Two Dollar Radio Headquarters combines two difficult business propositions into one sweet little package on Parsons Avenue. In an age of Amazon, Two Dollar Radio is an independent brick-and-mortar bookstore. It’s also a vegan eatery in a city where many restaurants don’t make it through the first year of operation.
Come to think of it, Two Dollar Radio is probably better characterized as much more than two businesses. It’s also a publisher and a coffee house and a bar and a performance space. It’s probably a few more things too, but that’s a decent start.
And if all that sounds like too much for one space, it’s really not. The project is housed in a a bright, roomy space with wood floors, sturdy tables, and books galore, mostly displayed in an organized fashion.
In the munchables department, hungry readers (and non-readers) will find a host of creative, tasty options. Case in point: Buffalo Queso Dip ($8). The dip itself is served in a skillet with a bacon-like accent made from coconut. Alongside comes sturdy tortilla chips. All in, it delivers the spiked zing associated with any buffalo dish, in a rich, creamy, nearly-cheesy medium.
The house walnut chorizo is showcased in a few options, among them, the Walnut Chorizo Grilled Cheeze ($14). First, some good news: despite being made with walnuts, the chorizo tastes nothing like the woodsy nut. It boasts more of a savory, spicy flavor that you might expect from the namesake sausage, so the walnut element is perhaps integrated to provide heft and texture. The chorizo is layered with cashew cheeze and scallion cheddar cheeze (two cheese-like substitutes) between slices of griddled brioche. Loops of pickled onion and tomatoes add an extra layer of flavor and texture and the end-product isn’t very much like a grilled cheese. Instead, it’s a significant sandwich of likable textures and tastes. At Two Dollar Radio, sandwiches come with a mixed green salad or home fries – both scoring points as palatable diversions from the main event.
For a sandwich that showcases a vegetable in more of a traditional vein, Two Dollar Radio does nice things with eggplant. When breaded and fried, the often-chewy vegetable becomes miraculously tender and makes a solid contribution to the Jalapeño Popper Hoagie ($14). The hoagie teams eggplant with the requisite jalapeños, pickled onions and cream cheez (non-dairy) to tie it all together.
Tortugas are a house creation that’s something like a sandwich – or perhaps a casserole, tucked inside a baked tortilla shell. The Randy Mac n’ Cheeze Tortuga ($11) hold pasta that leverages the queso dip base, some walnut chorizo, and little chicklets of jalapeño and onions. Tidier than expected, it’s served with a fresh-feeling salsa.
Beverage-wise, the coffee house and bar moniker both fit. You can score lattes and teas, but you can also explore a robust cocktail list that includes cute, on-theme options like the Boots with the Vegan Fur ($7). That’s a sweet combo of brandy, apple juice and a touch of lemon juice.
Two Dollar Radio also offers daily specials and weekend brunches. It’s closed Mondays, but open for lunch and dinner Tuesdays through Sundays. You’ll find it at 1124 Parsons Ave.
For more information, visit twodollarradiohq.com.
All photos by Susan Post
