Thursday, September 8, 2011

Doing The Horizontal with Vertical Diner

Buffalo Tigers
One Of The Best Vegan Buffalo Wings In The Country.
    I have a love/hate relationship with Vertical Diner. They have so much unrealized potential that they could be great like Chicago Diner or Spiral Dinner, but they fall short. It's not that they aren't good, but they could be great. The things they do well are the hand cut freedom fries, the tender and buffalo tigers (and the ranch),  biscuits and the best vegan gravy, sausage patties and awesome jerk and chicken flavored seitan.      
     For a real treat, try the American Diner, which is a plate of freedom fries (or hash browns as if you would choose them) topped with two deep fried tender tigers (like chicken fingers) smothered in an amazing gravy. Just don't eat anything before or after, I can only imagine how many calories this has. Things started to pick up when one of the chefs started to get creative with specials such as stuffed french toast, but he was fired, just as we started to get on the right track. Oh wells.
Jerk Chicken Sub
Tip: Sub The Sour Cream For Ranch AND Add Fries!
      Unfortunately, they're still stuck in the 90's with the nutritional yeast cheese for things like cheese fries and quesadillas. And the tofu scramble is one of the weakest, I've ever eaten. Oh, and instead of a homemade veggie burger they use Sunshine and Boca burgers. Yawn.
Jamaican Me Dream
Basically D.I.Y. Burritos: Jerk Seitan, Rice & Beans, Peppers & Onions
     Vertical Diner is the sister restaurant of Sage's Cafe (and part of Ian Brandt's vegan empire). It's a lower cost alternative with generally speedier service, but the menu is fairly identical to Sage's and hasn't changed much since opening in 2006. If you're headed to brunch on the weekend, Sage's food is much fresher since Vertical's sits in the line until your order, which if you get to there mid day or evening the food could be there for hours. I've had many old food experiences there. Regardless, it used to be my favorite restaurant in town, until Isa's Vegan Brunch came my way and showed me how good breakfast could be. Waffles. Tofu Benedicts. Omelets. Frittatas. Banana Rabanada. Tempeh Sausage Pastry Puffs. Chesapeake Tempeh Cakes. Crepes. Quiche. Seriously, brunch could be awesome. Still, it's cool to sleep in and order the Avalanche, two giant pancakes, tofu scramble, sausage patty and hash browns. It would take me until dinner to make all that. Oh, and skip dessert and head to Cakewalk instead, that's where the real desserts in this town are.
Shoo Fly Cake
Not Too Sweet, But No Sage's Tiramisu


Check Out These Older Posts:

Happy Brett Day! Help Brett Raise Money For WoodStock Animal Sanctuary In His First Marathon Run!

Read It HERE





Cooking With Bell Organic: 
 Baked Tofu Smothered in Peanut Sauce with Steamed Vegetables Along with Spicy Peanut Rice and Citrus Collards with Raisins Redux 

Read It HERE


 Rocking The Shamrock Shake:

  Read It And Recipe HERE














 


Cooking With Compassion Over Killing:

Pine Nut And Basil Seared Gardein "Chicken" Over A Bed Of Brown Basmati Rice And Gingered Kale

Read It HERE 



Vertical Diner on Urbanspoon

1 comment:

Vertical Diner said...

Hey Joe! Thanks for the review! Just an update though we actually don't carry Sunshine burgers anymore and replaced them with home made Cali's Burgers (soy and gluten-free) instead. Try it out next time! We also have a newly designed menu coming out shortly as well that we are really excited about!