Hot Chick'n Sandwich Combo at Vujee Vegan in Huntsville AL

I made my way back to Vugee Vegan in Huntsville AL today. I've been wanting to visit again for a while. I had a craving for a chick'n sandwich. 

This is Vujee Vegan's version of the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. This is a delicious hand-breaded fried chick'n "breast", deep fried and tossed in house-made spicy seasonings. This is served on a toasted vegan Hawaiian roll with sweet creamy slaw, spicy pickle slices, and vegan ranch sauce. This combo is served with a choice of waffle fries or Mesquite BBQ Kettle Chips. I always get the waffle fries.

Hot Chick'n Sandwich Combo at Vujee Vegan in Huntsville AL

Hot Chick'n Sandwich at Vujee Vegan in Huntsville AL

Everything about this meal was excellent! I loved the crunch of the large slab of vegan chick'n. It was crispy but still soft in the middle. The Nashville hot sauce was thick and spicy with a good amount of heat, but it was still mild enough for adventurous kids. The soothing vegan ranch, slaw, and pickles were all perfect with the hot sauce. More slaw would have made this great sandwich even better, but that's just a personal preference.

The perfectly cooked waffle fries were as good as the ones I get at Chick-Fil-A, maybe better since these were slightly crispier and not as oily.

Allergens are clearly listed on the Vujee Vegan menu and marked on each wrapped food item with a nice Vujee Vegan label. The use of labels is good marketing and also ensures that we all know what we have in our hands before we eat it.

The ordering process was very easy on the Vujee Vegan website. Call in and walk in orders are also taken. Walk in orders do require a wait of about 10-15 minutes. I've been using the website because it's so easy, and it shows options available, such as ingredient subtractions or extra sauces.

I've been visiting this place frequently over the last month. Every meal has been a real treat, and the people are very kind and friendly. The kitchen looks clean, and there's a peaceful place to sit and enjoy the calming music. This has become my new favorite place for vegan food in Huntsville. I will surely return very soon!

Click here to see the Vujee Vegan Website

One Table Huntsville 2023 Vegan Option

One again I had the pleasure of sharing a good meal with hundreds of people at the One Table event in Huntsville, AL. The event is designed to bring people together for a shared meal. Everyone met new people in a very positive setting with kindnesses and generosity all around. They had free food for all, and a good amount of us were eating from the vegan line. We were all very appreciative to have a vegan option again. The plant-based lifestyle is alive and well in Huntsville. 

One Table Huntsville 2023

This meal included a plant-based steak patty, a cornbread muffin, southern-style green beans, smokey vegan mac and cheese, dressing, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes.

One Table Huntsville 2022 Vegan Option

One Table is an event organized to "bring together people from all walks of life across our city, give thanks, create unity, and celebrate diversity." Free food with good people in a positive environment sounds pretty good, doesn't it? As participants of One Table Huntsville, we were offered a vegan option! Amazing!

One Table Huntsville 2022, vegan option

The vegan plate included vegan fried "chicken", seasoned rice, greens, carrots. cornbread, and cake. When I heard about free vegan food being given out, I was skeptical and doubtful. I assumed the vegan option would be mustard and tomato sandwiches with a side of ham-cooked green beans with the ham picked out. When I went through the line to get my free vegan food I was offered one great item after another. What a pleasant surprise! But was it good?

The vegan fried "chicken" was better than expected. It seemed to be fried wheat gluten. The texture was perfect. The taste was excellent. The rice was delicious and perfect. The greens were amazing! I love greens! I could have eaten the whole catering tray of those greens. The carrots were good. The sweet flavor was nice. I enjoyed every piece. The cornbread was good, maybe a bit sweeter than I prefer. Most vegan cornbread falls to pieces, but this stayed in one piece. The cake was very sweet, sticky, and soft with a coating of powdered sugar. I was also given a free bottle of water.

This was fun. The food was really good. Friendly, positive-minded people were everywhere, sitting together. I left like part of a huge family at a reunion in grandma's back yard. It was free. This was nothing but positive. I will return next year!

Vegan Cocktail; A Margarita at El Olmeca in Huntsville AL

El Olmeca doesn't have much for vegans. To keep things safe and simple I just got this awesome margarita. Oooooh. This was good!

Margarita at El Olmeca in Huntsville AL

Hippea Pot Pie from Hippea Camper in Huntsville AL

Hippea Camper in Huntsville AL had a new menu item, and I just had to try it. Take a look at this vegan pot pie!

Hippea Pot Pie from Hippea Camper in Huntsville AL

Upon first receiving this perfectly sized plant based meal, I glanced down at what was in my hand. Quickly I walked away like a shoplifting thief, knowing that I had just acquired something very good and that I would have no intentions of sharing. I wanted to inspect this in privacy, so I sat on a brightly painted bench away from others.

The crusty layered top coating of this pie reduced in size during the cooking process, allowing the creamy veggie-filled interior to peek out and tease me. I wasted no time with it. I went straight for the filling.

The guts of this pie included a thick gravy-like filling with chunks of vegan chick'n and all the veggies anyone would want in a pot pie. It was fantastic! I went for the crust. Also excellent! It looked like a blanket of lasagna noodles with some type of savory sauce on it. I'm really not sure. All of this was so good I didn't take the time to study it. I was just blissfully entranced and shamelessly gobbled it up like a B-movie zombie eating fresh human brains.

A conclusion is probably unnecessary. I clearly enjoyed this pot pie. The price was a bit high at $12, but it was worth it.

Just a reminder. Everything at Hippea Camper is vegan, and the food is always great.

Click here to see the Hippea Camper website

Piñata Quesadilla at Fire & Spice TexMex Smokehouse in Huntsville AL

Here's another good choice from the ironic but greatly appreciated vegan menu at Fire & Spice TexMex Smokehouse. The Piñata Quesadilla is vegan! It comes with one side. I chose the one side I knew was vegan, the Charro Beans.

Piñata Quesadillas at Fire & Spice TexMex Smokehouse in Huntsville AL

This was excellent. The quesadillas are made with vegan cheese. I was told this was cooked in a separate area from the meats. The flavors were so bright, layered, and harmonious. The portion size was enough for a big guy or for splitting into two smaller meals. The outer tortilla was perfectly crisp.

I do wish the vegan cheese was melted more, but vegan cheese just requires higher heat for melting, and that would possibly burn the other parts of the meal. So that was almost expected. This was quite oily once I started digging in. No big deal. They had rolls of paper towels at the table. The price was a bit high for quesadillas, but the awesome flavors and great service made it worth the price. Overall, this was great, and I'd like to order it again in the future. Vegans, just remind the server that you'd like to be sure everything is vegan safe. They know the V word at this smokehouse.

Another great thing about Fire & Spice is the cleanliness of the kitchen. I rarely find cleaner restaurants. If you sit at the bar, you can watch them make the food. 

Click here to see the Fire & Spice website

Another Southern Plate by Chef Will The Palate in Huntsville AL

During my visit, I had Chef Will make me a vegan Southern Plate. This included pinto beans, brown rice, greens, diced tomato, sliced avocado, and vegan cornbread, all on a bed of fresh greens. This was amazing! What a beautiful plate of plants!

Southern Plate by Chef Will The Palate in Huntsville AL

Chef Will The Palate is an award-winning vegetarian chef located in an old food trailer parked outside the Lowe Mill Arts facility in Huntsville. He's not always easy to find, and there is usually a line and a wait. It's worth the trouble, because he really is the best in town for vegans and vegetarians.
 

Barbecue Jackfruit Stuffed Baked Potato at Hippea Camper in Huntsville AL

I found the Hippea Camper at Huntsville's food truck rally. They had a new item on the menu, so I wanted to try it. Everything they sell is vegan and tastes good, so ordering is always easy for vegans and vegetarians.

The Barbecue Jackfruit Stuffed Baked Potato is another winner from Hippea Camper. The potato is loaded with barbecue jackfruit, vegan cheese, vegan sour cream. green onion, and vegan bacon bits. I enjoyed mine with a Hippea Tea.

Click here to see the Hippea Camper website

Piper & Leaf Tea Co. in Huntsville AL

I visited the Piper & Leaf Tea Co. shop in downtown Huntsville AL and decided to document it. I've tried several flavors over the years at their local shops and at events, but the Front Porch iced tea remains my favorite. In my opinion, this is the best tea anywhere in town. I'm a tea snob, so you can trust me. Piper & Leaf is the place to go for real tea in Huntsville, hot or cold. But it the price is really out of my range with the exception of rare events, random cravings, and special occasions. The reusable jar does save some money at the register, and they do currently have a loyalty card.

Front Porch Iced Tea at Piper & Leaf in Huntsville AL

A Vegan Brunch At Gold Sprint Coffee In Huntsville AL

I stopped in at Gold Sprint Coffee to try something new. This coffee house has a mild cycling theme, and it's located just steps from Lowe Mill. I was told they had a few vegan options.

Upon arrival I told them I'd like to try something vegan. I was given several options, and the most interesting coffee option was the El Camino. I chose the Garden Flatbread Sandwich. They hooked me up with the good stuff!

El Camino
This is described as "our take on a Mexican mocha, the El Camino is a double shot of espresso, house-made mocha and house-made habanero syrup, steamed milk and topped with cinnamon". I had mine with oat milk to make it vegan. It was absolutely beautiful and delicious all the way to the end. The habanero syrup gave my tongue a slight tingle. Excellent in every way! I may not ever try the other drinks. This is my drink!

Garden Flatbread Sandwich
This sandwich was not on the menu. I was told about it. It must be a secret sandwich. This seemed to be made with flatbread, hydroponic lettuce, hummus, and tomato. They said it was vegan. It came with a side of grapes. This was a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. The grapes went very well with the sandwich. Everything was clean and fresh. It was perfect in every way. The serving size was perfect for a brunch.

 

My first visit to Gold Sprint Coffee was great. I really enjoyed everything I ordered. The service was friendly and helpful. The interior was clean and decorated with slightly industrial furniture. Large glass windows provided a good view of the changing neighborhood. The dishes looked like Grandma's good dishes. The atmosphere seemed youthful, professional, casual, and slightly weird.

 

UPDATE: I returned later for another amazing El Camino, this time to-go. Again, the coffee was great. The service on my second visit was not at all friendly. I was barely greeted and was not thanked. I don't remember seeing a single smile. A crowd of bitter-faced posers inside created a pretentious vibe that just wasn't for me. Maybe it's just different on the weekends. I don't know. The perceived value was greatly diminished by my second experience. I do plan to return with the hopes that a more positive and enlightened crowd will be there.

Click here to see the Gold Sprint website 

A Vegan Loaded Potato From Get Loaded Food Truck In Huntsville AL

I had the opportunity to try another food truck in Huntsville AL. Get Loaded has vegan options!

When I approached the truck and read the menu I assumed there was nothing for me. But I saw they make potatoes and they have veggie toppings. I asked if there was any way they could throw something vegan together for me. They suggested a potato with all the veggies and with corn salsa but without sour cream, butter, cheese, or dressing. I thought that would be worth a try.

Vegan Loaded Potato from Get Loaded in Huntsville AL

My order was done in only about one minute. I was surprised to see this amazing mountain of fresh vegan favorites. There was a potato under there. You just can't see it. This included a baked potato, black beans, green bell pepper, tomato, red onion, black olives, corn, garlic, and jalapeno pepper.

This may have been the best veggie potato I've ever had. It was absolutely loaded with fresh, healthy toppings. The potato was perfectly cooked. The beautiful colors got some attention. People around me started asking about it. This was enough food to have 2 generous meals, so I ate half and had leftovers for later.

Vegans do have options at Get Loaded. This potato was clearly a winner. Vegetarians who eat dairy foods can get the Loaded Veggie Potato, Loaded Veggie Nachos, and Loaded Veggie Fry Bread right from the menu. And omnivores will love Get Loaded. I saw some of the other foods coming out of the food truck. It all looked awesome.

This was a great experience. I now have another food truck option in Huntsville AL.

Click here to see the Get Loaded Facebook page 

Vegan Biscuits And Gravy At Mason Dixon Bakery In Huntsville AL

I've been wanting to try something new at Mason Dixon Bakery for a while. I finally made my way back. This time it was for breakfast. Here's what I ordered.

Vegan biscuits and gravy!

Vegan Biscuits And Gravy At Mason Dixon Bakery In Huntsville AL

The COVID-19 pandemic forced me to enjoy this breakfast in the front seat of my car. Mason Dixon was only doing curbside service. The curbside service was fast and friendly.

This was a very good vegan version of a southern classic breakfast. They did a good job with the vegan biscuits. Those can be tricky. These didn't have the light fluff of real buttermilk biscuits, and they did seem a bit heavy, but the taste was nearly right on. The gravy was very flavorful with large chunky, funky mushrooms. The peppery creamy gravy, along with the exotic flavor of the mushrooms, gave my tongue a tingle. This was almost a mushroom overload with mushrooms in every bite. Because I usually have a very light breakfast, if any at all, I was unprepared for the heaviness of this traditional breakfast. This should satisfy any regular breakfast eater.

The price was a bit high for biscuits and gravy, but there's really no other place that I'm aware of to get this in Huntsville. And this was very good. It was worth the price as a special occasion. The price was $9.

Once again, Mason Dixon Bakery gave me another really good meal to remember. This was another rare vegan breakfast option in Huntsville.

Click here to see the Mason Dixon Bakery website

Taco Rice Bowl From Hippea Camper In Huntsville AL

This is one of my favorites at Hippea Camper. The Taco Rice bowl includes basmati rice, meatless crumbles, black beans, vegan sour cream, vegan cheddar cheese, lettuce, avocado, and homemade hot salsa. This is probably the best food in town at the moment. I added a Hippea Camper lemonade to make the meal complete.

Taco Rice Bowl From Hippea Camper in Huntsville AL

Click here to see the Hippea Camper website

Bread Winner From Hippea Camper In Huntsville AL

The Bread Winner is toast with avocado mash, tomato, red pepper flakes, and microgreens. This is another good product from Hippea Camper, the plant-based food truck in Huntsville.

Bread Winner from Hippea Camper in Huntsville AL

Click here to see the Hippea Camper website

A Take-out Lunch At Ruchi In Huntsville AL

Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, I was required to order take-out only at Ruchi. There's a few picnic tables outside, so that worked out fine. This was my first visit to Ruchi. I ordered Bagara Baingan and Aloo Gobi. Each item came with a side of rice in a separate container.

Bagara Baingan
 
This dish was described as baby eggplant sauteed in a peanut masala sauce. It was clearly marked vegan on the menu. The sauce was surprisingly spicy and hot. That's okay. I loved it! It was full of wonderful flavor layers. The eggplant was soft. The sauce texture was similar to applesauce. The flavors were harmonious. I needed the rice with this one. It was hot! I'll be getting this one again later.

Aloo Gobi

The Aloo Gobi was mild and equally tasty. It was described as potato and cauliflower in a masala sauce. It too was clearly marked vegan on the menu. I got mostly cauliflower in this one. I would have enjoy having more potatoes, but this was completely satisfying just as it was if I had not expected more potatoes. This was another great choice. Very good!


My first visit to Ruchi in Huntsville was great. I wish the COVID-19 pandemic had not robbed me of the pleasure of eating inside and getting drink refills and table service. The restaurant interior appeared to be clean with a good choice of decorations. The service was great. The price was reasonable for the quality of the food. The serving sizes were generous. I especially liked the menu being marked for vegans. I am conscious of the fact that the fried foods listed as vegan may share frying oil with the meats, so very strict vegans should probably avoid those items or at least ask about them before ordering. I enjoyed my lunch at Ruchi and hope to return soon!

Another Vegan Bowl at Fresko Grille in Huntsville AL

My first visit to Fresko Grille was so good I had to return for more. This visit was as good as the first. Look at this beautiful bowl of veggies!

A vegan bowl at Fresko Grille in Huntsville AL

This bowl included the following:

PICK ONE BASE: Basmati Rice
PICK ONE PROTEIN: Falafel
PICK ONE SALAD: Lentils
SPREAD: Red Pepper Hummus, Baba Ganoush
PICK AS MANY AS YOU LIKE VEGGIES: Spiced Chickpeas, pickled turnips, olives, carrots
SAUCE: tahini

Click here to see the Fresko Grille website

 

Jackfruit Street Tacos Meal With Mac & Cheese From Hippea Camper In Huntsville AL

The Hippea Camper in Huntsville AL has more new menu items I needed to try. This was my first time trying the Jackfruit and the Mac & Cheese. Both were completely satisfying!

This is another excellent choice for anyone who has a mouth and likes to please it. The jackfruit tacos had all the expected characteristics of a good barbecue street taco, except this was made with plant material. Everything at Hippea Camper is vegan. The slaw was crisp, tangy, and creamy. The thick barbecue sauce was rich in flavor and tickled my tongue. The jackfruit had a soft shredded texture. Somewhere in there I tasted a hint of celery. The crisp pickle slices made it perfect. This menu item was alive with flavor. Carnivores, please try this. You'll love it!

The Mac & Cheese had a slightly smokey flavor like Grandma's country style mac & cheese. The sauce was thick and creamy, and the noodles were perfectly softened. Because this had a flavor unlike my usual mac and cheese choices, my mouth was confused at first. After the first one or two bites I got into the groove of this mac & cheese and it was very good. I'll get this again if it stays on the menu.

The Jackfruit comes in two forms. They can also make a Jackfruit sandwich with a potato bun. Also, it comes with chips, but I upgraded to Mac & Cheese instead. This meal was $12 plus a good tip.

Click here to see the Hippea Camper website

En-chill-adas From Hippea Camper In Huntsville AL

This was my first time trying the En-chill-adas. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was served in a closed take-out container. I had no idea what this would look like when I ordered it. I assumed it was another bowl, because Hippea Camper does several bowl dishes. I opened this up and smiled with amazement. This was visually beautiful. I began to eat. The flavors were equally as satisfying. The En-chill-ads is another winner from Hippea Camper!

En-chill-adas from Hippea Camper in Huntsville AL

The menu says this is made with basmati rice, beans, adobo sauce, avocado, sour cream, cheese, tortillas, and salsa. I think maybe they also put a little bit of heaven in there. This tasted like real food. Remember this is all plant-based too.

This was almost the real thing. It was served with flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas. But the other ingredients tasted authentic enough to help me forget about the missing corn. Corn is almost always GMO in 2020 anyway, so this is even better. I will definitely be ordering this again. With plant-based food this good, there's no need for meat!

Click here to see the Hippea Camper website

Mongolian Veggies At MeiWei In Huntsville AL

To make this vegan I ordered it with just veggies and with no chicken seasoning. This was really good!

Mongolian Veggies at MeiWei in Huntsville AL

Click here to see the Mei Wei website

Vegan Cocktail; Pineapple Caipirinha at Sip in Huntsville AL

Here's a good mixed drink for people who like citrus drinks. This is Cachaca 51 rum with pineapple and lemon on the rocks.