Dining Out in New York City - Red Bamboo

Creole Soul Chicken - Red Bamboo

In my search for a great vegan restaurant in New York City that was a little more casual but still had high ratings I discovered Red Bamboo. Located in the West Village, it's a small, popular place that features an eclectic mix of Asian, Caribbean, and Southern American cuisine. Unfortunately they don't take reservations, but it was worth the half hour wait for a table. This is a good one if you're dining with carnivores since there are many familiar "meat" dishes on the menu and the flavors are so good anyone would like it. It actually took some convincing for my boyfriend to realize this was a meat-free place. 

I ordered one of the most popular dishes, Creole Soul Chicken, a generous serving of rosemary seasoned panko breaded soy chicken nuggets with a delicious, sweet, barbecue-like sauce alongside a scoop of sweet corn mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy and steamed vegetables. As I write this I have a strong craving for more! I hadn't even realized it, but I had yet to try vegan mashed potatoes. These potatoes were a great first impression of how yummy they can be! The chicken was crispy and flavorful, the sauce complimenting it perfectly.

Sweet and Sour Chicken - Red Bamboo

My boyfriend went with the Sweet and Sour Chicken, battered soy chicken with onions, peppers, pineapple, lychees and carrots coated in a tangy sweet sauce served with brown rice. Another great option and another huge serving. He was definitely satisfied and though not a fan of fake meat thought this was close enough to the real thing. 

Despite my efforts to reduce mock meat consumption, in New York City it's a challenge since so many of the vegan-friendly places serve it in the most scrumptious ways. Red Bamboo topped that list. They offer a handful of vegetable entrees as well, so you don't have to go with fake meats, but I would say just do it. You won't regret it!

Red Bamboo

140 W. 4th Street 

(Between 6th Ave & MacDougal)

New York, NY 10012

Red Bamboo Website