For the last official day of VeganMOFO, I want to talk about London's hottest new nightclub. London's weekend-long VegFest happened a few days ago, and I was lucky enough to eat my way through both days! It was so fun to be surrounded by like-minded people, including some great friends I am so happy to live near again. The best part of any festival like this is the food, and I was not disappointed here. Okay, I was a little disappointed. The actual food for sale from the many, many caterers was overall subpar. However, the vast number of companies giving delicious samples and the overall spirit of the weekend made up for it. I realize I'm a few days late, but it's always the right time for judgment. 
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    Philly's best Chinese restaurant is actually the best Chinese restaurant in the country. Important and wise critics actually say that, not just me, and everyone I know who has eaten at Han Dynasty agrees. Offering an authentic, super-spicy Szechuan-based cuisine, it's so far from your usual Chinese restaurant that you probably won't know where to begin. Luckily, I'm here to help. The menu is a favorite of omnivores but there is so much insane food for vegans to eat that I consider this one of my top vegan recommendations for Philly and the surrounding area (they have several outputs in the burbs and in NYC now, so famous). 
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     Before we get into the important food-related stuff, let's acknowledge how difficult it is for me to leave the title like that. But that's actually what this new amazing restaurant is named and how it is written: Charlie was a sinner. With the period. I love it! But even more, I love the place. It's the new all-vegan bar from one of Philly's favorite young restaurateurs, Nicole Marquis of HipCityVeg fame and general wonderingment. Charlie is a swanky, dimly lit, old-Hollywood inspired bar with a creative, upscale menu both for drinks and for small plates. Even early in the run, almost everything I tried was wonderful. 
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     Philadelphia gets more and more vegan-friendly by the day, it seems. In the past year, we've gotten a second outpost of the consistent & incredible HipCityVeg, a new all-vegan bar with upscale small plates called Charlie was a sinner. (review to come tomorrow, and yes, the period is in the name), a new bar from the Landaus of Vedge fame (to open any day now), and much more just in Center City! It's sometimes hard to get out of the center because it seems there's no real need to, with so much delicious vegan food within a few blocks of Rittenhouse. However, South Philly is veganizing as fast as it's gentrifying, and if you can get someone to drive you (not it!), the vegan scene there is unmissable. My favorite new place there? Vegan Commissary! I think it's the best brunch in town. It's only open during lunch hours, but call it brunch so you can also order the cinnabuns. 
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     To kick off the next few posts dedicated to Philadelphia, I wanted to start with something I made as a challenge from my grandmother. She's is a real Philadelphia eye-talian, and therefore she is the greatest cook. This summer, she told me how her mother (a Calabrese, from the toe of the boot) used to make polenta for breakfast in the most amazing way you've never considered: fried in maple syrup and butter and covered in powdered sugar. I mean, polenta is one of the most amazing foods ever, but as a sweet food? Incredible! I am not usually up for sweet foods for breakfast (unless we are splitting it 'for the table' and we all get savory items in addition, because that's always a great plan and it's how I suggest everybody do brunch from now on you're welcome), but this is something I would happily wake up for. Well, I don't happily wake up for anything but you get my point. 
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  Okay, today's Berlin Inspiration really IS inspired by specific experiences during my travels! Currywurst, Germany's favorite fast food, is a fried sausage cut up and served with curry ketchup sauce. Not only was currywurst sold on literally every corner in Berlin, in little hot dog vendor-style carts, but we also got to try vegan currywurst at Voner! So Voner's was decent, but it was still covered in sweet ketchuppy curry sauce - that's what makes it currywurst. Are you still wondering why it's called currywurst? It's because it's the worst way to consume curry. Seriously. Currywurst is the food version of Mona Lisa Saperstein. 
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      Mmm, soup! I mean noodle soup! I mean soup! ("Friends" is always on my mind during MOFO.) Well, I didn't necessarily have potato soup in Germany so this soup isn't specifically inspired by my travels but it's generally inspired by Germany. Because German potato soup is a thing, according to the internet and common knowledge, as well as Tony Horton and the German pornstar who was in the Chest & Back P90X video. (Okay, so I'm 50% making this for Germany and 50% for one of the funnier parts of the original P90X, when four people look ridiculous swinging their arms around doing pot-stirrers and the always insane Tony Horton tells them to call out their soups. See below. And yes, all of us innocent Xers were informed afterwards that Maren is a pornstar.)
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When traveling, your best bet for finding good food is to listen to locals, letting them dictate which path your food tourism follows. In Berlin, we were lucky to have two friends there who planned an epic buffet brunch for us all at Kopps. Buffet brunch is like the big hip thing to do in Berlin, and I can't imagine any other place's offerings being as awesome as the all-vegan, never-ending spread at Kopps. The restaurant itself featured modern, Ikea-inspired decor (which I loved), and really great enormous picture windows (which let the sun bake my back and add a level of intrigue/sweat to the whole thing). It just seemed like such a chic place, you'd never guess it was an all-vegan establishment - there was no wicker furniture or patchouli smells (joking). Also, it was freaking packed! Reservations are required!
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      Another fantastic restaurant in Berlin is Viasko, ostensibly a bar or pub depending on what country you live in (I will call them bubs now) but with really interesting and delicious - and all vegan - food. You'd assume such bar food would be fried shit and what nots, but the menu is a tad nicer and more upscale than the usual bar fare of fried shit and what nots (or just plain gross salads for vegans). I've heard you have to go for the buffet brunch (buffet brunch is HUGE in Berlin - we'll look at one this weekend), but I can recommend going for a really fun dinner with the ambiance of a chill bub. We sat in the basement, which was dimly lit with candles among the all wooden plank furniture. It had a very pirate ship vibe, which is totally fitting because today is apparently Talk Like a Pirate day, the celebration of which will probably get you smacked. 
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To celebrate our engagement, husband and I decided to treat ourselves to a fancypants dinner at Lucky Leek, an upscale all-vegan restaurant in Berlin. The food was stellar, but there were a few issues that prevent me from completely raving about it. However, based on the food alone I would definitely have to recommend Lucky Leek if you are looking for something lavish and delicious. 
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