A (soy) cafe au lait and a half a crusty baguette (hold the butter) with red raspberry Bonne Maman jam, $5.25. I brought the jam jar home to reuse as a container to transport salad dressing for lunches.
My cafe au lait even garnered a compliment from a gentleman standing in line, who thought it looked just charming. Don't you agree? I can't imagine a paper cup with a plastic lid.
Chelsea Market offers much for vegans. I didn't visit it, but One Lucky Duck now has a location there. Check out Sarma Melngailis' blog post, "I'm Not a Vegetarian." I think her sentiments on labels are very realistic and healthy, especially for those having trouble committing to veganism. I struggle myself and fall off the wagon. Me and cheese: a forbidden love.
Closer to my office, Macaron Cafe is my slice of Paris. Most of the staff are French, and the place is brimming with real Frenchies and those Frenchies-at-heart who just adore good, simple food.
The Farm Salad, $8.25. Evian or Perrier? Tap water please.
C'est cher, non? Oui. I usually opt to brown bag it, but sometimes, I need a little mental health time away from my cramped cubicle and fluorescent lighting. Have to have a little French music on the iPod. For good measure, I like everything from the campy - Georges Ulmer - to the modern - Kaolin. Even Belinda Carlisle covers French classics.
I was watching another French-inspired cook, Barefoot Contessa, on Food Network. She shared a favorite vinaigrette recipe. Ready? Olive, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard, with a dash of salt and pepper. Easy.
The Macaron Cafe looks good. I didn't know it was there since I seldom wander below 38th street on my lunch hours. There is a couple of French restaurants in the 20s on Park Avenue whose names I can't recall. They do a good job at transporting you to France, even for an hour.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to imagine it's even there amid all the fast food options that surround nearby Penn Station.
ReplyDeleteI used to like Le Grainne Café in Chelsea when I worked closer to it, and had a charming bistro right across the street which since closed. I so wish I could find vegan quiches, crepes and such more easily, and at reasonable prices. I understand Cocoa V in Chelsea has vegan quiche, but if it's like Blossom (same owners), it won't be cheap. Blossom's vegan crème brulee was out of this world, but $11 turns into closer to $14-$15 with tax/tip.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/dining/02vegan.html