FOOD & DRINK FEATURE
time he became vegan, Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers were making their debuts. Having experienced black bean exhaustion I can tell you, these companies made all the difference in my personal burger desire. This is not to knock brands like Amy’s or Boca, the original contenders, but both Beyond and Impossible were game changers. Finally there was a burger that tasted like ... a burger. Not only did these Charlotte is experiencing a burgers revolutionize taste for plant-based eaters, they also presented meat-eating burger lovers with renassaince in what was a a viable and delicious alternative. tired craft In 2016, both Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods hit the market with slight differences. BY JASIATIC ANDERSON Impossible is a soy-based burger while Beyond uses pea protein isolate. Initially it seemed that Disclaimer: Health fanatics, this article is not for Impossible was slow to allow consumer availability. you. Burger lovers: welcome. Even now, Beyond Meat’s consumer product options If you’re like me, the mention of a veggie burger far surpass Impossible Food’s variety. doesn’t necessarily excite your senses. The word Only recently have I been able to find patties or itself is an oxymoron; it makes me think about vegetables, not a burger. As a person that hasn’t had an animal (beef, turkey, what am I missing?) burger in a solid 25 years, I must admit I hadn’t craved any burger until recently. These days almost any chain restaurant has a vegetarian option on their menu — the veggie burger holding the number one spot. Over the years I’ve eaten way too many black bean burgers. Graduations, rehearsal dinners, birthdays, anything. “Oh they have a veggie burger on the menu.” It’s the default — the extended omnivore family peacemaker, coming second only to salad. The obvious go-to, veggie burgers have in the past been tired and boring in my opinion. Most of them are dry, the house-made ones crumbled at first bite and there’s never any suitable condiments that are actually vegan. Then there’s the obligatory GM ROB GREGORY OF MIKE’S VEGAN COOKOUT. burger ingredient vetting which almost always leads to milk or egg products (if not in the burger ground Impossible “meat.” Essentially if you wanted then definitely in the bun). an Impossible burger you had to find a restaurant This overgeneralized veggie burger has been that served them or dishes made with the ground a staple of Charlotte’s dull vegan past. For years I’ve “meat.” Honorable mention to the late People’s carried my own homemade vegan condiments in my Market, which did an amazing job with their purse to sauce up the options around town. Black bean Impossible burgers and even crafted an Impossible patties have been a trend among chains in particular. breakfast sausage from them. So why write an article on the best veggie Initially I found that those who were used to eating burgers in town? Simple: I believe in them. I have beef burgers preferred the Impossible, however, I’ll hope in the future of the new veggie burger and leave it up to the carnivores to tell that tale. the restaurants that are sprouting up to satisfy the One of the pros of both companies’ burgers is that people’s desire. These new burgers are good and the the texture really mirrors the way a meat product eateries that serve them, even better, be they on both comes together and breaks down. This allows for wheels or in brick-and-mortar spaces. restaurants and the home cook to do whatever they When I met my love, Els, he was all about a veggie want in the way of seasonings and ingredients. After all, burger (still is). Having only been vegan for a couple what is a good burger without seasonings and texture? of years, burgers were his transitional go-to. By the
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A NEW AGE FOR VEGAN BURGERS
Els and I began going on “Best Burger” quests throughout the country. At the time, the only solid burger made with a Beyond patty in Charlotte was Pinky’s Westside Grill. And to be fair, their burger always does the job. Traveling and eating our way through the country, restaurants in Chicago and Los Angeles landed at the top of our lists. Over the last year it’s been amazing to watch vegan burger joints popping up throughout Charlotte. A bright light among chains that offer “options.” So again we set out to find our favorite burger, but this time at home. One of the biggest wins for an all-vegan burger spot is that there are no ingredient worries. I don’t have to pack my homemade special sauce, no need to hold the mayo and cheese. It’s allll vegan. It’s like ... you get me (((heart))) and you get BURGERS! I listened to the people and sought out two of the best new vegan burger spots in Charlotte.
bursting with juices and flavor. What I loved: The diversity of the menu! There’s a burger for everyone. I had the El Classico and the Columbiana. My suggestion: Columbiana (it’s the pineapples for me). Next time I’m trying the “What the Cluck” sandwich though, which is one of their best sellers. You can follow to find their location via IG and Facebook: instagram.com/mikesvegancookout; facebook.com/mikesvegancookout
Boss of Vegan
Boss of Vegan owner Demetrius Liverpool is not new to the restaurant industry. He is the owner of Top Dog, a hot dog restaurant in The Streets at Southpoint in Durham. While his Durham space offers vegan options, Liverpool knew he needed more when he shifted to veganism himself a year and a half ago. “I wanted to provide products that would help people, like [they] helped me make the transition easier by trying meat alternatives,” he says. “I believe more businesses will create more options and make it easier for people to transition.” The burger: They fooled us. They also use a Beyond burger but it’s a thinner patty. It feels more like a fast food burger. The taste is specifically theirs, the flavors did not disappoint. What I loved: Everything! The chips and the chocolate chip cookies were perfect. The burger was amazing. The sauce comes on the side, and if you’re a sauceaholic like me, that’s a win! My suggestion: Boss burger deluxe, a Beyond patty with vegan cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes and Boss sauce on a Hawaiian PHOTO BY JASIATIC ANDERSON bun. Boss of Vegan is located at 4431 Brookshire Blvd. just northwest of Uptown. The brick-and-mortar space is dedicated specifically to curbside pickup. The Mike’s Vegan Cookout Mike Roach of Mike’s Vegan Cookout says he’s online-ordering system is easy. Find their menu on IG at been a vegan for about four years. “Because I missed instagram.com/bossofvegannc or at bossofvegan.com. burgers so much, I needed to create the best one in Whether you enjoy an occasional plant-based the vegan world,” he says. burger or fall in the veganism box, it’s undeniable that Though now rolling around as a food truck, Mike’s goal is to expand MVC throughout the nation. He says the future is plant-based. You don’t have to watch sci-fi his dream is to see it at every intersection like you see movies or be attuned to the obvious planetary impacts McDonalds or other fast food chains. The (Panamanian) to notice the trends. As Mike Roach said when asked Burlington native started Mike’s Vegan Hotdogs in 2018, about the future of meat “Leave the animals alone! I see the meat industry crashing, like it already is!” but MVC opened a little under a year ago. We both agreed, my love and I, that these I found the MVC team parked off Central Avenue and I was in and out with surprisingly prompt service. are very different burgers. It’s a testament to the The burger: They use a Beyond patty. It’s a creativity of a new era of veganism. Go try them thick, well-seasoned burger, and I could really tell both! You won’t be disappointed. they put a lot of work into specializing it. It was INFO@QCNERVE.COM
