I figure I should get in all the vegan eats I can while I’m home in the states before I leave in a month to study abroad in Argentina… a country known for its steak… which I intend to eat A LOT of… Sorry veggie-loving friends… While I personally am not vegan, I have a strong appreciation for all things veggie (for example, these incredible vegan miso teriyaki seitan sandwiches I made recently!), so when a day in NYC with my friend, Natalie, brought us to her favorite restaurant, Franchia, for lunch, I was thrilled! Franchia is a completely vegan restaurant serving Asian fusion food, and it’s fantastic. 

This restaurant has a whole separate menu devoted to tea, so of course I had to get a cup!

I selected the White Peony tea which I loved! It was aromatic and floral with a subtle, but slightly sweet flavor. It was a perfect way to warm up on a cold NYC day, and also a perfect complement to all the yummy food I ate!

For an appetizer, we shared Vermicelli Spring Rolls with Mango Citron Sauce!

The crispy wrapping was a wonderful textural pair with the vermicelli rice noodles and finely chopped carrots and mushrooms inside, and the bright and sweet dipping sauce was delightful as well!

The main event was my Avocado Stone Bowl.

On the menu, Stone Bowls and Bibimbap are side by side with the same toppings, but Stone Bowls cost one dollar extra. I wasn’t quite sure upon first glance what would be the advantage of having this meal in a Stone Bowl would be, but it sounded intriguing. Natalie informed me that the mysterious Stone Bowl was indeed worth the extra dollar, and I’m soooo glad I listened!

The Stone Bowl is not merely a bowl, but a bowl that comes to the table piping hot and sizzling! It’s a show-stopping bowl. My bowl came filled with brown rice and mountains of mushrooms, carrots, tofu, and avocado, and topped with crispy nori! The sauce served on the side to drizzle over the fresh and hearty veggies, a ginger soy sauce, was reminiscent of the ginger dressing often served with the salads at sushi restaurants. The best part of the steaming Stone Bowl is that it heats up the rice that sticks to the bottom, gradually turning it golden brown and crispy!

Though vegan food often gets a reputation for not being filling, I left thoroughly satisfied and completely stuffed! Franchia was a wonderful vegan treat!

Enjoy! 🙂 Love, The Perky Foodie