Foodswings: One of Brooklyn's Hottest Vegan Eateries

Foodswings is one of many culinary highlights in a borough already packed with culture and history. This all-vegan restaurant serves diner cuisine that will please vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike; service is quick and with a smile, and there are always a variety of periodicals and other media to keep you updated on the latest going-ons in Brooklyn.

When you walk into Foodswings on a busy weeknight, you're likely to encounter the biggest problem with the diner right off the bat: so popular is the restaurant that the few seats that are available (two booths, two tables, and a bar with four stools) are very often full. The food is well worth the wait, and it doesn't seem to take the customers very long to eat, so the wait for a place to sit down is never really too bad. The majority of the clientele seems to be mindful of those waiting; they themselves have been in that position quite often and are more than willing to enjoy their meal and leave without much ado. Indeed, it seems that fans of Foodswings think that everyone should get equal chance to enjoy and come to love this favourite eatery.

The menu at Foodswings is diverse and covers a wide range of foods typically found in a diner, from fish sticks to barbeque chick'n "wings" and french fries. The entrees are filling and tasty and are fully capable of catering to all diets. Foodswings makes great strides towards shattering the myth that vegan food doesn't taste bad; they could easily get away with renaming this restaurant "I can't believe it's vegan!" The various dishes maintain the texture of the foods they imitate, and the seasonings are just right, leaving most entrees closely resembling the originals. Because they are all vegan, you never have to worry about your food being undercooked or rapidly spoiling without refridgeration; you could stop by Foodswings early in the evening, put your leftovers in the car and head out for a long evening out on the town, and your dinner would still be edible by the time you returned to it (and with New York City's large number of great bars, many of which are in the general vicinity of Foodswings, that might end up being mid-morning the next day).

The chick'n parmesan keeps all the texture and flavour of its namesake and works just as well cold the next morning as it did warm in the diner; the chick'n wings are the same, although there won't be any leftovers. The buffalo chick'n sandwich is the best vegan version you'll find in New York City, and while the "fish" sticks were a bit off the night that I tried them, I hear that they're usually quite good, and it was merely a fluke of the spices (and perhaps my own limited fondness of fish). The french fries are my favourite anywhere in the city, the vegan philly cheesesteak is as good as the original, and while the mashed potatoes are sometimes a bit dry, adding a splash of the buffalo sauce available at the counter makes them absolutely heavenly. The mac and "cheese" is quite impressive in and of itself; you'll be hard-pressed to find anything wrong with it at all. With selections like these, you'll start to wonder why anyone would need to eat meat when there are so many healthy options readily available to you all the time.

In addition to amazing entrees, Foodswings also offers a full list of milkshakes (my personal favourite is the chocolate mint, though the vanilla caramel is equally tasty) and desserts. If you get the opportunity, you should try one of their many cakes-- they are made fresh daily and what is on the menu for the day is posted on the whiteboard behind the counter. The grasshopper cake and peanut butter bombs are both absolutely to die for. Barring the milkshakes, Foodswings does not make any other drinks, although there is a fridge stocked with a variety of natural sodas and waters. Be careful not to drink too many beverages while there, as Foodswings does not have a bathroom. The nearest one is across the street at the Atlas Cafe, and a sign on the counter at Foodswings will suggest leaving a tip for the baristas there if you utilize their facilities.

If you find yourself in the Williamsburg district of Brooklyn, Foodswings is a restaurant well-worth dropping in on, regardless your diet. You'll find the atmosphere warm, the people friendly, and the food superb. Be sure to watch the time when you go-- Foodswings doesn't open until 5pm (noon on weekends) and they're closed on Mondays, but they generally stay open pretty late, offering great food at a very affordable price.