• it’s time to start planning the weekend, and i hope to see all you guys in highland park on saturday for the vegan cookout at figueroa produce! plant food for people will be serving our favorite jackfruit carnitas tacos, and the folks at figgy prod will be grilling up match meat burgers, chicken, and crab cakes–oh my!

    here’s all the info on the event:

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , ,
  • July 8th, 2011quarrygirlLA restaurants, plant food for people

    plant food for people, the all vegan fast food joint with plans to open in highland park, is doing another preview of their jackfruit tacos on saturday night and you all should go check it out! we went to the last one, and fell in love with their tacos and salsa.

    here are the details…

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: ,
  • June 11th, 2011quarrygirlLA restaurants, plant food for people

    earlier this week we reported on a new vegan fast food joint coming to highland park called plant food for people. well, we just got back from their unofficial debut/preview and it was incredible. if you are reading this post tonight (saturday 6/11), get over there! not only is the food delicious, but it’s served up with a smile by an extremely friendly team.

    they were scheduled to start serving at 6pm, and when we showed up at 6:03, there was already a line…

    tonight’s menu at plant food for people was simple. “carnitas” jackfruit tacos for 2 bucks a pop with a choice of 2 toppings, plus an optional side of homemade pinto beans for $1.

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: ,
  • June 8th, 2011quarrygirlLA restaurants, plant food for people

    hell yes, northeast LA!!! an all vegan drive-thru fast food joint called plant food for people has plans to open up in highland park, and on saturday they’re doing a special debut/preview of their jackfruit street tacos on york blvd.

    vegan jackfruit tacos. get 'em on saturday!

    DID YOU HEAR ME?! there is going to be an ALL VEGAN DRIVE-THRU in los angeles. i’m kinda MAJORLY freaking out with excitement. i never thought i’d see the day. what year is this? am i still alive? plant food for people already supplies their neighbor (and QG favorite) figueroa produce with vegan deli sausages, but apparently they decided to turn the awesomeness up to 11. details about their debut after the jump…

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , ,
  • March 25th, 2011quarrygirlfigueroa produce, LA restaurants

    LISTEN UP PEOPLE! have you ever eaten match? it is honestly the most realistic meat substitute known to man, and it’s very hard to find in los angeles. well as of recently, it’s available at our favorite store ever, figueroa produce. and to get y’all excited about it, figgy prod is holding a FREE match meats cookout tomorrow from 12-5pm!!!

    good god, you need to attend this! not only is it amazing that a market would hold a FREE vegan bbq, but they will be using a meat substitute that is almost impossible to find…

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , ,
  • tuesday evening was pretty awesome because it marked the launch of highland park’s din din a go go, a weekly vegan-friendly truck feast in the parking lot of figueroa produce. i arrived at right at the beginning (5:30pm), and there were already tons of hungry peeps milling around, waiting to get their grub on.

    when i saw the multiple trucks lined up neatly behind figueroa produce to the right, i knew it was gonna be an epic night. all the trucks had vegan items on their menus (many added specifically for this event), so i had a pretty tough time deciding what to order. i chose my meals (yes, i ate multiple meals) depending on who was ready to serve and had the shortest line. first up, lomo arigato.

    tofu lomo saltado: tofu sauteed with onions, tomatoes, french fries, soy sauce, and red wine. served over peruvian rice.

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , ,
  • February 6th, 2011quarrygirlfigueroa produce, stores, vegan events

    vegans, mark your calendars! this tuesday february 8th marks the launch of HPK din din a go go, a weekly food truck dinner feast at figueroa produce.

    each week, the trucks will gather in the store’s parking lot and sling loads of their usual tasty grub as well as special menu item using a figueroa produce ingredient. (i think this week’s ingredient is kale.) the organizers are going out of their way to ensure that the event is highly vegan-friendly, so let’s go show them some support and eat a lot of good food in the process. on tuesday, it’s gonna be all trucks i haven’t tried yet, so i’m super excited. here’s a sneak peek at some of the trucks and the vegan options they’ll be offering…

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: ,
  • January 25th, 2011quarrygirlvegan bakers

    there’s no shortage of vegan cookies here in los angeles, but i can say without a doubt that the oversized chocolate chip treats from mardy’s munchies are some of the best.

    the small neighborhood bakery based out of northeast LA was started about two years ago by montecito heights resident steve rossen, and his partner jana. while they only have one vegan item on the menu at the moment, it’s a damn good one and worth trying out…

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , ,
  • January 12th, 2011quarrygirlfigueroa produce, LA restaurants, products, stores

    if you aren’t already hip to figueroa produce in highland park, you need to get over there. the neighborhood grocery store is super vegan-friendly and has more cutting edge products than anywhere else in los angeles.

    insane vegan meats

    when i popped by over the weekend for one of the epic deli sandwiches, they were handing out samples of vegan meat by a company called fry’s that totally blew my mind…

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: ,
  • November 21st, 2010quarrygirlcinnamon, LA restaurants

    cancel your plans today and head over to highland park! starting at 10:30am, cinnamon vegetarian will be serving up an entirely vegan pre-thanksgiving feast!

    it will include faux turkey roast, savory gravy, cinnamon raisin stuffing, cranberry sauce, sesame green beans and mashed potatoes along with a cup of pumpkin soup and a piece of pumpkin pie for $20.

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , ,
  • November 17th, 2010quarrygirlfigueroa produce, stores

    act fast, vegans! i usually don’t post a lot of discount offers here on the blog, but this one is so epic that it deserves some ink.

    aged cashew and brazil nuts cheese by dr. cow

    figueroa produce, the friendly neighborhood market in highland park, is selling both dr. cow’s tree nut cheese and field roast celebration roasts at HALF PRICE, while supplies last….

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , , , ,
  • September 21st, 2010quarrygirlfigueroa produce, stores

    this is just a quick post to let you all know about figueora produce, a small little grocery store in highland park that’s bringing you high-quality foods at discounted prices. in an area that lacks a whole foods, this place has got most our favorite products including gardein, daiya, teese, and so delicious. plus, they are always willing to take suggestions from vegans about what they should carry.

    we popped by the store over the weekend, and i was so excited to see the shelves stocked with so many vegan items.

    silk and so delicious right there with the normal milk…

    stinkey monkey pudding and blissed out chocolates (two very good, yet hard to find vegan products)…

    several gardein frozen products…

    along with teese, tofurky, and daiya…!

    i was actually pretty excited to see teese on the shelf, because i’d just suggested to figueroa produce via twitter that carry it a couple weeks ago. they sure didn’t waste any time!

    but it’s not just bloggers that figueroa produce listens to. my friend recently moved to eagle rock and was shopping at the grocery store when one of the owners, ruben perez, introduced himself and welcomed her to the neighborhood. he gave her his email address, and said if there were any vegan products she’d like to see, to let him know. she emailed him to suggest they carry field roast sausages, and with in a few days she got a response saying they had been ordered and would be in stock soon. WOW! talk about customer service!

    if you are ever in the area, be sure to stop in and check figueroa produce out. it’s a real gem in the highland park neighborhood with a wonderful staff and great vegan products. oh, and be sure to follow them on twitter! they are always announcing deals and discounts. in fact, TODAY is twitter tuesday…meaning, if you go to the store and mention twitter, you get 10% off your check! so go do it!

    Figueroa Produce Market
    6312 North Figueroa Street
    Los Angeles, CA 90042
    Phone 323-255-FOOD (3663)
    Fax 323-255-3030
    Mon – Sat 7am to 9pm
    Sunday 8am-8pm

    Tags: , , , , ,
  • December 20th, 2009quarrygirlcinnamon, LA restaurants

    if you haven’t been to cinnamon vegetarian in highland park yet, you are really dropping the vegan ball. not only do they now carry daiya cheese, but they make some of the best and cheapest meatless mexican food in LA.

    2 vegan chorizo sopes. $4.75

    take for example their sopes appetizer which comes with 2 circles of fried corn masa topped with homemade vegan chorizo, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, onion and guacamole…all for under 5 bucks. this thing eats like a meal and is absolutely delicious.

    just a gentle reminder that there is a place called highland park, and there is some really wonderful vegan mexican food there.

    cinnamon vegetarian
    5511 North Figueroa St.
    Highland Park, CA 90042
    please note this place is closed on tuesday, wtf!
    • Monday, Wednesday & Thursday | 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM
    • Tuesday | Closed
    • Friday & Saturday | 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
    • Sunday | 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM

    Tags: , , ,
  • November 2nd, 2009quarrygirlcinnamon, LA restaurants, vegan cheese

    daiya cheese now at cinnamon vegetarian!

    great news, los angeles vegans! cinnamon in highland park now has DAIYA CHEESE!!!! named one of the top 5 vegetarian restaurants in los angeles, cinnamon has been one of our favorites for a long time. they specialize in light but traditional meatless mexican cuisine, and they are becoming more and more vegan-friendly as the days go by. now that they have added daiya cheese to their arsenal, i know i will be visiting much more frequently.

    i know that there are tons of daiya pizza options in town…but cinnamon is one of only two mexican restaurants that offer the stretchy, gooey, realistic miracle product. i stopped by cinnamon this weekend to try out the new daiya, and it was awesome as always. they give you the choice of “cheddar” or “italian” flavor, my favorite being the cheddar.

    daiya cheese quesadilla at cinnamon

    i had my daiya in a plain quesadilla…which may sound a bit boring, but oh man was it delicious. the tortilla was soft and perfectly grilled, and the cheese was melted and sooooo real tasting. it went down great dunked in cinnamon’s amazing hot sauce and slathered with flesh guacamole. seriously, there is no vegan product on this earth i love more than cheddar daiya.

    i can’t wait to get back to cinnamon and try out daiya in even more exciting dishes….i am thinking vegan cheese enchiladas next time. who’s with me? and if you haven’t tried cinnamon yet, you really are missing out. we wouldn’t name it one of the best vegetarian restaurants in LA for no reason, now would we?!

    cinnamon vegetarian
    5511 N Figueroa St
    Los Angeles, CA 90042
    (323) 982-9480

    Tags: , ,
  • Yesterday we brought you a list of the 5 best vegan restaurants in Los Angeles. But if a 100% vegan eatery isn’t on the cards for whatever reason, LA has a superb selection of vegan-friendly vegetarian restaurants, some of which rival or exceed the offerings available at vegan-only establishments. From a 60s-era hippie health-food store to a moderne hipster hangout, LA has it all. Check out our top five vegan-friendly vegetarian restaurants and please let us know in the comments if you think any don’t deserve the list, or you have a favorite that should be on it.

    Follow Your Heart

    Psychedelia. Woodstock. Topanga Canyon. Flower Power. Tie Dye. We have many things to thank the late 60s for, and Follow Your Heart is one of them. This amazing vegetarian oasis, established in 1970 in Canoga Park, has LA’s premier (= only) vegetarian grocery store with a TON of vegan products (some of which can’t be purchased anywhere else). Not only that, it has a cosy restaurant and patio where some of LA’s finest vegan food is waiting for you.

    Vegan Reuben at Follow Your Heart

    Vegan Reuben at Follow Your Heart

    Don’t miss the Reuben Sandwich (make sure you ask for extra 1,000 island dressing), as a human being has to try this out at least once in their life! There are many, many dishes with home made fake meats, and vegan entrees such as breakfast burritos, benedicts etc. Follow Your Heart does a SUPER job with the restaurant food and you pretty much can’t go wrong. If you’re averse to honey (hopefully you are, bees are cool), the buns have honey in them, so be sure to order your delicious burger on VEGAN bread.

    Fatty’s & Co

    Fatty’s is an interesting place. So overtly pretentious, yet with honest down-to-earth food items you can’t get anywhere else it’s a somewhat strange place to dine. If you walk in when the place is empty, the greeter will give you a hard time because you didn’t make a reservation, but when you’re seated in this pristine restaurant with cavernous ceilings you will be served some truly special food.

    Vegan Chartreuse at Fatty's & Co

    Vegan Chartreuse at Fatty's & Co

    After wading through a pretty dairy-heavy menu, there are some vegan wonders which await. Half the appetizers are vegan and run the gamut from bread and oil (very special, bread and oil, I might add) through blackened tempeh to more obscure things like “far east rolls” including non-meat chicken. This is a place with powerful entrees as well — get the vegan paella, ravioli, sloppy joe or chartruese for a throughly different and high quality experience. There are also some rare deserts, including a cotton candy that’s only available if a certain person is in the restaurant (Mrs. Dingle, I kid you not). Eat here when you really want to impress a date or experience vegan fine dining to the fullest.

    Flore Cafe

    Like a phoenix from the ashes, Flore Cafe rose from the amazing Vegan Spot, my favorite ever vegan restaurant. Despite a rocky existence (after the abrupt closing of Vegan Spot I firmly expected this place to be shuttered when I next visit), Flore Cafe has some great vegan food that’s served fast and of very high quality. Almost totally vegan except for a few egg and dairy items, Flore Cafe is unlikely to disappoint. Plus, they really raise the bar with their excellent “all you can eat deals”—from their regular Sunday $10 brunch, to their special event buffets—they give us several reasons to watch them closely.

    Tofu Scramble at Flore Cafe

    Tofu Scramble at Flore Cafe

    The tofu scramble (if you’re really lucky you’ll be eating that at one of the botomless Sunday brunches) is some of the best in town, along with the breakfast burritos, burgers and salads with seitan. Also, their fake tuna a.k.a. “tu-no” is awesome — especially when served on the tu-no melt. Like its sister restaurant Flore (located just 1/2 mile away), Flore Cafe offers organic meat-free menu with fresh ingredients and attention to detail, yet the restaurant is rarely crowded. Not the best place to dine in, but great for a quick snack or take-out feast.

    Cinnamon

    Californian-style Mexican food can be well prepared with vegetarian or vegan ingredients, and Cinnamon has perfected the art. Situated in a nondescript single-frontage store in Highland Park, Cinnamon has a warm, family atmosphere in common with all the best Mexican restaurants. Most times, the owner will be there to personally advise on her menu creations as well as supervise the kitchen. With a huge menu of high quality food items, you basically can’t go wrong.

    Chorizo and Tofu Tacos at Cinnamon Vegetarian

    Chorizo and Tofu Tacos at Cinnamon Vegetarian

    Although a vegetarian restaurant, pretty much anything can be veganized or is already vegan. Burritos, tacos, quesadillas, all the regular Californian-style Mexican food is well represented as well more authentic stuff such as tamales, mole and empanadas. You got your mock meats, spicy black beans, fresh and crunchy vegetables and the typical sauces — all optionally vegan. Cinnamon proves that great Mexican food can be made vegan.You can eat here with a clear conscience because you KNOW the rice has no chicken broth and the refried beans no lard. Check it out…. you really won’t be sorry.

    Paru’s Indian Vegetarian Restaurant

    While our friends at Cinnamon excel at vegetarian Mexican-style food, Paru’s knocks the ball out of the park with vegetarian Indian food. Since the 1970s, Parus has been quietly plugging away, serving some of the best Indian food this side of Brick Lane. With a strict policy on preparing vegan food separately in the kitchen, they are to be trusted with our veganocity. The place is a little foreboding upon arrival. It seems like you’re entering a bail bond office or brothel in a sketchy part of town (they buzz you in), but once past the reinforced door you’re in a private patio that leads to an intimate restaurant.

    Punjab Glory at Paru's Indian Vegetarian Restaurant

    Punjab Glory at Paru's Indian Vegetarian Restaurant

    All but a couple of the menu items are either vegan or can be prepared vegan, and the best bet is to get a few side orders with some rice and bread. It’ll cost you a lot less than the signature dishes, and is a great way to experience the variety of food Paru’s has to offer. Get the dosa (puffy bread that looks like a deflating balloon), bonda (fried potato balls) and one of the lentil dishes. Paru’s is a welcome break from our fake-meat-tofu world as they make everything by hand from vegetables and legumes. That’s a rare thing these days.

    Honorable mentions: Bulan Thai, The Spot, Nite Moon Cafe

    Tomorrow, we’ll be presenting the Top Five LA vegan-friendly omnivorous restaurants. Stay tuned!

    Tags: , , , , , ,
  • « Older Entries