The V.V. Vegan Fried Chicken Showdown 🍿, Battle 6:
Chickpea & Olive vs. Petisco Vegano

Moving swiftly towards a vegan fried chicken crown, I give you Battle 6! The formidable Chickpea and Olive faces off versus new jack Petisco Vegano, a new lower east side all-vegan spot who, like Honeybee’s, were placed in Round 2 without a previous win, yes (like Hartbreakers), but also without my never even trying the place! That is just the way the brackets were formed–mostly to ensure the Showdown would not linger too long as the Burger Battle had. So on that note, let’s get going!

Chickpea and Olive, Williamsburg
ChK’N Fried Tofu Sandwich

Ah, Chickpea and Olive‘s fried tofu sandwich in Battle 2 was spectacular. I was sure with every bite I took that they’d make it very far. So as I door-busted their food court spot in Williamsburg’s Whole Foods, I felt confident about this being a pivotal second visit.

I opted for the barbecue sauce smothered fried tofu sandwich, which I suppose I ought not do next time so I may compare more accurately. The sauce made it feel and taste like a McRib, a childhood favorite before I became food woke. The breaded patty crunched (yesssss) as my teeth sank into it and the tofu was exactly the standard I had been comparing all to–the result of the freezing technique. Perfection…

…but it was like a third less smaller then it had been in Battle 2! I had to position it to show under the bun in order to photograph it. Then after I devoured it, I was left with several bites of just bun. Now, their bun is thee best, and that is important, but the proportion was way off. Fried tofu piece was too small. Perhaps to entice you to buy multiple as they offer? But one piece was more than satisfying on my visit for Battle 2.

Not only was the piece smaller, it was far thinner as well. It was not the hunk of sandwich I have always gotten from Chickpea and Olive. (Here, our 5-year history) Now—what I ate was amazing. The bun, the crunch of the patty, the fixings–great cold, fresh contrasts, the tofu preparation. All really good. I was just bummed about the size.

A close-up on that tofu texture. They do it right! But will size matter in this tofu vs. tofu battle, let us get to the Lower East Side.

Petisco Vegano, Lower East Side
Coconut Fried Tofu Sandwich

This quaint light-filled space at Petisco Vegano was so pleasant, the french fries totally yummy and service sweet… but none of those thing have anything to do with this battle! It was their coconut fried tofu sandwich that I have to focus on. Presentation-wise, it screamed “Eat me.” I can see the vegan fried chicken pieces loud and clear.

Breaded nicely with coconut and fried beautifully, the tofu looked spectacular… but didn’t deliver on taste unfortunately. It had a vinegary taste that was slightly off-putting. Or like umani gone wrong? I couldn’t put my finger on it. Was it a marinade the tofu had soaked in? Was it within the breading? I really couldn’t tell you. But I just didn’t enjoy the overall flavor of the sandwich.

Additionally, the tofu didn’t really have a texture beyond its breading. And the bun, looking like two bun tops, was just too much bread to play nicely with that loose-textured tofu. Some good ideas here (the coconut breading!), but it looks as though Petisco Vegano won’t move on into the semi-finals.

Winner: Chickpea & Olive 🎉

Chickpea and Olive advance to the semi-finals! I am thrilled with the next two face-offs: The Battle of the Salt Shaker: Hartbreakers‘s salty seitan vs. the cumulative salt of all that stuff Orchard Grocer likes to put on their sandwich specials and the high-end restaurateur East Village brawl where Superiority Burger James Beard-awarded chef Brooks Headley faces the empire of Ravi Derossi and its vegan rendition of barbecue at Honeybee’s. It’s a lot of food but just a few blocks from each other.

Interested in joining me in the East Village Battle? Please contact me reviewing a recent vegan meal you’ve eaten. #mightdeletelater