Vegan Southern Comfort food at Raleigh's Remedy Diner

Someday in my heart of hearts I know that there will be no more animal suffering and death for the purpose of amusing our palates.  Until then vegans need places to go to with their un-enlightened friends where no one needs to whine about the lack of choices and Remedy Diner in Raleigh, North Carolina could be the template for such a place.  I'm sure as vegans take over the world the sheer economic forces of demand for vegan dining with cause a shift to 100% vegan and raw menu ... but were not there yet and this is the place to be seen if vegan comfort food is on your agenda.

We had to fight the hordes off but the wait for a table was manageable.  

We got there at the tail end of the dinner rush which apparently ends at 9pm.  We tried 3 tables before we found one we could all agree on.  It was like the Paris Peace talks.  JK, it was only 2.

A la fresco.  I'm from NY and don't like eating in the street.  If you're from Raleigh you might not enjoy sweating over your food.  That should be reserved for chefs.

My friend Helene (formerly from Long Island Vegetarian Group), just moved to Raleigh.  I mean just.  Like in the day before.  Living 45 miles away from me on Long Island, we saw each other once a year, maybe.  She moves 500 miles away and BANG, the next day we're breaking bread.

From the bottom left for those of you who might care, my eyes and nose, Helene's nephew, significant other, and my friend Helene who just moved to Raleigh from 

We started with the Buffalo Soy nuggets.  It seems that the regional, (wouldn't it be great if every region had it's very own), soy nugget factory, Delight Soy, has created a widespread use of their product.  ("Build it and they will come."  Field of Dreams).

These nuggets have a nice mouthfeel and a "meaty" taste with a hint of sweet.  These were made with a nice heat and cool ranch.  Very garlic-y.  Mmmm.  Can't have too much garlic!

Buffalo Non-Chicken Wings. Six local soy “chicken wings” in a homemade buffalo sauce served with celery and homemade vegan ranch dressing. 8.00. *VEGAN*

Next we moved on to the nachos which had a tofu sour cream that was a tofu sour cream to end all debates about tofu sour cream.  Amazement and creaminess.  The nachos had a multitude of layers, salsa, jalapenos, daiya cheese, and fake meat.  It was as good as any we've had but what?  You ran out of vegan BBQ???

Bad Remedy Diner!

Bad Bad Remedy Diner!!!

Nachos. Tortilla chips topped with ample helpings of melted cheddar and pepper jack cheese, pico de gallo, jalapenos, red onions, black bean relish, sour cream, and guacamole 6.50 *add grilled chicken or vegan BBQ for 3.00*

Vegan Philly Cheese Steak with vegan cole slaw.

Yes Helene, V for Very Vegan Victory.  This place serves vegan comfort food and the "beef" is sliced and meaty with a perfect hero roll.  Peppers and onions and daiya.  Mmmm.

Philly Fake Steak. Thin strips of lightly seasoned local soy "beef" slices, with grilled green peppers and onions smothered in swiss and provolone served on a hoagie with mayo. 8.95 *Vegan 10.00* Sorry, we can’t separate the pepper & onions.

The Seitan cutlet with (OMG!) fried broccoli and vegan mashed potatoes.

I thought this was excellent in terms of flavor but the person who ordered it thought it too salty.  I totally enjoyed the peppery-ness of the gravy.  What I didn't care for was the consistency.  I was expecting a seitan cutlet and this was more like seitan ground up and reformed in a "meatloaf" kind of dish.

Now the fried broccoli.  Whoever invented this must have made a pact with the devil.  To take such a wondrous food and deep fry is is going against nature.  Beware.  If you try just one it's like vegan crack.

Country-Fried Seitan Steaks. Homemade seitan steaks battered and covered in white pepper gravy served with mashed potatoes and fried broccoli. 14.00 *VEGAN*

Meatball sub with roasted potatoes.  I didn't taste this.

Vegan Tempeh Rubin

I had the tempeh rubin. The bread was panini toasted and crispy crunchy delicious with the soft nuttiness of the tempeh and the smooth crunch of the sauerkraut.  Great ruben but after eating about half of the half the bread ended up getting soaked through and it became drippy.  Not a catastrophe.  I'm just sayin'.

So if you have a mixed group in Raleigh and seek southern comfort food this is definitely a place you wont go wrong.  I'll be back to the RD in RDU