Dining Out in New York City - The Cinnamon Snail

Maple Mustard Tempeh Sandwich - The Cinnamon Snail

The Cinnamon Snail Menu

Cinnamon Snail, I'm so glad I found you! I hunted you down (no vegan pun intended) on 48th Street & 6th Avenue and was immediately delighted by the glass display of vegan pastries, quoting their website, "Our donuts and pastries are too many and change too often to mention here. Swing by the truck to be strait up baffled by the overwhelming tidal wave of vegan pastries in front of you!" I then saw the full and varied menu offering breakfast items from burritos to pancakes, and a generous list of sandwiches, burgers, and beverages. I was lucky to come by on a day that the truck had almost no line, because I've heard quite the crowd forms during lunch hour. My food was ready quicker than I expected.

Vegan Donuts & Pastries - Cinnamon Snail

For lunch I ordered the Yelp fan favorite Maple Mustard Tempeh Sandwich, served with kale, onion, tomato, and garlic alioli. The sandwich was delicious and filling, a meal I would order again. I do wish it was served differently though. It was packed with fillings and started to fall apart between the thin slices of untoasted bread. Serving this as a wrap might do the trick. I thought the price was fair at $8 (it is organic, vegan, and in NYC after all). Also with help from the Yelp reviews, I picked up a Vanilla Bourbon Crème Brûlée Donut. This was the best damn donut I've ever had, vegan and non-vegan. Yum yum yum! It was moist, fluffy, creamy, with a sugar crust on top. I ate this as slowly as I could so I could savor every last bite! It was heavenly and sinful at the same time. It's certainly not something I could eat at every meal (though I wish I could get away with that). 

Vanilla Bourbon Crème Brûlée Donut - The Cinnamon Snail

To track down The Cinnamon Snail truck (which is what I will now be doing on a regular basis) check out their Facebook or Twitter pages, links below. For more information on the guy behind this successful food truck, read this recent VegNews interview.

Cinnamon Snail

Find Locations throughout NYC and NJ on Facebook and Twitter

Cinnamon Snail Website

Dining Out in Boston - Clover Food Lab

BBQ Seitan Sandwich - Clover Food Lab

Chickpea Fritter Sandwich - Clover Food Lab

Food truck turned brick and mortar restaurant! I like when that happens, it's inspiring. Clover Food Lab, originally a vegetarian food truck that started at MIT and spread to multiple locations around Boston, now has restaurants (four and counting..). For whatever reason there was never a truck near my office so I missed out on Clover's yummy vegan lunch options. I tried the food once when I happened to be on vacation and spotted a truck when wandering the city. I was impressed. Serving local and often organic food, I felt good about my choices there. They have some delicious beverages, too. When I learned a restaurant was opening up close to where I live in Brookline, I was thrilled! 

BBQ Seitan - Vegan Version

So far I have taste-tested two sandwiches, rosemary fries, and iced coffee. The Chickpea Fritter sandwich is essentially a falafel in a pita, but it's fresher-tasting than most Mediterranean joints. It comes with a handful of chickpea fritters, a generous helping of hummus, diced cucumber and tomato, shredded carrots and red cabbage, pickles, and tahini sauce in a warmed pita pocket. The seasoning in the chickpea balls is a tad different than falafel, but certainly not in a bad way. The other sandwich I've enjoyed here is the BBQ Seitan sandwich. This one comes with cheese and mayo so make sure you request it without, to make it vegan! It also comes with romaine lettuce and sliced tomato (you can tell how fresh the produce is by the bright colors!). I'm a fan of seitan on occasion for its high protein. This sandwich did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the sweet BBQ sauce and although it was lacking a couple ingredients, it felt like a complete sandwich to me. 

Give this place a try! Whether it's by truck or restaurant, Clover seems to be in a growth stage with good changes coming. I just saw a new sandwich on the menu - the Pepper Relish, I'm not sure how I feel about that one, but it's nice to see them experimenting and expanding!

Clover Food Lab

6 Harvard Street

Brookline, MA 02445

Clover Food Lab Website