“Week. Brunch. Repeat.” Brunch is one of my favorite things because it combines two things I love most – food and friends! And Willow Vegan Bistro is one of my favorite spots, for the delicious upscale vegan comfort-food dishes and the cozy atmosphere. It may just be my favorite restaurant of Chef Guy Vaknin (and that’s one tough contest!).
We enjoyed a feast on our most recent outing! We started with the calamari, truffle mac-n-cheese, and cheeseburger sliders. The calamari is made with king oyster mushroom for the perfect texture, and served with a zingy horseradish mayo. The truffle mac-n-cheese is a creamy wonder topped with chives, smoked paprika, toasted breadcrumbs and bac’n. The sliders come decked out with all the toppings on a fluffy brioche bun.
For my entrée I had to go with my favorite, the eggplant lasagna. Perfectly roasted eggplant rolled with herb “ricotta”, basil, thyme, “mozzarella” and marinara. It’s true perfection for the taste buds. My brunch mates enjoyed the Porcini Chick’n Marsala and the Cherrywood Smoked Pastrami and were equally impressed.
It’s not brunch without dessert! We shared the chef’s cookie skillet and the banana pudding. If you are trying to narrow your choices you MUST start with the truffle mac, order the eggplant, and finish with the cookie skillet. Trust me, you will thank me later.
Willow is a vegan restaurant serving lunch and dinner daily in the heart of Chelsea. I definitely recommend dining in for the full experience, but they fill up fast and the food also travels well for delivery and takeout. You do not have to be vegan to fall in love with this spot!
