ATHLEISURE LIST | SEASONED VEGAN

We're always on the lookout for great vegan bites and founder, Brenda "Chef B" Beener had always cooked for her family and when her husband went plant-based, that's when her vegan journey began. In 2010, she opened a 6-foot table inside of Lee Lee's Bakery in Harlem. She would later open Harlem's first full-service vegan restaurant with her son Aaron Beener in 2014 for 9 years before closing earlier this year, with the quick-service eatery that opened in the East Village on Aug 23rd. Fans of Seasoned Vegan have included Stevie Wonder, Danny Glover, Cory Booker, Colin Kaepernick and most recently in its newest location, Yara Shahidi has swung by.

The beauty of Seasoned Vegan is that dishes pull from the family's New Orleans roots. Clearly, the sandwiches are a great way to have a gratifying meal! The BBQ Craw is great with a unique protein made with burdock root. It was a fan favorite in Harlem and now that it’s made on the flattop grill, it’s even better. The new SV Nugget Sandwich came from customers constantly asking them to make a fried “chicken” sandwich. The tangy sauce on it is one of the items they stopped making during the pandemic shutdown so a lot of people are excited that it’s back! And lastly, the Craw Pretzel Boy Sandwich is a twist on their old Po Boy Sandwich - now served on a pretzel bun.

Their famous Seasoned Vegan Fries are also back (they were discontinued for a few years in Harlem and have returned) - they’re extra crispy shoestring fries with a delicious Cajun seasoning that’s a must try.

We're excited to share that the team at Seasoned Vegan has revealed in this eature for the first time, 2 fan favorites that are now available! In addition to enjoying their fries, another great side that is returning to the menu soon will be fan favorite - Seasoned Vegan Mac and "Cheese." Although it was not on the original menu at their new location, hands down it has been the most requested item! We're glad to hear that it's back! Another great item has made its way to the new location. Their Raw Kale Salad was at he original table at Lee Lee's Bakery and was never available at the Harlem location, so it's exciting to know that you can order it in their new home in the East Village!

You should definitely keep an eye out for additional items that will be added as there are savory as well as sweet items that are in the works! Whether you're popping in or checking out your IG, there's more to come for sure!

To complete your meal, Chef B's vegan cupcakes is an absolute home run!

SEASONED VEGAN

128 2nd Ave (near St Marks Pl)

NY, NY 10003

seasonedvegan.com

IG @seasonedvegan

PHOTOGRAPHY | Michael Tulipan

Read the OCT ISSUE #94 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Seasoned Vegan in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | ICHIBANTEI

Ichibantei first opened in 2010 in a small East Village space. As the restaurant became known for its Japanese home cooked food, reggae and vinyl cover décor, it outgrew the space so when a large space became available just two blocks away, the owners jumped at the opportunity. Opened in June, the new, multi-level space with 90 seats and soaring ceilings. The dark space features black walls, gold accents, a long white marble-top bar and infinity mirrors.

Owners Ruth and Shin Araki opened the original location of Ichibantei on East 13th Street in 2010 serving classic Japanese dishes, as well as teishoku Japanese set meals just like their mothers made when they were growing up in Japan. Ruth, who learned to cook from her mother as a child in Kumamoto, makes almost everything from scratch just as she was taught.

The décor pays homage to their Japanese roots and Japanese pop culture, as well as the building’s history, combining sleek design and comfort food. In the past, it was home to a movie theater (as well as a music hall and before that a restaurant in the 1880s) so the owners have taken inspiration from Japanese film history with oversized posters from Yakuza and film noir classics adorning the main dining room. The more intimate mezzanine dining area, which overlooks the dining room, recalls the original restaurant with walls covered in vinyl record covers and wooden booths. The vibrant lip murals by Japanese artist Cazul are fun surprises that can be found in different bathrooms in the restaurant.

When eating here, the food is great for sharing and goes well with drinks, including Agenasu to start, which is a Japanese eggplant served in a savory dashi broth; Ichibantei Steak grass-fed Angus beef topped with garlic chips and accompanied by a housemade steak sauce; and the Chicken Nanban juicy, battered chicken marinated in a sake, ginger and garlic, served with a tangy sauce. All entrees are served with fluffy white rice, miso soup, and a salad in the traditional teishoku “set meal” style.

We recommend enjoying their Toki Highball, a classic Japanese whisky soda with Suntory Toki whisky, traditional Japanese spirit shochu (they have options that are distilled from sweet potato, rice and barley) served with fresh frozen fruit like mixed berries, pineapple or peach, as well as refreshing frozen sake cocktails they’re debuting for the summer with flavors like mango and peach.

ICHIBANTEI

100 Third Ave

NY, NY 10003

ichibanteiny.com

IG @ichibanteiny

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Michael Tulipan

Read the JUL ISSUE #91 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Ichibantei in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | MIMI CHENG'S

Mimi Cheng's is founded by Hannah and Marian Cheng. The two sisters were inspired by the hundreds of homemade dumplings and jars of secret sauce their mother, Mimi, made for them throughout their lives, and in 2014, they took the leap into the hospitality industry to introduce their family recipes and culinary heritage to New York City and opened their first location. Since then, it has expanded to 3 locations on the Upper West Side, East Village and Brooklyn.

We suggest that when you swing by for dumplings, you should try their Signature Dumpling (organic chicken, farm zucchini, scallions, grated ginger), Pork & Chive Dumplings (pasture-raised heritage pork + garlicky chives) and any of their upcoming Limited Edition Brooklyn Series Dumplings. Mimi Cheng’s will be collaborating with other beloved iconic BK restaurants to create a special dumpling every month. Keep an eye on their social feed to see the next collaboration that they will do for other restaurants in the area! For April, they partnered with Hometown BBQ, which will be an interesting twist on these savory classics. If you visit their IG, you'll see that they mentioned a Pepper-Caramelized Beef Brisket Dumplings with Swiss cheese, housemade Russian dressing, and slaw which seems like something that we would want to try for sure!

3 main dishes that we should try are Spicy Dan Dan Noodles, 12-Hour Organic Chicken Bone Broth Noodle Soup and Chicken + Rice. When it comes to sides, you should have their Crushed Garlic Cucumber Salad, Scallion Pancakes and Scallion Ginger Rice.

Regardless of which location you go to, you'll find that all the menus are the same for each one.

MIMI CHENG'S

COBBLE HILL, BK

224 Atlantic Ave

BK, NY 11201

UWS

309 Amsterdam Ave

NY, NY 10023

East Village

179 2nd Ave

NY, NY 10003

mimichengs.com

IG @mimichengs

PHOTO CREDITS | Mimi Cheng's

Read the APR ISSUE #88 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Mimi Cheng’s in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | RAMEN MISOYA

When the first Ramen Misoya opened in the East Village in 2011, it was the first restaurant in New York City to serve exclusively Miso Ramen – no shoyu, shio or tonkotsu styles of ramen.

They wanted to bring Ramen Misoya to the West side as well. To serve authentic bowls of ramen you have to make ramen broth from scratch – no shortcuts so a large kitchen is needed. This location is spacious and has a large kitchen to accommodate their authentic approach to making ramen. It is located speakeasy-style underground in a landmark building with a small sign above the stairs. Once guests descend and enter the first set of doors, a bright orange door leads to the restaurant's main dining room just a few more steps down, the design is sleek and modern, with a light color palette, blond wood furniture and décor elements, and surprising 10-foot ceilings that make the space feel open and airy. The two dining rooms (seating 30 total) feature exposed brick and white walls, tiled floors and different types of seating - banquette, booth, table and counter seating perfect for solo diners. And there is a large window that allows diners to peek into the kitchen.

Kome, Shiro and Mame miso are the three miso types that we use at Ramen Misoya. Kome and Shiro miso are made of soybeans and rice, while Mame is 100% soybeans. Kome is a standard miso and most people are familiar with its salty taste. Shiro is produced in the Kyoto area and, compared to Kome, it is milder and a little sweeter. Mame is very unique for its rich texture and darker hue because of its pure soybean paste.

We suggest the Hokkaido-style Kome Miso Cha-Shu Ramen which is a rich tasting pork-chicken broth with slices of miso-marinated and braised pork (cha-shu), ground pork, bean sprouts, scallions, corn, menma (bamboo shoot), and miso egg.

Shiro Miso Spicy Ramen is made with white, less salty miso in a Kyoto style, with ground pork, bean sprouts, scallion, fried tofu, menma and miso egg.

Konayuki Ramen, a kome miso broth with parmesan cheese and butter - all of them come with the usual ramen toppings just like the classics. Vegetarian ramen broth made with mushroom and seaweed is also available, offering meatless options of all the classic ramens.

You can enjoy sake by Chiyomusubi Sake Brewery, which was founded in 1865 in the prefecture of Tottori in Japan’s Honshu. The labels feature distinctive illustrations by Shigeru Mizuki, the famous Japanese manga artist and creator of GeGeGe no Kitaro manga series. Each sake is made with different rice, creating different flavor profiles that pair well with their ramen.

RAMEN MISOYA

535 Hudson Street

NY, NY 10014

misoyanyc.com

IG @misoyanyc

PHOTOS COURTESY | RAMEN MISOYA

Read the APR ISSUE #77 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Ramen Misoya in mag.

THE ART OF THE SNACK | NOREETUH

This month's The Art of the Snack brings Hawaiian vibes in the East Village with Noreetuh which has been recognized by Michelin. We wanted to know more about this restaurant and connected with Jin Ahn, Managing Partner and Co-Owner. We find out about Chef Chung Chow, their signature dishes, their beverage menu and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about Chef Chung Chow’s culinary background and the influence for his style of cooking?

JIN AHN: Chef Chung Chow worked in Thomas Keller's kitchens (Bouchon, Per Se) as well as under Chef Jonathan Benno's Lincoln as an opening Sous Chef. Influence of these mentors taught Chef Chow to work with French and Italian techniques, and focus on using the highest quality ingredients.

AM: What can guests expect when they come to dine at Noreetuh and what does the name of the restaurant mean?

JA: Guests can expect to have a different yet comforting type of cuisine at noreetuh. While Hawaiian seems very foreign, it is regional American cuisine, and once a guest experiences Noreetuh, it becomes more familiar than anticipated. "Noreetuh" means, "playground" in Kore-an. It is our aim to create an atmosphere where patrons have fun while dining.

AM: What does it mean to you to have your restaurant recognized by Michelin?

JA: It is an honor to be recognized by an esteemed publication such as The Michelin Guide. It's about keeping up our standard day in and day out. After all, a good restaurant must be consistent.

AM: When creating this menu, can you tell us about where the inspiration for your dishes came from?

JA: Inspiration for the dishes came from personal experiences from growing up in Hawaii, as well as exposure to food and culture from eating and traveling.

AM: What are 3 signature dishes that you suggest that we should enjoy?

JA: 1. Any one of eight Musubis we offer - my suggestion is to get the MusubiPlatter and choose four.

2. Mochiko Fried Chicken - once you get it, you'll always crave it!

3. Degustation of Hamachi - you get grilled collar, musubi and sashimi. Collaralone is worth the visit.

AM: What are 3 appetizers and/or desserts that we should try when at Noreetuh?

JA: This is still in line with 3 signature dishes, but staying on the appetizers, you should try:

1. Big Eye Tuna Poke - it is currently offered as a Rice Bowl dish, but regular guests get this as an appetizer without rice. It's one of our classics.

2. Bruléed Hawaiian Pineapple with lime zest, ‘alaea salt is a special dessert using very special pineapple from Hawaii. We-held off while reopening but were met with angry regular guests!

3. Tray of Maine Uni - if you're a sea ur-chin fan and love the decadence and the wow factor of this tray, it's a must!

AM: You have an expansive beverage program. Can you tell us about what is available?

JA: We have wines from classic regions of the world focusing heavily on French and German wines. We also carry a good amount of aged wines, including an entire page devoted to German Ries-lings with a minimum 25 years of age. Selections are approximately 300 (pretty hefty for a small restaurant in East Village), but very sensibly priced. Guests can find easy to enjoy wines mixed in with the ones a connoisseur would find fascinating. If you're craving some simple beers to go along with the fried chicken, we have draft and plenty of bottles and cans along with simple cocktails (no hard liquor here), and sake/soju.

AM: What are 3 cocktails that you suggest we should have when visiting?

JA: Soju Gimlet (with Korean spirit Soju replaced gin/vodka), POG-Mosa (mimosa made by mixing Passionfruit-Orange-Guava Nectar with sparkling Riesling), and during this cold wintertime, especially with outdoor dining, Mulled Red Wine really hits the spot!

AM: During COVID-19, many restaurants have had to pivot on how they serve the guests and neighborhoods with pickups, delivery, reduce indoor dining, outdoor dining etc – what have you been doing during this time?

JA: We have been doing just that. We have reopened after the shutdown in July and have not shuttered since. We have pivot-ed to a much greater volume of delivery and take-outs alongside our outdoor dining area, which is on its fifth version. We have had indoor dining but lost it due governor's orders - we desperately need it back.

IG @Noreetuh

PHOTOS COURTESY | Noreetuh

Read the Jan Issue #61 of Athleisure Mag and see The Art of the Snack | Noreetuh in mag.

THE ART OF THE SNACK | HANOI SOUP SHOP

We're always looking for great spots that are infused with culture, comfort food and always feeling like a sense of home when dining. We popped by Hanoi Soup Shop's East Village location to talk with one of the restaurateurs of this Vietnamese eatery, Sara Leveen. We find out more about this location, how it differs from Hanoi House and what signature dishes we should be enjoying when there.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about your background and how you came to open Hanoi House and Hanoi Soup Shop.

SARA LEVEEN: Ben Lowell & I have worked in restaurants our whole lives; prior to starting our own company we both worked for Stephen Starr. The dream of opening our own place really came alive when we traveled Southeast Asia together. There is an endless amount of inspiration from the streets of energetic cities like Hanoi and Bangkok and also chill & charming cities like Luang Prabang and Chiang Mai. Capturing what we loved and translating it to an NYC restaurant became our goal.

AM: Tell us about the backgrounds of the chefs, Daniel Le and Albert Nguyen in terms of where they have previously worked within kitchens and their journey to Hanoi Soup Shop.

SL: Daniel has roots in both Southern California and Houston; he grew up among other Vietnamese family members and friends. He learned kitchen organization & management in big companies like Ritz Carlton and Roy’s and came to us relatively new to NYC looking to apply what he’d learned to a Vietnamese restaurant. His palate is bold but traditional…his many culinary strengths include his ability to create deep, flavorful broths and braise various cuts of meat to achieve intense levels of umami. This is on display at Hanoi Soup Shop with our daily specials which rotate every few days.

Albert was born & raised in Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn. He is a New Yorker through and through, having gained his experience at Ma Peche, Del Posto and Flora Bar. As the Executive Chef at Hanoi House, Albert taps into his parents’ way of cooking and seasoning (both from Northern Vietnam) with simple, rustic food accented by fermented seafood sauces and by pickling and curing ingredients in house. His contributions to the menu are focused on vegetable side dishes and seasonal salads that highlight individual ingredients and help create a family style feast great for sharing.

AM: When did Hanoi Soup Shop open and how does it differ from Hanoi House?

SL: Hanoi Soup Shop opened at the end of April this year and is meant to provide a quicker, more casual and slightly less expensive menu with all the same quality, flavors and ingredients as Hanoi House. Its main focus is soups, and its main purpose is takeout & delivery however we have 10 dining seats and a fun little lunch crowd. Eventually, we will offer dinner service for those diners looking for a quick bite of a summer roll and pho for instance. Hanoi Soup Shop is about finding ways to cook something for 12 hours but serve it in 5 minutes.

AM: Does the menu change based on seasonal offerings?

SL: Yes! Hanoi House’s menu is more ingredient and seasonally focused…Hanoi Soup Shop looks to traditional recipes like Bun Rieu and Bun Bo Hue…letting the weather and chef’s cravings dictate which

direction we go on a given day.

AM: What are staples that regardless of the day will always be available at Hanoi Soup Shop?

SL: We will always have Beef and Chicken Pho, Summer Rolls, Classic Banh Mi & Papaya Salads. The proteins in the Summer Rolls and Papaya Salad may change over time but not in the near future.

AM: What are 3 signature dishes that should be enjoyed at Hanoi Soup Shop?

SL: Beef Pho with Brisket & Oxtail.

Classic Banh Mi: Housemade pork terrine, Vietnamese ham, pork crumbles, chicken liver pate, pickled vegetables, cilantro & jalapeno on a baguette.

Papaya Salad with Beef Jerky.

AM: What are 3 beverages that you suggest that should also be enjoyed?

SL: Iced Vietnamese Coffee

Hot Egg Coffee

Avocado Shake

PHOTOS COURTESY | HANOI SOUP SHOP

IG @HanoiSoup

Read the August Issue of Athleisure Mag and see The Art of the Snack | Hanoi Soup Shop in mag.