Fashion Feasts

I’ve visited PLANTA Williamsburg more times than I can count and have tried nearly everything on their menu. This entirely vegan restaurant boasts a diverse selection of unique dishes, making it a standout choice. With locations in multiple cities, PLANTA is more accessible to a wider audience, although the prices can be on the higher side. While many items are designed for sharing, there are also plenty of options for solo diners. The atmosphere is clean, and the service is consistently good and fast, making each visit enjoyable. Overall, the extensive menu offers something for everyone.

Here’s my in-depth review and ranking of the items at PLANTA Williamsburg:

1. Firecracker Roll – $17.75 – 8.6/10
   This roll features Japanese sweet potato, avocado, unagi, potato straws, gochujang mayo, and chili salt. The crispy potato straws add a delightful crunch that contrasts beautifully with the chewy textures of the other ingredients, creating a wonderful sensory experience. The gochujang mayo elevates the flavors even further.
2. Udon Noodles – $26.50 – 8.2/10
   These noodles come coated in a rich truffle sauce that’s bursting with flavor. It’s definitely a generous portion meant for sharing. The combination of chewy noodles and creamy sauce is simply delightful.
3. Bao Slider – $6.75 – 8/10
   Each slider features fried mushrooms, hoisin sauce, and pickled cucumber. They’re incredibly flavorful and perfectly seasoned, though they can be a bit messy to share.
4. Crispy Mushroom Handroll – $7.25 – 7.6/10
   This single-serving roll includes wasabi, avocado, gochujang, pickled ginger, and unagi. It’s well-flavored and a satisfying option for one.
5. Dragon Roll – $17.50 – 7.5/10
   This delicious roll is filled with tempura broccoli, spinach, avocado, and spicy unagi sauce. The tempura broccoli adds a wonderful crispness, though the spinach is nearly undetectable.
6. Bang Bang Broccoli – $16.25 – 7.2/10
   Fried broccoli coated in sweet chili and peanut sauce makes for an incredibly tasty dish, but it’s a bit much for just two people. I recommend ordering this if you’re in a group of four or more.
7. Spicy Tuna Roll – $16.75 – 7.15/10
   Featuring ahi watermelon, avocado, and toasted coconut, this roll is flavorful, but it leans heavily on the spicy mayo for depth. Without it, the flavor falls flat.
8. Torched and Pressed – $17.50 – 7/10
   This dish consists of avocado and miso truffle glaze layered on flat rice pieces. While unique, it can be tricky to eat without falling apart and isn’t particularly memorable.
9. Baked Crab Roll – $17.75 – 6.7/10
   Composed of hearts of palm, spicy mayo, and ponzu, this roll is cut into larger pieces than others. While the flavors are decent, the mushy texture is off-putting.
10. Avocado Lime Tartare – $19.75 – 6.5/10
    This dish features beetroot tuna, pine nuts, capers, citrus soy, sesame, and cilantro served with taro chips. It’s light and refreshing, but given its simplicity, it feels overpriced.
11. Fully Loaded Nachos – $18.75 – 4.3/10
    These nachos come topped with chorizo, queso, avocado, cilantro, jalapeños, and pico de gallo. The chorizo is great, but the queso tastes like canned coconut milk mixed with paprika—runny and unappealing.
12. Vodka Pizza – $23 – 3.5/10
    While not terrible, this pizza’s vegan cheese was a real turn-off for me. It didn’t meet my expectations, though I can’t speak for the other options.
13. House Burger – $24 – 3/10
    The burger is fairly generic, featuring avocado, pickled onion, tomato, garlic aioli, dill pickle, and arugula, served with fries. Given the other enticing menu items, I’d recommend opting for something else.

Overall, PLANTA Williamsburg is a solid restaurant, though it comes with a hefty price tag. While the food is enjoyable, it doesn’t quite wow me. I would rate PLANTA as an establishment a 7.3/10. There are many other fantastic vegan options in NYC that offer more for your money.