the final day of coachella 2008, sunday april 27, featured the best vegan festival food to date. yet it was a bitter-sweet victory over the past couple days, because the selection of food (and alcohol) was just TOO GOOD.

so good, in fact, that your humble narrator spent most of the day relaxing in the shade, munching on snacks, smoking cigarettes and sipping cocktails…rather standing in the heat, fighting off hipsters, coughing up secondhand weed and waiting for the “next big thing(s)” to take the stage.

vegetarian sushi with a side of inari: $12.

marinated tofu wrap with vegetables and peanut sauce: $9.

marinated tempeh burger with vegetable and tahini: $9.

that’s right, my friends…i was so seduced by the fresh sushi, crisp wrap, and savory burger, that i barely had time to enjoy any music at all. oh…and did i mention the alcohol?

yes, the combination of cheap vodka, red bull, and light beer must not have sat very well with me (or my wallet), especially after several cigarettes in the american spirit smoke tank. i can’t imagine why.

2 heineken lights and 2 “moderate cocktails” plus red bull: $32.

needless to say, this wasn’t the first round of drinks we had that day…nor was it the last. so a snack of vegetarian sushi followed by a meal tofu wraps and tempeh burgers seemed like the perfect way to sober up and prepare for a roger waters spectacular.

fortunately, we found just that in a sushi bar located in the vip dining area and a lovely wraps and burgers stand called “sweet leaf” in the food court directly across from the main stage.

the food was so delicious, it puts friday and saturday to complete shame. if only i had found sweet leaf earlier, i would have made it a point to arrive in time for lunch each day and support this wonderful vendor.

the tofu was grilled to perfection…not just shitty festival food that i was grateful for because it was vegan, i’m talking about genuine coveted tofu—complete with black crispy lines on the outside, covered in leafy greens and tangy peanut sauce.

and breaking all festival rules, this wrap actually contained a more than fair portion of fresh vegetables and sauce. and especially for 100 degree weather, it tasted as cool and crisp as can be.

similarly, the tempeh burger was amazing. unlike salty, soy, fake chicken burgers, this had a subtile flavor that perfectly complimented the tahini dressing and vegetable counter-parts.

while the sweet leaf stand definitely stole the show on sunday, and proved to be the best coachella food i’ve ever tried in my life…the sushi was quite wonderful (even though it was fucking expensive) as well. the sushi rolls contained mushrooms, which were quite a pleasant change of pace, and the inari (fried tofu stuffed with rice) was so sinfully delightful that i am on a quest to make it at home.

now with all this amazing food and alcohol tempting us left and right, i’m sure you can imagine how easy it was for us to lounge around all day and see very few bands. the few we did experience, we mostly heard in the background and watched in the corner of our eyes as we talked, laughed, ate and imbibed.

the one act, however, that we dropped everything and pushed to the front to see was roger waters. thankfully, he put on an amazing show. he played old pink floyd songs for an hour and a half (even launching a giant pig into the air) before he began the promised performance of dark side of the moon…which he followed with even more unannounced songs!

here are some pix and an mp3! i highly suggest you see him live if you ever have the chance.

roger waters

shine on you crazy diamond