it looks like the wynn is really upping its game when it comes to vegan offerings. several of the hotel’s restaurants now offer gardein, and terrace pointe cafe has even introduced a vegan fast food menu! WTF?! i was at terrace pointe less than a year ago and was stoked to see tofu pockets, hummus and soy milk on the menu.

above is a pic of the burger, shake, and fries i got from a reader named anita. here’s what she wrote…

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VEGUSTO IS COMING TO AMERICA! good god. this exciting news and a ringing endorsement comes via isa chandra in this thread at the post punk kitchen! i’ve never tried vegusto vegan cheese, but trusted sources tell me the coveted swiss-made stuff is THE BEST EVER. real life friends who endorse it include a wide range of folks including fat gay vegan on one end of the spectrum (who loves vegan cheese more than all of us combined) and melisser aka the urban housewife on the other (who generally dislikes vegan cheese, but loves vegusto).

vegusto cheese! photo via the PPK facebook

for ages, vegusto has been unavailable in america. but that’s all about to change…

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it’s my life’s mission to make it through all the rotating vegan specials at tony’s darts away, and i’m doing a damn good job. i was among the first angelenos to feast on the wheatloaf sliders when they came out in 2010, i’ve sampled the fleeting pickle chips, and i’m no stranger to the marinara “meatball” sub. after all that though, i can say with confidence that the “not so french dip” is my favorite special yet, and surely one of the most delicious vegan sandwiches in all of LA.

not so french dip: thinly sliced seitan on a bun with creamy sauce and vegan au jus.

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hey everyone! i’m so bummed i was outta town for FYF fest (aka LA’s best music event) this year, but our field reporter brittany was there and has your vegan wrap up. for more of her awesomeness, follow her on twitter and check out the daily kev. here ya go! -QG

fyf fest finally happened after months of being tortured with an amazing line-up and dealing with emotional scarring from last year’s festivities. okay, that’s a TAD dramatic. last year was a total shitshow and it did make me question if going this year was worth it. but, i went, i saw some great performances, and i ate!

first up was lunch from the yummy one truck. i saw the “bi bim burrito” on the menu and suddenly went from “eh i could eat” to “i’m fucking starving”. i ordered and was served faster than you can say… bi bim burrito.

tofu bi bim burrito: mixed asian style salad with romaine lettuce, red onions, cilantro, tomato and cucumber with marinated tofu and sesame dressing.

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when planning my trip to the east coast i started asking around for friends’ favorite spots to eat and drink. Red Bamboo came up undoubtedly every single time. i’m talking even from omnivores. so after walking around all day in the rain and having a few beers we strolled on over in anticipation of a great meal. we walked in and there were already several people waiting before us but fortunately for our empty tummies we only had to wait about 10 minutes. the seating was a little close for my taste but what’s new in new york city?

for dinner my partner went with tonkatsu “chops” that were served with steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes. the faux meat was breaded and covered in sauce (as the traditional meal is done) and was pretty tasty. the texture of the “chops” in my mouth was really smooth and unlike other fake meats i’ve had.

Tonkatsu Chops: Lightly seasoned gluten pork chops served with a side of steamed vegetables, sweet corn mashed potatoes and savory tonkatsu sauce… 9.95

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roll up, roll up! the magical mystery tour has nothing on this—it’s a VEGAN PIZZA BUS.

on october 1st, scott’s pizza tours is giving a bus tour of the best vegan pizza in NYC, and it’s gonna be co-guided by our very own vegan pizza field reporter jon!

check it out…

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…until i saw this one. happy 3 day weekend.

yes, yes, yes! sunday will indeed be one of the best days of the summer as the dudes from hot knives take over the verdugo patio for a vegan bbq blow out. the vegetarian bloggers/cookbook authors are some of our favorite chefs ever, yet their food is rarely available to the public. basically, you don’t wanna miss this. the menu will include:

1) Oyster mushroom po’boys with radish remoulade, greens and a side of pickled potato salad
2) Mesquite-smoked jackfruit hoagies with peach BBQ sauce and a side of kaleslaw
3) Summer succotash and jalapeño cornbread

that all sounds pretty fantastic, right? they worked magic with mushrooms on the verdugo patio in 2009 with a pulled “pork” sandwich…i can’t wait to get a taste of the po’boys.

pulled "pork" oyster mushroom sandwich in 2009

this event isn’t only about eating awesome and rare vegan food though, it’s also a chance to be part of a photo shoot. a photographer will be documenting the event and shooting photos for hot knives’ second book, spring blaze, which is all about party foods. check out this video of the guys doing their thing on the 4th of july to get an idea of how it works…

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hey kiddos, there are still a couple spots left for this weekend’s urban food crawl, so get on it! this weekend’s downtown LA crawl is gonna be extra special, because included in the 6 stops will be an exclusive vegan tasting hosted by the wine and beer geeks at buzz. oh the alcoholic afternoons! sign me up. get your tickets here.

to read reviews of the previous urban food crawls, check out trip advisor.

we’ve already blogged about the pizza port location in solana beach, and i’m happy to report that their carlsbad restaurant is even bigger and better, but with the same excellent beer and food.

that cheese in the background isn't mine

pizza port brews their own beer on the premises, and the staff are very knowledgeable about which ones are vegan. in addition to their own beers, they always have tons of local vegan-friendly guest taps from the likes of stone and lost abbey. i don’t just go to pizza port for the grog though—the grub is also outstanding. while nothing jumps out immediately as particularly vegan-friendly, don’t be fooled. both the regular and whole wheat crusts are vegan, as well as the tomato sauce—so you can create a pretty mean cheese-less pizza.

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listen up, vegnews (and everyone else)! instead of being relegated to horrendously boring and limited vegetarian bbq pictures that are obviously from istockphoto.com, you should get on this new and rad entirely vegan stock photo site called vegistock.com. trade in that mushroom skewer for a proper vegan bbq shot:

vegistock officially launches tomorrow, and will feature high-quality professional photos of animal-free foods at affordable prices. i seriously think all vegan publications should get on this. more on them after the jump…

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AWESOME NEWS. doomie’s home cookin’ (ONE OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS EVER) recently had to shutter do to an electrical fire, but they’re set to re-open this weekend! get over there and eat your face off. i highly recommend the chili cheeseburger, country fried steak, or pot roast. order your meal with onion rings, and get some vegan creme brûlée for dessert.

welcome back, doomie’s!

check out their entire menu here. and like them on facebook.

what’s the best vegan cheese in america? you tell me. i go back and forth on this quite a bit. daiya was my favorite for awhile, and then the new stretchy teese came out. at first i wasn’t a fan of follow your heart, but hard times pizza completely changed my mind. i can’t decide! what do YOU think? vote below and let us know.

[poll id=”3″]

feel free to elaborate on your decision in the comments section!

2 native foods blog posts in one day?! you bet. not only is their regular menu stellar, but the restaurant never misses a chance to offer new and inventive specials. the newest one will be available this labor day weekend, friday through monday. let me introduce you to the “chimichurri burger”.

labor day chimichurri burger: homemade thinly sliced seitan, topped with warm grilled zucchini slices, sweet roasted peppers, caramelized onions and freshly blended chimichurri sauce. served with garlic fries and a veggie credit skewer with extra chimi sauce. $9.95

good god, the thinly sliced seitan is amazing. if this is even half as good as their epic oklahoma bacon burger, you’re in for a treat.

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every time i eat a new special at tony’s darts away, i feel compelled to tell you immediately…because they never stick around for very long! today tony’s is serving up vegan meatball sandwiches filled with marinara sauce and topped with daiya cheese.

vegan meatball sandwich: vegan meatballs simmered in marinara sauce, served on a warm bun and topped with daiya mozzarella. $8

i ordered one without the cheese, and it was damn delicious. go eat one of these for dinner, who knows how long it will be on the menu.

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