• September 4th, 2008quarrygirlflore, LA restaurants

    with pure luck under construction lately, i’ve been searching for new ways to get my fancy beer/vegan food fix. over the weekend i discovered a pretty great alternative: flore. but they don’t serve beer, you say? nope…but the good, located right across the street, does. the good offers tons of beer on tap and like a million bottles, so it’s a great place to get a buzz before walking over and soaking up the drunk with pure vegan awesomeness. i just cannot get over flore’s amazing food…and the menu is freakin’ huge!

    the wrap: stuffed with baked tofu, roasted vegetables, shredded kale and brown basmati rice with a drizzling of creamy tofu dressing wrapped together in a wheat tortilla. served with potato salad. $9.95

    the wrap: stuffed with baked tofu, roasted vegetables, shredded kale and brown basmati rice with a drizzling of creamy tofu dressing wrapped together in a wheat tortilla. served with potato salad. $9.95

    the wrap is enormous, delicious and satisfying—filled with delightfully seasoned tofu and very tasty dressing. it comes cut in half, so it’s perfect for sharing. hell, get 2 wraps and switch it up! the potato salad hit the spot as well—light, fresh and not too soggy.

    burrito flore: brown rice, black beans, tempeh bacon, cilantro cream, cashew cheese, lettuce, avocado and tomato wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. served with a side of pico de gallo and a green salad. $10.95

    burrito flore: brown rice, black beans, tempeh bacon, cilantro cream, cashew cheese, lettuce, avocado and tomato wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. served with a side of pico de gallo and a green salad. $10.95

    i really, really, REALLY love burritos. when i was a vegetarian they were my second favorite food, and now that pizza is gone, they are definitely #1. seriously, when i eat at a restaurant that has a burrito on the menu, i find it very difficult to order something else. that being said, flore’s vegan burrito is one of the best i’ve ever had. they cram so much stuff inside, i almost can’t handle it. they’ve got the fake meat, beans, fake cheese, vegetables and even fake creamy stuff as well. with most vegan burritos, you are lucky to get any kind of protein along with the standard rice and beans…not to mention fake cheese! this burrito really takes it to the next level.

    i mean look at that. it just belongs in your face, right? and it’s not just crammed full of cool shit, it also tastes really good. all the ingredients are so fresh and juicy, your mouth will have a party. thanks a lot flore, now i am gonna have a really tough time ordering anything else off your majorly enticing menu.

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  • March 30th, 2008quarrygirlpure luck (closed)

    as a vegan imbiber, i can’t think of any place more wonderful than pure luck. it’s probably the only place you won’t see me bitching and complaining about on this blog. in fact, the absolute worst thing that really irritates me about pure luck is that they aren’t open on sunday. because if they were, i would be there right now.

    first off, unlike most vegan eateries, they have amazing tap beer. not that budweiser bullshit, i’m talking about the real thing—at a great value. a 20 oz. glass of craftsmen ipa only costs $6, a very competitive price (especially in a vegan restaurant!!!), considering the quality and the quantity.

    pure luck beer

    but as an ardent drinker, even fancy & cheap beers are auxiliary when it comes to my enjoyment of pure luck. what sets this establishment apart is the amazing and unique food. they don’t resort to the same tired menu as many vegan spots in los angeles (faux meat piled onto noodles with lots of salt). it seems any restaurant that has the word “vegan” in the title serves basically a carbon copy of a thai menu, with the substitution of seitan for meat, and the addition of french fries. thankfully, not pure luck. instead, it offers up new and tasty creations like fried gnocchi “potato pals” and spring rolls wrapped in flour tortillas.

    potato pals

    pure luck spring rolls

    i am making it a point to go to pure luck every saturday, and order something new each time until i’ve had everything on the menu.

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  • March 26th, 2008quarrygirlLA restaurants

    a lot of bars aren’t open on easter sunday. fortunately, naja’s place in redondo beach is. while this is supposed to be a blog of vegan things, i can’t find anything more inspiring to write about in my first post than beer…hoppy, tap beer. and i will throw in some hummus as well, so this post will technically qualify as a vegan post. hummus is vegan. now, back to the beer…

    taps3.jpg

    naja’s is a great place to go if you love beer; they must have about 20-30 different choices on tap. the service is pretty crap, though (unless you happen to be one of the toothless “regulars” who makes out with the bartendress while the rest of us are waiting for our drinks).

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