The V-Spot Review

I love Groupon and local deal emails, and last week I had the chance to treat 3 of my friends to dinner at the vegan restaurant The V-Spot in Brooklyn. With the 4 appetizers and 4 entrees included in my Groupon deal, we had a FEAST. Yay for Groupons! Out of the 4 of us, I’m the only one who eats mostly vegan, so it was fun to take some meat eaters to a vegan place to see what they thought.

Overall, everyone really enjoyed the food and had a great time. Plus, we were all stuffed when we left (who says vegan fare is not filling?). Our favorite meal items were the Latin-inspired dishes. This is no surprise as The V-Spot is owned by two Brooklyn natives of predominantly Colombian descent. It was Friday night, the restaurant was busy, and we waited about 30 minutes for a table. Luckily, we scored seats at the bar and sipped on sake mojitos to pass the time. Yum!

Read on for our thoughts on each dish. We shared everything, so I had a chance to try a bunch of food! I will definitely be back to the V-Spot. I’d love to try their brunch someday soon.

Sake Mojito – This drink was so delicious and refreshing, I had two. In addition to the sake and fresh mint, it had a splash of champagne for a little fizz. Mmm, I want to make these at home. There was a slight sweetness in there but I’m not sure what it was. Maybe agave?

Appetizer:  Nachos – We all loved the nachos with black beans, guacamole, salsa, soy sour cream, and “cheeze” (probably Daiya cheese). The chips were the best part. They were thick, crunchy, and most likely made fresh. I’m making nachos like these the next time we have friends over.

Appetizer: Empanadas – Another Latin-inspired dish, the empanadas were a big favorite for the night. The crispy flour crust was perfectly cooked, and they were packed with potato, onion, carrot, cilantro, corn, and “Latin-flavored soy” with guac and salsa on the side. You can’t go wrong with these empanadas. They were awesome.

Appetizer: Buffalo “Chicken” – One of my friends went crazy for these skewers. The BBQ sauce was spicy and just like you’d expect on your favorite chicken wings. If you don’t like the texture of meat substitutes like tofu or seitan, then you might not like these, but the sauce was definitely a winner. I really enjoyed them, especially with a side of carrots and celery.

Appetizer: Raw Nori Rolls – This raw appetizer was made with ginger almond pate, spinach, cucumber, carrots and was served on a dish with shoyu, wasabi, and pickled ginger. It was refreshing and a great choice for a sushi lover.

Entree: Whole Wheat Lasagna – The first entree I tried was the lasagna. It was cooked well and had a nice tomato sauce and side salad, but the mild spices made it our least favorite once it sat next to the Latin dishes on the table.

Entree: Bandeja Paisa – I think this was everyone’s favorite entree. It was a variety plate of seasoned brown rice and beans, plantains, avocado, sauteed seitan, vegan chorizo, and a small arepa con “queso.” The whole plate was bursting with Colombian flavors and there was enough for all 4 of us to try everything.

Entree: Pad Thai – This Pad Thai was very tasty. Not a major stand out, but definitely well done. I loved all the sesame seeds on top and really enjoyed the carmelized broccoli pieces to give it some extra flavor.

Entree: Quinoa w/ Curried Kale – The curried tofu, kale, chickpeas, and carrots were a favorite for my boyfriend. He loves curry, and the spices and chickpeas reminded him of his favorite Carribbean-style dishes. The mixed quinoa also had great flavor. It was savory with onions, pepper, and spices. I was also digging that the kale was not overdone. Bright in color and oh-so-delicious.

I hope you enjoyed my review! Check out the V-Spot if you’re in Brooklyn. Even if you’re not vegan, there’s a lot of things that are pleasing to meat eaters. My 3 friends left happy with full bellies.