By CHLOE., a vegan fast-food haven, recently opened their first location in Rhode Island right on our very own Thayer Street. By CHLOE. serves 100% plant-based vegan dishes and seeks to spread the vegan platform through wholesome versions of everyone's favorite foods (think mac and cheese, burgers, fries, etc.). The decor is just as adorable as all of the food; every corner of this place is begging to be the backdrop to your next Instagram.
The combination of trendy, healthy food options and the light, charming atmosphere have made by CHLOE. the hottest new restaurant to try for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike. We decided to check it out for ourselves, from a variety of perspectives. So a vegan Spoon writer, Brianna Sa, a vegetarian Spoon writer, Srishti Lulla, and our omnivorous editor, Jessie Sugarman, decided to tackle everyone's favorite meal–brunch, of course–and decide if by CHLOE. lived up to the hype. Here's what we thought, item by item:
Snow White Smoothie
The Snow White Smoothie is made of overnight oats, banana, raw agave, flax seed, almond milk, and almond butter.
Omnivore: I usually put Greek yogurt in my smoothies, which adds protein and makes them thicker, but this vegan smoothie didn't need it at all. Thick, sweet, and very banana-y, the Snow White smoothie was almost too much–delicious for a few sips, but I don't think I could finish one by myself (and let me just say there are very few food items I can't finish by myself). My rating: 2/5
Vegetarian: I have a NutriBullet blender in my tiny dorm room, where I constantly make smoothies. Usually, I throw in a lot of healthy ingredients I may not like eating alone–Greek yogurt, spinach, blueberries, etc.–I don't ever sweeten them with anything other than bananas. So for me, this smoothie was just too sweet, nothing like what I'm used to. Mostly, I drink smoothies to feel healthy, but the sugar made me feel like this wasn't as good for me. That being said, it was pretty creamy and I generally do love sugar. I think I'd probably order the less sweet charcoal smoothie next time, though. My rating: 2/5
Vegan: I am a smoothie fanatic, so much so that I have a pet name for my smoothies, smoos. In my mind, a perfect smoothie is thick–think açai bowl thick–and sweet. With the Snow White smoothie, it was love at first sip; the smoothie was thick, creamy, and sweet. But like most love at first sight, the more you get to know your significant other (or smoo), the more you begin to see their flaws. After a couple of sips, the smoothie became overpoweringly sweet; the flavor of the banana and the sweetness from the agave masked all the other ingredients and resembled a banana Laffy Taffy (which I hate). I will definitely not be ordering this smoothie again. My rating: 1/5
Average Score: 1.67/5
The Sunrise Burrito
The Sunrise Burrito is made of scrambled tofu, spicy seitan chorizo, black bean salsa, avocado, and a tofu crema wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla.
Omnivore: There are few things I love to eat in the morning more than nice, fluffy scrambled eggs. While I'm all about eating sustainably, and I often do try to substitute plant-based foods for animal products, I've never been able to get myself to give up eggs... until this burrito. Hearty and satisfying, the Sunrise Burrito had a spicy kick and a great mix of textures and flavors in every bite. There were so many other good things going on that I almost–almost–didn't miss the real egg. My rating: 4/5
Vegetarian: Let me start by saying, I'm also a huge fan of soft, creamy scrambled eggs. However, I don't like eggs in breakfast burritos; I feel like their flavor is lost among the other flavors of the burrito. To me, the scrambled tofu was perfect for a breakfast burrito setting, and not on its own. Unlike scrambled eggs, the tofu wasn't flavorful enough to be a solo dish. Because of this, I liked these tofu scrambled eggs better than real scrambled eggs in a breakfast burrito. Also, this dish has three sources of protein: tofu, seitan (which is a wheat protein), and black beans. People always complain that vegans don't get enough protein–that's clearly not a worry here. However, to me, the dish was pretty salty and oily. Normally, I can eat a lot of food, but this burrito was a bit much for me, and oil was dripping out of the burrito near the end. The seitan was particularly salty, but had a fun little kick. My rating: 3/5
Vegan: I was never a breakfast burrito kinda gal; I like to keep my breakfast/brunch pretty light and fresh to have a nice start to my day. This was a solid burrito, but I wouldn't order it anytime before 4pm. The seitan chorizo is basically a dupe for Chipotle's sofritas; it's spicy, smokey, but a tad bit greasy. The tofu scramble was good but very under-seasoned and the black beans added a nice texture to the whole burrito. My rating: 3/5
Average Score: 3.33/5
The Early Bird
The Early Bird is a plate of scrambled tofu, maple sausage, market greens, and 7-grain toast.
Omnivore: In general, I'm skeptical of food that tries to pass itself off as other foods. I think food is best when it's prepared in a way to highlight what's naturally delicious about it, not when it's forced to try to mimic something else. This dish was no exception. The "sausage" was good, but didn't taste like sausage; it was sweet and lentil-y with a softer texture. The scrambled tofu was fine, but a little bland–a far cry from true scrambled eggs. My rating: 2/5
Vegetarian: Honestly, I wasn't a huge fan of this dish. I've never been a person who loved sausage (even when I ate meat), so this lentil sausage wasn't particularly impressive to me. Also, it was a little dry and had big chunks of lentils, rather than a smoother texture. As I mentioned before, the tofu scramble isn't really right to be eaten on its own–it's better in something else, like a burrito. The salad was nice and refreshing, but pretty standard, nothing special. My rating: 1/5
Vegan: I have to say, even I agree with the omnivore. These items were not bad in and of themselves, but they did not even closely resemble the things they were trying to imitate. The scrambled tofu was good but very under-seasoned. The sauteed spinach and roasted cherry tomatoes were a great fresh addition to the scrambled tofu. The maple lentil sausage was too sweet and should have been made of blended lentils, instead of whole lentils. The texture and shape of the whole lentils in the patty really made the sausage feel inauthentic. My rating: 2/5
Average Score: 1.67/5
Smoothie Bowl
Any of the smoothies can serve as the Smoothie Bowl's base, topped with granola, banana, apple, blueberries, goji berries, chia seeds, coconut, and raw almond butter. The smoothie we picked was the Blackout Smoothie, which contains chia seeds, almond milk, blueberries, kale, banana, peanut butter, agave syrup, and activated charcoal.
Omnivore: I really enjoyed the smoothie bowl. It was refreshing and light, yet sweet enough not to taste too healthy. I was kind of afraid of the charcoal but wasn't really conscious of tasting it, which was a relief, and it didn't turn my teeth black (or if it did, no one told me). While there wasn't very much of any particular topping, they were all great–the granola on top was wonderfully spiced and never got soggy. The smoothie's consistency was very thin and drippy (could've used some yogurt, if you ask me), but still filling. My rating: 4/5
Vegetarian: Overall, the bowl was enjoyable. I absolutely love smoothies, but I did feel like this wouldn't be a filling "meal". Like the omnivore, I'm used to putting yogurt in smoothies, specifically Greek, full-fat, yogurt. Without this, I don't think the smoothie can be as filling or thick, but it can definitely be just as tasty. Maybe I would have enjoyed it better even with coconut yogurt or some other yogurt substitute. Also, the existing fruits were delicious, so I could have used more of those. The aesthetic was great though; this bowl was made for Instagram. The charcoal was gorgeous, and the toppings were arranged perfectly. My rating: 4/5
Vegan: The Blackout smoothie tasted very similar to the Snow White smoothie, but the Blackout was noticeably less sweet than the Snow White, had a hint of earthiness from the activated charcoal, and was thinner in consistency. I also thought that while there were a nice variety of toppings, the smoothie to topping ratio was a little weak. I really would have enjoyed a little bit less smoothie and some more fruit and granola. My rating: 3/5
Average Score: 3.67/5
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie
Omnivore: If this cookie is vegan and gluten free, what can it possibly be made of? Sugar, probably, pure sugar–and that's what it seemed like. While it tasted good, the cookie's grainy consistency had me feeling like I was eating straight granulated sugar. After tasting it and declaring I didn't love it, I still ate more of it (a cookie is a cookie, after all), but I probably wouldn't buy again. My rating: 1/5
Vegetarian: While the cookie wasn't the greatest, I was impressed by the customer service at by CHLOE. It took a few extra minutes to get the burrito ready, so the staff just gave the cookie to us for free, without us even asking. Free food is always more delicious. That being said, I agree with the other two tasters. Something was very off with the consistency. Since I eat gluten, eggs, and butter, I'm used to having the rich taste those ingredients provide. I agree completely with the vegan–finding a good vegan cookie is difficult, so this cookie being dairy-free and gluten-free was pretty incredible. However, it felt like it was baked only with sugar crystals and nothing else. Other desserts at by CHLOE. are probably better options, but if you're a vegan and gluten-free cookie lover, it's worth trying. I probably wouldn't get it next time, but was happy to eat it for free. My rating: 2/5
Vegan: Finding a good vegan cookie can be hard; finding a good vegan and gluten-free cookie is almost impossible. Recipes normally replace the gluten ingredients for more eggs or butter, so I was super excited to try this cookie which attempted the impossible. The cookie was crispy on the edges with a slightly softer inside and had a generous amount of chocolate chips, but was very sweet. I did not mind the sweetness in the cookie, but I think all of the sugar (and maybe the gluten-free flour) made the cookie a little grainy in texture. That being said, I still enjoyed the cookie and would definitely order this again (I would ask to warm it up next time). My rating: 4/5
Average Score: 2.33/5
Nowadays, more and more people are becoming vegetarian or vegan. By CHLOE. is a fun place to eat, no matter what your diet is. It's a great introduction to the wide possibilities of vegan food that exist–you don't have to be limited to raw fruits and vegetables. More importantly, it can accommodate everyone's eating choices. While it is a bit pricey, especially given that it's still technically fast-food, by CHLOE. is a fantastic place to try at least once, especially for brunch. Make sure to check out other brunch favorites, like their Daily Pancake and Quinoa Hash Browns, and come back for their regular dishes including burgers, pastas, and salads.