When I was a kid, the only vegetarian I knew was Mr. Spock from Star Trek.
In the Eastern North Carolina fishing community and on the various military bases where I grew up, it was a theoretical designation. We knew they were out there, like people with one blue eye and one green. But it was rare to actually meet one.
Then, in the mid-1990s, my Marine father was stationed in central Connecticut, and my family had a series of comic cultural awakenings. Sandwiches were grinders. Liquor came from the package store. And some people—even people my age—ate no meat.
The 90s were not a vintage decade for vegetarian deliciousness. You could live on French fries, Oreos, cheese pizza—and some of my teen veggie friends did. Beyond that, you really had to love a salad, be very into tofu, or convince yourself those soy-based hockey puck burgers from Morningstar Farms were perfectly fine.
In college, I dated a vegan with green hair and a nose ring for whom I would have given up not just meat but sunlight and oxygen. As UNCG students, we had many an imitation-chicken-based meal at Boba House on Tate Street, which I found…you know, just fine. My personal flirtation with vegetarianism expired with that relationship.
In my 30s, I began to see the health consequences of the heavy meat-with-a-side-of-meat diets of my family. For years, I gave it up for reasons all my own. By then, vegetarian food had come a long way. A journalist friend even got me to go fully vegan with three simple words: “You probably couldn’t.”
Turned out I could —and it felt great. With an adult’s taste buds and view of nutrition, I found there were delicious vegan swaps for everything but cheese. I lost weight, lifted more at the gym, and ran faster, saw improvements in my skin, digestion, sleep, and mood. But over the years, out of convenience and laziness, animal products worked their way back into my diet.
But in the new year, as we all try to reconnect with our better selves for at least a few months, I had a look at some of modern Greensboro’s plant-based offerings—and they’re shockingly good.
I could tell you about the imitation chicken curry at Pho Hien Vuong or sing the praises of some of the city’s best vegan sushi rolls. But if you’re a dedicated carnivore, I’m going to send you straight to Mike’s Vegan Grill on Gate City Boulevard and Romeo’s Vegan Burgers on Tate Street.
At Mike’s, you’ve got to try the Colombiana Burger—Hawaiian bun, sliced pineapple, crushed potato chips, Pepper Jack “cheese,” and a house sauce. I don’t pretend to know how it’s both plant-based and as delicious as anything at the much vaunted Hop’s Burger Bar. I don’t want nutritional information. That’s frankly none of my business. But you’re going to thank me.
At Romeo’s, I can recommend both the vegan hot dogs and the BBQ Bacon Burger, which had me wondering just how plant-based it could actually be. Should PETA look into this?
Of course, burgers and fries aren’t the cornerstone of nutritious vegan eating. If you are looking to eat a little healthier this year, these are, as Cookie Monster might say, “sometimes foods.” But for meat lovers, these are good gateways—a look at the parameters of the possible. Maybe, like me, the meager veggie options of yesteryear didn’t make your mouth water. That’s understandable. Step into the future with some of this stuff. You’ll be glad you did.