On my last business trip I suggested that Strong Hearts vegan cafe was the Syracuse analog to the Minneapolis stalwart Hard Times cafe. But that was mostly because I was over-eager to ascribe its legendary qualities to another deserving restaurant. The truth is that the similarities mostly ended with the menu.
Which I why I make the following statement confidently, but with a couple of crucial caveats: Pokez is the Mexican, omnivorous, version of Hard Times Cafe. Check it out: totally sketchy-looking inside and out, loud music, and good vegan food for not a lot of money. But here there are differences too: a family with young children occupied the table next to mine, a sight that I can't quite imagine at Hard Times. Also, lucky me because I was low on cash, Pokez takes credit cards.
I had the tofu, potato, and mushroom taco; and a machaca burrito, which was a scramble of tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables. The taco was great. The burrito was as big as my arm and I barely made a dent in it. I also ordered a Sangria and then only took a few sips. I was fat and happy as I waddled back out to the streets of San Diego. Only one more stop on our tour and then I'm done with food reviews for this trip.