I really like meat.

I have a grand respect for vegans and vegetarians. I tried to do it, too, I did, because I read all the studies and the PETA stuff and talked to vegans and learned about growth hormones and small cages, etc. etc. And, really, after watching the movie version of Fast Food Nation and seeing what happens in slaughterhouses - not the bad ones we always hear propaganda about, but just normal ones where anyone can get their meat - it just seemed. . . "Wrong" is the wrong word. It just seemed gross, really friggin' gross.

I've tried to cut meat out. I've tried to cut dairy out. I've tried to cut eggs out.

But I started trying to do this when I was living in dorms and the only non-animal products I seemed to eat were macaroni and cheese and spinach salads. I wasn't doing it right at all. And then I went home some weekend and my mom made veal scaloppini. God. You don't even know. And veal, I know, is the devil of all meats and all but my mom makes the meanest veal scaloppini ever. Ever. To die for.

So what I'm trying to say here is that I, um. Well. I don't exactly have a lot of will power. Because I really like bacon and I really like crab legs and I really like steak and I really, really like cheese and I really like turkey and god. I could go on. I could. I won't, but I could.

But every now and then, I like to eat veggie and experiment. It's not hard - my roommate, Ashley, has been vegan for forever and I have lots of veggie friends. Every now and then, Ashley will make vegan BLTs with the vegan mayo and I'll partake. She'll make tofu stir-fry and we'll snack. She'll break out her pint of Temptation soy ice cream and we'll both grab spoons.

But let's be honest. A lot of meat substitutes try really hard to taste like meat. And some really do - tofu and soy are magical products that can be mangled into nearly anything. But ain't nothin' can beat the real thing (see? Lack of will power talkin' right now. The evil girl eating the evil veal scaloppini has taken over).

But when I went to Boogie Burger on ((what street is it on again!?!?!)), I decided to try their veggie burger. I heard it was pretty good. I gave it a shot. I was hankerin' for a real burger, but let's just try the substitute.

Listen, if you've decided that the veggie/vegan lifestyle is for you, I implore you to please, please, please go to Boogie Burger and try their veggie burger. I love meat, and this non-meat burger? Tastes just like hamburger. And it's huge. And it comes with a pickle.

I'm kind of in love with Boogie Burger. I really liked Pomegranate Grille, the place that preceded the burger joint, but this is a nice replacement. They've got smoothies, they've got malts, they've got ice cream. I've had their regular burgers, too, and I adore them. They're fresh and huge and they're what you'd make for yourself at home if you were to make one. And they even have one with an egg on it! The onion rings? Those are phenomenal, too. And they give you a ton.

And they even have cookies! And fries! And geez, Louise!

I could go on. But I won't. I think you all need to go to Boogie Burger. They get my vote and I'm glad they're in Broad Ripple. And the veggie option is always there, too, what with that phenomenal veggie burger.