It has been almost a year since last post. And finally I am ready to get back to keep writing.
And let me restart with my favorite topic about my favorite vegetable – Cauliflower.
I hope cauliflower steak is no longer a new thing to you. It is no longer a new topic, it is an established dish on the menu across lots restaurants (vegan or non-vegan). And I’ve having so much fun to try all the restaurants that I know have “Cauliflower Steak” on the menu. So far, I would say I love all of them, maybe it’s really because I love cauliflower.
Here, I wanted to share some of my favorite spot to enjoy the cauliflower.
Beyond Sushi 37th Street
Beyond Sushi is a vegan sushi spot that has lots locations in the city. The 37th street’s menu has more selections than other place. Here you will be able to find this wonderful “Cauliflower Steak”. If I had to give a score on a scale of 10, I would say 7. To be fair, before I go there I heard lots of positive reviews, and maybe my expectation is sky high, which turned out didn’t surprise me so much. In addition, maybe I was a bit bad luck, the cauliflower is not well cooked especially on its hear part. However overall this is a really filling dish consider as a main course. After eating half of it, I was super full. And I even get a cauliflower/broccoli appetizer😂😂, which I was pretty sure that everyone in the restaurant that day can tell I am THE cauliflower lover.
The Terrace and Outdoor Gardens in Edition Time-square
Before getting to the cauliflower dish itself. I must say, this restaurant surprised me the first time I visited. It is a secret terrace garden right in the middle of the busy time-square. Garden theme decoration with plants is everywhere. 😍😍😍 Even more, they have “Cauliflower Steak” to be a vegan friendly main course, tho this place is not a pure vegan restaurant at all (its seafood and real steak sound quite good as well). The cauliflower steak is served on top of a layer of cooked millet. You can choose to have the purée on top or on the side. So we decided to get one on the top and one one the side to try both. What even surprised me is they served a whole head of cauliflower, which you probably can imagine, super filling main dish again. I love how well the cauliflower is cooked and the rich flavor from the spices. Three girls, two cauliflowers and one fresh garden salad was way more than just enough. Score 9 out of 10.
Blackbarn Nomad
Blackbarn has two locations, one is at the Nomad, another is a cafe style at Chelsea market. And this one is the Nomad where you can find “Cauliflower Steak” on the menu. This is also a non-vegan restaurant which serves vegan friendly main course. Actually I think this place is quite good for its real steak as well. I have to say, the plate decoration is way more pretty than my picture🌚, I really need to improve my photo taking skills. The cauliflower is a thick slide from a whole cauliflower, so portion wise, it is not as a lot as the other restaurants. However, other than cauliflower it has a lots other vegetables to make it still a good main course for dinner. Quite well cooked cauliflower l, but the purée in the bed is a little bit heavy, wish I’ve asked to put the purée on the side, so the taste from cauliflower won’t can much more reserved away from the purée. So 6.5 out of 10.
The Butter Midtown
This is a place that absolutely surprised me with a “Cauliflower Steak” on menu. I found this place for business lunch/dinner as it is really close to my work place. I first found they have vegan friendly zucchini noodle for a business lunch, and few days later, I found the most wonderful cauliflower I’ve found. The “White Cloud Cauliflower” yes the white cloud as you can bet is made with coconut. The whole head of cauliflower is fully covered by the wonderful coconut purée. What is even better, the coconut purée is not as heavy as you might have imagined. It is quite light while gives enough hint of the coconut taste. On dear, two of my favorite food combined together: Cauliflower and coconut. I can’t ask for more, so satisfied. Fun fact, this is one of the few dishes I really want to delay the chewing time as much as possible so I can enjoy the flavor and joy in my mouth😂😂😂. (Sounds a little bit creepy). Anyway, I love love this one. 9.5 out of 10. And if you ever have a bigger appetite, pick the broccoli from the side dish menu. It is a full main course sized broccoli. Definitely will fill your hungry stomach. I really wish I can take better picture of this cauliflower. But because the light inside is really deem and my horrible photography skill.
Aldo Sohm Wine Bar
Yes this is the famous wine bar operated by the same owners of Le Bernardin. It is a typical wine bar in Midtown, that has good selection of wines and cheese. However, they also have this cauliflower steak on Menu for quite a long time. Have had couple of times when catching with my friends for a casual wine night. Mostly, the cauliflower cooked plan with not too much added purée or spice. And it is a full head of a small cauliflower. I love how I can enjoy the taste from cauliflower as the sauce/spices are at its minimal, however, one thing I don’t really enjoy, to the opposite of the beyond sushi one, is this cauliflower to me is way too over cooked. It is way too soft. So 6 out of 10.
Bobo NYC
A typical west village restaurant owned by the same owner of Rosemary near by. My ex-roommate introduced this place to me saying they have one vegan friendly dish – cauliflower steak. I would say it is the most green cauliflower steak I’ve ever had so far. Bedded with parsley pistou and lots pea shoots on the top. Well cooked and spiced. Not too heavy and not too light. Everything is perfect, but only one thing – it is a bit too oily. Without the excessive oil, it could have been a super fresh cauliflower steak that outstanding from other ones. So 7 out of 10, and If less oil, I would give 9 out of 10.
ABCV
And of course, this famous vegetarian/vegan place operated in the Jean-George AVC group has cauliflower steak on the menu. The good thing about it is you can choose to go half or whole head of the cauliflower. So you will for sure filled with satisfaction. One thing I would suggest is go half, as they have so many other wonderful dishes on the menu to try. The turmeric tahini is always prepared on the side, and it’s up to your preference to pull over the head of cauliflower or use as a dip. Such well cooked cauliflower not too hard or too soft. And the sprinkle pistachio is just the best combination. Sooooo yummy!
Alright, let me stop here for now, as I just remembered more restaurants that have cauliflower steak on the menu and start starving. I will to go back to all of them and then come back to keep updating this blog.
If any of you know any other place has cauliflower steak, let me know. I am always thrilled to try good cauliflowers😍😍😍.
