Look, we the vegan/vegetarians of the world are sick and tired of crappy veggie burgers. For most part they are either dry as sawdust or hard as a rock. We have the odd few places that don’t totally suck, such as The Counter or Café Gratitude. Yet sometimes, these “patties” are either not vegan, or are all rice, beans, high carb and blah. Not food to entice a carnivore or keep a vegetarian.
When I heard that Unami Burger was teaming up with Impossible Foods, a company I have been following for quite a while, to make the “Impossible Burger,” you can’t even imagine how quickly I drove to the Arts District in Los Angeles to try one.
Initial Thoughts
The thing with this burger is that it’s actually designed more for a carnivore audience, rather than an already veggie one. They want to reach out to the people who think they can’t have a veggie burger because it doesn’t have the same taste, flavor, or juicy-ness factor of a beef patty. And while I (somewhat) understand that, I do wish that they did keep at least the vegetarians in mind while creating it. The original way of preparing it isn’t full vegetarian because of the seasoning they use. Of course, they give the vegetarian option, as well as a vegan one, but come on – can’t we hit maybe two birds with one stone?
Anyway, back to the burger. I took/forced my lovely boyfriend to come with me to Umami Burger so I could get him to try the burger as well. What I thought was going to be an impossible task turned out to be way too simple and he actually seemed down to try this vegan patty with me (what a guy).
THEEEEEEE BURGER
I tried the damn burger and my lord it was mind boggling. I was basically staring at what could be called the vegan In-n-Out burger. A freaking dream come true. Even the “special sauce” was on FLEEK.
As for my boyfriend, and I quote: “That’s not bad…It tastes like a well-seasoned burger.” Plus, it was the best vegan meat substitute he’s ever had (he has tried plenty because of me…trust). He probably thought I was losing my damn mind from the gigantic smile that spread across my entire face as I devoured the burger.
Thoughts Post Food Coma
It’s 100% made from plants, created in a lab, but yet it tastes, smells, and bleeds like the real thing?? If this is the burger that ends up reducing the obscene amount of meat eaten in the US each year alone (270.7 pounds per person on average), the overproduction in the meat industries, and gets people actually eating plants over animals, then hey, I’m all for it. Science is cool. Neuroscience is even cooler, and tricking people can be fun. Facts.
So, what can I say? I am highly recommend and vouch for it. If it’s good enough for Bill Gates, it’s good enough for me.