Hartbreakers – Brooklyn – thatdayigothungry

When I was in New York I met up with an old school friend (to clarify, by ‘old’ I mean I’ve known her a long time, she’s not old, that would make me old, and i’m not old, i’m in my prime. Baby… ok, rant over).

She’s vegan, so we went to check out a new vegan place in Brooklyn called Hartbreakers. It’s a real seventies colour clash, which is great. I love orange and purple together. The decor is bright with quirky details, and a chilled devil may care attitude. Even the food looks seventies with a modern twist. I’d assume they weren’t eating fried chickpeas and pink couscous back then, but it does have a real aesthetic sense of flower power to it.

I order the ‘Dream On!’ salad – crispy chickpeas, grilled merguez sausage, artichokes, pink couscous, olive tapenade topped with arugala and lemon garlic aioli ($13) and I have to say, it’s pretty damn delicious. A real flavour explosion, with the garlic, acidity of the lemon and artichokes. The crunch of the chick peas. The merguez is also great, I have no idea what it’s made of, seitan? It really doesn’t matter.

The problem I usually have with vegan food is that, to me, it can feel very manufactured. Things are not what they seem, and one thing often masquerades as another. I don’t get that impression at Hartbreakers though. It all feels just right, cohesive. Like it fits together just as it’s supposed to. It is very garlicky though…

Can you pass me a mint?