Norfolk, VA bites

 

Amtrak recently extended its North East Regional service to Norfolk, VA. My boyfriend and I love to explore cities via train, so we decided to make a mini-trip to this new end of the line. An otherwise sleepy, Southern city, Norfolk has one of the most active ports I've ever seen. We gawked at the naval vessels, rode the free ferry for kicks, and spotted Peta's headquarters on the Elizabeth River. And, of course, we sampled some of the vegan fare that Norfolk has to offer. Here are some highlights:

In the Ghent neighborhood, we split a sandwich at Cogan's Pizza, 1901 Colonial Avenue. This vegan "chicken" Philly sub (above) was a delicious mouthful. I think Gardein and Daiya have been discovered big time in Norfolk. The sandwich was packed full of these mock products. It also had sautéed onions and peppers. There was a high charge for our vegan substitutions ($4). However, the friendly staff split the sandwich into two baskets, each with pickle and chips. Cogan's has a good beer selection and ample outdoor seating in their welcoming front patio area.  

In Downtown Norfolk, we visited Hell's Kitchen for dinner. Located at 124 Granby Street, Hell's Kitchen is convenient to the light rail and not far from the waterfront. This chill bar/restaurant/live music venue has a small vegan menu with some pricey items. (However, they have no hidden vegan tax.) I ordered the BBQ Grilled Burrito. I asked for black beans but it came with fake chicken instead, which was fine. This tasty burrito featured a sweet, tangy BBQ sauce. I thought the provided steak knife was a joke at first but it really was helpful for cutting.

My boyfriend had the Buffalo "Ficken" Wrap (below). This wrap was less inspired, with limp lettuce, dry tomatoes, and, you guessed it, more Gardein. As for the side veggies, the asparagus was great, the broccoli terrible. I can't recall when I've had broccoli that tasted so much like cardboard. Still, it was nice to have green sides after all the processed food.