i can’t say that we’ve eaten at pf chang’s very much since our last somewhat damning post on the chain restaurant, but we have been back a few times. if you are dining out with omnivores, or are in a city without much vegan food, pf chang’s can be a life saver. they’ve got locations all over the country, and some decent animal-free options. in fact their entire vegetarian menu is free of animal ingredients, and might be considered vegan, depending on whether or not you eat bone char sugar.

buddha's feast: vegetable medley with five-spice tofu served steamed or stir-fried.

i contacted pf chang’s recently to find out exactly what was vegan on their menu, and within a few hours, i got the following response:

“Thank you for your note and inquiry! There are a couple of items on our menu that are vegan and others that can be, when modified. If cane sugar is not an issue for you, I recommend any items from our “Vegetarian Plates and Sides” and vegetarian marked menu items. If cane sugar is an issue, I recommend the following:

Steamed Buddha’s Feast – you can add soft tofu or pressed tofu to this dish.

Stir-Fried Spinach – garlic, salt and pepper. You can add soft tofu or pressed tofu to this dish.

Garlic Snap Peas – garlic, salt and pepper. You can add soft tofu or pressed tofu to this dish.

You can also order any vegetable or tofu with a modified sauce. Please ask to speak to a manager and they will be happy to accommodate you accordingly. I hope this information is helpful.

Thanks and have a wonderful day!”

excellent! so basically all the vegetarian dishes are safe to eat, unless you wanna avoid bone char sugar. then you can stick with buddha’s feast, the spinach, and the snap peas.

we hit up pf chang’s recently to give the vegan dishes another whirl, and while i wasn’t blown away by the food, it wan’t as bad as i remember it. i got the steamed buddha’s feast, pictured above, which is basically a big old lump of vegetables and sliced tofu. it was tasty and well-prepared, but definitely something i could make at home.

spinach stir-fried with garlic: the name says it all!

we also got the spinach stir-fried with garlic to share, which was great. again, a pretty standard dish that i could probably re-create.

ma po tofu: sichuan's famous dish of crispy silken tofu in a vegetarian sauce with steamed broccoli

my husband ordered the ma po tofu (which contains the evil sugar), and it was by far the best dish on the table. the tofu is just cooked so nicely, all crispy and gooey on the outside and so soft in the middle. plus, it comes with a ton of steamed broccoli.

although pf chang’s uses the bad sugar, i’m super stoked that their entire vegetarian menu is free of dairy and eggs. they do have an egg noodle dish, but the menu doesn’t specify it as vegetarian…so that’s cool. so if you are in a pinch, pf chang’s is a great chain to hit up, unlike most chinese restaurants where the only vegetarian option looks like this:

check out pf chang’s website for locations.

PS: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BONE CHAR SUGAR? i’m curious. because we all love ronald’s donuts, right? they use bone char sugar. so does zpizza, i think. and i bet sriracha does too. check out this forum thread and chime in.

hi everyone, time for another vegan field report! this post is written by the talented Aj aka QueerVeganRunner, and comes to us all the way from the LBC. so sit back and enjoy her awesome review and drool-worthy burger pix…

We have new friends who live in Long Beach and so we ventured down there for the first time a month or two ago and keep going back. It seems that vegan restaurants are not plentiful in the LBC and Zephyr Café it one of the only options. That’s fine by me, because it’s great…except for the hours (only open until 4 pm on Sundays, wha-what?).

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september is a great month by any measure. fall (the best season ever) is upon us; it’s cooling down outside, and pretty leaves are starting to fall off the trees. the crazy summer is fading away, yet the cozy holidays are ahead. this september is particularly awesome though, because it marks the 30th birthday of hugo’s, one of our favorite restaurants. and to commemorate this occasion, they are offering a very unique specials menu which celebrates the food of the past, while looking forward to the food of the future. meaning: there are tons of old school, meat/dairy-heavy dishes, but EVERY ONE THIS MONTH CAN BE VEGANIZED! partaaaaaay!

yesterday i was fortunate enough to try out 7 (yes, SEVEN) of these 10 brand new specials craftily created by chef nabor, and all i can say is…i know i will be a regular customer at hugo’s this month. these dishes need to be eaten several more times, by me, before october comes and they are no longer available.

vegan pasta carbonara: house made pasta cooked with veggie bacon, house-dried smoked mushrooms, scallions, garlic, parsley, chili flakes, white wine and a vegan cream sauce. $13.50

first up i tried the vegan pasta carbonara, an animal-free version of a hugo’s classic. the original comes with prosciutto, bacon, and parmesan cheese—while the new version is loaded with veggie bacon, house-dried smoked mushrooms and a vegan sauce made from sunflower seeds. my oh my, this dish blew me away. chef nabor’s secret recipe of homemade pasta, topped with all the goodness of meaty mushrooms, scallions, parsley and chili flakes was almost too much to handle. anyone who craves a hearty, creamy meal would be pleased by the vegan carbonara. i’m so thankful that hugo’s decided put a cruelty-free spin on this favorite dish. BTW the mushrooms are what make it; they are pure magic, i tell you!

next up, i tried a veganized version of the “caprese potato pancake sandwich,” which came with sliced tofu rather than cheese.

vegan tofu potato pancake sandwich: tofu, sliced heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and Kalamata olive relish between two crispy potato pancakes. $12

i knew i would love this the moment it arrived at the table, and one of the hugo’s peeps quickly explained to me, “this is our vegan version of the double down.” brilliant! instead of being the grossest sandwich known to man, this little beauty took the healthy/vegan route, and was absolutely delicious! it came with two perfectly crispy potato pancakes serving as “bread”, with thick slabs of tofu and in-season heirloom tomatoes in the middle. not to mention fresh basil leaves, and chunky kalamata relish. to die for! and just LOOK at how beautifully crispy the potato cakes were… (i can assure you, they tasted even better!)

by this time i was working up quite the thirst, so i quenched it with the september special basil ginger lemonade.

basil ginger lemondade: fresh agave-sweetened lemonade blended with fresh basil and ginger. $3.25

it was like sweet summertime in a glass, with hints of lemon, basil, and spicy ginger. extra refreshing and packed with a punch, this was one tasty beverage.

onto the rest of the food, starting with the melanzane parmigiana (made vegan!)…

melanzane parmigiana (veganized): layers of deep-fried crispy breaded eggplant, filled with tofu ricotta. topped with mushroom-vegetable bolognese sauce and daiya cheese. served with mashed potatoes and sauteed leafy greens. $13.50

this meal by default comes sprinkled with real cheese but with one quick request to your waiter, you can get it daiya-style. it tastes like a very traditional scrumptious italian dish—layers and layers of rich, deep fried breaded eggplant atop eerily convincing tofu ricotta. it’s got the most amazing and luscious vegetable bolognese sauce as well; why anyone would get this almost entirely vegan dish with a dab of real cheese escapes me! the daiya tastes incredible, so be sure to specify vegan. it also comes with a side of hugo’s signature dairy-free mashed potatoes and sauteed leafy greens. perfection!

the last entree i sampled was the “new age” version of hugo’s world-renowned pasta mama…

new age pasta mama: a vegan version of our signature classic represents our move toward plant-based recipes which better supports the health of the planet.: house-made pasta with scrambled organic tofu, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and Hugo’s seasoning blend $11

the normal pasta mama is served on hugo’s a la carte breakfast menu, and features a mix of fresh pasta, scrambled eggs, garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese. this new age version is even better, and comes with scrambled tofu, bread crumbs, and the same delicious herbs and spices.

the soft crumbly tofu really does taste eggy (in a non-nasty way), and i was eating this stuff up like crazy. so, so, SOOOOOOOO good. this only re-affirms my belief that hugo’s can successfully veganize ANYTHING, and their best work is always on the specials menu…so be sure to order from that whenever possible.

just as i was reaching a maximum fullness, i was offered a chance to try this month’s “trio of sweet delights”. after all the amazing tastes i described above, i just couldn’t say no. within seconds, chef nabor appeared at my table with an gourmet style dessert platter that was nothing short of stunning.

a trio of vegan sweet delights: a slice of torte Setteveli - Chocolate cake with hazelnut frosting and Frangelico liqueur. Poached pear in Port and sweet Marsala wine. Crispy rice paper basket with sorbet. $10

the trio of sweet delights was all kinds of fancy. this is the type of dessert i’d expect to see on an upper class tasting menu. i mean—torte setteveli, poached pear in port, and sorbet in a crispy rice paper–come on! (beware, you must specify you want this vegan, otherwise the sorbet component will contain animal products.) the best of the 3 desserts, OF COURSE, was the torte. we are talking a homemade mini slice of cake filled with chocolate, topped with hazelnut frosting and frangelico liqueur. i die!

hugo’s has really outdone themselves this month with the specials, and i am so happy that every single one can be veganized. be sure to get over to the restaurant this september and check them out!

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

guys, i cannot get enough of the vegan deep dish pizza at masa of echo park.

vegan chicago deep dish pizza with teese, spinach, and mushrooms.

since they first started serving up vegan chicago-style deep dish with the new teese a couple months ago, i’ve been addicted. and it seems like the pizza just keeps getting better and better. i went recently with a friend and we got a build-your-own large with spinach and mushrooms that was to die for. i couldn’t believe how big it was—enough to feed 4 people probably—but that’s the way to go at masa, because then you have tons of leftovers.

i’ve never had a “real,” dairy-filled chicago deep dish, but people i know who have swear that masa’s vegan version tastes authentic…and better than all the others. the delicate crispy cornmeal crust is topped with a layer of stretchy teese and thick sauce filled with garlic and whole tomatoes. you have to eat it with a fork and knife, like a piece of pie, and one or two slices is enough to fill you up.

one fun tip, since the pizza takes 50 minutes to bake (it’s worth the wait!), is to start your evening off across the street at el prado. the small bar always has good stuff on tap, and it opens daily at 6pm. so you can pop in, have a few beers, order your deep dish over the phone, then arrive at masa to eat shortly before it comes out of the oven. good times!

beer at el prado

if you haven’t been to masa yet for a vegan deep dish, stop messing around, and get over there! honestly, it’s by far the best vegan pizza in LA, and one the most special vegan dishes i’ve ever eaten. there’s no excuse not to try it!

masa of echo park
1800 West Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 989-1558

oh and here is the el prado info, should you take my advice!

el prado
1805 West Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90026-3226
(213) 484-6079

today is a very sad day, because our beloved meet market is closing its doors for good. the small vegan restaurant and convenience store has been a favorite of ours since it opened in november last year, with its cheap hearty sandwiches, all you can eat brunches, and specialty grocery items. we are gonna miss this place SO MUCH, but let’s send them off today in a big way!

vegan reuben: rye bread, 1000 island, sauerkraut, marinated wheat meat, balsamic beats & daiya mozzarella. $4.95

if you haven’t tried the amazing vegan reuben from the meet market yet, this is gonna be your last chance. it’s huge, delicious, and it’s under 5 bucks. go grab one today, and while you are there load up on groceries….because they’ve got everything from daiya to cleaning supplies, and they are ALL gonna be 50% OFF.

sad, sad, sad! but at least we have one more day to enjoy this wonderful little place.

meet market
3206 W Sunset Blvd (at Descanso)
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323-667-0116
(i think the hours are noon to 7pm, but you should call to double check, because it’s their last day in business and all.)

oh shojin, i love you to bits! but who doesn’t?! i think we all can agree that the modest restaurant located in the little tokyo shopping center in downtown LA is one of the best vegan places to eat in this city, with its constantly changing menu and always inventive japanese cuisine.

i hit up shojin recently with some friends, and as usual, the food was delicious. but i’m not here to tell you ONLY STUFF that you already know, i’ve also got news that shojin has added a new sushi roll to their regular menu. but more on that later, first let’s talk about our dinner!

spicy rock shiitake tempura: tempura shiitake mushrooms tossed in spicy wasabi mayonnaise. $6.95

we started with an order of the spicy rock shiitake tempura as an appetizer, because everyone is kind of obsessed with this dish…and you will be too once you try it. the small plate comes loaded up with little nuggets of breaded and fried mushrooms, all soaked in a scarily good spicy mayo-style sauce. holy shit guys, it’s unreal. no joke, everyone i know who has tried these has proclaimed them to be the “best mushrooms ever,” and i’m no different. there’s something about the crispy shell and the creamy mayo that makes these babies irresistible. trust me! order ’em!

spicy seitan bbq roll. $7.50 shiitake & avocado roll. $5.95

next, of course we got some sushi plates. shojin has by far the best vegan sushi in los angeles, and no visit to the restaurant is complete without a roll or two. pictured above are the shiitake avocado roll, as well as the spicy seitan bbq roll. the shiitake avocado is as you’d expect: rice tightly wrapped around big hunks of cool avocado and sliced mushrooms. what makes it special is the delicious marinade they soak the mushrooms in, as well as the added kombu cooked in soy sauce. the spicy seitan bbq roll is even better—shojin’s homemade wheat meat along with greens and kaiware sprouts mixed with spicy soy sauce and vegan mayo. i die!

clear shio ramen: simple, delicate and profound. sea salted. sweet vegetables, baby bok choy and mushrooms. $10.95

for my entree, i went with the clear shio ramen. the menu describes it as “simple, delicate and profound,” which is pretty accurate. in fact, this dish was a little too simple for my palate. the vegetables were fresh (i loved the kale!), and the noodles were spot on, i just found the broth to be a tad too basic for my taste. i chalk it up to a bad ordering decision—i should have gone with the “hot and spicy ramen” or the “creamy sesame ramen”, both of which sound divine. next time!

so, let’s talk about that sushi roll i mentioned earlier in the post. according to their twitter page, shojin recently added the MOTHER FUCKING DYNAMITE ROLL TO THEIR MENU! pay attention!

this roll started out as a special for shojin’s weekly sushi nights, and when i tried it, i was instantly smitten. it’s spicy mock tuna mixed with avocado, then wrapped in rice and topped with spicy mayo and green onion. seriously dude, seriously, the BEST VEGAN SUSHI I HAVE EVER HAD. i was ecstatic when i saw that shojin added this to the regular menu. so please, please, PLEASE go eat it and help keep it around. i’d hate to see this item axed due to low demand.

that’s about it, kids. in closing: shojin still rules as one of the best restaurants in LA. always order the spicy rock shiitake tempura, fill up on sushi, and get adventurous with your ramen choice. oh yeah, and THE DYNAMITE ROLL IS AVAILABLE. i’m done.

shojin
333 S. Alameda St. Suite 310
(Little Tokyo Shopping Center 3F)
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Tel: 213-617-0305

Monday, Tuesday
5:30pm – 10:00pm
Wednesday, Thursday
11:30am – 2:30pm,
5:30pm – 10:00pm
Friday
11:30am – 2:30pm
5:30pm – 10:30pm
Saturday,
12:00pm – 10:30pm
Sunday, Holidays
12:00pm – 10:00pm

UPDATE: hummus king in thee valley has closed down, but they are offering catering and free delivery until they hopefully re-open in silverlake!

ever since we posted brittany’s glowing review of hummus king, an all vegetarian restaurant in valley village, we have been dying to go there. we finally made the trip this weekend, and i can safely say that it’s one of my new favorite spots.

the menu at hummus king is large, inexpensive, and almost entirely vegan (i think the only animal products at the restaurant are eggs as a topping). they’ve got several platters, salads, and sandwiches filled with your choice of homemade falafel, spiced vegan shwarama, and SEVEN different kinds of hummus to choose from. the second we walked in, a friendly fellow behind the counter started whipping out spoons filled with hummus, offering us a chance to try each flavor. they were all super tasty; i knew immediately that we were in for an awesome meal.

falafel platter: small hummus plate, eight falafel balls, two sides, two pitta breads, and a fountain drink. $9.95

we decided to share the falafel platter, which isn’t a platter at all, but rather several small plates of food. this would probably be enough to feed 2 people, or one VERY hungry person. our platter came with 8 falafel balls (a mix of normal and fire flavor), a side of salad, a side of shwarama, a side jalapeno hummus, 2 pieces of pita bread, and fountain drink.

lemme start by saying the falafel was FANTASTIC! some of the best i’ve ever had. super fluffy in the middle and crispy on the outside, yet not burnt to a crisp. it wasn’t overly oily, and it was perfectly seasoned. i highly recommend doing what we did and asking them to throw some “fire balls” (spicy falafel) into the mix, because those were even better than the normal falafel.

the side of shwarama that came with the falafel platter was huge, i couldn’t believe it was just a side when they brought it to our table. one bite of this stuff and i was in love—thinly sliced and super meaty, it was all mixed up with fantastic mediterranean spices and little bits of grilled onions. i’m definitely gonna work this shwarama into my order every time i go to hummus king.

the salad was very nice as well, light and refreshing with crispy cubes of cucumber, plump tomatoes, and shredded cabbage. it went great stuffed on top of the falafel in the warm pita bread.

the last component of the falafel platter, the small side of hummus, was probably my favorite thing on the table. there were so many flavors to choose from, but we went with jalapeno and were not disappointed. this was some of the creamiest, most flavorful hummus i’ve ever tasted and it was finished off with a chunky scoop of chickpeas and some spiced oil. TO DIE FOR. i honestly wanted to pick up the plate and face palm it.

the falafel platter was so good, i would highly recommend it! i mean just look at the four pictures above—all that food for under 10 bucks! and you can’t even see the pita bread!

vegetarian shwarama sandwich: pita bread with choice of hummus, filled with mediterranean spiced shwarama, chopped vegetable salad, green tahini and mango sauce. $6.95

oh, but that’s not all my friends. not knowing how epic the falafel platter would be, we also got a shwarama sandwich to share. this was a very generous portion of the same tasty fake meat described above, shoved into a soft pita picket with salad, hummus, and green tahini. i would order this hefty hand held meal again any time, it was wonderful! it was all the deliciousness of the shwarama, salad, and hummus i described above neatly tucked together in an easy to eat sandwich. if i were at hummus king on my own for lunch, this would be my go to meal. it’s the right size for one person without having any leftovers.

our first experience at hummus king was phenomenal, and just thinking about it makes me want to drive over there right now. the place is pretty basic on the inside (as you can see in the picture above), but the food is out of this world. plus, the service is friendly, the prices are low, and you can sample pretty much anything you want before you order. oh, and it’s kosher!

get over to the valley and show this vegetarian business some support! you will thank me later.

hummus king
12422 burbank blvd
valley village, ca 91607
818-509-7999
sunday – friday 10:30am-4:00pm

click here and here for the menu.

hi folks, just a quick post to tell you about some fantastic current and upcoming chili addiction menu items that you should all be aware of.

i’ll start with the food that is actually available right now: vegan sorbet! did you even know that chili addiction offered dessert?!? i didn’t until my last visit, and now i am gonna be HOOKED. this stuff is so good, and just perfect for the hot weather. after stuffing myself with various kinds of vegan sausages (more on that later), the chili addiction dudes offered me a sampling of 3 of their sorbet flavors—lemon, lime, and banana. i am usually not a sorbet fan, but this was incredible.

lemon, chocolate covered banana, and lime sorbet

most sorbets i’ve tried in the past have been thick and icy, but not this. it was extra smooth and silky, with an almost milky texture, like real ice cream. i asked what made it so creamy, and johnny (the chef wizard at chili addiction) explained that he has a special contraption that helps the fruit reach that magical texture. not only is it delicious, but it’s relatively guilt-free as well. made from only fruit and sugar, this treat has no excess fat or scary ingredients—just pure, natural goodness.

now, let’s move onto the stuff that isn’t available just yet. very soon, chili addiction is ditching their store bought vegan sausages, and switching to homemade ones using match meat and a variety of herbs and spices. they are still waiting on casing for these sausages before they are available to the public, but i got to sample them and i promise that you guys are in for a treat! here are the flavors you can look forward to (please note i tried these in patty form, but i’m pretty sure they will be shaped sausage style once they hit the menu)…

vegan bratwurst sausage

the bratwurst was amazing. as a burger, i loved it…but i can’t wait to try it as a sausage with some sauerkraut as a topping. as much as i love all the pre-made veggie dogs and sausages on the market, this has got it beat.

vegan cilantro sausage

the cilantro sausage was quite delicious as well. i myself am a coriander lover, so this was right up my street.

vegan chipotle sausage

next up was the chipotle sausage, the perfect blend of match and hot spices. i loved this thing so much; and it was served with a fantastic side of homemade salsa. i didn’t even know chili addiction carried salsa, but i am gonna ask for this as a side from now on.

honestly, this can hold its own with the freshest of stuff from real mexican restaurants. it’s that damn good. and the sausage ruled too.

vegan italian sausage

then came the vegan italian sausage, and it took everything to a whole new level. this baby was all loaded up with seasoning and fennel, the closest thing i’ve tasted to proper meat ball since going vegan. i really wanna try this in some pasta, or maybe atop a bowl of chili mac.

vegan breakfast sausage

lastly, we tried the new vegan breakfast sausage…and i’m not gonna lie, this was my favorite one. decades ago when i was a wee meat-eating quarrygirl, i remember visiting my aunt in tennessee, and every morning she’d cook up batch after batch of her “extra special” sausage. of course it was all full of animals and gross stuff, but i really loved it at the time. suffice to say, one bite of this creation, and i was transported to those childhood memories in the deep south. authentic-tasting beyond belief. i can’t wait to see what chili addiction decides to do with this, but i sure hope it’s some kind of breakfast sandwich.

sorry to tease you all with these mouthwatering sausages that aren’t available yet, but look out for them at chili addiction soon! the sorbet is on the menu now, though. so go and eat that up with all of the other amazing dishes chili addiction has to offer!

chili addiction
408 N. La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 203-1793
closed mondays!
lunch 12pm-3pm
dinner 5:30pm-9pm
(sundays they close at 7pm)

hey everyone, time for a field report from right here in los angeles! this one comes to us from monterey park, and is the first post by our new local operative, “M-E”. check it out, and learn all about veggie world, a family owned restaurant.

I work in East LA which is an area spotted with little gems of restaurants most of which cook with animal fat- the culinary gems don’t usually leave much for the vegan to uncover. My boss is Vietnamese and while driving she saw a sign for what looked like a new restaurant, “Veggie World” and she was dying to show me the wonders of meatless Vietnamese cuisine. We went today after a rough morning in the office.

“Veggie World, Vegetarian Restaurant” is located in Monterey Park and has a vinyl sign with the restaurant name and a little lotus flower hanging out front. We entered zen, the restaurant was empty, but it was immaculate. White walls, beautiful screen dividers, glass lazy susans on the large tables and many jade statues and gold laughing Buddhas evidencing that the patrons were devout Buddhists. The menu is extensive and has $6 lunch specials which come with soup and rice.

I rarely get asian cuisine so my boss and I decided to go all out. I must admit I usually shy away from fake meats as I don’t remember or miss the taste of meat but I LOVE asian food so I was game for an adventure. We decided on a shredded lotus salad with carrots, fake shrimp and pork belly and yummy sauce. Really it was sweet, savory, crunchy and delicious and my boss swore up and down the pork belly tasted exactly like the real thing.

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Do you remember the moment in The Wizard Of Oz where the celluloid goes from monochrome to color? Well, I had a similar experience last week when I drove alongside a dusty railroad track to a barren industrial park on the outskirts of downtown Fullerton, Orange County. The monochromatic middle-American dustbowl view turned into vibrant color as I stepped inside our destination: Bootlegger’s Brewery.

Suddenly I was surrounded by brew kettles, mash tuns, piles of kegs and a makeshift “tap room” (which was actually a corner of the brewery itself).

What’s more, as I looked back out toward the parking lot, I could see Seabirds, California’s only entirely vegan food truck, pulling up and getting ready to serve food.

Now, many of us have been to plush beer bars with comfortable seating and a vast array of beer on tap. Some of us have also been to tap houses: usually less comfortable and with a much smaller choice, but the beer is fresh from the brewery which means it’s as good as you can get. The experience at Bootlegger’s is a little different as you’re actually sitting right inside a working brewery, and the beers are served to you directly from the kegs that have been filled and aged by the brewing team.

While we waited for Seabirds to set up, we enjoyed a few pints of the outstanding “Old World Hefe”, a traditionally brewed unfiltered ale that was extremely drinkable (some might say, TOO drinkable!). We also enjoyed the “Palomino Pale Ale” which was served via a contraption called a “Hopinator”, a sort-of glass tank containing fresh hops under a little pressure. The beer flows over the hops right before it gets served and they impart a fresh, floral flavor that is to die for. In fact, Bootlegger’s chose Citra hops, a relatively recent American hop strain that’s finding its way into more and more beer varieties.

At Bootlegger’s, your beer is served from glass preserve jars rather than glasses, and you sit (if you’re lucky enough to get a seat) on plastic lawn chairs either inside the brewhouse or outside in the parking lot. Urban chic it isn’t, but if you care about being in a place with friendly people, great beer and awesome food you will find few places better in Orange County, or anywhere else. Talking of food, we managed to tear ourselves away from drinking to step outside and grab a bite from Seabirds truck, which was open for business just outside the brewhouse.

Organic Veggie Burrito Bowl: Grilled organic veggies from Tanaka Farm, organic beans, organic brown rice, guacamole, and red or green salsa. $7

I regularly run into food trucks at various events, and it’s surprising how many of them are quite vegan friendly. As Seabirds is entirely plant-based, though, everything on the menu is up for grabs, and we wasted no time in availing ourselves of a few dishes. First up was a Veggie Burrito in a bowl (kindly made in advance for us with no bell peppers) which was a deceptively tasty collection of chopped vegetables, beans, rice and a tangy salsa/guacamole combination. It was truly remarkable, so fresh and healthy tasting yet full of flavor. I’d certainly have that again, and I bet the burrito is even better.

Seabirds Burger: Our homemade nut & seed patty topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and seabird sauce. $5

Next up we were drawn to the Seabird burger, as they proudly proclaim the patty is “home made”. I’m a sucker for home made burger patties as so many places use off-the shelf burgers (at worst Boca, at best Gardein). Not Seabirds! Their burger was perfectly prepared with just the right amount of ingredients – a nut/seed patty with crunchy onion, tomato and fresh lettuce on top of a tangy sauce (also home made) in a wholewheat bun. There’s something about fresh farm-produced organic ingredients that are carefully prepared – they taste SO DAMN GOOD! You can pig out without feeling bloated, and that’s exactly what happened here.

Hummus and Pita

Feeling the need to be bloated, though, we also ordered a side of hummus and pita bread and were delighted with its freshness and taste. I sometimes forget how awesome something so simple can be, and Seabirds really delivered a super-creamy hummus that wasn’t too oily. Oh yum.

We planned to eat some more food, but were just too full. Next time we’re going to go all-out for some of the more exotic dishes like the Beer Battered Avocado Taco, Jerk Jackfruit Taco and the “Bella” – grilled portabella mushroom and pesto sandwich. Oh and for those with a sweet tooth, Seabirds also offers dessert – delicious vegan cupcakes by Luscious Organics.

Not only is the food stunningly good, but the crew at Seabirds are so pleasant, polite and nice that I felt like picking each one up and hugging them. I tend to do that when I’m drunk, though, so don’t read too much into it.

I really wish Seabirds would put some extra miles on that spiffy truck and go a few miles further up I5 to LA for some of our events closer to home. The good news, though, is that even if Seabirds can’t come home with you a growler full of fresh Bootlegger’s brew can. 🙂

As we headed away from Bootleggers, along the dusty railroad line to our car, I took one last look back toward the brewery and food truck and was again reminded of The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy and the gang look down at The Emerald City in the distance – a tempting vista of wonder ahead. As we headed away back to LA things turned into black and white again, but I’m sure that was the pints of Palomino finally taking control of my consciousness.

Bootlegger’s Brewery
401 S Richman Ave
Fullerton, CA 92832
Thur and Fri 4pm – 9pm, Sat 2pm – 9pm

Seabirds Truck
Follow them on Twitter or check their schedule for location.

want delicious gourmet vegan food at affordable prices? if so, you are gonna love the new meatless monday specials at tender greens. the restaurant started the initiative this week, and from now on every monday, in addition to their regular menu, they will offer seasonal vegetarian and vegan dishes with an emphasis on whole foods (no processed ingredients or fake meats).

we have been fans of tender greens for quite awhile; their salads are fresh and made with the finest ingredients, and their “happy vegan” plate is one of the best meals in town. so when we heard that they’d be offering new vegan items each week, we were beyond excited. we dined at the west hollywood location on monday, and were absolutely thrilled with our dinner. tender greens really took it to the next level with this one.

homemade vegan pasta with chili roasted heirloom tomatoes, toasted garlic, basil, arugula, and lemon vinaigrette. $10.50

we started with the pasta special, which normally comes topped with parmesan, but was easily veganized. the chef came to our table specifically to describe the dish: homemade noodles made with 00 flour, chili roasted heirloom tomatoes, toasted garlic, basil, arugula and lemon vinaigrette. this meal was amazing…i couldn’t get enough of the little heirloom tomatoes that were so delicate they basically melted in my mouth. pure excellence from the thick noodles, to the light sauce, the flavorful bits of garlic, and the fresh greens.

grilled oyster mushrooms, black barley, baby heirloom squash, rainbow chard. $10.50

next, we tried the special of grilled oyster mushrooms, black barley, baby heirloom squash, and rainbow chard. this is one of the best dishes i’ve had in a while, truly spectacular. the flavor combos going on here were insane, and the chewy meaty mushrooms were mind blowing. all the vegetables were grilled to perfection, and tasted great all mixed up with the barley. i am so used to eating salads at tender greens, i had no idea they were capable of this kind of food! it’s so high quality, like the stuff you’d find at a fancy restaurant, but for just over ten bucks.

another thing tender greens has going for it seven days a week, not just on mondays, is a good selection craft beer. they switch it up regularly, and always have something good on tap whether it’s from the local eagle rock brewery, deschutes in portland, or ballast point in san diego. oh, and they are all available by the pitcher. glug glug!

it’s safe to say i am a huge fan of meatless mondays at tender greens, and i hope they keep it going strong at all their los angeles locations indefinitely. seriously, get over there and check it out as soon as you can. if your food is even half as good as the stuff i ate, you will love it. my tip would be to check out tender greens’ twitter page each monday, and see what they are serving at each of the locations. that way, you can be sure to get a special that’s to your liking. also, always confirm that what you are ordering is vegan, and doesn’t come with any superfluous cheese or anything.

tender greens, nice work. thanks so much for embracing the meatless monday movement. here’s to hoping other LA restaurants follow your lead!

tender greens
8759 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 358-1919
and
6290 West Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 382-0380
and
9523 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 842-8300

I don’t think we’ve ever asked our readers to jump to a cause before. Usually we’re content with taking pictures of food, but some recent events have spurred us into action to ask for your help to support a potential new highly vegan-friendly and environmentally-friendly business that’s a few months away from opening. Read on to see what all the fuss is about.

You’ve heard us rave about Burbank’s excellent Tony’s Darts Away, the awesome restaurant where over half the food menu is vegan and there’s 38 local beers on tap. About the only criticism we’ve heard is that Burbank is a little far away for some LA residents, and the facility is way too small to cope with the demand at peak times. Tony Yanow, the affable owner of Tony’s Darts Away (interestingly, no relation to the “Tony” in the establishment’s name) is working hard to address those concerns and is in the planning process to convert a disused 1930s theater in Echo Park to a new venue modeled on his original location, but with much more space to accommodate hungry and thirsty vegans (as well as our omnivorous friends).

Initially labeled as “Tony’s East”, the new name is Mohawk Brasserie, and it’ll be on the corner of Sunset and Mohawk right next to Elf (one of LA’s top vegetarian restaurants) and coincidentally across the street from the new LA PETA headquarters (under construction).

The Old Ramona Theatre on Sunset, soon to be Mohawk Brasserie!

photo credit: echoparknow.com

However, all is not set in stone as there has been some limited local opposition to this establishment with local residents (likely a loud minority of people) attempting to stop the construction and progress for what seem to be nefarious and irrelevant reasons: proximity to a school, smells from the kitchen and parking concerns. There’s even a local “blog” where somebody has been spreading untruths about the planned restaurant to scaremonger the local residents.

What’s at stake here? Well, Tony has gone all-out to make sure that Mohawk Brasserie will be a foodie and beer heaven. We sat down with him recently (over a vegan dog and a couple of nice pints of beer, of course!) and he gave us a sneak peek of his plans. On the food side, they include a major expansion of Tony’s Darts Away menu, including the perfect combination of brick oven pizza alongside many more vegan and healthy options. Heck, Tony has even divided the kitchen into two parts: vegan and non-vegan so there’s no chance of getting real cheese on your pizza! Oh, and talking of pizza, Tony is having custom dough and sauce recipes created and will be offering not one but two vegan cheeses: Daiya and the new Teese.

For us beer-types, Tony is dedicating a large area of the bar for keg storage, so that beer can settle and be aged after it’s delivered from the brewery, resulting in a more consistent and tasty pour. Oh, and all beer will be from California, there will be no bottles on the premises and where possible all the food ingredients will be sourced locally to, as Tony puts it, “Create the smallest possible environmental footprint”.

It’s details like a divided kitchen and extra keg storage that set Tony apart from many other proprietors: He cares about the quality of his product, the integrity of his customers food and the environmental impact of the decisions he makes.

Tonight, Tony is appearing in person at the Echo Park Improvement Association Neighborhood Issues Committee meeting being held at 7pm at Williams Hall at Barlow Hospital. He’ll be answering questions from the Committee as well as local residents and explaining his plans for the restaurant and the lengths he’s going to in order to be not just a good neighbor, but to actively improve the area around where Mohawk Brasserie will be.

If you live around the area, and would like to see this special place open up do go along to the meeting and show your support for Tony and his plans.

Frankly, we can’t wait until early next year when Mohawk Brasserie will hopefully open for business.

For more information on this situation and interviews with Tony himself, check out Echo Park Now and The Eastsider LA.

in a constant attempt to keep you updated on the ever-changing situation of one of LA’s best vegan restaurants, madeleine bistro, i’m bringing you some news that they posted on facebook and twitter yesterday. apparently, they are closing for the fall. so act fast, and go eat there.

from twitter.com/madeleinebistro

last time we posted on the tarzana restaurant, we told you that they were temporarily closed for brunch, and only open friday – sunday night. well that’s changed as well. madeleine bistro is now open for brunch on sundays only (10am – 3pm) and for dinner on friday, saturday, and sunday (5pm – 9pm). i’m not sure how long this will last, as they say, they are closing for the fall….so if you have a hankering for chef dave’s food, you should get on it.

madeleine bistro did post a more hopeful note on their facebook page, saying:

make a reservation to visit us soon… we will be closing our tarzana location for renovations and expansion plan this fall.. stay tuned for exact date and details… thanks for your support!!

expansion plan?!?! sounds good to me. not sure if this is the new rumored location in eagle rock, but i sure hope so.

so that’s all i know at the moment. brunch is back, sunday only. they will be closing for fall, but hopefully not for long. i will keep you guys updated as i hear more info, but everyone should follow madeleine bistro on twitter and friend them on facebook for the latest news.

oh, and by the way, i have been looking for an excuse to show you this new breakfast sandwich that just got added to madeleine’s brunch menu. it’s so good! a bagel mcmuffin thingy with vegan cheese, tofu, and tempeh bacon. nommers.

we have a winner for the mooi pizza contest! and the prize goes to PETER with:

a variation of a hearty Meatball Pizza called “Mooiball Pizza”:

Mooiballs/Meatballs: (walnuts/cremini mushrooms/nama shoyu/cloves/garlic/ thyme/oregano/crushed red pepper/flax seed oil/sea salt/pepper)

Tomato Sauce: (plum tomatoes/sea salt/pepper/fresh thyme/olive oil marinated sun-dried tomatoes/garlic clove/fresh basil leaves/fresh thyme/dried oregano/ crushed red pepper/sea salt/pepper)

Cheese: (cashews/sea salt/ garlic clove/black pepper/flax seed oil)

And add slices of Fennel and Vidalia Onion.

congratulations, peter! enjoy your complimentary dinner for 2. 🙂

everyone else, be sure to get to mooi for some tasty raw vegan pizza ASAP.

mooi
1700 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

the stand in orange county is a southern california institution. people have been telling me about this restaurant for years, and according to reports on happycow, it’s been around since the ’60s. the tiny vegan eatery is located right by the ocean in laguna beach, and serves up a large yet simple menu consisting of things like salads, sandwiches, burritos, and smoothies.

the focus is on plant-based natural foods, so that means no animal products, but also no processed fake meats or cheeses…even tofu and seitan are absent from the menu. the stand pulls it off though, with delicious meals based around fresh vegetables, legumes, brown rice, and incredible sauces. we went there for the first time last week and loved it.

special bowl: our tasty beans and brown rice, topped with guacamole and seasoned with mild salsa. $5.95

i have been kind of obsessed with bowls lately, and if i see one on a menu, i have to order it. luckily for me, the stand has tons of appetizing bowls to choose from, so i went with the special bowl. for just under 6 bucks, it came with filled up brown rice, pinto beans, mild salsa, and a garnish of shredded vegetables. it’s normally served with guacamole as well, but i opted for some extra hot salsa instead—so good. the sauce at the stand is so flavorful and fresh, it really took the entire bowl to the next level. for an extremely basic dish, i really loved this thing. all the ingredients were high quality, it was well cooked, and perfectly seasoned. positively scrumptious.

vegetable salad: a combination of crisp red and green cabbage, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, green peppers, celery, zucchini, alfalfa sprouts, carrots, jicama, parsley, and sunflower seeds with lemon herb dressing. $6.95

my husband went with the vegetable salad, a plate piled high with cabbage, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, celery, zucchini, sprouts, carrots, jimaca, parsley, and sunflower seeds…served with lemon herb dressing. he asked for it with no bell peppers, and the stand was happy to oblige. although the plate this thing was served on was a bit too small (i mean, just look at that pic!), everything was fresh and tasty.

the atmosphere at the stand is kind of what you’d expect from a little beach joint. the place is really, actually A STAND, with a tiny counter to order at and a handful of outdoor tables to sit at. even at around 2:30pm on a weekday, this place was crowded—so i imagine summer weekends could get pretty crazy. although it was packed, our food was ready almost immediately, so whatever they are doing back there in that little kitchen is obviously working.

i can’t wait to return to the stand, and i know this place will be a destination every time i’m in laguna beach. the food is simple yet tasty and fulfilling, and the atmosphere is modest yet charming. plus, it feels good to support an all vegan establishment that has been around for so long.

the stand
238 Thalia Street
Laguna Beach, CA 92651-2712
(949) 494-8101
open daily 7am – 7pm
check out the menu

PS: when you are done eating at the stand, head directly across the street for beach access and a nice little public deck overlooking the ocean. lovely!