WbLL- what boredom looks like...

I must admit I am a vegetarian that stays away from vegetarian restaurant. You would think that in the new millennium there would be more choices for us non-meat eaters, but I find that most restaurants fall into two categories: a) the Chinese wonder: whose menu consist of fake meat smothered in an unrecognizable gravy; b) the tasteless wonder: whose menu consists of near raw or raw dishes that are slapped together more for color than taste. With no hope in sight I started eating fish, and disregarded vegetarian restaurants all together.

Recently I had a ‘Big Mac Daddy’ at the Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop, and instantly I was brought back to the nostalgia of vegetarian cuisine. Let me dispel the myth that it is easy to find a good veggie burger in the city. It is probably as hard as finding its fattier cousin—a good hamburger. Sure any dope can slap a bean/vegetable concoction on a grill, but few can make appetizing. On the other hand, Tiny’s burger, is a colorful and flavorful version of the comfort food. And if you can manage to take a bite without the contents falling on your lap, you will find the flavors well-balanced and delicious. My only criticism is that such a burger should be paired with a hearty fries. And unfortunately their only accompaniments are chips, sodas and water.

Tiny’s Giant Sandwich shop offers an array of other classic diner sandwiches. And if you are being especially picky, their menu allows you to construct your own masterpiece. Though it wasn’t enough to convert me back to vegetarianism, the ‘Big Mac Daddy’ gave me a glimmer of hope for the future of vegetarian cuisine.

*ms. b

Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop

129 Rivington Street 212.982.1690

Labels: Eating Out, New York