Teany

I’d been to Teany once before, and noticed the veggie burger on their menu… but that was an evening when I did not have my camera with me, and this was before I had the iPhone 4 so I didn’t want to risk taking crappy cellphone pictures at the time.



But last weekend when I was in the Lower East Side to shop for some sandals at Moo Shoes, I decided to treat myself to a veggie burger brunch.



The menu notes which items are vegan or can be made vegan upon request. Oddly, the veggie burger was not marked as such, although the waitress assured me that if I ordered it without the feta cheese, the patty, bun, and everything else were indeed vegan.



My first impression was surprise - the patty had already fallen apart before I even picked up the burger! Although I’m well aware that many veggie burgers don’t hold together so well, and sometimes a messy, drippy meal is part of the fun, I usually anticipate the patty at least looking whole before I eat it. However, it tasted good – lots of quinoa, which I’m becoming quite a fan of in burgers, and a very nice blend of spices that were more savory (did I detect a hint of cinnamon too?) than hot, although the menu called it a chipotle veggie burger.

The patty by itself was rather dry, but luckily, there was enough vegan mayo to compensate for that. Actually, maybe too much mayo (and I, mayo lover that I am, hardly ever say that!). Perhaps they gave me extra to make up for the missing feta cheese? The tomato slices were nice and juicy, but the arugula was actually slightly cooked in the center by the heat of the patty! Another unexpected feature.



The bun was a delicious, light brioche. Overall, the flavors of the burger were great – the execution just had a few flaws. I like Teany, and I’d eat here again, but the veggie burger is not the strongest feature of their menu. Luckily, they have a lot of other veggie and vegan sandwich options to choose from.

Fun fact: Several of my friends have informed me that musician Moby owns Teany, although Wikipedia clarifies that he co-founded and used to co-own the restaurant, but does not anymore.

Cost: $10
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Burger patty: 3       Bun: 4      Toppings: 2

Teany
90 Rivington Street
between Orchard & Ludlow Street
New York, NY 10002
212.475.9190


YumVeggieBurger review #84