Charlie is a Sinner

Charlie is a Sinner (131 S. 13th Street) is a vegan restaurant located in Center City. I would say the ambiance of the restaurant is somewhat romantic.  When you walk in, the host is behind a table and there are some seatings in front of the table. Then when you walk past the doorless opening, there is a classy looking bar to the left. Past the bar are more seating. The restaurant was basically narrow with little tables and chairs on one side and on the other side there are  more little tables, chairs, and a long bench along the wall. It was mostly dark inside with candles on each table and against the wall with the bench against it, there was a blue light projected halfway on the walls. The light projection and the darkness kind of reminded me of atmosphere of a theater for small productions. I kind of liked this unique atmosphere.

Another interesting about this place was that the water was poured from a glass jar with minted infused from it. I thought this was creative and acted as a decor for the table while also flavoring the water. See below.

Mint infused Water

Below are the foods we ordered. 

Avocado Toast

The Avocado Toast (habanero aioli, radish, tarragon, red onion) was delicious. The bread was toasted and somewhat crunchy. The sliced avocado was creamy and tasty. The chopped radish were sweet and sour (maybe pickled) and really added to the favor of the avocado toast. 

Artichoke Frites

Artichoke Frites (saffron aioli, red onion, lemon) were okay. The frites were crispy and not greasy as I expected it would be. They didn't really have any strong taste but that's how artichoke taste to me in general. The aioli, which kind of reminded me of mayonnaise, didn't really have any flavor to it. The fried red onion was actually surprising sour. I guess it was a fried pickled onion. Overall, I thought this deep fried dish a little too much for me.

Bucatini and 'Meatball'

Bucatini and 'meatball' (fra diavolo, basil) were delicious and my favorite. The 'meatballs' tasted like real meatballs. The texture and the flavors were very comparable to real meatballs. According to the waitress, she said it was just whey protein with some herbs like parsley. I definitely think there is more to it than the waitress led on. The pasta was chewy and good. It wasn't too soft or too hard. The tomato sauce was fresh. It was an excellent dish.

Tofu & Bean Sausage

The Tofu & Bean Sausage (smoked tofu, parsnip mash, leek pesto) was good but I can't say that for the componetns on the plate. The tofu and bean sausage have the texture that was comparable to real sausages. For the taste, it was smoky, had some sweetness to it, and somewhat spicy. The half round vegetable on the side which I thought was a mini brussel spout was an onion so I was alittle taken back when I ate it. The white mush that look like it was sprinkled with cinnamon was actually mashed parsnip. I thought it tasted like mashed potatoes with some cinnamon or some kind of powder herbs.  Regarding the clump of white sauce placed between mashed parsnip and sausage, I am not sure what it was. When I tried it, it was little balls (maybe tapicoa balls), not sure what it was but the texture made me uncomfortable and I had to spit it out. 

Trio Sorbet

Trio Sorbet dessert were the three daily selections. That day there was lemon ginger, strawberry, and some other flavor that I don't recall. The lemon one was sour and refreshing. The strawberry was lightly sweet and the best tasting out of the all of them. Also, the (cookie?) crumbs on the bottom really went well with the sorbet. It was a nice treat and good ending to the meal. 

Based on what I had, I would definitely consider coming back to this establishment. I would also highly recommended to the vegans and vegetarians out there.