• August 14th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, pure luck (closed)

    pure luck is without a doubt one of our favorite restaurants ever. we have written countless great reviews on them, named them one of the best vegan restaurants in LA, and even added their jackfruit menu items to our bucket list post. that’s not to say we haven’t had a few complaints in the past: we were super bummed when they removed curry from the menu, we may have called them communists at one point, and their baja tacos failed to pass our veganocity test. whatever, though! all that BS aside, we still looooooooooove pure luck.

    we eat there all the time, and they are the number one spot i recommend to friends. that’s why i was shocked to hear from three different people that when asked about the test conducted on their soy fish tacos, pure luck servers have made disparaging remarks about this blog. saying things like i “tried to put them out of business” (untrue, and insulting considering the amount of money i spend at that place), and that i have “been sued” because the tests were unscientific. i just wanna take this opportunity to say, i have never been sued. i don’t know why pure luck is telling people that, but it is completely untrue. stop it! hopefully this post will set the record straight, because i don’t want that false rumor floating around.

    as sad as i am about all of this, i am gonna keep eating the fuck out of jackfruit tortas at pure luck.

    torta: sauteed jackfruit “carnitas” plus pinto beans, lettuce, tomato, onions, tomatillo salsa, sliced avocado and vegan mayo on a grilled rustic roll.

    seriously, this is one of my favorite sandwiches ever and i couldn’t live without it. if you haven’t been to pure luck yet, you gotta check it out. it’s has some of the tastiest food in los angeles, and a far better beer selection that any other vegan place in town. in fact, tons of omnivores love this place because the food and beer is so good.

    pure luck
    707 N Heliotrope Dr.
    Los Angeles, CA 90029
    (323) 660-5993
    open 11am to Midnight, Mon – Sat
    closed Sundays

    PS: i still don’t know if the soy fish is vegan or not. i hope it is. however, i feel unless it’s a known brand and you can read the ingredients (gardein, field roast, tofurky, etc), ALL MOCK MEAT should be eaten at your own risk. that’s not to say i don’t eat off brand mock meats at times, i’m just sayin’…caveat emptor.

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  • August 13th, 2010quarrygirldoomie's, LA restaurants, meet market (closed)

    big news, vegans! we were devastated when one of our favorite restaurants ever, doomie’s home cookin’, shut down…but tomorrow, we are gonna have a chance to eat their amazing food again when they host a buffet at the meet market in silverlake.

    DETAILS —>

    Read the rest of this entry »

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  • August 13th, 2010quarrygirlflore, LA restaurants

    just one more reason to love weekends in los angeles: there’s a new brunch menu at flore, and it is fantastic. seriously, you gotta get over there saturday or sunday and check it out. we are talking new scrambles, waffles, and last but not least…BISCUITS AND GRAVY.

    we went last weekend for the menu’s debut, and while i knew it would be pretty good, the food exceeded all of my expectations. i ordered the biscuits and gravy (natch), and they were nothing short of epic. for under 10 bucks, i got two massive biscuits covered in white creamy gravy and topped with flore’s homemade sausage. plus, a bed of kale with tempeh bacon on top. SO MUCH FOOD.

    the menu description doesn’t even begin to do these guys justice…it doesn’t even list the fact that they come covered in seitan sausage. i was in no way prepared for how delicious they would be. honestly, everything about them was top notch—the biscuits themselves were soft and fluffy, the gravy was rich and flavorful, the sausage bits were plump and hearty, and the kale was fresh. this meal was so good, i had to take its photo from both sides, just so you could get an idea of how glorious it was.

    biscuits and gravy: two biscuits topped with vegan gravy and served with your choice of tempeh bacon, fruit, or potatoes. $9.95

    honestly, i think i am gonna go order this again tomorrow. where else can you get vegan biscuits and gravy in los angeles?! nowhere that i can think of! and the ones at flore will BLOW. YOUR. MIND. i am so grateful they added these things to the menu.

    my husband went with the traditional tofu scramble, which was also flawless. it came with huge chunks of extra firm tofu, all mixed in with extremely fresh vegetables atop a bed of kale, served with sliced bread and potatoes. breakfast perfection.

    tofu scramble: savory tofu, tomato, mushroom, red onion and basil scramble served atop sauteed kale. serverd with sliced batard and your choice of fruit, tempeh bacon, or potatoes. $9.95

    flore’s brunch menu is only served on weekends from 10am – 1pm, so don’t strut in there expecting biscuits and gravy any ole time of day. also just to clarify, these items are only available at flore in sunset junction, not to be confused with its sister restaurant the meet market down the street.

    if you don’t already have plans this weekend, i highly suggest you work brunch at flore into your schedule. the food is second to none, and the biscuits and gravy are my new favorite meal. oh, and while you are there, be sure to pick up a few croissants!

    flore vegan
    3818 W. Sunset Blvd.
    Silverlake, CA 90026
    (323) 953-0611
    brunch: weekends 10am – 1pm

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  • August 11th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, mooi

    UPDATE 12/10/10: i just got an email from CSA, and the pickup spot has moved down the street, about a mile away from mooi! here is the new info they sent me:

    Hi There! I just wanted to give you news on our pick up location in Echo Park. There is a new health food store near by Mooi. It’s our new pick up spot. And for people who can’t pick up by 5 the bags will be left at the store, and they can pick it up after hours. I know that was a concern for some of the people when they originally read the article. I’d love it, love it if you’d be willing to update the information. I hope this will help out the community more, as several people told me they can’t pick up until after 5. Now they can! I hope all is well!

    Here’s the address. 0.9 miles from Mooi
    Silver Lake Market
    2829 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90026. (213) 908-6730.

    great news, eastsiders! community supported agriculture is headed to your area starting next week! if you haven’t heard of CSA, it’s basically an awesome program where you can get a massive box of locally grown fruits and vegetables for $25 per week, available at pickup locations all over los angeles.

    huge box of fruits and vegetables, available weekly. $25

    as reported earlier this week by LAist and echo park now, CSA are making their eastside debut on tuesday august 17th at none other than the amazing restaurant (and quarrygirl BFF), mooi.

    here is the official word from CSA’s newsletter:

    CSA launches next Tuesday August 17th in Echo Park at a new raw food restaurant called Mooi. Mooi is located at 1700 W Sunset Blvd. We will be there every Tuesday from 3-5. We may extend the hours to 5:30 once we have enough customers. Below is a link to sign up for the program. You can participate every week or every other week. You will see a list of what was in last weeks bag online. We stick with the season and everything is organic. Each bag is $25 and $2 from every bag goes to school garden programs. Please spread the word!

    https://csacalifornia.org/Sign_Up.html

    i have had the pleasure of eating my way through an entire CSA box in the past, and let me tell you, it was a damn good value. the fruits and vegetables are extremely fresh and plentiful, and it’s so wonderful eating something that you know was locally grown.

    so please, ORDER YOURSELF SOME CSA PRODUCE and PICK IT UP AT MOOI next week. and whilst you are at mooi, eat some of the awesome vegan ice cream and raw food!

    for more info on CSA
    for more info on mooi

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  • August 11th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, tony's darts away

    have you guys been to tony’s darts away yet?! if not, WTF are you waiting for? it’s the best place for vegan beer lovers in los angeles, period. the almost entirely vegan beer selection is massive (and so are the pours), the menu features some of our favorite products, the service is friendly, and the food is outstanding.

    the ultimate vegan spread: firestone walker union jack ipa, vegan chili, 2 types of hot sauce, vegan beer brat with creole mustard, garlic paste, sauerkraut, and diced onions.

    but we’re not here just to tell you what you already know, we actually have some brief updates about the restaurant. first off, tony’s darts away now carries HOT SAUCE. we have been begging them to stock the spicy stuff for quite sometime, and tony himself even promised in the comments section that they were working on it. for awhile though, we were forced to smuggle in our own. well, not any more! tony’s now carries two hot sauce varieties. one is a standard red chili sauce, and the other is an awesome concoction made by the chef with a vegan mayo base. the mayo one is so freaking good, i could drink it by the gallon. even though tony’s is an omnivorous restaurant, they have decided to make just one version of their creamy hot sauce, and it’s vegan. so that’s pretty cool.

    secondly, tony’s has new buns for their sausages. in the past, people have criticized the buns for being too bready, and that is no longer the case. the new buns are light, soft, and sprinkled with sesame seeds…so tasty. we took the new buns and hot sauces for a whirl (pictured above), with a beer brat topped with creole mustard, garlic paste, sauerkraut, and diced onions. the sausage was excellent, and the addition of creamy hot sauce and the new bun made it the best dog we’ve enjoyed at tony’s. as of last sunday, the new hot sauce was not listed on the menu….so be sure to ask for it if you don’t see it.

    black diamond jagged edge ipa and a half pint salad.

    we also tried a salad for the first time at tony’s, and were pretty impressed. we got the half pint—a mix of california field greens, tomato, cucumber, and house vinaigrette. it was very simple, but fresh and delicious. plus, the portion was pretty big for just 3 bucks! tony’s is in the process of adding a new and more substantial vegan salad to the menu, with tofu and quinoa, and i can’t wait.

    i have had friends tell me more than once that it’s hard to find a seat at tony’s, because the place is always really busy. well, we were there on a sunday afternoon and it was super quiet and comfortable. we were chatting with the staff, and they remarked that saturday nights are usually surprisingly mellow, compared to friday nights which are crazy. just thought i’d mention that!

    i’ve said it before, and i’ll say it again: tony’s darts away rules. the only problem i have with this place is that it’s not closer to my house. get over to burbank and eat at tony’s if you haven’t already. it really is vegan beer and food paradise.

    Tony’s Darts Away
    1710 W. Magnolia Blvd
    Burbank, CA 91506
    (818) 253-1710
    Hours: 11AM-2AM M-SAT & SUN 11AM-1AM

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  • August 10th, 2010quarrygirlflore, LA restaurants

    you have got to get over to flore ASAP, because yesterday the restaurant started carrying homemade vegan croissants and cinnamon buns! i tried both of them, and they are out of this world. i don’t know how i’ve lived so long with out them!

    vegan chocolate chip croissant. $2.25

    first, the croissant. this thing is really a work of art. the only flavor flore carries at the moment is chocolate chip, and it is incredible. soft, delicate layers of flaky buttery goodness–all encasing a center of creamy chocolate. i was a big croissant fan before going vegan, and i can say these definitely pass the test. they without a doubt taste like the real thing. i don’t know of anywhere else you can get vegan croissants in los angeles, so go buy as many as you can at flore.

    vegan cinnamon bun. $2.25

    the vegan cinnamon bun was also beyond delicious. it was moist, fluffy, and filled with the sweetest, tastiest cinnamon goo. i may have to make another trip to silverlake today for these treats….they are definitely some of the best vegan sweets in town.

    flore vegan
    3818 W. Sunset Blvd.
    Silverlake, CA 90026
    (323) 953-0611
    Mon: 11am – 4pm
    Tues – Fri: 11am – 10pm
    Sat – Sun: 10am – 10pm

    YUM

    flore opens at 11am today. you know what to do.

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  • August 9th, 2010brittanyhummus king, LA restaurants

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

    i walked in to work the other day and happened to swing by my fellow vegan coworker’s office (to talk about food, of course, not work) after making my usual morning stop in the company kitchen. much to my surprise, she holds up a menu for hummus king and tells me she’s going there for lunch because it says “vegetarian heaven” right on the menu. i was intrigued, especially after taking a gander at the menu and seeing vegetarian shawarma. i’d brought my lunch but i said i’d go along to try some things (and to take pictures for you lovely people).

    four of us ended up piling into a car and heading over to valley village. when we walked in we had a lot of questions re: dairy, eggs, etc., and the guy at the counter was more than happy to answer. when asked about the shawarma, he quickly produced a plate for us to sample.

    vegan shwarama!

    this stuff was fucking aweeeeeesssssssooooommmmmmmeeee! i’m pretty sure just it’s just seitan that’s been seasoned and cooked, but it is damn good. i immediately regretted eating before my field trip because i imagine this shawarma stuffed in a warm pita with some hummus is just glorious.

    while i was hogging the shawarma samples, snapping pix, and texting QG about how awesome the shawarma is, i look over to see my coworkers being given samples of all of the different types of hummus. i got in on the sample action a little late so i only got to try 3 of them, and all of them were really good and super creamy. my favorite of the ones i tried was the jalapeno.

    my coworkers ordered and all got their food in a snap, and let me try a few bites.

    okay. i. loved. this. falafel. SO good! not super greasy or over-fried. it was perfectly seasoned. once again i immediately regretted having already eaten lunch and started thinking about having a shawarma/falafel pita. IT WILL HAPPEN.

    i’m not a huge fan of eggplant but i also liked this as well. once again, not overly greasy or fried tasting, and well seasoned!

    so, in conclusion, hummus king is the king of kings. the food is great, the staff is super friendly, the prices are reasonable, there is ample parking… there’s no reason not to check it out!

    hummus king
    12422 burbank blvd
    valley village, ca 91607

    sunday – thursday 10am-10pm
    friday 10am – 7pm

    PS: here are some snaps of the menu, since i can’t find it anywhere else online.

    click to enlarge

    click to enlarge

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  • August 6th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, madeleine bistro

    hey everyone: listen up! this is a HUGE madeleine bistro update for this weekend that you are gonna wanna know about. hot off the press we’ve got NEW hours, a NEW menu, and a NEW poll for you to fill out…but sorry, no new location yet, as we hinted at earlier.

    desconstructed s'mores: chocolate ganache, graham crackers, marshmallow fluff. $12

    here’s what’s up with madeleine this weekend!

    1.) NO BRUNCH THIS WEEKEND. sorry folks, but madeleine is renovating and improving their current brunch menu and need a few weeks off to get it ready to go. they will still be open for dinner though, so don’t miss out on that.

    2.) NEW MENUS for this weekend! not only is there a brand new dessert on board (pictured above), but the tasting menu sounds incredible. the new dessert is chef dave’s version of “deconstructed s’mores,” basically chocolate ganache, graham crackers, and vegan marshmallow fluff. i’ve tasted it, and i can say it’s one of the best vegan desserts i’ve ever had. EVER. the tasting menu this week sounds just as epic: a 5 course meal of bisque, “re-imagined” beet tartare, arborio-crusted mushrooms, cheese cannolis, and fig perdu. read all about the new menu here. you won’t wanna miss it.

    3.) lastly, VOTE FOR MADELEINE BISTRO in the vegnews veggie awards! they were nominated for best restaurant (page 1), and for best chef (page 6). honestly, they deserve it. and we deserve to see LA represented FINALLY in the veggie awards. DO IT. also, please vote for quarrygirl in the best blog category! thx. xo.

    that’s all i got for now. bummer that madeleine is closed for brunch this weekend, but i guess that means i better make it there for dinner. s’mores, anyone?!?!

    madeleine bistro
    18621 Ventura Blvd.
    Tarzana, CA
    (818) 758-6971

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  • August 6th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, mooi

    hey everyone, i’ve got some pretty exciting news! starting next week (probably on wednesday), mooi in echo park will be offering 4 flavors of raw vegan pizza. the restaurant has featured pizza as a special before, and it was so popular that they decided to add it to the regular menu.

    the best part about all this though, is that mooi wants YOU to come up with their newest pizza flavor. all you gotta do is leave a comment with the type of raw vegan pizza you’d like to see at the restaurant. the winner will get a complimentary dinner for two at mooi, as well as their pizza choice added to the menu! neato, huh?

    but first, let me tell you about the fantastic pizzas mooi is gonna start carrying next week. i got a sneak peak at these babies and i was completely blown away.

    margherita: sweet chunky marinara, olive oil, macadamia mozzarella, fesh basil leaves & sliced tomato.

    the margherita was my favorite—simple flavors, but perfectly executed. it came with chunky marinara, oilve oil, macadamia mozzarella, fresh basil, and sliced tomato. i gotta admit, i am a huge fan of cooked pizza, and this thing still won me over big time. the “bread” crust was ridiculously convincing, and the macadamia cheese was TO DIE FOR. i am really beginning to think nut-based cheese is the best tasting vegan cheese there is. i was seriously shocked by how good this pizza was, maybe it’s because i didn’t know quite what to expect.

    hawaiian style: BBQ sauce, eggplant bacon, carmelized onions & pineapple.

    next up, i tried the hawaiian style pizza with bbq sauce, eggplant bacon, caramelized onions, and pineapple. i am usually not a fan of this pizza flavor, but i quite enjoyed the raw version. the insanely delicious eggplant bacon and onions are what did it for me. that bacon is just ridiculous. this pizza was pretty crunchy with a great texture, and a wonderful combination of salty and sweet flavors.

    red pepper and sundried tomato: red pepper and sundried tomato sauce, anise & fennel italian walnut sausage, macadamia cheese & kalamata olives.

    there was also a red pepper and sundried tomato pizza, with anise and fennel italian walnut sausage, macadamia cheese, and kalamata olives. honestly, i didn’t even try this one because i hate bell peppers. it sure was pretty though, and i tasted a bit of the walnut sausage, which was excellent.

    lemon basil pesto and garlic aioli: lemon basil pesto sauce, garlic aioli, mixed greens (mustard, kale), fresh basil leaves & marinated shiitake mushrooms.

    lastly, there was the lemon basil pesto and garlic aioli pizza—a basil garlic sauce topped with mixed greens, basil leaves, and marinated shiitake mushrooms. like the others, this pizza was extremely tasty. nice fresh ingredients with a rich pesto sauce…what’s not to like?!

    now that you’ve seen and heard about all these pizzas, you gotta get over to mooi next week and try them. even if raw pizza sounds a bit strange to you, i think these will knock your socks off. i have tried a couple different raw pizzas before, and these are definitely the BEST, and the only ones that come close to resembling “the real thing.” the crust really tastes like crust, the cheese really tastes like cheese, etc. seriously, i fell in love with just one bite.

    oh, now about that contest. you wanna make up your own pizza flavor and win a dinner for two at mooi?!?! details after the jump.

    CONTEST —> —–> —–>

    Read the rest of this entry »

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  • August 5th, 2010brittanyLA restaurants, mandoline grill

    ok listen up people ’cause i have some BREAKING VEGAN NEWS. starting next week, the much beloved mandoline grill will be switching up their menu. first, their cha gio will be going away. this makes me incredibly sad because those delicious deep-fried rolls are a staple in addition to my mando sando every time i visit… but, they are being replaced by two awesome options! i’ve already told you about the secret tacos that are available on the truck, and well, they’re no longer going to be secret. the second item is brand-spanking new, and it is REALLY FUCKING GOOD: lemongrass tofu NACHOS!

    vegan lemongrass tofu nachos

    freshly fried tortilla chips, sriracha/vegenaise aioli, yummy lemongrass tofu, green onions, and fresh mint. i’m not a huge fan of mint leaves but these were so damn good, i didn’t even think twice about it. the tortilla chips… wow… i don’t know what made them so good but they were really some of the best i’ve had. i split these babies with some of my friends and everyone thought they were delish. i’m more than happy to switch out the cha gio with these!

    so be on the look out for the new menu items on your next trip to mandy grill… and if you haven’t been yet, wtf are you waiting for???

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  • August 4th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, veggie grill

    good news, everyone! the chickin’ caesar wrap that was recently removed from veggie grill’s menu IS BACK starting today!

    this wrap is amazing, and there was an outcry when veggie grill stopped selling it. i am so glad they have come to their senses and decided to offer it again. please go eat this thing ASAP, i really don’t want to see it go away again!!

    thanks veggie grill, for bring back the chickin’ casesar wrap! we love you. is it too much to ask to bring the caesar salad back as well? 😉

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  • August 3rd, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, pizza cookery

    pizza cookery in woodland hills has been on our radar since way back in november when we learned that they had a separate vegan menu. however, we resisted making the trek out to the valley just to eat there for quite some time, because the restaurant was using follow your heart vegan cheese. i’m not a huge fan of that product, and with all the vegan pizza available much closer to my house, i just couldn’t justify the trip. anyways, those days are over now because pizza cookery now offers both follow your heart AND daiya…so everyone can enjoy some vegan pizza! we finally hit up pizza cookery recently, and found their vegan food to be absolutely fantastic—this place is definitely one of my new favorite spots.

    an amazing vegan pizza

    pizza cookery is your normal old school pizza joint in almost every way. they’ve been around since the 70s, with their sawdust-covered floors, pitchers of tap beer, huge private booths, and delicious food at a good value. the fact that a place like this is catering to vegans (and also gluten-free diners), is almost unbelievable.

    the moment we were seated, we were presented with both “normal” and vegan menus, and a plate of complimentary rolls were placed on our table. we asked if they were vegan, and our waitress apologized that they weren’t…and offered to make us a dairy-free batch. we took her up on it, and i’m so glad we did. wowza.

    the piping hot rolls arrived in one huge clump at our table about ten minutes later, and they were visually stunning. gooey vegan cheese was bubbling out of them and glistening in the light, i don’t think i’ve ever seen such beauty. shockingly, they tasted even better than they looked. they were filled up with melty follow your heart cheese, which actually worked well, and brushed with a thin coat of oil. if you go to pizza cookery, you GOTTA REQUEST the free vegan rolls! they will blow your mind to bits.

    we also ordered a small salad as an appetizer–the caesar with vegan dressing and daiya cheese. we loved it!

    vegan caesar salad. $8.35

    i’m glad we ended up going with the small, because the salad was huge! the large would probably be enough for several people. plus with all those rich rolls, we barely had any room for pizza. we ordered a small 11″ pie to share with daiya cheese, tomatoes and mushrooms, and it was more than enough. in addition to loads of vegetable toppings, pizza cookery offers vegan pepperoni and chicken as well–both of which i’m looking forward to trying. please note, if you order vegan pizza at this place it comes with follow your heart by default. daiya lovers (like myself) need to specify.

    the pizza itself was exceptional—by far some of the best vegan pizza in LA. super top notch crust, flavorful sauce, nicely melted cheese, and fresh vegetables. basically, it was everything a pizza should be and more. it would have been PERFECT, but they slice it up strangely at pizza cookery, so it was a little difficult to eat. (i like my pizza slices shaped like triangles, thank you!) but anyways, that’s a small complaint considering how incredible the pizza was.

    pizza cookery also serves wine, and has beer on tap…which is very important. the selection isn’t great, but it sure hits the spot. everything is pretty cheap too—we had 2 drinks, salad, and pizza for around 25 bucks!

    when you visit pizza cookery, and i really hope you do, be sure to wander around and check out all the relics scattered around the restaurant. they’ve got some really neat stuff in there like vintage soda machines…

    gumball dispensers (remember those?)…

    and even a cigarette machine advertising the vegan menu. lol!

    i seriously love pizza cookery so much. the atmosphere, the food, the prices…everything there is wonderful. and i will be dreaming about those damn vegan bread rolls for months!

    pizza cookery
    6209 topanga canyon blvd.
    woodland hills CA 91367
    (818) 887-4770

    PS: there are a couple other pizza cookery locations in the valley, but they are not affiliated with this one, and don’t have vegan options. so beware.

    PPS: has anyone ever been to earth, wind, and flour in santa monica?!?! it is SO MUCH like pizza cookery on the inside (right down to the playing cards glued to the ceiling), and the pizza tastes very similar. i can’t find any tie between the 2 pizzerias online, but i’m just throwin’ that out there.

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  • August 2nd, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants

    chain dining. most of us have to do it sometimes, and for vegans it can be difficult. luckily for us though, the international chain romano’s macaroni grill can serve up a more than decent animal-free meal.

    i have written about macaroni grill before, but since then they have added a whole “vegetarian options” section to there website, that is constantly updated with which foods do and don’t contain animal products. they’ve even got handy little indicators to let you know which items contain eggs “(E)”, dairy “(D)”, and honey “(H)”. this pdf is a vegan’s dream come true. just be sure to check it before each visit to the restaurant, because it changes constantly.

    on our recent trip to macaroni grill in westlake village, we started with a huge hunk of peasant bread, some olive oil, and red wine. the bread at this place is so damn good, i could probably make a meal of it alone….however that would be a bit rude, considering it’s free and all.

    create your own pasta: penne, arrabbiata, fresh broccoli, fresh mushrooms, fresh spinach.

    for our entree, we both went with the “create your own pasta.” with this dish you get to customize your meal any way you want it, from the sauce, to the noodles, to the vegetables. after consulting with the vegetarian guide and letting our waitress know we were vegan, i ordered mine with penne pasta, arrabbiata sauce, broccoli, mushrooms, and spinach. all the ingredients were fresh and tasty—i really can’t complain!

    create your own pasta with spaghetti, olive oil, grape tomatoes, fresh broccoli, fresh spinach.

    my husband ordered his “create your own” dish with spaghetti, garlic and olive oil sauce, tomatoes, broccoli, and spinach. i tried a bit of this, and it was fantastic—even better than what i ordered. it’s kinda sad though, because the “garlic and olive oil” sauce is now missing from macaroni grill’s online menu. hopefully they haven’t discontinued it forever, because it really was their best vegan sauce. anyways, if you see it—it’s a good bet!

    overall, i wouldn’t recommend vegans seek out macaroni grill and eat there…but if you are stuck in a small town, or dining with omnivores, at least they have some good pasta options. just be sure to examine the vegetarian guide and allergen info…!

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  • July 30th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, madeleine bistro

    hey everyone, i’m gonna go ahead and spread a HUGE RUMOR here. it appears as though madeleine bistro is expanding/moving their main restaurant to eagle rock.

    it’s no secret that the vegan fine dining establishment has been looking for a new location for quite some time—the internet is abuzz with rumors that santa monica or hollywood may be madeleine bistro’s new home. well i’m sorry west-siders and tourists, but hipsters can rejoice! …i have it on pretty good authority that madeleine bistro is moving east. as of now, they are in negotiations with an already vegetarian establishment in eagle rock, and hope to move into their space.

    new maddy's?!

    the madeleine bistro takeover may start happening as early as next weekend. stay tuned.

    BTW: if this doesn’t happen, DON’T LOOK AT ME! as i said in the VERY FIRST SENTENCE of this post, THIS IS A RUMOR! believe at your own risk. jeez. if i AM RIGHT, though…you heard it here FIRST, suckaz!

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  • July 27th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, the natural cafe

    if you are craving simple, light, nutritious vegan food, the natural cafe is where it’s at. the small restaurant has 9 locations throughout california (santa barbara, moorpark, and simi valley just to name a few)—we recently hit up the westlake village establishment for lunch and were surprisingly pleased with our meal.

    veggie stuffed spud: baked potato topped with steamed vegetables, and tahini-ginger sauce. $7.95

    although the natural cafe serves meat, they have a large vegetarian menu (most of which can be made vegan). we were feeling like a pretty basic meal, so we went with the veggie stuffed spud and “mr. natural”.

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