By Shannon Borgoyn, VRG intern

Fast food is a staple of American culture: you can’t go anywhere without seeing a McDonald’s, Wendy’s, or KFC. When I first heard of HipCityVeg, I thought it was a dream. HipCityVeg is a currently small (but growing) vegan fast food chain founded in 2012. Yes, you heard that right: vegan fast food.

Recently, I traveled to Washington D.C. and planned on getting lunch at HipCityVeg. The establishment is located in D.C.’s Chinatown, not too far from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Walking into the restaurant, I was greeted by a well-lit, well-decorated, and clean interior. As I approached the counter, the staff greeted me and asked if they could help me. I expressed my excitement to be there for the first time, but I told them I needed time to decide on my order. It was difficult to choose a dish because everything looked delicious! Initially, I thought there would only be vegan burgers and fries, but I was surprised by the menu’s diversity.

They have different types of vegan burgers and sandwiches (like their curry tofu wrap and Philly steak); vegan chicken (“chick’n”) dishes (such as their chipotle fajita wrap and lil’ golden nugs); salads including udon noodle and arugula taco; sides including sweet potato fries and Caesar salad; drinks such as smoothies and lemonade; and frozen treats (soy ice cream milkshakes anyone?). Scanning through this sea of food was daunting, but I finally decided on the traditional fast food fare: nuggets, fries, and a milkshake. Their milkshakes come in three different flavors (chocolate, orangesicle, and vanilla) as well as seasonal flavors: Cold Brew Mocha Shake for July-August, Pumpkin Pie Shake for October-November, Chocolate-Covered Cherry Shake for February, and more. Their seasonal flavors can be referenced here:
http://hipcityveg.com/seasonal-milkshake-calendar/

I placed my order for their lil’ golden nugs, which came with a side of sweet potato fries and choice of dip, and a chocolate milkshake. First, I sampled the nuggets; they were hot and crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and extremely delicious. Their crispy outer layer consisted of whole grains, including what appeared to be oatmeal. Second, I sampled the sweet potato fries; they were hot, tender, thin, and delicious. Third, I dipped both nuggets and fries into the dip (a black bean dip). The dip itself was creamy and cool and didn’t overpower the taste of the nuggets or fries; instead, it enhanced their taste. Between bites of nuggets and fries, I sipped at my soy chocolate milkshake. The milkshake was thick, creamy, and perfectly sweet. Having the milkshake as a beverage was the perfect accompaniment to my meal because it balanced the savory portion that was the nuggets and fries.

Overall, my meal at HipCityVeg was delicious and extremely filling. The portions were generous; as a result, I took some food home. HipCityVeg’s food appears made with the utmost care; it was hot and scrumptious (for the milkshake, wonderfully cold and creamy). The taste was extraordinary and the experience was awesome. HipCityVeg has a green philosophy, which they back up with composting bins, eco-packaging, and organic, plant-based ingredients. So, they make their food with care and in a caring, environmentally-friendly manner. I will definitely be returning to HipCityVeg!

You can check out HipCityVeg here: HipCityVeg

Additionally, you can reference HipCityVeg in VRG’s online restaurant guide. Listings are available for Philadelphia, PA and Washington D.C. locations:
http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Thank you to Karen Peissinger, Dorian Dalls, and Matthew Venhaus, who helped table for The Vegetarian Resource Group at the Western New York VegFest. And thank you to Karen for organizing the booth.

Karen reported: There was a constant flow of people at the VRG table from opening to about 4 PM (so much so that my voice became hoarse from talking to everyone!). Several people expressed special interest in vegan pregnancy, either for themselves, for a friend, or for a family member. See:
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/veganpregnancy.php
https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRGparentsandkids/

One person stated that they have found the VRG to be a valuable source of information. This individual said VRG is “reputable not excitable.” This person feels confident and comfortable sending people to the www.vrg.org site because the person knows that those people will be able to find the information they need. Many who stopped at the VRG table were pleased to hear that VRG has the involvement of registered dietitians and nutritionists to ensure science-based nutrition information is provided in its publications and on its webpage www.vrg.org

Thank you to all our volunteers and dietitians, who help with education and outreach.

To support VRG’s outreach, you can donate here:
Donate to VRG

Whether you’ll be with family and/or friends or simply alone Labor Day weekend, we thought you might be looking for some new vegan dish ideas. Here’s some creative ideas from previous issues of Vegetarian Journal:

Modern Vegan Comfort Food
Debra Daniels-Zeller provides recipes for:
Black Bean Chili with Cornbread Dumplings
Roasted Vegetable Pizza
Grits and Greens
Country Biscuits topped with Warm Mushroom Gravy
Lentil Loaf with Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Potatoes
Shepherd’s Pie
Baked Beans

Gourmet Grilling
Chef Nancy Berkoff serves up:
Grilled Eggplant
Mediterranean Grilled Portobellos with Pine Nuts
Curried Barbecue Tempeh
Roasted Pepper and Eggplant Dip
Pineapple-Peach Salsa
Grilled Asparagus – Japanese Style
Grilled Sweet Peaches
Roasted Corn

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal, visit:
Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal

If you’re attending any of the events below, be sure to stop by The Vegetarian Resource Group’s booth at the following events and say hello:

DC VegFest
Lot H/I at Yards Park
355 Water Street SE
Washington DC 20003
September 2nd from 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Asheville VegFest
Pack Square Park
121 College Street
Asheville NC 28801
Sunday, September 3rd from 10 AM — 6 PM

Charlottesville Vegan Roots Festival
Booker T. Washington Park
1001 Preston Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Saturday, September 30th
from 12:00 PM — 8:00 PM

World Veg Festival
San Francisco County Fair Building
in Golden Gate Park
1199 9th Avenue
San Francisco CA, 94122
Sunday, October 1st, 10 AM-6:30 PM

New Jersey VegFest
Meadowlands Expo Center
355 Plaza Dr
Secaucus, NJ 07094
Saturday, October 7th
and Sunday, October 8th
(The festival schedule is TBA
so be sure to check the website for
updates)

Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
McCormick West Building
2301 S King Dr
Chicago, IL 60616
October 21-24, 2017

The Vegetarian Resource Group’s Dinner
LYFE Kitchen
270 E Ontario St
Chicago, IL 60610
(Corner of N Fairbanks Ct. and Ontario)
Sunday, October 22nd at 6 PM
$35/person

To support our outreach efforts, please donate:
vrg.org/donate

The Shamayim V’Aretz Campus Fellowship is a program that trains Jewish college students on how to articulate the relationship between Judaism and veganism and how to make animal welfare a talking point on their campuses. They also organize events to promote veganism in collaboration with Jewish Student organizations such as campus Hillels. In addition, the fellows participate in a phone conference with experts on animal advocacy once a month. Here is the webpage with the fellowship information with a link to apply: http://www.shamayimvaretz.org/fellowship-information.html

Some terrific classes with a veggie focus are being offered this semester at the Community College of Baltimore County in Maryland. Here’s the details:

Artisan Vegan Cheese Making –
http://www.ccbcmd.edu/Programs-and-Courses-Finder/course/CKG/175

Meatless Dinners for Carnivores –
http://www.ccbcmd.edu/Programs-and-Courses-Finder/course/CKG/177

Vegan Cooking for the Holidays –
http://www.ccbcmd.edu/Programs-and-Courses-Finder/course/CKG/178

Veggie Power: Plant Based Cuisine for Energy and Vitality –
http://www.ccbcmd.edu/Programs-and-Courses-Finder/course/CKG/069

By Rebekah Campbell, VRG intern

Civico 1845 is located in San Diego, California, and is located in a part of town called Little Italy that brings many Italian cultures and food into San Diego. I had the privilege of going to Civico 1845. Civico offers many different authentic Italian food menus, one of which is vegan. They make sure to only use fresh, locally grown ingredients in all their dishes. I ordered the Melanzana Alla Parmigiana, which is made with eggplant and smoked vegan mozzarella. Drinks such as wine and beer are offered.

Surprisingly, Civico offers a vegan dessert menu as well, which I ordered the Gelato Tartufo from. The Gelato Tartufo was extremely rich with Italian Dark Chocolate and was stuffed with gooey caramel chocolate.

Reservations should be made for Civico 1845, for it is hard to get a walk-in seat. Overall, the experience was restful, and great.

Check out the menu or make reservations at www.civico1845.com

Click on vegan at http://www.civico1845.com/menu/

For information on other veggie restaurants in the USA and Canada, see:
http://www.vrg.org/restaurant

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

An email forwarded to The VRG in August 2017 from online reader Ben had been delivered to his inbox from a “Nutrition Analyst” at Papa John’s in response to his Papa John’s online inquiry.

This is how Ben introduced the following Papa John’s information to us:

“I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian who has frequently visited your site, reading about information such as disambiguated food ingredients and specific food content from name-brand restaurants. I wish to donate information in the hopes of helping to update such regarding the Papa John’s pizza chain.”

Here in its entirety is the forwarded email from Papa John’s addressed to Ben in response to his “…inquiring whether or not their Garlic Parmesan Breadsticks were vegetarian (lacto-ovo).” Papa John’s responded to Ben within 12 hours of his inquiry.

Papa John’s email:

“The majority of our products contain bio-synthesized and/or vegetable-derived enzymes, including our mozzarella cheese.

However, the cheese blend used on our Tuscan Six Cheese Pizza does contain animal-derived enzymes.

Our pizza dough contains fungal or bacterial derivatives.

Our garlic sauce contains lactic acid, which is not classified as an animal derivative because it has been fermented.

Blue cheese and ranch DO contain animal-derived rennet.

The rennet that is used in the Papa John’s Parmesan cheese is a GMO-free microbial rennet. It is not animal-derived. It would be suitable for vegetarian consumption.”

The VRG appreciates Ben taking the time to forward this email.

It appears from the website that the breadsticks are made with pizza dough that does not contain L-cysteine (most often derived from poultry feathers). L-cysteine is not listed on the website menu nor on the allergen page.
http://www.papajohns.com/company/papa-johns-ingredients.html#pizza

http://www.papajohns.com/allergens/papa-johns-allergen-guide.html

Unlike many restaurant chains, Papa John’s includes “vegetable” as the source for their mono- and diglycerides in the ingredients list for the Garlic Parmesan Sauce. However, this chain does not specify if the “natural flavors” in this sauce are vegetable-derived. (They may or may not be.)

There is sugar in menu components which appear otherwise vegan (the original and pan doughs and the pizza and pan sauces but not the Garlic Parmesan Sauce).

Concerned readers may wish to contact Papa John’s for more information on whether the natural flavors are vegetable-derived and if the sugar had been processed using cow bone char.

See our previous reports on cheese enzymes and sugar for more information:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2008issue3/2008_issue3_update_renet.php

http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2007issue4/2007_issue4_sugar.php

Here are a couple of our past reports on Papa John’s:

http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/03/12/update-on-papa-johns-vegetarian-and-vegan-menu-options/

http://www.vrg.org/blog/2014/04/07/papa-johns-dough-enzyme-stearic-acid-and-cookie-ingredients-are-vegetarian/

The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

For additional information about quick service chains, see:
http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

For information about vegetarian and vegan restaurants and where you might be able to order vegan pizza, see:
http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

The Vegetarian Resource Group is an activist non-profit organization that does outreach all-year-long. For example, earlier this month VRG exhibited at the Animal Rights Conference in Alexandria, VA and the Western New York VegFest in Buffalo, NY. VRG also sends veggie literature free of charge to other groups/individuals doing educational activities in schools, hospitals, camps, restaurants, libraries, etc. Our ability to continue doing this depends on people like you! Your donations allow us to promote the vegan message whenever we’re called upon for assistance. Please consider becoming a monthly or quarterly donor to The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Thanks so much for your support. You can become a monthly or quarterly donor online here: vrg.org/donate

Reliable, responsible workers in the Baltimore area needed to assist veg manufacturers in their booths at the Natural Products Expo East at the Baltimore Convention Center on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, September 14, 15, 16. Must be available to work all 3 days from @9 a.m. – @6 p.m. Paid positions. If interested, please email [email protected]