it’s been 2 years since we first hit the spot in hermosa beach, and i have no idea why it took us so long to return.

the spot is LA’s oldest vegetarian restaurant and most of their menu can be made vegan. we were inspired to go back after reading this blog post about the spot’s healthy options, and lemme tell you, they did not disappoint.

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we’ve been fans of the healthy vegans for quite sometime. their entire blog focuses on starch-based recipes and restaurant reviews, all with very little fat and no oil whatsoever. lately i have been loving their menu hacking posts where they go in to restaurants and modify items to be extra healthy at no additional charge. we dined with them over the weekend at native foods, and got a first hand lesson in how to hack the menu to mcdougall standards.

tijuana tacos made extra healthy. $7.95

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UPDATE: NiceCream has changed its name to KindKreme!

after a long, long wait the day is finally here! nicecream vegan ice cream in studio city has opened its doors, and wow……this place is PHENOMENAL.

vegan soft serve topped with raw cacao nibs

today marked the very first day of business for LA’s only entirely dairy-free ice cream parlour, and of course we were there to check it out…

nicecream galore!

now before i go all crazy talking about how delicious this place was and how much enticing stuff they have on the HUGE menu, i just want to point out that nicecream is not entirely vegan—some of the flavors contain honey. at the moment, all of the honey-containing varieties are currently marked, except for “strawberry.” the owner told me that they are going to make a new sign to mark that one too, and it should all be labeled very clearly by their grand opening on saturday. she also told me that all the honey used in nicecream products is obtained through cruelty-free means at a local facility. i don’t know what your stance on honey is (i don’t eat it, and i think it’s vile and unvegan), but that’s not what we are here to talk about. glad that’s out of the way, now let’s get down to the nicecream!

what struck my eye when i first walked in, was the huge vegan soft serve machine. it is very hard to come by dairy-free soft serve in LA, so this thing was an instant matter of interest. the friendly employee behind the counter saw my excitement and immediately offered me a sample. with just one bite, this stuff changed everything i know about vegan soft serve. it was thick and flavorful, dense yet fluffy, oh man….fucking perfect. the best soft serve i’ve ever had, hands down. i’d like to install one of these machines in my house and pump its crazy-good ice cream down my throat on a daily basis. i don’t know how nicecream manages to make it all vegan, raw, and organic…but it’s totally mind-blowing.

there were many more insane-sounding dishes that i can’t wait to try out next time. milkshakes, banana splits, and ice cream sandwiches just to name a few. check out the menu:

nicecream menu: CLICK TO ENLARGE!

they also had a large selection of vegan ice cream to go…

(via nicecream's facebook page)

a counter full of delicious-looking treats…

a team of 3 lovely and helpful ladies…

(via nicecream's facebook page)

and free parking for vegan ice cream lovers…

seriously, THIS PLACE IS AWESOME! get there as soon as you can, and be sure to make it to the grand opening on 5/15.

i love the idea of nicecream in general, and their huge menu and incredible desserts make me love them even more. if only this place would switch to agave!!!!!

nicecream vegan ice cream
3701 cahuenga blvd.
studio city, ca 91604
818-308-6758

Mon – Thurs: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sun: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm

follow them on twitter!
friend them on facebook!

veggie grill has officially joined the ranks of cool fast food chains by offering a “secret” off-menu item that you have to be “in the know” to order.

the company has been dropping hints about the new “el dorado” via twitter, with a more official announcement recently on facebook. the thing looked so damn good, and of course i had to go check it out…

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UPDATE 05/15/2010: WE HAVE A WINNER!!! hey everyone, the winner of the vegan ice cream contest is “ttt” with a creation called “cracker jack”: salted caramel ice cream with peanuts and/or peanut butter swirl!

mooi is gonna crank out this ice cream in the near future, and it will be on the cafe’s menu when they open. ttt, congratulations! email me for your prize!

runners up included chick-o and the man(go) by LCMom, cop’s breakfast by Liz, standing avoation by Emily, and birthday cake ice cream by Veggywood.

FREE VEGAN ICE CREAM BY MOOI! enter to win! i’ve had a lot of great contests on this blog, but this has got to be my favorite! instead of just winning a 32 oz container of ice cream, you have the chance to create your very own flavor that will appear on the mooi restaurant menu!

orange cream with peppermint fudge ice cream

in case you haven’t heard of mooi, it’s this amazing raw/vegan restaurant that’s about to open up in echo park. their ice cream is already available at naturemart in silverlake, and it’s seriously some of tastiest, most inventive dessert food i’ve ever eaten.

here’s what you need to do to win:

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want delicious, sugary, vegan drinks at half the price?! read on!

although we gave you sneak peek of it mid last month, it appears that starbucks’ new vegan frappucinos are finally here in full force! the company has even created a campaign around their new beverage base, calling it the “new however you want it frappucino!” this is important to vegans, because now instead of the the pre-made milk base, we can get our drinks made with soy and a variety of vegan-friendly add ins.

new vegan frappuccinos at starbucks

to push the new frapps, from now through may 16th, you can go to “happy hour” at participating starbucks between 3 and 5 p.m., and enjoy a frappuccino blended bevarage half-price! check out the promotion page here to see which stores are taking part.

to find out which drinks are vegan-friendly, check out veggywood’s blog for a complete list of frappuccino ingredients! a big thanks to her for tracking this info down and making our lives easier. no-brainer non-vegan ingredients that you need to stay away from are whipped cream, the light base, and caramel sauce.

now let’s go get drunk on frappuccinos!

you wouldn’t think that a bbq place called smokin’ willie’s would have any vegan options at all, let alone a damn delicious one.

however LA’s brand new food truck has clearly marked vegan tacos on their menu for just 2 bucks a pop, and these little babies are tasty as hell.

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what’s the difference between us, and people like ellen degeneres? well, ellen and other famous herbivores of the like can afford to have the top vegan chefs in the country prepare them fine meals throughout the week that they will never tire of—they don’t have to worry about cooking or grabbing something to-go for dinner every night.

but now thanks to madeleine bistro, us normal folks can have the same privilege. for a reasonable price, los angeles residents can enjoy several days worth of entrees, sides, soups, and treats all made by dave anderson, one of the best vegan chefs on the planet. that’s right, the playing field has been leveled between us and ellen. unfortunately, we still have to do our own dishes.

we were lucky enough to be some of the first ones to test the new box concept by madeleine bistro, and here’s a look at what came in our package…

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the daiya revolution is in full swing, and the latest restaurant to hop on board is hugo’s. both the upscale eatery and the taco stand of the same name have adopted the revolutionary vegan cheese, and the result is some damn delicious food.

i hit up the taco stand yesterday and tried a whole slew of vegan offerings, all with daiya cheese, and they did not disappoint!

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hey LA, we have some great news! our favorite indian/mexican-inspired food joint has added a slew of new animal-free dishes to its menu!

that’s right, cowboys and turbans has had a total face-lift, and their new menu includes even more delicious vegan items than before. not just that, but they now DELIVER (literally, not just on taste) to the silverlake area.

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in case you haven’t heard, dosa truck is LA’s only vegetarian food truck and their menu is chock full of vegan options.

sita's surprise: sweet potato masala dosa. $6.75

what exactly is a dosa, you ask? the explanation is written on their website: “Take a crispy sourdough crepe made from rice and lentil flour… stuff it with regional and gourmet ingredients and roll it long and thin and you’ve got a DOSA. “

i have been hitting up the truck on a regular basis lately, and while i think it’s a bit on the expensive side, the food is always pleasant.

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UPDATE 6/9/10: garden blend is available in even more locations! see the list here.

it’s here, it’s FINALLY HERE!!!!! chipotle’s vegan garden blend burrito made with gardein is available in 2 los angeles locations as of TODAY.

we went out and got chipotle’s new vegan chicken burrito the minute we had a chance, and—-holy shit! it MORE THAN LIVES UP TO ALL THE HYPE! this thing is phenomenal!

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as if the cheap sandwiches, all you can eat brunches, and vegan nutella weren’t reasons enough to get your ass over to the meet market now you have one more thing to lure you in: new vegan cupcakes!

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i seriously don’t eat at sante la brea enough. the small restaurant has an impressive amount of vegan options, and focuses on healthy “world cuisine” with a mix of mexican, middle-eastern, italian and asian dishes.

i hit up sante recently with a few friends for some epic feasting, and we were not disappointed…

walnut 'n shrooms pate: a psychedelic experience of sauteed mushrooms, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, roasted onions & garlic with fresh herbs. Served with grilled whole grain toast. $7

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as we get closer and closer to the opening of mooi, a raw vegan restaurant in echo park, i am growing more and more excited. not only have i recently discovered the joys of raw food—but i have had the pleasure of trying several mooi desserts and appetizers, each one being utterly fantastic.

here are a few of the things i got to sample (let’s just say, you have a lot to look forward to!)…

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