Willow Vegan Bistro
All-new, All-vegan in Chelsea

My head is spinning with the quantity of vegan options on my hit list–in all of New York City’s boroughs! I will be devoting the next few weeks to taming this beast of a list. Starting today.

I was counting down the days to Willow‘s grand opening in Manhattan’s Chelsea, an eatery I moved straight to the top of my list. The new high-end comfort food restaurant from Chef Guy Vaknin of Beyond Sushi fame had several dishes I needed to eat… and its menu promises an elevated level of quality right up this discerning vegan’s alley.

But it was the Buttermilk Fried Chicken sandwich that won out in the end. After completing my New York City Vegan Fried Chicken Showdown (and, in general, being vegan for 24 years), I consider myself a bit of an expert. The technical execution of this sandwich, when it’s made from scratch, is so easily bombed. In a way the decision would be a meter of quality.

The sandwich was sublime. The tofu-based “chicken” cutlet was, thankfully, not a packaged processed food product though there is Impossible meat in some of the dishes at Willow. It had a crisp crunch, more akin to a fish & chip-style batter than a “fried chicken” craggy breading. With avocado, romaine, pickles, cabbage slaw, horseradish aioli, and a heavenly soft brioche bun, it had all the right moves. Had this bad boy been around during my Showdown, it would have gone very far… perhaps to the finals as I enjoyed it more so than Superiority Burger‘s T.F.T.

So now you’ll have to just read the thousand words each of these pictures says. It is as good as it looks.

You know I love a sandwich when I take a picture every bite.

I got the broccolini so I could get to $25 to get a free dessert–a grand opening promotion. No complaints here!

The Bananas Foster Cake was a must for me. It was mind-blowing, though more of a banana & strawberry shortcake. I’d love to swim about in a pool of its rum flambé sauce, surrounded by caramelized banana inner-tubes. I am salivating now.

Very impressed with my meal, Willow‘s other food offerings will definitely have me coming back sooner than later. I really look forward to indoor dining returning as the friendly staff and gorgeous space will better complement the food… not that I don’t enjoy a bench in a public park! Please check them out. They’re opening in a very difficult time.