Macro-Licious @ CHAMPS in Brooklyn
I thought Champs was a bakery. Not that there is anything wrong with that – I will travel very far for vegan food, especially a bakery. Although they do make their own baked items, Champs is a straight up diner. Well you know.. nothing is really totally straight in Williamsburg. What I mean is that it’s a full on diner with everything from tofu scramble to vegan ropa veija- what? I’m in heaven. This diner “feel” wasn’t just from the menu; I felt like it wouldn’t be odd at all if the staff were to break out in roller skates or something. Champs is authentic ol’ skool – like a trendy 1940’s Mel’s diner except the sassy South attitude is replaced with loud hipster music playing in the background. They have hot waiters with their own style, one friendlier then the next. They have those old fashion soda pop circle spin stools attached to the ground, board games from Spin the Bottle to Ouija, and really trendy fun retro signs.
Everything I have ordered there in the past few months has been amazing. If I’m going to be good.. I choose the Macro plate. If I’m going to be bad, then it’s the shoe string fries, grilled cheese jalapeño or buffalo chicken. I make myself feel better by asking for it on whole wheat. If I’m in between, I go with the tofu/ tempeh club racer on marble rye. I generally know as a rule of thumb that the macro plate is one of the healthiest items to order anywhere in which it is offered. It’s interesting how easily one gets tempted away from that though
with the vegan-gone-wild imitation of just about anything. Thanks to some courage to stand up to my secret indulgences, I ordered healthy. MACRO-LICIOUS! I was not let down for one second. I loved everything about this from the way it was packed into the round bowl to the sauces they spoiled me with. I normally try to eat half of a macro plate since they are normally quite large. The sesame sauce did me in. I know I ordered well and loved their choices for the macro meal. I had brown rice, black mbeans, tempeh, vegetables and sauerkraut. Usually it’s seaweed but I like the idea of sauerkraut which is healthy and a probiotic if prepared correctly. I couldn’t decide on a dressing so they gave me both plus some homemade hummus. I’m not sure if the sauce is a secret but I ask each time. It’s a sesame ginger sauce that I can’t seem to replicate.
Honestly, everything was incredible from the food to the neighborhood retro diner vibe. You know it’s good when there is a line outside in the freezing cold. Have a mentioned that they deliver too – day and night time. Champs.. doing vegan right! Thank you xo
