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hitting the spot
11May 10th, 2008follow your heart, LA restaurants, the spotat quarrygirl.com, we are always looking for new vegetarian restaurants to hit up, and last weekend we got lucky with the spot.
savory garden burrito: with garden veggies, cheese and savory sauce (all non-dairy): $8.95
guacamole burger: a homemade burger patty served on a wheat bun with guacamole and a side of almond rice: $8.95as many of my fellow imbibers know, the hermosa/redondo/manhattan/whatever beach areas are great places to find breweries and specialty beers. what i DIDN’T know until last weekend, is they are also great places to find uncharted vegan fare.
after planning a day of drinking in hermosa beach, i decided to research some food options on the internet. one spot, a vegetarian restaurant, kept gaining my attention and outshining all the other restaurants with its glowing reviews. so of course, we had to give it a try…
the spot was original, tasty, and refreshing…albeit a tad unreasonably priced. ultimately, the food was so unique, and my experience was so enjoyable, i have no doubt i will return to the spot in the near future and spend the extra few dollars necessary for one of their satisfying vegan meals.
the burrito was ordered non-dairy (be careful, this is a VEGETARIAN restaurant, people! they know what vegan means, but you must SPECIFY!) and when it arrived, covered in white sauce and what appeared to be cheese, i interrogated the waitress regarding the vegonocity of my food. she quickly ran to the kitchen, then back to me and assured me that the huge clumpy burrito in front me was indeed vegan. oh joy.
when i dug into it i realized, as i tasted that all too familiar follow your heart flavor, that this burrito was indeed vegan and bursting with fake-semi-melted “cheese”. now, while i definitely have room to criticize follow your heart for its staunch refusal to melt in apocalyptic temperatures, in this case it didn’t bother me. the burrito also contained black beans, rice, a glorious white “savory sauce” and several unusual vegetables that don’t normally make appearances in a burrito: broccoli, aubergine, etc. thankfully there were no bell peppers! the burrito was also accompanied by a small bowl of incredibly spicy green salsa. delectable!
the guacamole burger delicious as well—the homemade patty also tasted of follow your heart cheese. i always lean towards restaurants who make their own vegan patties, and don’t rely on brands like boca burgers and other known quantities. covered with thick, chunky, spicy guacamole, all heaped on to a tasty wheat role, this healthy burger was an automatic hit.
overall, imho the spot is definitely worth a visit. as i said earlier, it’s a little pricy, but i guess that just comes with the territory of being a vegetarian restaurant. oh, also THEY DON’T TAKE CREDIT CARDS! so come with cash (unless you wanna be bitch slapped with an ATM fee). they do have bottled beer and wine, which i didn’t get a chance to try (i am more of a tap beer girl, all hail pure luck), a pleasant atmosphere and friendly, knowledgeable staff. this is a great place to go with your lacto-ovo buddies, because everyone will be happy with the wide selection.
here’s the menu i grabbed on my way out the door.
i’m looking forward to going back and trying something new…probably another burrito! 😀
Tags: burger, burrito, guacamole, vegetarian
9 responses to “hitting the spot” 
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That white savory burrito looks like the bomb! And that green salsa looks fantastic too.
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It does look good. Perhaps I’ll have to give the Spot another shot. I like the carrots and dip they give you. But it’s always just been too granola for me.
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Oh wow, that looks sooo good! I wish we had more vegan options like this in my area.
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too granola!! LOL! perhaps…there were definitely some hippies at the bar! i did love the food though.
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Now you should obviously go to the Spot to eat as much as possible, but when you can’t drive that far, follow these directions for savory goodness.
Ingredients
* 3/4 cup almond oil or safflower oil
* 3/4 cup water
* 1/4 cup Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce
* 1/8 cup brewer’s yeast
* 1/4 teaspoon kelp powder
* 1/4 teaspoon spike seasoning (herb or vegetable salt substitute)
* 1/4 teaspoon basil
* 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic
* 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons tamari
* 1 lb firm tofu, rinsed wellDirections
Blend everything in the food processor or blender. Serve warmed or cold.
Found on recipezaar dot com
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i grew up with the spot. i think the tempeh tacos are their strong point.
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Charlene January 8th, 2009 at 14:22
Try the “Dear Bubba” if you like greens, I can never bring myself to order anything else.
Prices might be a little high because they are on expensive real estate, being a block from the beach and all.
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Michael G. December 27th, 2009 at 07:52
The Spot is up there with Follow Your Heart as the two best restaurants in Los Angeles. Way, way before there was vegetarian and vegan restaurants on every block, The Spot (and FYH) were serving up innovative and delicious meals for those of us who have been vegetarian and vegan for over twenty years. The Burritos are amazing. The savory sauce is a revelation. The nachos …. MMMMM! I’m off to Hollywood Farmer’s Market this morning and then … to the Spot!
2 Trackbacks / Pingbacks
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[…] at the spot by miss anthrope LA restaurants, the spot it’s been 2 years since we first hit the spot in hermosa beach, and i have no idea why it took us so long to […]
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[…] there’s something for everybody at the spot in hermosa beach. whether you are looking for insanely decadent fare, or something light and healthy, the entirely vegetarian cozy beach cafe has got you covered. […]
Foodeater May 10th, 2008 at 16:26