Vegan bar bites at Death or Glory
Forget wings, nachos or burgers. The most inspired bar food I’ve had in some time — heck, make that some of the most creative food I have had anywhere — also happens to be some of the most unexpected.
Vegan treats at a dark and goth-y cocktail lounge? Fried chickpeas dusted with seasoning meant to evoke Cheetos? Sliders with shredded jackfruit that looks and tastes like a crabcake?
This was not some absinthe or gin-fueled hallucination. I devoured both dishes eagerly during a recent visit to Death or Glory bar in Delray Beach. This 2-year-old lounge is located in a historic home (the Falcon House, built in 1925) and is a cool place for hipsters of all ages, with a classic, dark-wood bar and couches inside and an outdoor bar with patio. Its logo features a falcon sitting atop
a skull and its name is taken from a song by British punk rockers the Clash.
Death or Glory has a kitchen that’s open until 2 a.m. daily and prides itself on serving good food, particularly vegan dishes.
“One of our chefs is vegan, so we’re always playing around and experimenting, trying new things,” says Daniel Dore, recently promoted to head chef after Jessie Steele departed to work at nearby Dada restaurant.
I know I’m supposed to spotlight only one dish a week, but I could not split the difference after tasting the chickpeas, a snack that’s been on the menu a long time, and the jackfruit “crabcake” sliders, which made its debut a month ago. So let’s call it a tie and raise a glass (or two) to this week’s honorees.
Death or Glory was started by four serious mixologists, as bartenders who craft interesting libations
are known these days, and they have a way with classics and modern drinks. Among the offerings is the Werther’s Unoriginal, a frozen old fashioned made with butterscotch-infused rye that tastes like a Werther’s Original candy.
Drinks like these deserve more than nuts, pretzels or popcorn as an accompaniment, and the crispy “Cheetos” chickpeas ($7), developed by Steele a while back, fit the crunchy bill.
Chickpeas are dredged in corn starch, flash-fried for about 30 seconds (until they float, Dore says) and then tossed in the bright “Cheetos” seasoning of garlic powder, salt, pepper and nutritional yeast, the ingredient that gives the chickpeas a nutty flavor and bright orange-yellowish color.
They are addictive hot, with perfect crunch outside and creaminess inside, and they’re not so bad after they cool down (which few chickpeas will get the chance to do, if you’re with a group).
After a cocktail, something more substantial may be required, and the jackfruit sliders ($15) do the job. Jackfruit is a tropical fruit from south Asia whose flesh, when scooped out, can resemble meat. Death or Glory did “pulled pork” jackfruit sliders for awhile, a common rendition. Steele, Dore and crew began playing with the crabcake concept late last year.
Shredded jackfruit is blended with aquafaba (chickpea water that is used as an egg substitute in vegan cooking), kelp, sea salt, lemon, celery, herbs and Old Bay seasoning, then fried. The “crabcakes” are served on vegan buns from Del Sol bakery in Boynton Beach, topped with arugula and Old Bay vegan aioli, also made from aquafaba. The “crabcake” texture is soft but meaty, and the flavor is sweet and buttery.
Added bonus? “No shells or cartilage,” Dore says.
Glory be, chalk one up to ingenuity. After polishing off a pair, you’ll be ready to soak up another drink. Cheers.
Death or Glory, 116 NE Sixth Ave., Delray Beach, 561-808-8814, DeathorGlory Bar.com, 4 p.m.-2 a.m. daily.