Brilliant Corners, London: Wonderful Japanese Food, Weird Name, Atrocious Service
Related Posts
Juice Merchant: Main Line Philly’s Awesome New Vegan Restaurant
THE FOOD
Lastly, we ordered the mushroom flatbread. There are three flatbreads, including one Hawaiian style made with jackfruit that sounds amazing. This is a big ole pizza-like shebang for $10, with mushrooms, walnuts, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and topped with red onion, parsley, mint, and lemon juice on top of a whole lot of melted cheese. I think they use Daiya – I’m not sure, I should have asked, but it seemed like Daiya – so if you don’t absolutely adore Daiya or just a lot of cheese in general, ask for less cheese than usual. I don’t mind Daiya – I’d prefer if they switched to Violife, which is the best and would be amazing even in an overdose – so the one change I’d make is the lemon juice. I don’t think it’s necessary and I think that was the culprit that detracted from the goodness overall of all the rest of the ingredients. There was something just a tad off, sharp, and I think it was lemon juice. The mushrooms and cheesiness without it would be like creamy and warm and amazing. The mushroom and nut mix is a great idea to add more substance, and the bread was a little crispy and a little chewy. Overall it was pretty good.
Anyway, that’s enough about food. Juice Merchant also has a killer drinks menu – juices, smoothies, and coffee! I didn’t take a pic of the coffee options because I’m not a coffee drinker but even so I was still impressed by the extensive list.
THE DESSERT
Aside from the VT, there’s MORE dessert that is indeed house-made, and it’s amazing. We tried the chia pudding and the avocado mousse that you can sort of see in the big display case picture below. Both were SO good. I think I preferred the avocado mousse more even though I’m a huge chia head (ch ch ch chia!) because they made that subtle cocoa flavor just spot on.
The best part (how many best parts did I already say there were?) aside from the great food and drinks and the amazing desserts was how nice the staff was. And that there’s a big clean bathroom. And that they give a discount for teachers which I LOVE. Hooray for being kind to teachers. I can’t get over how perfect this place is and how close it is to my USA home. I can’t wait to go back and I highly recommend that you go if you can. Next time I think the chocolate peanut butter banana whip will be my first order of business. Or the carrot-maca juice. Or the blue magik smoothie. Or the veggie burger; I must try theirs! Or the cabbage and seitan salad! Oh my god I want everything. Who am I kidding it will be the peanut butter mousse cakey-pie thing. Okay now I’m hungry and I have to cook for myself ughhhhh. Go and enjoy!
Veganizing “Friends”: Pulling a Monica, Lasagna-Style
Rachel: Has anybody seen my engagement ring?
Phoebe: Yeah, it’s beautiful.
Rachel: Oh God, oh God, oh God oh God oh God oh God…. (Starts to look under the couch cushions.)
Phoebe: No, look, don’t touch that!
Rachel: Oh, like I wasn’t dreading tomorrow enough, having to give it back to him… ‘Hi Barry! Remember me? I’m the girl in the veil who stomped on your heart in front of your entire family!’ Oh God and now I’m gonna have to return the ring, without the ring, which makes it so much harder…
Monica: Easy Rach, we’ll find it. (To all) Won’t we!
Chandler and Joey: Oh! Yeah!
Joey: Alright, when’d’ya have it on last?
Phoebe: Doy! Probably right before she lost it!
Chandler: You don’t get a lot of ‘doy’ these days…
Rachel: I know I had it this morning, and I know I had it when I was in the kitchen with…
Chandler: …Dinah?
Rachel: (looks at the lasagna and realizes something) Ohhhhh, don’t be mad…
Monica: You didn’t.
Rachel: Oh, I am sorry…
Monica: I gave you one job! (Starts to examine the lasagna through the bottom of the glass pan.)
Rachel: Oh, but look how straight those noodles are!
I enjoyed my cheesy hummus sauce that I made for The Joey Special so much that I wanted to do a similar white bean-based cheese sauce for the lasagna. I saw a few bloggers also using bean-based cheese in lasagna sauce lately, so I knew it could be done. Then, I baked eggplant and zucchini slices, sauteed onions, mushrooms, and garlic, and made/maybe-used-a-store-bought marinara sauce and layered it all together, as you do.
SPINACH & WHITE BEAN
CHEESY SAUCE Ingredients:
|
- Blend all ingredients except the spinach in a blender until smooth
- Transfer to a mixing bowl with the spinach, and mix. Taste for salt and pepper.
For the baked vegetables:
For the sauteed mushrooms:
Saute the garlic and onion in a bit of olive oil over medium high heat for about 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until browning and all the water evaporates. |
This came out so well! My omnivorous dinnermates attacked it before I could even get a finished picture, and gave it a great review. I think I might make a bean-based cheese instead of a tofu-based one every time I make lasagna! When I finally got to cut my own piece I AHHH WHAT’S THIS OH NO WHAT HAPPENED I RUINED IT! Look what’s in there har har! |
- In another lasagna-themed “Friends” episode, why did Judy have to serve frozen lasagna at her party instead of what Monica made?
- What did Rachel learn when she did return the ring to her ex-fiance?
- What is your favorite Judy Gellar moment? Can you guess mine? (Haha that’s not fair but try!)