one of our favorite vegan-friendly places in town, hugo’s restaurant is adding some really interesting stuff to their menu this week…including vegan french fries! YAY! finally! they will roll out the new changes tomorrow in studio city, followed by west hollywood on thursday, and i couldn’t be more excited. i went for a tasting of some of the new items that hugo’s has in store, and let me tell you, it was all AMAZING.

vegan chili cheese fries

one of the new vegan dishes you’ll be able to order is a massive whopping plate of animal-free chili cheese fries. on the menu it’s called “black bean chili: your way,” and you basically get a delicious homemade mixture bean and vegetable chili along with the option of vegan cheese atop your choice of carb or vegetable. put it on top of hugo’s new separately-cooked vegan french fries, and you have a match made in heaven!

also being added to the menu are several items that have been specials in the past, but will now be available year round. green tamales, portobello stew, and sandwiches just to name a few…not to mention a whole new slew of items that will be added to the “create-a-plate” section of the menu. they are also introducing a new line of vegan and oil-free salad dressings, vegan kids’ menu items, and a whole new menu section called “lentils, leafy greens and rice”. basically, it all kicks ass.

i got a chance to sit down with chef nabor and try some upcoming vegan items that aren’t on the menu yet….and WOW, we are all in for a treat. hugo’s is working on some stuff that is seriously gonna knock everyone’s socks off. so stay tuned.

for now, hit up hugo’s ASAP. and remember, the new stuff and vegan fries are not available until wednesday in studio city and thursday in west hollywood. oh, and seriously…if you like the stuff hugo’s is doing for vegans, be vocal about it. write them an email or tell them when you visit! we were vocal about the non-vegan mashed potatoes and they changed those, and now they are veganizing the fries as well. so keep speaking up!

hugo’s restaurant
8401 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 654-3993
and
12851 Riverside Drive
Studio City, CA 91607
(818) 761-8985

last week i raved about the corn cake napoleon special at hugo’s restaurant, and this week i’m back to rave about another one: the vegan tofu rancheros!

Tofu Rancheros: Tofu atop corn tortillas, roasted tomato Chipotle sauce, sliced avocado, vegan mozzarella cheese and fresh cilantro. Served with smashed pinto beans and Spanish rice. $11.75

hugo’s restaurant has two locations (one in weho and one in studio city), it is seriously one of the best vegan-friendly eateries in town. every month they have a whole menu full of amazing specials, most of which can be prepared animal-free. today i ordered one of the breakfast specials, the tofu rancheros, which came with thick slabs of tofu, savory chipotle sauce, sliced avocado, tortillas, rice and beans. i love mexican-inspired breakfasts, and seriously this is one of the best ones i’ve ever had. i am going to have to get over to hugo’s again and order this before the month is over. so damn good. if you like big messy plates of food full of delicious sauce and protein, you will love this thing. i mean, LOOK—they even got the follow your heart cheese to melt!

Vegan Soy Chorizo and Vegetable Quesadilla: vegan mozzarella cheese with a blend of vegetables, soy chorizo, sauteed peppers, onions and potato grilled in a flour tortilla. Served with Pico de Gallo and guacamole. $6.75

in other hugo’s restaurant/mexican food news, they also offer an amazing quesadilla on the starters menu that isn’t a special, so you can get it year round. my dad orders this every time he goes to hugo’s, without fail, so it has to be pretty good. at under 7 bucks, it’s a really great deal and definitely big enough to eat as a meal. as always, when ordering at hugo’s be sure to specify that you want your food made vegan, because a lot of these dishes are not by default.

what’s better than warm mexican food on a cold rainy day? not much!

hugo’s restaurant
8401 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 654-3993

and

12851 Riverside Drive
Studio City, CA 91607
(818) 761-8985

i am all about dine-out specials this week so today at hugo’s restaurant i tried one of their january menu items, the corn cake napoleon. the folks at hugo’s really know how to make mexican food (they do operate a taco stand too, after all), and this napoleon was no exception.

Layers of tamale cakes filled with layers of mashed pinto beans and roasted vegetables in Chef Nabor’s Guajillo sauce. Topped with finely shredded cabbage, Pico de Gallo, and more Guajillo sauce. $7.50

it’s basically like a tamale, except way more awesome because it comes stuffed with mashed beans, loads of vegetables and some of the most incredible red sauce i have ever tasted. chef nabor is a genius—i seriously wanted to drink the guajillo sauce straight! the pics don’t do the napoleon justice, i swear underneath all those colorful vegetables, are are some soft fluffy corn cakes that are perfectly crispy around the edges. as you can see, the portion is pretty hefty as well…a damn good deal at under 8 bucks.

seriously, so good. i would suggest you hit up hugo’s while this special is still around and give it a whirl. oh, and be sure to SPECIFY YOU WANT IT VEGAN. i think the original version comes with cheese.

hugo’s restaurant
8401 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 654-3993

and

12851 Riverside Drive
Studio City, CA 91607
(818) 761-8985

two new american veggie patties with our vegan, gluten-free mushroom gravy. Served with mixed seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes. $13

we have some good news for you this morning: hugo’s restaurant has finally added a vegan mashed potato option to their menu! throughout december they are continuing to offer their happy holiday feast special, which both me and foodeater have written about in the past, and now you can get it with their new and delicious vegan mash. just be sure to specify you want the vegan potatoes, because they are continuing to offer the non-vegan ones as well.

i highly recommend you get over to hugo’s and order this special while it’s still around, because it’s tasty as hell and the gravy can’t be beat. i can’t wait to go back to hugo’s and try out more of their dishes with vegan mashed potatoes. thanks for listening to the vegans, hugo’s! we will make it worth your while. xo

special thanks to sunny at vegan beauty review for telling me about these potatoes. she is awesome.

hugo’s restaurant
8401 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 654-399
and
12851 Riverside Drive
Studio City, CA 91607
(818) 761-8985

Okay, so we’ve already posted about the best vegan and best vegetarian restaurants in Los Angeles, but sometimes we vegans HAVE to eat in omnivorous restaurants. That’s a part of life. What’s interesting, though, is when we find meat-serving restaurants that we WANT to eat in. That’s a whole different story, and LA has a few outstanding omnivorous establishments that go out of their way to cater to vegans. Here are our favorites.

M Cafe

While the “M” in M Cafe probably stands for Macrobiotic, I believe it actually stands for Mmmmmmmm, which is pretty much what I murmur with every bite of this amazing food. With a totally vegan menu except for fish, M Cafe has a chic urban appeal, backed up with an A-list of ingredients (and clientele) all layered over an efficient kitchen and fair pricing, considering how great the food is. While the last year or two M Cafe’s items have been prepared by kitchen staff rather than chefs, their menu items are still some of the best in town.

Vegan Benedict at M Cafe

The Big Macro is arguably LA’s best vegan burger. The broccolini pepporochini is without a doubt LA’s premier broccolini, and the Vegan Benedict is constantly voted one of the “best” breakfast items on any local menu. There are plenty of vegan options at all times of the day, and the rotating menu constantly keeps one coming back for more. The deserts are out of this world, along with the very best vegan tiramisu known to humanity. Check it out!!

Purgatory Pizza

It’s probably inaccurate to credit Purgatory Pizza with single-handedly introducing incredible vegan pizza to LA, but we’re going to anyway. The insatiable team, formerly headed by Chef Ricky, that painstakingly worked to veganize an entire product line and food preparation process has gone from strength to strength. Purgatory was not only the first pizza place to embrace Teese (the ground-breaking alternative to Follow Your Heart Cheese), but is also the first to stock Gardein and Field Roast as toppings, and one of the first to serve Daiya (the best vegan cheese at time of posting) in SoCal.

Vegan Chicken Pestop Pizza with Gardein and Daiya at Purgatory Pizza.

To get your Purgatory Pizza kicks (if you’re not in the delivery area), show up with a bottle of cheap wine and/or a six-pack of beer, then order your pizza to dine in. Feeling like a cross between an 80s suburban pizza joint and some kind of modern art experiment, Purgatory has a great, brightly-lit atmosphere and friendly staff to keep you entertained while you swallow slice after slice of LA’s best vegan pizza.

Hugo’s Restaurant

With two locations (one in West Hollywood, the other in Studio City), and a full-on meat-oriented menu, one might be surprised to find that the Hugo’s chefs have created some seriously innovative vegan cuisine. Not only do they have loads of options, but they have menu with several clearly marked animal-free alternatives, as well as dishes that can be optionally veganized. If you can get past the trendy atmosphere, long waits and constant celebrity sightings (I’ve watched the staff at the WeHo location fawn over Gabriel Byrne and Jeff Goldblum within the past few weeks) you’re in for a vegan treat.

Tikka Masala Veggie Patties at Hugo's Restaurant

Although I’ve long been a fan of the tofu scramble, I also love the Very Green Casserole (one of the best vegan burgers I’ve ever tasted atop stewed vegetables and sauce in a pot) as well as the salads, tikka masala veggie patties, stir-frys and wraps. Make sure you specify “VEGAN” clearly when you order, while the restaurant is extremely vegan-friendly, there may be butter hiding in unsuspecting dishes.

Toi

Sadly, the Toi chain has contracted from two locations to just one, on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. Thankfully the sacrificial lamb of this two-outlet chain was the Santa Monica outlet on Wilshire and not the ultimate rock and roll dining location sandwiched between Guitar Center and clothing stores most mortals are too… well… mortal to shop in. Toi has a loud, brash atmosphere with a class-based seating system (some tables suck ass, others are amazing — you ride the wind and luck of the draw depending your arrival time).

Vegan Pad Thai at Toi

Get the vegan pad thai with grilled tofu for a real treat, or the Saigon spring rolls…and make sure you request the hot sauces to dollop liberally over your food. The portions are huge, the kitchen respects us vegans, and most things on the menu can be made vegan — substitute chicken for tofu, oyster sauce for vegan oyster sauce, and you’ll get a superb meal. Take your omni friends there, and chillax the fuck out listening to rock ‘n’ roll on the speakers. Step into the parking lot at the back and you can smell weed in the air. Need we say more.

Mama’s Hot Tamales

OK, I’ll admit, MacArthur Park (just West of Downtown LA) has a shady reputation. Lotsa crime, lotsa drugs, lotsa pigeons, lotsa bodegas and lotsa REAL, AUTHENTIC Mexican restaurants. How glad are we vegans, then, that one of the most popular, Mama’s Hot Tamales, has a full-on vegan menu, complete with Daiya cheese, vegan sauces and all the trimmings. Did you hear that? Authentic Mexican food AND Daiya Cheese!!!! That is reason enough to make any top 5 list, as far as we’re concerned.

Vegan Daiya Cheese Enchiladas at Mama's Hot Tamales Cafe

At Mama’s you can enjoy all the greasy, cheesy filling Mexican food that omnivores love to death, but prepared under the supervision of Mama herself: the real deal, a Mexican señora who could not be more understanding of what a vegan is, what we need and how to prepare the food for us.

Honorable mentions: Green Peas, XIV, Zpizza, Cafe Muse, Interim Cafe, Mani’s Bakery

hugo’s restaurant is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to dine. even though they are an omnivorous establishment, hugo’s menu boasts several vegan options and even has a handy legend to help us determine what’s safe to eat. anything with a ▼ symbol next to it is vegan, and this (▼) means that the item can be veganized. this whole labeling system makes ordering at hugo’s a cinch.

among the many appetizing vegan dishes the restaurant has to offer are tacos, burritos, tamales, casseroles, pastas, salads, burgers, wraps and sandwiches. on a recent trip to hugo’s with my mom, we tried out the veganized version of spaghetti and meatballs which came with thick house-made noodles in a rich tomato sauce, topped off with chunky artichokes and veggie balls. this dish was absolutely spectacular, and even won over my mom, who is a big time omnivore pasta lover.

vegan spaghetti and meatballs: veggie balls made from our 'New American' vegetable mixture. Served atop our fresh house made spaghetti tossed with marinara sauce blended with diced tomatoes and artichoke hearts. $13.50

the sauce and vegetables in this dish were flavorful and perfect, but the real stars were the meat balls made up of hugo’s new american veggie burger mixture. a combination of “organic sprouted mung beans, organic brown rice, assorted fresh vegetables, mushrooms, pumpkin & sunflower seeds, herbs and spices fried crispy.” hugo’s uses this mixture in several of their dishes, and i gotta say it’s a winner. definitely the best meatball/patty replacement i’ve ever tried. they also offer it on a burger or in a wrap…which i’m sure is incredible as well.

tikka masala vegetable patties: Made of organic, sprouted mung beans, organic brown rice, assorted fresh vegetables, mushrooms, pumpkin & sunflower seeds, herbs and spices. Covered in an Indian inspired sauce of tomato, onions and spices. Served with turmeric rice, leafy greens and cilantro-mint chutney. $13.75

another item which hugo’s puts the veggie mixture to good use in, is the tikka masala vegetable patties. this dish is entirely vegan as it comes, and is one of the best things i’ve tried at the restaurant. the delectable vegan patties are fried up nicely and bathed in a sauce of tomato, onions, and indian spices. the dish comes with tumeric rice littered with nuts and raisins, as well as a side of succulent leafy greens. the patties are perfectly moist in the center and crispy around the edges, and absolutely amazing all mixed up with the creamy curry sauce. with two full-sized patties, this meal is huge…but it’s so damn good i don’t see how anyone could resist eating it all.

vegan asian stir fry: marinated organic tofu, snow peas, fresh tomatoes, broccolini, mushrooms, jicama, green onions, cilantro and a mild sesame chili sauce served with a choice of quinoa, rice or kelp noodles. $13.50

if you are in the mood for loads of green vegetables, i highly suggest the vegan asian stir fry entree. this comes with mounds of broccolini, mushrooms, jicama, green onions, cilantro and tofu all mixed up in a sesame chili sauce. plus, you get to choose between quinoa, rice, or kelp noodles as a base. i prefer the protein-rich quinoa…hugo’s does it just right, all fluffy and soft like it should be. this whole dish just oozes with delicious freshness—it definitely gave me a healthy pick-me-up.

another vegetable-rich option is the veganized very green casserole, a dish of broccolini, spinach, asparagus, zucchini and herbs topped off with a veggie patty and vegan cheese. this dish is awesome because you get lots of greens AND one of hugo’s amazing new veggie patties. score! the only thing i can fault with this entree is that the vegan version comes covered in follow your heart cheese (yuck). hugo’s actually somehow makes the cheese, which i normally can’t stand, taste pretty decent…but hopefully they will come to their senses one of these days and switch to daiya. are you listening hugo’s?

very green casserole: Sautéed broccolini, spinach, asparagus, zucchini, with garlic and fresh herbs in a tomato basil pesto sauce. Topped with a veggie patty and melted goat and mozzarella cheeses. Served with organic mixed greens. Vegan cheese substituted upon request. $13.75

although hugo’s can tend to be a bit pricey, the huge portions and incredible food ensure you get your money’s worth. i’ve never walked out of the place disappointed, except for when it’s been too crowded to get a table! hugo’s has two locations for your convenience, one in west hollywood and one in studio city. i’ve only been to the weho outlet, but i hear the food at the valley hugo’s is excellent as well, and you can read all about it here.

so go check out hugo’s if you want some high-quality vegan deliciousness. there’s plenty of selection to keep herbivores and omnivores happy, and the food never disappoints. HUGO’S FTW!

P.S. a few quick notes about hugo’s: the mashed potatoes ARE NOT vegan. remember that. also, at the time of this post, they don’t have a separate fryer…the french fries and chips hang out in the same place as the calamari. my advice would be to stay away. ALSO, be sure to specify vegan when ordering, they have been none to use butter on stuff that it doesn’t seem like there would be butter on. just tell ’em you are vegan and they will look after you.

hugo’s restaurant
8401 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 654-3993

12851 Riverside Drive
Studio City, CA 91607
(818) 761-8985

Monday – Friday
7:30 AM to 10:00 PM
Saturday – Sunday
8:00 AM to 10:00 PM

hugo’s restaurant is a great little los angeles eatery that caters to both herbivores and omnivores alike. they have 2 locations, one in studio city and one in west hollywood. their menu is extremely vegan-friendly, with so many options i could never possibly try them all. plus they have a cool little easy-to-read legend on the menu that lets you know which stuff is safe to eat. ▼means the item is vegan, while (▼) means the item can be made vegan. simple. how rad would it be if everywhere gave us this much support?!

vegan breakfast burrito with scrambled tofu, vegan cheese, and breakfast potatoes. $11

my most recent meal at hugo’s was a veganized breakfast burrito stuffed tight with tofu, vegan cheese and tomatoes with a heaping side of breakfast potatoes. i was kinda nervous about the vegan cheese, after finding that so many restaurants may lie and mislabel their cheese. fortunately when the waiter brought out the burrito, i instantly recognized the unmelted mass covering my entree.

that’s right, i confirmed it was follow your heart brand vegan gourmet. even with daiya and teese available, it seems that most restaurants resort to this boring stuff. ok, so it doesn’t melt and it’s not very good….but at least it’s vegan and it’s better than no cheese. i actually quite enjoyed it on the hugo’s breakfast burrito.

inside the burrito, was some extremely tasty tofu with a texture that can’t be beat. thick firm slabs, but still kind of scrambly…if that makes any sense. i loved it. even with the unmelty follow your heart cheese, this breakfast was on point!

my only qualm with this meal is that it was a little pricey. $11 for a breakfast burrito and some potatoes is pretty steep…but what the hell, this is a trendy location in weho and the food was damn delicious.

vegans, go to hugo’s. and if you have to stoop so low as to hang out with omnivores (yugghghghghhghggh!), this would be a great place to take them. just be sure to avoid the french fries. i hear they aren’t vegan. just be sure to grill your waiter about all the extras when you order a vegan-optional dish.

it seems like every time i go to hugo’s, it’s for breakfast. i need to hit them up for lunch or dinner soon because the menus look amazing. to be continued….

hugo’s restaurant
8401 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 654-3993

yesterday i had the opportunity to check out a place i’ve been meaning to try for a long time, hugo’s restaurant. hugo’s is a well-reviewed eatery with a huge menu and more vegan options than i could ever get around to trying. they also happen to be the big brother to my new favorite taco stand, hugo’s tacos. hugo’s restaurant has 2 locations, one in studio city and one in west hollywood, both of which are said to be excellent.

yesterday, my husband treated me to breakfast at the weho outlet, and i took the opportunity to get my thanksgiving on one day early. you see, hugo’s was offering a holiday dinner meal that looked way to good to pass up, even at 8am.

happy happy holiday feast: two new american veggie patties, with vegan, gluten-free mushroom gravy. served with mixed seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes. $13.75

the happy happy holiday feast was a great way to experience hugo’s for the first time, and the perfect early start to what non-vegans make a most depressing celebration. the thoughtless slaughter of millions of turkeys per year makes thanksgiving, by far, my least favorite day of the year. i was so impressed to see that the holiday meal that hugo’s was offering up was completely cruelty-free…and damn tasty as well!

PLEASE NOTE: if you order this, be sure to order it without the mashed potatoes, as they are not vegan. my waitress mistakenly told me that they WERE, but according to commenter foodeater, they aren’t. my advice is to be safe and order the feast with extra vegetables instead. luckily, i barely touched the potatoes…but the fact i even had a bite still bums me out. totally gross.

anyways…the new american patties were positively delicious. they tasted like excellent mini homemade veggie burgers mixed up with traditional thanksgiving stuffing all in one. all slathered in tasty and thick mushroom gravy, this was definitely a feast by any definition of the word. i ended up taking half of it home because it was too much to eat in one sitting.

my husband opted for the more traditional vegan breakfast, and ordered hugo’s tofu scramble. i had a taste and i gotta say it is one of the best tofu scrambles out there.

tofu scramble: organic tofu scrambled with potatoes, green onions, tomato, spinach, garlic and mushrooms with ginger-soy sauce. $11.50

he ordered it with normal potatoes, instead of the sweet potatoes it usually comes with. they mixed up with the tofu very well, and everything was perfectly cooked. the tofu was juicy and plump, not like the mushy stuff in your typical scramble. a very welcome change.

so overall, hugo’s was an epic win. all the food was great, and they offered a scrumptious holiday meal that involved no murdering of animals. i can’t wait to go back and try out more of their vegan offerings.

have a great vegan thanksgiving!