Lately it seems like vegetarian and vegan options are popping up all over the city. By Chloe, Superiority Burger and even the Impossible Burger have all paved the way for some incredible tasting and realistic-looking meat substitutes. And with that revolution, we've been blessed with Beyond Meat.
Beyond Meat looks and tastes like the real deal, but is made with none of the carnivorous by-product, aka the actual meat. And in addition to its gracing of grocery store shelves, it's popping up in some of our favorite New York staples, Bareburger included.
What is Beyond Meat?
Beyond Meat is a meat substitute, much like the Impossible Burger, that's been flying under the radar in high quality food markets like Whole Foods for years and is finally getting its moment in the sun.
It tastes almost identical to a regular full beef burger—juice and all, but without the animal meat. It's made with pea plant protein, and is kept in the meat section of supermarkets in many places so meat-lovers are exposed to it too.
Who's Cooking up Their Products?
Bareburger: Bareburger recently launched it's Beyond Burger options, including the Classic Beyond Burger with a thick and juicy Beyond Burger, American cheese, sweet pickles, red onion, green leaf, special sauce and brioche bun. They also have a vegan version and double burger version, but at Bareburger you can pretty much have it your way and customize it however you prefer.
Schaller's Stube Sausage Bar: This bar focuses on the meatiest of sausages, and now Beyond Meat is bringing their own take. The bar's Banh-Meat option comes with a vegan Beyond Sausage, daikon-carrot slaw, cucumber, cilantro, fresh jalapeno, and vegan sriracha aioli on a pretzel bun.
TGIFriday's: Yup, you heard right, TGIFriday's is going vegan... well, they're going to give you a vegan option and that's a start. Their Beyond Meat Cheeseburger, comes topped with white cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, pickles and Fridays sauce.
BurgerFi: In addition to their other vegetarian options, BurgerFi, the popular burger chain now offers an option with Beyond Burger, American cheese, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onions.
What's The Verdict on Taste?
I can keep telling you what it's supposed to taste like, but when it comes down to it, nothing beats having a real taste, and I'm so glad I did. As someone who eats meat, but prefers not to eat it too often, I can speak from experience on both sides when I say this was an oddly satisfying burger. My taste was the one from Bareburger and it was definitely a good choice.
When cut open, it seemed to be cooked to a medium rare, and at first glance seemed to be a normal burger. If I didn't know better, I would have second guessed it—I'm told some people do.
Then I bit into it, which was no easy feat as it was loaded with toppings and stuffed between two giant halves of brioche bun. I won't say it was the best burger I've ever tasted, but it was among the top 10, and I've had tons—both vegan and meaty. It was definitely juicy, and I could feel myself making a mess, but I couldn't resist going in for another bite anyway—and another, and another.
Should You Try It?
I can't think of a reason not to. Meat-eaters, you won't be losing much if you give it a shot just once. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, including a potential meatless Monday option. And non-meat-eaters, if your motivation is anything besides purely not liking the flavor of a burger, then this will definitely become a new favorite.