I managed to make it to the age of 25 before I ever had a veggie burger; having grown up in the suburbs, the only veggie burgers I was ever exposed to were the utterly unappealing straight-out-the freezer type that always paled next to hamburgers, hot dogs, or fresh vegetables. That all changed when I first met Lukas Volger, a Fort Greene-based cookbook author who’s made it his mission to get vegetarian food the respect it deserves. Since then, my life has been one delicious whirlwind of Thai carrot burgers and eggplant and tomato burgers, thanks to his cookbook Veggie Burgers Every Which Way. This Thursday, taste Lukas’ phenomenal veggie burgers for yourself as he hosts a veggie burger night at 61 Local. He’ll be serving up the aforementioned two burgers, as well as a tofu burger with swiss chard, for $12 each. As if the tasty and healthy burgers weren’t enough of a feel-good boost, the night is serving as a benefit for the Lower Eastside Girls Club, the charity that Lukas is running for in the New York City Marathon. –C.A.
