Top 10 Faux-Chicken Sandwiches in the U.S. August 18, 2009

Posted by Marta at August 18, 2009 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 9 ) | TrackBack

Warning: this blog will likely make you very hungry. Check out what Amy from the VegCooking blog has to say about the Top 10 faux-chicken sandwiches in the U.S. Do you have a favorite you don't see on the list (even it's made right in your own kitchen)? Comment with it below! And if you're near one of these restaurants below, you better get to giving this deliciousness a try! I've tried #2, #4, and #10—yum!

You may remember that back in June I asked for your help finding the best faux chicken sandwiches in North America. We read through your suggestions and taste-tested as much faux-chicken as we could get our hands on, and we've finally tallied the results in our quest to name some of the best mock meats on restaurant menus around the country.

And the Top 10 Faux-Chicken Sandwiches in the U.S. are ...

1. Green New American Vegetarian, Tempe, Arizona: The Secret BBQ Chicken Sandwich features mock chicken topped with caramelized onions and peppers slathered in espresso BBQ sauce. The sandwich is also served with vegan mayo and your choice of thyme fries, curry pasta salad, tahini coleslaw, or fresh fruit.

2. Govinda's Gourmet Vegetarian, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philly's most famous sandwich, but with a twist! The Vegan Philly Chicken Cheese Steak has soy chicken and rainbow peppers grilled in olive oil and topped with soy cheese. The sandwich is served on a sesame seed roll, a whole wheat roll, or a wrap.

3. Veggie Grill, Orange County, California: This SoCal location offers a Bayou Chickin' Sandwich, featuring veggie chicken that is lightly blackened with Cajun spices, dressed with lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, and spicy vegan mayo on a wheat bun, and served with a side of red cabbage slaw.

4. Native Foods, Southern California: Native Foods is known for its interestingly named menu items, and the Chicken Run Ranch Burger is no exception. The sandwich features crispy battered "save the chicken," vegan ranch dressing, lettuce, carrots, and onion served on an organic wheat and sprouted brown rice ciabatta roll.

5. Red Bamboo, New York City: The Chicken Parmesan Hero at one of NYC's many vegetarian eateries takes fifth place with a sandwich made from breaded soy chicken with vegan mozzarella cheese, smothered in sweet basil marinara sauce and served on Italian bread.

6. Pizza Lucé, Minneapolis: Pizza Lucé's Mock Chicken Dijon—a mock-chicken patty seasoned with Dijon mustard and topped with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and banana peppers served on a toasted bun—puts Minneapolis on the list in sixth place.

7. VegiTerranean, Akron, Ohio: Chrissie Hynde's restaurant comes in at number seven for the Grilled Gardein Bruschetta Pomodoro Panini. The sandwich comes with balsamic basil marinated tomatoes and soy mozzarella and is accompanied by a grilled vegetable orzo salad.

8. Foodswings, Brooklyn, New York: Foodswings' No Chicken Caesar Club is made with grilled mock chicken, crisp romaine lettuce, tomato, black olives, and vegan Caesar dressing and is served on warm Italian bread.

9. Vertical Diner, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Breaded Chicken Sandwich is served on French bread, 7-grain bread, or a tortilla wrap and comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, and Vertical Sauce, with a choice of tortilla chips or carrot sticks.

10. Red Dog Saloon, Norfolk, Virginia: Red Dog serves a sandwich made with fried Chickette served on a roll with lettuce, tomato, and chips.

Top 10 Veg-Friendly Ballparks June 2, 2009

Posted by Marta at June 2, 2009 3:23 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 10 ) | TrackBack

One of the true joys of summer, IMHO, is going down to the ballpark for a baseball game. Whether it's the Boston Red Sox or your local single-A team, there's nothing like the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, and the feeling of an ice cold beverage in one hand and a delicious hot dog in the other.

"Um, peta2? Hot dog?!? Helloooooooo ... "

You heard me. Now quit asking questions. Of course I'm referring to the delicious veggie dogs that more and more ballparks around the country are serving up these days. In fact, vegetarians and vegans have so much deliciousness to enjoy at the ballpark this year that, once again, we've put together our list of the Top 10 Most Veg-Friendly Ballparks this great land of ours has to offer.

Check out our list below, and if you're lucky enough to live near one of these great ballparks, make sure you hit up a game this summer so you can get your teeth into some of these fantastic vegetarian options!

1. Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia Phillies): The Phillies are the first-ever dynasty when it comes to delicious vegetarian fare. Now that they've added Southwestern black bean burgers and faux "crab cake" salads to an already stacked lineup that included veggie "steak" and veggie "chicken" sandwiches, veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, and various salads, we've noticed a connection between CBP's vegetarian rankings and the team's on-field success that tells us the Phils may well be on their way to another World Series crown.

2. AT&T Park (San Francisco Giants): The only thing more solid at AT&T Park than the Giants pitching staff is the stadium's amazing array of meat-free fare, including veggie dogs, Gardenburgers, portobello mushroom sandwiches, grilled corn on the cob, grilled vegetable sandwiches, vegetarian pot stickers, veggie sushi, edamame, and much more.

3. Coors Field (Colorado Rockies): Colorado fans drool over Coors Field's delicious meat-free options like fantasy team owners drool over Todd Helton on draft day. This year, Rockies fans can enjoy veggie burgers, veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, veggie sandwiches with grilled peppers and onions, vegetable panini, roasted portobello sandwiches, and vegetarian burritos.

4. Turner Field (Atlanta Braves): You never know when freak health ailments will plague a player (just ask Brian McCann about his vision problems), but Braves fans can help to fend off heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity by going vegetarian. Meat-free options at Turner Field include veggie burgers, vegetable sandwiches, vegetable wraps, vegetarian pasta, assorted salads, a farmer's market fruit and vegetable stand, and fresh fruit smoothies.

5. Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros): With Men's Fitness magazine having ranked Houston one of the fattest cities in the U.S., it's a good thing that Minute Maid Park offers Astros fans so many delicious, healthy vegetarian options. (Vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity than meat-eaters are.) Astros fans can choose veggie dogs, vegetable hoagies, baked potatoes, fresh fruit smoothies, made-to-order salads, fresh fruit platters, black beans, pinto beans, an oven-roasted vegetable medley, and corn on the cob.

6. PETCO Park (San Diego Padres): Although the Padres' batting lineup is struggling, the team's lineup of yummy vegetarian options is stacked. The stadium offers veggie burgers, veggie dogs, vegetarian sushi rolls, fresh fruit salad, gourmet vegetable salads, roasted corn, and PB&J. Although PETA has serious issues with PETCO, PETA loves the Padres for providing healthy, humane fare to fans in "America's Finest City."

7. Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers): While the great city of Detroit is struggling through some tough times, things are looking up for vegetarian and health-conscious Tigers fans, who can enjoy delicious veggie dogs, veggie burgers, vegetarian sushi, vegetable egg rolls, vegetable stir-fry, meatless taco salads, vegetable wraps, and fruit cups.

8. U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago White Sox): The south side of Chicago is the place to be for animal-friendly baseball fans this summer. White Sox fans can enjoy veggie dogs, Gardenburgers, vegetarian taco salads, corn off the cob, fresh fruit cups, and PB&J.

9. Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore Orioles): Birds fans would be disgusted to know that the meat industry drugs chickens and turkeys, making them grow so fat that their legs often become crippled under their own weight. Luckily, Orioles diehards can help prevent such cruelty by choosing mouthwatering vegetarian options such as veggie burgers, veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, vegetable panini, various salads, made-to-order sandwiches, and fresh fruit cups as Camden Yards cracks PETA's list for the first time.

10. (tie) Miller Park (Milwaukee Brewers): What better proof that an athlete can be kind to animals while still knocking the cover off the ball than Prince Fielder? Off to another solid season, Prince can enjoy delicious vegetarian options such as veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, fresh tossed salads, fresh fruit, made-to-order stir-fry, and baked potatoes at Miller Park concession stands.

10. (tie) Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs): After being plagued for years by an angry goat and a spurned black cat, the Cubs might finally get on the good side of the animal world with their first-ever appearance on PETA's Vegetarian-Friendly Ballparks list. Vegetarian options at Wrigley field include Gardenburgers, black bean burgers, assorted salads, vegetable wraps, and a Healthy Kids meal (PB&J, juice box, and fruits and veggies).

Do you wish your local ballpark had veggie options? Stop wishing and start asking! Who knows, maybe your favorite team will end up on the list next year.