Mushrooms aren’t for everyone. But Golden Vegan’s Boom Boom Shrooms might be.
As one of the Zachary-born vegan eatery’s best-selling items, these crispy and battered portobello mushrooms are like the vegan equivalent of chicken wings or crispy chicken strips, fried with the perfect level of crunch and covered with a sticky sweet chili glaze. If you didn’t like mushrooms before biting into them, these flavorful fungi may make you reconsider, says Golden Vegan owner Neisha Rowe.
The Boom Boom Shrooms and other vegan snacks are available at Golden Vegan’s second location at the LSU Student Union—and will be soon at Southern University’s Student Union, too. The LSU location opened this year in late March, and the one at Southern will debut on Sept. 16. It’s an expansion Rowe calls “a dream come true.”
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The restaurant owner started her business from home in 2021 before opening her first storefront in 2022. She was pleasantly surprised when she received a call in 2021 asking if she wanted to open a location on LSU’s campus. Three years later, she serves vegan comfort food in Zachary and Baton Rouge.
“I take food very seriously,” Rowe says. “When I cook for someone else, it’s like I’m cooking for myself, so I expect it to be the best every time.”
In addition to the Boom Boom Shrooms, the new locations will serve fan favorites like Southwest Egg Rolls, stuffed with spinach, corn, black beans, red bell pepper, red onion and vegan mozzarella, served with the restaurant’s signature Golden Sauce. Dip the rolls into the peppery Golden Sauce for some added spice. Diners can also find a vegan barbecue burger, a vegan chicken wrap, street tacos and loaded fries.
Rowe is optimistic about the opportunities the new locations will provide. She plans on growing her team, opening the Zachary restaurant on weekends and getting a food truck to put on LSU’s campus for game days. She also plans to add salads and soups to the menu this fall.
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“The days I get tired and don’t feel like working, I go back to videos and pictures of me in my apartment wanting this so badly, and it just gets me back in line,” Rowe says. “I tell myself, you’re not tired, girl, keep going.”
While Golden Vegan may not be based in Rowe’s apartment anymore, it still has that good ‘ole home-cooked taste. This fall, students, staff and visitors will be able to get a taste of home with every plate.
Golden Vegan’s LSU location hours are Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. It is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Follow it on Instagram for updates about its Southern location opening and hours.