Kate's Joint

We recently went back to Kate's Joint, located at the corner of Avenue B and 4th street in Manhattan.

Unturkey Soup

I was so happy that this was the soup of the day. The broth was salty, thick, and comforting and had great bits of celery and veggies in it. The Unturkey was tasty too; having soaked up all the broth, it was tender and plump and really savory. This is my favorite soup at Kate’s, so whenever they have it you should order it. -Ev
This is a really satisfying soup. The broth isn’t too strong but also not too subtle. The veggies and Unturkey are tender and flavorful. -Jim

Ballpark Dawg

Kate’s offers a selection of vegan Hot Dogs in the “Dawg Pound” section of their menu. While the Dawgs themselves seem to be Not Dogs or Tofu Pups or some other store-bought variety (which I can’t hold against them because I’m sure it would be a pain in the ass for a restaurant to homemake their own vegan hot dogs), they spice them up with cool toppings. You can get them with barbeque sauce and onion rings, you can get a Chili Dawg, or you can get them with good old-fashioned mustard and kraut. I wasn’t starving on this trip to Kate’s, so I figured the inexpensive Ballpark (mustard and kraut) Dawg would be just right. Little did I know that it was a bargain. For about 6 bucks, I got a dawg on Kate's famous Focaccia bread with a mountain of sauerkraut plus mashed potatoes and gravy (you can also get it with French Fries). The Dawg wasn’t amazing (I wasn’t really expecting it to be), but it is relatively inexpensive, very filling, and it comes with really awesome mashed potatoes. -Jim

Tasting Plate

I didn’t know what I was in the mood for so I ordered the Tasting Plate. It had a little bit of everything- Jamaican “Beef” Patty, Salad, Grilled Veggies, Garlic Toast, and Hummus- so it was bound to hit on whatever un-nameable craving I was having. The Jamaican Patty was delicious. The crust was soft and flavorful and the filling of “beef” and veg was hearty without being just one flavor. It was the ultimate comfort food and was reaaaally yummy. Also yummy was the Salad; it had sliced Portobello mushrooms and a sweet, thick, warm maple dressing. The combination of warm and cool worked really well together as did all the different textures. This dish satisfied several cravings in one shot. The Grilled Veggies were typically tasty; I particularly liked the carrots because they were perfectly firm and really sweet. The Garlic Toast was delicious as usual- crunchy, carby, salty, & garlicky. The one disappointment of the night was the Hummus; it was really peppery and spicy. I don’t mind spicy as long as it enhances the flavor or contributes a little something extra to a dish but in this case the spice was all there was. I’m guessing it was just an off night because I’ve had the Hummus at Kate’s before and I’ve liked it. -Ev

The Bottom Line

I love Kate’s. I really do. It upsets me that we’ve reviewed them twice and my love for them hasn’t really come across in either review. Obviously I can’t be amazed by a store-bought vegan hot dog. But they really do have some amazing stuff at Kate’s. And when I say amazing I mean it in a greasy, southern-fried, one-in-the-morning craving kind of way. And the desserts are really good, too. Crap, we need to come back here again when I’m really hungry so I can give them an awesome review. -Jim
I love Kate’s too. The Un-turkey soup rules and, weird Hummus aside, the Tasting Plate is almost always perfect. Also, you should get the Garlic Fries. -Ev