingdon Olive Oil’s full-time knowledgeable sales persons. You will be received like a special guest invited into a lovely home.

In the front parlor you will be introduced to the newest oils from California, Spain and Portugal. These regional oils will change over the months as Veronica Foods brings in the freshest oils from around the world and as the picking season varies from region to region. These oils are currently $17.99 for a 375 ml bottle. You will be educated on the region, the amount of polyphenols in each of the oils and the type of olives used. You are free to sample anything in the store. The specialty and gourmet oils are also found in this area, the decadent truffle oil ($33) , the richest and most flavorful sesame seed oil I’ve ever tasted ($23), and the sensuous walnut oil, ($23). (more…)

Strong Hearts Cafe, Syracuse, NY

Posted by Danielle Bussone on May 18, 2013 in American, I-81, Syracuse, NY | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Strong Hearts Cafe is a particularly delightful find. Vegan restaurants are not always my favorites as they tend to use a lot of highly processed meat substitutes, rather than focusing on healthy vegetarian fare. While there is plenty of this at Strong Hearts Cafe, it is largely a restaurant which focuses on healthy, delicious vegan food. The vegetables are locally sourced as well as their organic tofu. We brought Rich’s nephew John, his wife, Tina, and their two daughters, Maria and Angie as our guests to try out this restaurant. They are all carnivores and each commented how much they enjoyed the meal. Strong Hearts Cafe is the only all vegan restaurant in Syracuse. It is conveniently located right off Interstate 81.

The breakfast menu is extensive from French toast and waffles to “egg” muffins, tofu scrambles and freshly baked muffins.They offer several tofu scrambles ranging in price from $5.50 – $7.00 for the fully loaded scramble. Angie ordered the French toast which was decadently delicious at $5. You can order fruit on top for an another $1. Maria, order the blueberry muffin, $2. A different kind of muffin is baked fresh every morning. They only bake a dozen and when they are gone, they’re gone. (more…)

Barter Theatre Cafe Removed from Veggin’ Out & About!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on May 12, 2013 in -Cuisine, American, I-81 | 0 comments

While we love the Barter Theater and continue to support their fine actors and performances, we unfortunately have to remove them from our food blog. At an opening performance of The Blonde, The Brunette and The Angry Red Head, we stopped in to have dinner at the Barter Cafe. We were disappointed, to say the least, that the Barter no longer carries any Vegan or Vegetarian options. I can’t imagine what lead to this decision but until they see the light and add vegan options to their menu, we can no longer carry them on our site. C’mon Barter! Step up to the plate!