The Discerning Brute: fashion, food & etiquette for the ethically handsome man » restaurant http://www.thediscerningbrute.com fashion, food & etiquette for the ethically handsome man Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:51:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Rockin' Raw: Williamsburg's First Raw Restaurant http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/06/04/rockin-raw-williamsburgs-first-raw-restaurant/ http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/06/04/rockin-raw-williamsburgs-first-raw-restaurant/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:00:56 +0000 TheDiscerningBrute http://thediscerningbrute.com/?p=1641 Rockin' Raw: Williamsburg's First Raw Restaurant
by Joshua Katcher Rockin' Raw is a vegan raw-food restaurant serving organic-Peruvian-New-Orleanian-creole-inspired cuisine. It's located very close to the Bedford L-train, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and has a great outdoor, backyard garden area. It is a refreshing and innovative addition to the Willaimsburg restaurant scene, which tends to be very uncreatively meat-centric. The first thing I [...]]]> Rockin' Raw: Williamsburg's First Raw Restaurant
by Joshua Katcher RockinRaw0 Rockin' Raw is a vegan raw-food restaurant serving organic-Peruvian-New-Orleanian-creole-inspired cuisine. It's located very close to the Bedford L-train, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and has a great outdoor, backyard garden area. It is a refreshing and innovative addition to the Willaimsburg restaurant scene, which tends to be very uncreatively meat-centric. The first thing I tried was the Raw Boy "Tuna" Sandwich, which had a satisfying, seafood flavor. I was blown away by the raw bread. It was tender, chewy, and not too dense or heavy. It's the sort of bread I could eat every day and not be aware that it's raw! I don't even know how they make raw bread. This dish is perfect for anyone new to, or skeptical of raw foods because it's just like an artisan sandwich. .RockinRaw8 The Tallarines Verdes de La Lala was a live pesto-pasta dish. Thin strips of zucchini replace traditional semolina pasta. As a hardcore Italian food and pasta-lover, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. The pesto was rich and garlicky, and it was sprinkled with cheesy nutritional yeast. The best part was that it didn't leave me feeling bloated and sick. . RockinRaw6 My friend got the Louisiana Gumbo. If you like Okra, you will enjoy this dish. The "sausage" in it was smokey and savory, and the gumbo-base was spicy and very complex. RockinRaw1 An Appetizer we shared was the “Crab Cakes” with Creamy Dill Sauce. I believe there was horseradish in the dipping sauce, which matched the cakes nicely. I have never had traditional Crab Cakes, so I can not make the comparison, but they were like little veggie burgers, and quite enjoyable. RockinRaw2 I had a refreshing and delicious Cucumber Mojito, and also tried the gingery Watermelon Cooler. I would definitely recommend those drinks, as well as the Strawberry Milk Shake, which was out of this world. RockinRaw3 Believe it or not, we made room for dessert! The nut-based Lucuma ice-cream was a new flavor experience for my palate. It's made from a Peruvian fruit, the lucuma, which has hints of maple, caramel and coffee. The chocolate sauce was outstanding, and the ice-cream itself was creamier than the vanilla (on the Peach Cobbler), which I found to be tasty, but a bit on the chalky-icy side. RockinRaw5 RockinRaw4 Overall, it's a great spot with a chill outdoor seating area, and a very welcoming vibe. It's laid-back, relaxed, delicious, and the staff is very friendly! Now go check it out! Click HERE for menu, directions, and reservations.]]> http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/06/04/rockin-raw-williamsburgs-first-raw-restaurant/feed/ 12 Lula's Sweet Apothecary http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/03/12/lulas-sweet-apothecary/ http://www.thediscerningbrute.com/2009/03/12/lulas-sweet-apothecary/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2009 05:13:57 +0000 TheDiscerningBrute http://thediscerningbrute.com/?p=1112 Lula's Sweet Apothecary
Lula's Sweet Apothecary is a small, cabinet of curiosities and Ice Cream parlor tucked away in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. I've been frequenting their shop, which has given the other vegan-friendly dessert joints (what's their names again?) a serious run for their money. Lula's is 100% vegan owned and operated, and will rocky-road [...]]]> Lula's Sweet Apothecary
lulas3 Lula's Sweet Apothecary is a small, cabinet of curiosities and Ice Cream parlor tucked away in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. I've been frequenting their shop, which has given the other vegan-friendly dessert joints (what's their names again?) a serious run for their money. Lula's is 100% vegan owned and operated, and will rocky-road your world! The re-emergence of early 1900s decor is exemplified in this adorable, vintage-drug-store-inspired wonder-room where handmade, artisan, vegan delights line the walls in candy-shop jars, and rare vegan toppings (white chocolate, malt powder, peanut butter cups!) reside in card-catalogue drawers, neatly labeled. Even the friendly owners seem to have been plucked from a 1920's photograph and the music should be coming out of a gramophone. lulas With nutmilk, coconut cream, and soymilk-based ice cream creations like the hugely popular cake batter and brownie batter or the traditional rocky road (complete with Sweet & Sara marshmallows), maple walnut, and even chocolate-vanilla-swirl soft-serve - Lula's blows my mind. Last night, I enjoyed a brownie sundae with hot fudge, soy whipped cream, and a cherry on top. They have a rotating array of innovative flavors and confections. I have yet to try the New York Egg Cream (no egg, no cream), or a malted milk shake, but the hot cocoa, which was topped with fresh-shaved dark-chocolate, was brilliant, and the menu is extensive. One thing I know is that this place will have a line out the door come summer-time.

*The Discerning Brute readers get one free topping through June 1st, when you go in and say "The Discerning Brute sent me!"

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