Thursday, April 26, 2018

What's Vegan at Jose Tejas?

Image result for jose tejas eat sign
Image was found on Google, when you click on it, it brings you to Goodies First blog post (go check it out, it's not a vegan post so it should be informative to omnivores) but the picture isn't on that blog, so I don't know...

Let me start by saying, there is no way to contact Jose Tejas via email, messenger, or even Twitter.  They have no contact information listed other the number for each store, if they do, I couldn't find it.  There is no corporate information listed anywhere.  They apparently are owned by Border Cafe, who also has no contact information listed anywhere.  It's the most bizarre thing...

So, I could not contact anyone at their corporate location to confirm anything and I didn't personally call my local Jose Tejas in Woodbridge, NJ because someone from my Vegans of Central Jersey group on Facebook already spoke to the manager at the Iselin, NJ location for 45 minutes.  Yes, 45 minutes.

New flash, if you think they're accommodating to vegans, then you have been sorely misinformed!

Here's the 411 posted with permission from the person who wrote the post:

The beans, rice and all the veggies they serve contain margarine with dairy.  (Yes, you can buy margarine without dairy, but they don't.  The one they use contains dairy.)

Their flour tortillas contain eggs.  (I know, bizarre, but true as per the manager.)

The corn tortillas are grilled on the same grills used to cook meat and cheese.

The corn chips are sometimes cooked in the same fryers they use to fry animal products.

The ONLY vegan options are salad, steamed veggies, salsa, and guacamole.


What makes this whole situation disturbing is that their staff has clearly not been trained on what is in the food they are serving and have been misinforming people for years.  At the very least, they should be trained on known allergens...like dairy and eggs... Not knowing at least that basic information is irresponsible and possibly dangerous.

And before anyone who half-reads this points out they have a "vegetarian menu" not a "vegan menu" I understand that.  But if you ask specific questions to your server, they should absolutely be able to give you accurate information or get you the information you need.  Why all restaurants don't provide a menu notating common allergens is beyond me.

Now you know, just in time for Cinco de Mayo, stay far away from Jose Tejas if you're vegan...or if you have a dairy allergy.  If you're in Jersey, there are a million restaurants serving authentic Mexican food....go there! Or try out the handful of restaurants that offer vegan options like Johnny Tequila's which I haven't been to yet, but plan on going to check it out very soon!

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Vegan Options at Six Flags Great Adventure

I emailed the Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ last year to find out why they don't have an allergen menu and what their vegan options are.  Remember, this response may not be relevant to your local Great Adventure theme park so I would contact them directly.  

Also, always ask to see the packaging of the food their serving (don't feel weird, I do it all the time and no one ever cares.  Plus most theme park attendants are teens and could seriously care less about showing you the package).  Let me add that the salt ingredients explanation came from me asking about their popcorn, which I always ask now that I know a lot of places add dairy to their salt.


"... we prefer our guest to ask any stand supervisor to see the ingredient list on the box to ensure there is none of the allergen they are looking for in the product. Sometimes products may be switched throughout the year and we want to ensure the guest is getting the most accurate and up to date information as possible. J

As far as Vegan options are concernred, we do offer Gardein Black Bean Burgers at Garden State Grill, Yum Yum Café and Go Fresh Café throughout the year. We also have Vegan Tenders available at Go Fresh Café (Yum Yum Café during Holiday in the Park).

The ingredients in our salt used in our products are:
Salt, Sodium Silicoaluminate, Dextrose, Potassium Iodide and Sodium Bicarbonate."


I will admit I was super surprised they had any vegan options!  I would double check the bread on the Gardein Burgers, a friend went and at that time the bun had dairy in it.  I know they now serve hummus and falafel, which is usually a safe bet for vegans.  There are also random salads, but nothing to write home about.  I really do wish they would make this whole process easier. 

To be honest, we usually leave around lunchtime so it's not an issue.  Or we just stop at Gloria Jean's at the Jackson Premium Outlet (lots of non-dairy milk options and baked goods, love that place) or Chipotle in Freehold.  Ocean Organics in Jackson also opened near the park.  We went right after they opened and everything was just okay.  Now that they've been up and running and have probably worked out any kinks, I'll definitely head back to give them another shot.

Non-vegan related word of advice, they're sticklers for not bringing bags or having things in your pockets at the beginning of the season.  By the middle to the end, they let you bring whatever you want.  But seriously...don't come carrying a bunch of crap.  I mean really, you're going on rides, where do you think you're putting all of that?  I bring my keys and my cards to get in.  That's literally all you need.  Stop being insane carrying ten bags.  And no jewelry...you're whipping around on roller coasters, it's going to hurt your ears or get flung off.  Common sense people...

Also, as a side-note, you cannot wait in line and then have your twenty person party join you when you get to the front.  That's line cutting.  I will call your ass out on that.  Just saying.