The V.V. Vegan Fried Chicken Showdown 🍿, Battle 9:
Superiority Burger vs. Chickpea & Olive

Here it is! The battle that decides which tofu-based vegan fried chicken would move into the Finals. The Finals!! I’ve said a lot about both Superiority Burger and Chickpea & Olive in previous posts, so I’m going to jump right in and let them go at it.

Superiority Burger, East Village
Tofu Fried Tofu (TFT)

The TFT is a sandwich of legend. And after several, I am a believer. Each one I savor confirms a love that fights my inherit cynicism and exceeds the sandwich’s “a thing”ness, a New York City whim, a trend. It deserves the hype.

Mondays are tough. Especially a rainy Monday. But, honestly, I welcome the cold weather and rain when I have to head to Superiority Burger for their Monday-only special. It means the line isn’t tremendous and I can have a seat… and photograph it comfortably. When it arrives I am always shocked by how small it is. But really, it’s the bun that’s small, accentuating the tofu cutlet intensely. And that is why you want it. Tofu done so right that it doesn’t seem like tofu at all to omnivores. But I love tofu. And I know that this is just the best tofu can be.

So just look, as I always say. Because looking is an important part of the ritual.

Crunch and crag… delicious slaw and, by golly, a creamy mayo that blows my mind. So much that I always have to double-confirm it vegan.

I want to take a picture after each bite. Cuz taking a picture and love, for me, go hand-in-hand.

A pleasure as always, Superiority Burger. A pleasure that’d be hard to beat.

Chickpea and Olive, Williamsburg
ChK’N Fried Tofu Sandwich

Unlike Superiority Burger, Chickpea and Olive‘s fried tofu sandwich is available everyday. But you have to survive Williamsburg’s Whole Foods, which I honestly wish was once again the barren neighborhood from the mid-90’s I used to trek through en route to Domsey’s 4-floor thrift warehouse. But I digress. Let’s get to the sandwich.

Considering my previous concerns with Chickpea‘s vegan chicken sandwich, I ordered double cutlets and no sauces so it may closely align with its battle competitor. And I inhaled it lovingly. But the stacked double patty made it too thick and unwieldy… and the double crust of breading, a bit quick to get soggy, similar to Modern Love’s. Jeez, it is difficult to nit-pick such a yummy sandwich. But this is for the Finals!

The texture of their tofu beats Superiority Burger‘s, but other small details, like garnish (iceberg lettuce–meh) in the face of the technical wizardry of Superiority Burger seals the deal.

Winner: Superiority Burger 🎉

Superiority Burger has officially made it to the Finals! Its competitor in the final round, the championship round, would be the winner of a seitan bout: Gradient vs. Renegades of Sunset. This one is going to be a doozy for me. Though I can’t wait to have both of their amazing sandwiches again, I am dreading having to make a choice between them.