I had the best Buffalo Ranch Chik’n Sandwich I had ever tasted in my life at the Vegan Junk Food Event at Cypress and Grove Brewery. To be fair, I had never had a Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich, so I had very little to compare the chik’n sandwich to.
Many restaurants are now offering vegans and vegetarians dairy-free and meat-free alternatives on their menus, and there seems to be an increase in vegan and vegetarian restaurants around us. This may have led you to believe that the number of people choosing to follow these diets is increasing. However, according to a 2018 Gallup poll, about 5% of Americans considered themselves to be vegetarians and about 3% said they were vegan. "The percentages of Americans saying they are vegetarians or vegans have changed little over time." Even though the number of people identifying as vegan or vegetarian has not increased by much, there is a growing number of people who are now calling themselves reducetarians; a term "meant to include all people striving to reduce consumption of animal products."
Vegan Junk Food
The vegan and vegetarian lifestyles are way past the days of having to eat fries and salads for lack of better food options. Vuture Food, a plant-based vegan and vegetarian catering van based in California, are offering four different plant-based chik’n sandwiches: a creamy crispy chik’n, Buffalo ranch chik’n, Nashville hot chik’n and a BBQ crispy chik’n sandwich, and fries, ranch and coleslaw. Vuture is a portmanteau for "Vegan Future" and their slogan is "The Vegan Future of Food." Cypress and Grove Brewery in Gainesville hosted Vuture for their Plant-Based Junk Food event. Seven hundred people responded and said they were going to the event.
Cypress and Grove Brewery
Cypress and Grove is "a 15 barrel neighbourhood production brewery" that is a walking and biking distance from downtown Gainesville. This brewery was inspired by the pub culture in Europe and was opened in order to give the people of Gainesville a place where they can meet and collaborate creatively. They pride themselves in being sustainable and have said that their "grain is donated to feed local cows at Aquila Farm in Waldo, FL to supplement their grass diet."
This establishment opened in 2017 and has hosted many events including a European Tour through beers from different European countries and the upcoming Beer School 101 event. There are at least 20 different brews to try at this brewery.
Chik'n Patty?
I was not disappointed by the Buffalo ranch chik’n sandwich. The buns were soft and buttery, the chik'n patty was crispy and golden brown, and the burger included lettuce, buffalo sauce and ranch. As a person who really enjoys eating chicken, I was skeptical. This burger was perfect in terms of taste. I probably could not taste the difference between a chik’n sandwich and a chicken sandwich if my eyes were closed. The texture is what may give it away. The chik’n burger was crispy on the outside, but it was softer than expected on the inside. I would contend that even the moistest chicken breast, often used in chicken sandwiches, is not as soft as the chik’n patty. The chik’n patty resembles a processed chicken patty in texture.
Vegan Dessert
The dessert at this event was sold by Dank Cakes. They are based in Gainesville, 22 S. Main Street. They offer vegan deep fried oreos and funnel cakes.
Most of the customers agreed that the vegan food was delicious as plenty more continued to line up to put their orders in. Although the food was delicious, it did not come cheap as the cheapest chik'n sandwich and fries combo cost $18. This may not be the amount of money you are willing to pay for every meal, but it is worth splurging if you are trying to see if plant-based is your new vibe.
Similarly, the dessert was not cheap, but the portions were big enough to share with a group. This dessert tasted just as good as the normal desserts. Some may argue that it was better!