 Laika Dog has since been closed. We were so sad to see them leave!
Type: Vegan-friendly Meal: Dinner Price: $ Laika Dog is a casual, hipster-esque hot dog and grilled cheese service out of UFO Factory. They have fill-out-yourself menus that you take to the bar and then your meal is brought out to you by the bartender. UFO Factory, which serves as a music venue on Fridays and Saturday nights, is your run of the mill dive bar. It has booths lining the walls, a bar stretching across one side of the room, and a small stage, which has old movies, TV shows, and music videos projected during the day. In addition, they have a few classic arcade games: pinball, Vanguard, and Phoenix. Their menu offers conventional meat dogs in addition to Field Roast vegan hot dogs. On top of the conventional hot dog toppings, they have a number of unique toppings including thai-peanut, spicy vegan mayo, wasabi mayo, raspberry-ancho-mint, a number of pickled veggies, spicy slaw, and pinot grigio mushrooms. My go to dish is one of their signature dogs: Nacho, which includes vegan nacho cheese, pickled red onion, jalapenos, avocado, and cilantro. They also offer tater tots and crinkled fries which can be topped with any of their toppings. Lastly, they offer a couple of small salads and sometimes soup. This place is a great option when you’re looking for an unhealthy, fast-food style meal. However, it lives up to more than that with the distinctive toppings. Also considering almost all of their food has an equal vegan option, it’s a great place for those looking for vegan options! Also, if you’re interested in taking advantage of their specials, they have a number of deals: ½ off meals on Wednesday from 4pm-10pm, $5 off food for dine in groups of 3 or more until 4pm on weekdays, $1 off hot dogs and grilled cheese on weekdays until 7pm for 60+ seniors and CCS and WSU students, $1 off well drinks and standards domestic bottled beers from 4pm-7pm during the week.
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Type: Veg Friendly
Meal: Lunch Price: $$ I love salads so I decided to visit a new salad place that I had heard about in downtown Detroit. 7 Greens Detroit Salad is located at 1222 Library St. near the McGregor Branch of the Detroit Public Library. Boy, has that area changed over the years. As we approached the restaurant, we noticed that there is outdoor seating as well as indoor seating, and since it was a warm day, they opened the entire wall window on Library so that the people sitting at the counter could also enjoy the nice weather. You order your meal cafeteria style. When we walked in, there were no other people in line but the people that worked there seemed a little uninterested in their customers. Eventually, they asked us what we would like. I chose a ‘Fashion Your Own’ salad which means you can select up to two greens and 4 toppings. Each veggie topping beyond that is fifty cents extra except for the avocado along with some other” premium” toppings which is $1.50 extra. I like a lot of toppings and made my selections. The base $7.35 salad ended up costing about $11.00 because of the number of extra toppings I ordered. You also get a slice of bread, which is a really delicious nutty wheat type of bread. I got the Sesame Garlic dressing which was excellent. There were several other vegan dressings such as Spicy Cashew, Spicy Korean and Walnut Pesto which I plan to try in the future. The service was pretty quick, since there is very little prep work other than chopping up the salad. We ended up eating outside which I enjoyed since it was a beautiful warm day. Since it was lunchtime, I believe most of the customers walked on over during their lunch breaks as it was getting more and more crowded. Along with a build your own salad menu option, there are several ‘Classic Salads’ which are static and are always on the menu such as:
All in all, the atmosphere and the vibe there was very nice and I look forward to going back in the future. http://7greens.com  Pilar's Tamales has since been closed in Warren, MI. However, they still have a shop in Ann Arbor!
Type: Vegan Friendly Meal: Dinner Price: $ I had heard about a Tamale place called Pilars in Warren that does not use lard in their Tamales and got very excited! I finally made a point to go there for dinner shortly before they were to close (they close relatively early for dinner; at 6:00PM Tuesday thru Thursday and at 6:30 on Friday and Saturday). We were greeted by Juan, the owner of Pilars and his adorable son. The restaurant is small, with only a few tables. We went to the counter to order tamales. I ordered one vegan black bean tamale and one tempeh tamale. The homemade tamales both come covered with delicious homemade sauce and served with a side of curtido (similar to cole slaw). Juan also gave us several levels of hot sauces to add to the tamales in case they were not spicy enough. Although my tamales were delicious all by themselves, I did try each of the hot sauces which were a bit too spicy for my liking. Other items on the menu include: Pupusa – handmade tortilla filled and grilled. Quesedilla dessert (Vegetarian) Chocolate Chip Bliss Bar - Vegan Juan told us that his tamales are a traditional Salvadoran recipe, his homeland which he left in 1984 at the young age of 14. Juan and his wife Sandy, who is also a yoga instructor along with other relatives work at the restaurant. Although they always have a variety of tamales on the menu, Juan told me that during the summer and fall months, they will use whatever vegetables (such as squash varieties) happen to be fresh in their tamales, particularly the vegan tamales. Juan also said that his sister had opened the original Pilar's in Ann Arbor on Liberty which is still in operation. Pilars also sells their food at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market. I was very impressed with the taste of the tamales as well as the price. http://www.pilarstamaleseast.com/  Type: Vegan
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch Dinner Price: $$ Located in the historic neighborhood Kerrytown, The Lunch Room fits perfectly in its neighborhood, showcasing the unique and welcoming atmosphere that the neighborhood strives for. The restaurant is bright, with floor to ceiling windows that are lined with succulents. A counter lines about half of the restaurant, making up the bakery case, the ordering spot, seats that face the windows or watch your food made, and seats lined up to the small, but quaint bar. The interior is friendly, with mid-tone painted walls and bright accents. Though the seating is limited inside with about 12 tables and approximately 8 bar seats, they also offer outdoor seating during the warmer months. Per the name, their daily menu is focused on lunch-style dishes: salads, sandwiches, noodles. Our favorites are the Pad Thai, Mac and Cheese, Banh Mi Chay, and the Buffalo Wrap. They offer a daily soup and chili and for dinner, they have a rotating themed special: Mondays are Sushi night, Tuesdays are taco night, and so on. Though some of the specials stay the same, such as the same hearty pasty they serve on Friday nights, they sometimes have rotating options. For example, on Wednesday which is Asian Night, they have had Bibimbap, Ma Po Tofu, and different rice bowls. Though the specials are usually a little more than the normal menu, I highly recommend them because they’re usually overflowing with food. In addition to lunch and dinner, they also offer a Saturday and Sunday brunch, which include items such as French Toast, Bisquit, Sausage, and Gravy, and numerous types of rice bowls. Make sure to try a dessert when you’re there. They usually offer between 5-10 desserts ranging from cinnamon rolls, whoopee pies, cakes, and cookies. I’ve never had a bad dessert there and more often than not, it is unbelievable how good these dishes are. Some of our favorites have included the Bourbon Caramel Donut, Oatmeal Cream Pie, and Cookie Dough Brownie. On top of it, the service is always great. The servers are friendly and the food comes out quickly. If a mistake is made, they're always quick to fix it and offer to make it up to you.  Type: Vegan-friendly
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch Price: $$ This restaurant is basically a diner with some updates. It has inset stools that are at the small counter, but also has exposed brick and an exposed ceiling, hinting at a hipster vibe. The windows were lined with plants giving it a homey feel and complimented the mint green walls. There were 2-3 vegan options on the menu. I settled on the Tofu Sweet Potato Hash. Although it wasn’t really a hash since the sweet potatoes were cubed (as opposed to shredded), it did have great flavor. The tofu was prepared excellently: squeezed and fried up well and the steamed kale was fresh and full of flavor. It was served with really good bread which possibly could have been homemade, a side of Earth Balance butter, .and a small salad. The menu also included vegan pancakes and vegan tacos. In addition, they offered soy milk. Very delicious brunch overall. Be aware though that they only take cash. They have an ATM in the restaurant that has an added fee, but I would still recommend coming prepared with cash.  Type: Vegetarian
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch Price: $$ Website: www.victorysbanner.com Victory's Banner is breakfast and lunch spot for many Chicagoans. Their Zen-like atmosphere is welcoming and relaxing, with bright walls, colorful artwork, and plants around the restaurant. Though their entire menu is vegetarian, they offer a completely separate vegan menu which includes a breakfast and lunch section. The breakfast section offers items such as French Toast, Tofu Scramble, and Oatmeal. I got the Tofu Scramble for my meal with mushrooms and vegan chicken. It was delicious- flavorful and filling, especially with the vegan chicken. It came with a side of delicious hearty bread and fabulous potatoes. The only complaint I had was that the “Tofu Scramble” was not a scramble at all. In fact, the tofu was cut into cubes and fried. So while it was delicious, it shouldn’t be marketed as a tofu scramble. The lunch menu offered salads, burgers, and wraps and a daily soup. Last, they also offered soy and almond milk and had vegan lattes on the menu. I got the Chai latte with soy milk which was delicious- perfect amount of spice and richness. If you're looking for a good brunch that offer vegan meals other than oatmeal and fruit, Victory's Banner is definitely an option. |
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