Fake eye

Sorry, dude, I couldn't find any fake eye.... (for the rest of you, I was challenged to find some soya-based fake eye of any 'animal' somewhere in NYC).

The best I could do was Buddha Bodai (Chinatown, corner of Mott Street and Chatham Square), which boasts of being a kosher Chinese vegetarian restaurant. Being neither Jewish nor vegetarian, I don't quite understand the significance of this, but kosher or no kosher, this is a great restaurant that specializes in tofu- and gluten-based fake meat dishes. I'm told their specialty is fake crispy pork, although I opted instead for the deep fried 'duck' and yam, which was excellent, although this rubbish picture doesn't really do it justice:

Also on the vegetarian theme, thanks to BL for this suggestion: Candle 79 (79th Street, between Third and Lex, or Candle Café, 1307 Third Avenue at 75th Street). This highly rated fancy restaurant offers smart, modern and original vegetarian dishes of broad influence that go beyond granola and tofu. You'll no doubt be asking your waiter what seitan and tempeh are (I have no idea, other than one is gluten and the other soya), but my choice of roasted artichokes with onion rings and grilled asparagus with roasted red pepper sauce, butternut squash risotto with stir-fried kale, and banana empanadas with chocolate sauce and peanut butter ice-cream were all excellent. It's certainly not cheap (expect to pay upwards of $55 per person with drinks if you're a pig like me and want all the specials), but for that special vegetarian occasion (e.g. after a Gracie Mews experience...) it's certainly a treat.

Roasted artichokes

Butternut squash risotto

Banana empanadas