30 Rock’s Cheesy Blasters: I Made Them! 

     Several people, both vegan and omnivorous, told us about Feelings, saying it was a great dinner spot for vegans and omnivores to go together. They have a traditional and very exciting main menu, along with an entire separate vegan menu! It’s pretty much the restaurant equivalent of when both parties in Congress sit together at the State of the Union.

The food didn’t blow me away like some parts of Seed did, but overall it was good and very enjoyable. Still, the best part, and why it’s so recommended (especially for couples on their honeymoon?), is because most of the tables are in an inner courtyard, filled with flowers, plants, little fountains, and a lovely, intimate atmosphere. 

I started with the Emerald City Salad, solely because of the name and because it was kale-based. I hadn’t had kale in DAYS. The salad was tossed in an olive oil dressing with bell peppers, fennel, and a Cajun grain mix. There were a bit too many peppers for my taste and not enough fennel or grains, but it was still pretty good. The kale pieces should have been chopped a bit smaller, though. I did some very unladylike maneuvering of the larger kale pieces. NBD, I mean it’s not like I have any table manners anyway. 

For my entree, I had the wonderful Potato Tempeh Patties. You have the option of getting two of these patties, one of them and one Eggplant and Creole Tomato Napoleon thing, or two of the latter. While the waitress didn’t believe that I understood – because I guess most people like to get one of each option – I vehemently stuck to my order of two potato tempeh patties because I read on LazySmurf’s blog that they were fuuuuunom. And she was right! They were wonderful, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. I love tempeh, and blending it with potato sounds like the perfect thing to do. The tomato topping was a little too vinegary; I would have preferred something a little creamier, like a tomato cashew cream, rather than a vinaigrette. But it was still very good! The side of zucchini ribbons was kind of ridiculous. They should have been actual ribbons, sliced with a mandolin or a spiralizer, but instead they were just long chopped zucchini pieces. So that was kind of dumb. 

We also shared a mushroom boudin, a vegan take on the very famous local sausage. I’m sure using seitan or soy would have produced a more realistic dish, but I liked the mushroom base. It was served with some decent bread. OH important note – the garlic bread that they put on the table at the beginning is NOT vegan. 

The different kinds of mushrooms were mixed with jasmine rice and coconut oil, and steamed in a corn husk. It was really fun to play with the corn husk, but I think it made it a little too soft. It would have been even better with some crispy edges. It was still pretty yummy though!

The desserts were just sorbet – restaurant cheating/laziness in my opinion – and a carrot torte that sounded good but I had that Whole Foods carrot cake waiting. The staff didn’t rush us at all, though, so we just sat and enjoyed the lovely atmosphere for a little longer. 

Overall, Feelings was a wonderful dinner spot. While the food wasn’t amazing, it was solid and enjoyable. The courtyard setting is so beautiful with all the greenery and candlelight, so if you are looking for a romantic spot, this is where you should go. 

FEELINGS, NEW ORLEANS
Water speed: Pretty good! 
Bathrooms: Ahhhh I don’t remember!!! That’s probably good? 
Service: Very very nice and helpful. 
Food: Solid! 
Bonus: Sit in the lovely courtyard and you will be so happy.  

     When I arrived in Sarajevo after an entire day on an extraordinarily gross train, I was cranky, dirty, and really darn hungry. It was a Sunday night, and I didn’t realize how many places would be closed. I was ready and willing to go to any kind of restaurant or café, no matter what they had for me, as long as it was open. We couldn’t find anything. For hours, we wandered, losing hope, sanity, and patience. Finally, we peeked down an alley and saw a light on. It was at Tavola, an Italian restaurant. They were open! HALLELUJAH!
     I didn’t care that I usually have no luck at Italian restaurants, as their menus are usually heavy with meat and pasta made with eggs. I would have been happy with white bread and an iceberg salad. I just needed food!
     However, Tavola had a great vegetarian-friendly menu, and a very helpful staff. I would go back here in a heartbeat.

     To start, I ordered a mixed salad, expecting the usual subpar mix of lettuce, onion, and tomato. What I received was like heaven – greens, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, corn, and beans! BEANS! You really miss beans when you don’t get them for awhile. I felt better instantly. No picture exists of this salad, because it only existed for about 4 seconds before I went all velociraptor on it. 

     I assumed I wouldn’t be having any sort of pasta, but I saw that they had a gnocchi dish, which should be made without egg, especially if I’m coming. I asked the waiter to check with the kitchen if a) it contained egg or dairy products, and b) if not, if that dish could be made without any of the various types of meat on top. The answers came back – no and yes! Woohoo! I mean, as long as they were the answers in the correct order, I was ecstatic!