The Hairy Vegetarian is back to eating in restaurants. I wouldn’t want anyone to think I hadn’t been eating. During the lockdown, stuck at home all the time, I confess to have explored lots of homemade pasta, bread, and even bagels. But I’m back to a more regular schedule of eating other’s cooking. I was recently in Red Bank for a few appointments. In between two of them I checked out Karma2Go, a mostly take out branch of Good Karma Vegan Café. About three years ago the café was getting so many take out orders that they decided to open another location a few blocks away to handle the to go orders. This place is open in the mornings until 3. The regular location is open at 3.

I decided to try the Buffalo Soldier Wrap and took it across the street to eat in front of the Two Rivers Theater. It was made of spicy tempeh Buffalo wings, romaine lettuce, red cabbage, carrot sticks, and ranch dressing in a whole wheat wrap. It certainly hit the spot. I love Buffalo sauce. I like a lot of tangy, spicy sauces. I usually brown my tempeh more, but I liked it in this wrap. It was soft and coated with sauce.

It made my day to find that there were quite a few options to eat vegan in one of my favorite towns in New Jersey. If you find yourself in this town of many, many restaurants, check out either place for some serious vegan fare. And if you’re lucky, you’ll check out a show in the stunning Two River Theater.

Karma2Go is at 1 Bridge Avenue, in the West Side Lofts, and Good Karma Café is at 17 East Front Street, Red Bank. Goodkarmacafenj.com