• September 19th, 2010quarrygirlmore restaurants (not LA), seattle

    chaco canyon cafe is a sweet little restaurant in seattle that’s 95% organic, and almost entirely vegan (they offer dairy milk for coffee). the menu is huge–they’ve got soups, salads, sandwiches, bowls, raw entrees, breakfast items, and even desserts. we popped in for lunch on our recent vacation to the pacific northwest, and were impressed with the cafe’s charm and delicious food.

    tofu scramble sandwich: turmeric seasoned tofu with onions, mushrooms and spinach, grilled on rye bread, with sprouts. served a la carte. optional soy cheese for additional charge.

    much to my delight, breakfast is served all day at chaco canyon, so we started off with a tofu scramble sandwich. it came on grilled rye bread and was topped with loads of tumeric tofu, onions, mushrooms, spinach, and sprouts. so freaking good. the tofu was perfectly flavored, and not too mushy. hot little nuggets of soy, just they way they should be. the vegetables were fresh, and the bread was warm and crispy. i’d definitely order this again.

    the basic bowl: brown rice or quinoa and black beans with either our peanut sauce or garlic tahini.

    next we shared what’s probably the most simple item on the menu, the basic bowl. this comes with brown rice or quinoa, black beans, and your choice of sauce. we ordered it with brown rice and tahini, and it was excellent. just so well prepared with soft sticky rice, plump beans, and creamy sauce. love, love, loved it.

    there were tons of vegan desserts to choose from as well, but we decided to pass on those since we were saving ourselves for mighty-o. next time i will definitely try out some of the cakes at chaco canyon though, as well as their vegan reuben made with field roast!

    inside, the cafe is super cute and cozy. you order at the counter, and there’s comfy booth seating where they bring you your food. oh, and they have BEER ON TAP. what’s not to love about chaco canyon?! i know i’ll be back.

    chaco canyon organic cafe
    4757 12th Ave NE
    Seattle, WA 98105
    206.522.6966
    Mon to Fri 7am to 9pm
    Sat & Sun 9am to 9pm
    Now serving
    Sunday Brunch 9am – 3pm

    Tags: , , , ,
  • September 7th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, zephyr cafe

    hi everyone, time for another vegan field report! this post is written by the talented Aj aka QueerVeganRunner, and comes to us all the way from the LBC. so sit back and enjoy her awesome review and drool-worthy burger pix…

    We have new friends who live in Long Beach and so we ventured down there for the first time a month or two ago and keep going back. It seems that vegan restaurants are not plentiful in the LBC and Zephyr Café it one of the only options. That’s fine by me, because it’s great…except for the hours (only open until 4 pm on Sundays, wha-what?).

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , ,
  • September 1st, 2010quarrygirlbrooklyn, more restaurants (not LA), NYC

    do you have a list of vegan food places you need to visit before you die? i’m not talking about an LA-based list, but a one that knows no boundaries. a “wish list” of all the insane animal-free food on this planet that NEEDS TO BE EATEN at some point, some point SOON. if you do, add foodswings in brooklyn to that list.

    i’d heard people rave about foodswings forever, i don’t know why it took me so long to get over there. it’s basically an all vegan fast food joint with a giant menu full of deep fried and hearty goodness. if anyone were to ever say they had a hard time going vegan because they missed “normal food,” this place would quickly change their mind.

    gyro: seasoned homemade seitan w/ lettuce, tomato, red onion, and vegan tzatziki sauce wrapped in flatbread. $7.50

    i had a super hard time deciding what to order. i went back and forth between the baked potato skins, the reuben, and fish n chips…but eventually decided on the gyro. i had a meat gyro once years ago when i was a kid, and i remember really liking it, so i wanted to see how this one measured up. naturally, it was amazing. it came filled with foodswings’ homemade seitan, lettuce, onion, and tomato all covered in a vegan tzatziki sauce then wrapped up in warm flatbread. the seitan was spongy and slightly spicy, so wonderfully seasoned. the tzatziki was also delicious, super milky (you’d never know it was vegan), and filled with cucumber flavor. let’s just say i loved this sandwich.

    combo plate: 3 drumsticks with choice of side. (here we have 2 southern fried, 1 buffalo style drumstick, + the creamy mac n cheese!) $8.75

    we also got the combo plate, which comes with 3 of any flavors of foodswings drumsticks, as well as a side. again the decision was tough, but we went with 2 southern fried and 1 buffalo drumstick, with a serving of mac and cheese. i’m pretty sure the drumsticks were just pre-packaged mock meats, but foodswings did wonders to them in the cooking process. the buffalo one was breaded, fried, and smothered in spicy sauce and served with a cool and creamy bleu cheese dip. the southern ones were battered and fried—super bready and crispy on the outside. there are two types of mac and cheese to choose from at foodswings, original (which is made with nutritional yeast), and creamy (which is daiya-based). we went with the creamy one, and it was fantastic. it reminded me a bit of the amy’s frozen mac and cheese, but even better.

    inside, foodswings is like a cleaner and hipper version of a normal fast food place. there’s a huge chalk board menu, and you order at the counter then wait for them to bring the food for your table. it was a super quick and comfortable dining experience. oh, and i think it’s also byob!

    overall, we loved foodswings and cannot wait to return. this was definitely the best vegan fast food fix i’ve ever gotten; with a blend of pre-packaged ingredients and their own homemade recipes, foodswings makes magic in their kitchen. you gotta check this place out!

    foodswings
    295 Grand Street Brooklyn, New York
    718-388-1919
    Hours
    Monday 11:30am to 11pm
    Tuesday 11:30am to 12am
    Wednesday 11:30am to 12am
    Thursday 11:30am to 12am
    Friday 11:30am to 2am
    Saturday 11:30am to 2am
    Sunday 11:30am to 11pm

    Tags: , , , , ,
  • August 12th, 2010quarrygirlmore restaurants (not LA), portland

    tube in portland will always have a special place in my heart. the grungy dive bar has so much personality, plus offers loads of vegan items from white russians to happy hour snacks. we hit up tube just about a year ago and instantly fell in love; so imagine how excited we were when we went back recently and found they had expanded their menu. we are talking 3 pages of vegan-friendly goodness; we knew we had to get comfy and stay for a while.

    professor nanotear muffin: a slice of grilled vegan ham and vegan cheese between an english muffin and our homemade spicy chipotle veganaise. $3 or 2 for $5

    we started out with some “professor nanotear muffins” from the bar snacks menu, which are basically little vegan mcmuffins topped with faux ham and vegan cheese. you can get one for 3 bucks, or two for 5…so we went ahead and splurged. these muffins are so simple and would be really easy to make at home, but i just love them. i don’t know of anywhere else you can get such cheap and tasty little vegan snacks at such a cool bar.

    hamm's. $2 each.

    it was happy hour, so we pounded a couple of hamm’s for 2 bucks a piece. not the best beer in the world, but definitely the best beer for this situation.

    as you can see, tube was pretty empty when we were there. we arrived at around 5pm and it was deserted, but i hear it gets PACKED by the nighttime. and there is dancing and stuff, if you are into that.

    vegan white russian!

    after munching on snacks and drinking weak beer, we decided to kick it up a notch with some real food and hard liquor. i REALLY wanted to try one of the new alcoholic milkshakes, but alas the bartender said they had run out of ice cream. so sad. instead i went a vegan white russian, probably my favorite mixed drink out there, and was cheered up immediately.

    vegan mac and chez: a creamy soy cheese/nutritional yeast blend and vegan hot dog bits. served with chips. $6

    foodwise, we split an entree and a sandwich off the new dinner menu, and were quite pleased with our order. first up, the vegan mac and chez—a bowl of spirally noodles all mixed up in creamy sauce with nutritional yeast and hot dog chunks. downright delicious comfort food. it was 8 bucks, but the bowl was big and it tasted damn good.

    vegan fried bologna sandwich: vegan grilled bologna and vegan cheese with ketchup on two pieces of white bread slathered in vegan butter and grilled again. served with chips. $5

    we also got the vegan fried bologna sandwich, which was double grilled and stuffed with fake meat and cheese. again, this meal was solid. the soy bologna was awesome, and the fluffy bread was moist and flavorful. the chips tasted like ruffles straight out the bag, and i would expect nothing less (or more) from a dive bar like tube.

    i honestly hope to visit tube every single time i go to portland. not because the food is so out of this world amazing, but because it’s damn good and the atmosphere is excellent. it’s so much fun to eat junk food in a trashy little bar, the kind of experience that omnivores get to enjoy all the time.

    tube
    18 NW 3rd Ave
    Portland, OR 97209
    (503) 241-8823
    open 7 days a week 5pm – 2am
    happy hour 5pm – 10pm
    brunch saturday and sunday 11am – 4pm

    here are some shots of the menu. i want to eat all the vegan stuff on it. please note TUBE ALSO DOES BRUNCH ON WEEKENDS, check out that menu here.

    click to enlarge

    click to enlarge

    click to enlarge

    Tags: , , , , ,
  • July 21st, 2010quarrygirlmore restaurants (not LA), portland

    a trip to pdx just wouldn’t be complete without visiting the bye and bye. the all vegan pub located in northeast portland has great food, an impressive beer selection, and is the perfect place to sit and unwind for a few hours. just ask our friend little vegan planet, who has a very awesome story about this place in his latest blog post.

    the menu at the bye and bye is simple yet delicious. a decent selection of bowls, sandwiches, and entrees—like spaghetti or chili pie—are all available for under ten bucks. on our recent visit, we decided to split a sandwich as well as a bowl of 3 sides…

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , , , ,
  • July 9th, 2010quarrygirlmore restaurants (not LA), seattle

    one my favorite places i’ve ever been would have to be highline in seattle.

    the brand new bar is located on capitol hill in an upstairs space of a former nightclub, and serves a huge menu of reasonably-priced and entirely vegan fare. we were tipped off by our friend, a seattle local, who had heard that highline had opened up in her neighborhood and supposedly served “vegan bar snacks”. we went in not expecting a whole lot, and were completely blown away by the selection and quality of the food. we loved highline so much in fact, that we dined there 2 nights in a row. have a look at what we ate…

    fish and chips $8

    first up from the shared plates menu, we ordered the fish and chips. the minute we saw this greasy classic was offered, we knew we had to order it—and highline did not disappoint! the “fish” was some kind of soy concoction (tofu perhaps?) lightly battered and wrapped in nori. it was beyond delicious. the fries were perfectly cooked as well, and the dish came with the most unbelievably creamy pot of tartar sauce. by far, this is the best plate of vegan fish and chips i’ve ever had.

    caeser salad: romaine, red onion, croutons, and caeser dressing. with soy chicken. $10

    we also shared the caeser salad with added vegan chicken, and it was excellent as well. cool and fresh romaine, all topped off with crispy little nuggets of grilled soy. again, this dish exceeded our expectations.

    the reubender: house-made vegan pastrami with russian dressing, smoky provolone cheez, sauce and sauerkraut on grilled rye. with a side of coleslaw. $10

    lastly, on the first night, we shared highline’s version of the vegan reuben. all the sandwiches are either $7 solo or $10 with a side. there was a really interesting vegan cottage cheez dish on the menu, so we ordered it as a side. unfortunately, highline was out of that and we wound up with a side of coleslaw. it was a happy ending though, because the coleslaw was wonderful. rich and creamy with a tasty blend of shredded vegetables.

    but enough about the side, let me tell you about THE SANDWICH! OMG holy wow, this was an epic sandwich—the best reuben i’ve ever eaten. if this thing were down in LA, it would steal the reuben wars crown in 2 seconds flat. it was filled with the meatest homemade vegan pastrami that was thickly sliced and super hearty. not to mention phenomenal cheese and rich dressing. i couldn’t even finish half of it; it was so massive. honestly, i just can’t say enough good things about this sandwich.

    potato skins $8

    on our second night at highline, we started with the potato skins appetizer. this came with six mini potatoes loaded up with cheezy sauce, tempeh bacon, tomatoes, and onions—all with a thick creamy sauce. to say this dish was amazing would be an understatement! it was crazy good, fantastic, just like so many other dishes we tried at highline. i told the bartender/waiter that these were the best potato skins i’d ever eaten, and he was like, “yeah, we haven’t been open very long so we are still working out the recipes. they should get even better.” i am officially jealous of everyone who lives in seattle.

    chiggen caesar wrap: soy chicken strips, romaine, tomato and onion with caeser dressing. with a side of cottage cheez. $10

    next we split the “chiggen caesar wrap,” and much to my excitement, the cottage cheez was back in stock! the side was sooooo good. i never thought i would eat a vegan version of cottage cheese, and i loved it! they made it out of chunky crumbled tofu and some kind of thick white sauce. the texture was so close to the real thing, i couldn’t believe it. the wrap was even better than the caesar salad we’d eaten the night before. it came in an over-sized flour tortilla complete with grill marks (which i love).

    philly dip: seitan strips, sauteed peppers, onions, mushrooms and cheez sauce on a toasted roll. served with aus jus. $7

    we also shared a vegan philly dip grinder, but asked them to leave out the bell peppers (which i hate). another absolutely perfect sandwich, this thing was filled with grilled seitan strips, sauteed vegetables and tons of melty daiya cheese. the aus jus was flavorful and salty, the perfect dip for this beauty. SO DAMN GOOD. and a feast for just 7 bucks!

    we were only in seattle for 3 nights, and i tried to convince my husband to return to highline on our last evening as well, but he said 2 times in one trip were enough. dammit. i am already plotting another visit to the pacific northwest.

    i’ve got to admit, the atmosphere in highline is a little meh…but they haven’t been open very long, so hopefully they will fix it up a bit. it just seems sort of thrown together: they have a huge bar with tables and chairs scattered around, and tons of empty space. the beer selection isn’t great (think pbr), and there is a small amount of outdoor seating. the food is FANTASTIC though, and that’s what counts.

    next time you are in seattle, go to capitol hill and climb the steps on broadway avenue up to highline. it doesn’t look like much from the outside, but there you will find food unlike anything you’ve ever eaten. i know i will visit as often as possible.

    highline
    210 broadway avenue east
    seattle, wa 98102
    206-328-7837
    mon – fri 11am-2am
    sat and sun 9am-2am

    PS: HERE ARE THE MENUS!!!!!!!!!! read at your own risk, they will make you way hungry.
    (click thumbies to enlarge)

    Tags: , , , , ,
  • March 9th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, locali

    it’s no secret that i love sandwiches, so i was super stoked when i heard that locali was adding two new ones to their already impressive menu. of course i had to get over there asap and try these suckers out. have a look.

    first off, i got locali’s take on the vegan club sandwich…

    locali's #1 vegan fan club: tofurky, tempeh bacon, avocado, arugula, vegan aioli, and mustard on sourdough. $10.95

    the #1 fan club as they call it, comes piled high with tofurky (be sure to tell them you don’t want real meat), tempeh bacon, and argula…all finished off with a good smear of vegan aioli and mustard. this is not your standard club, because it isn’t a double-decker…it’s more of a typical sandwich with ingredients between two slices of bread. what makes this sandwich extra special though, is the large helping of leafy arugula. i am usually not a fan of greens on a sandwich (i’m known to take lettuce off and discard it), but soft and fresh arugula is always amazing. plus, whatever they use for tempeh bacon is really top notch. this truly is a high-quality artisan sandwich, and locali does not skimp on the ingredients. my only complaint is, it’s probably a couple dollars too expensive. nearly 11 bucks for a sandwich with no side seems pretty steep to me—other than that though, it’s perfect.

    next up, i tried locali’s vegan take on the traditional ham and cheese…

    vegan happy hammy sammy: vegan ham, cheddar daiya, and dijon mustard on sourdough. $7.45

    this came with delicious melted daiya cheddar and thick strips of soy ham all grilled up in a warm panini. locali definitely did a great job with this, but whenever i buy any kind of grilled cheese type thing, i always feel as though it’s something i could have made with my sandwich press at home. still though, it was super tasty and if you are a ham and cheese type of person, you should definitely give this a try. when ordering, just be sure to specify you want this made vegan because they also make a version with real cheese.

    so there you have it, new vegan sandwiches at locali! check them out—the club especially, i really think was excellent. and while we are on the subject of locali sandwiches, don’t forget to try their incredible reuben or pick up a taste of life breakfast sandwich from the deli case while you are there.

    locali
    5825 Franklin Avenue
    Los Angeles, CA 90028-5609
    (323) 466-1360

    Tags:
  • March 4th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, real food daily

    ladies and gentlemen, i think we have a winner…

    for the past two months, we’ve been on a search to find the best vegan club sandwich in los angeles and i think our search has finally ended. i thought to myself that the contest was over when i tried the incredible club at m cafe….but surprisingly the real food daily club has it beat!

    the club triple decker: seitan tempeh bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, vegenaise, sour dough bread. served with tossed house or caesar salad. $13.75

    the club sandwich at real food daily is beyond awesome. first off, it’s huge…and it comes with this thick breaded seitan that’s moist in the middle and crispy on the outside, along with large strips of salty tempeh bacon. what really makes this thing though, is the bread. it’s soft and fluffy with just the perfect amount of chew. agh, so good! add to that fresh produce and creamy vegenaise, and this sandwich is a mixture of purely delicious flavors and textures.

    i’m not gonna lie, there is a down side. the club at RFD is expensive as hell. i mean almost $14 for a sandwich and a small side salad?! that’s practically highway robbery. the thing is just so damn good though, i’d be lying if i said it didn’t deserve to win. it’s also worth noting that i got my sandwich to go, as eating in at real food daily can be an extremely unpleasant experience.

    Real Food Daily
    414 N La Cienega Blvd
    West Hollywood, CA 90048
    (310) 289-9910

    and

    514 Santa Monica Blvd.
    Santa Monica, CA 90401
    (310) 451-7544

    so what do you think? did we miss any amazing club sandwiches? do you agree with the winner?

    Tags: , ,
  • February 17th, 2010quarrygirlhugo's restaurant, LA restaurants

    we are on a mission to find the best vegan club sandwich in los angeles, and the offering at hugo’s restaurant is nothing to scoff at.

    like most of the items on their menu, their standard club option is vegan-friendly as long as you order it with grilled tofu and vegetarian bacon (yeah, the vegetarian bacon is vegan as well….i checked with the staff!).

    vegan club: grilled organic tofu, vegetarian bacon, guacamole, tomato, lettuce, and black pepper vegenaise. served with a choice of crispy fries or organic mixed greens. $12.85

    hugo’s vegan club comes on a wheat ciabatta roll, with a healthy portion of organic tofu, fakin’ bacon, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, and vegenaise. it’s not a double decker sandwich, like many of the other clubs we’ve reviewed…but what it lacks in layers, it makes up for in taste and guacamole. the tofu is firm and chewy, the bread is soft, and the guac is ridiculously creamy.

    at $12.85, hugo’s club is on the more expensive end of the spectrum, but it comes with a side of greens or fries PLUS the guacamole is no extra charge. i really can’t complain. in this instance i opted for the healthy salad which was fresh and tasty….but if you are in a careless mood, i highly suggest you go for the newly vegan french fries!

    at this point, i am thinking the winner of the club club would still be m cafe—but hugo’s offers a damn worthy sandwich that you should try.

    so which other vegan clubs in los angeles am i missing?

    hugo’s restaurant
    8401 Santa Monica Blvd.
    West Hollywood, CA 90069
    (323) 654-3993
    and
    12851 Riverside Drive
    Studio City, CA 91607
    (818) 761-8985

    Tags: , , ,
  • February 9th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, m café, Uncategorized

    as you probably already know, the club club is an ongoing series of blog posts where we ruthlessly attempt to seek out the best vegan club sandwich in los angeles. so far we’ve hit up follow your heart, flore, casa de tree, and mani’s bakery…all of which boasted quite impressive double-decker sandwich offerings. tonight’s sandwich comes to you from m cafe, and i am pretty sure if we had to declare a winner right now, this would be it.

    california club: a triple-decker of savory tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, carrots, sprouts, and soy mayo on your choice of bread. comes with one deli salad. $11.25

    granted the m cafe club is a bit on the expensive side, and clocks in at over 11 bucks…but the taste and quality of this thing can not be beat. it’s much lighter than the other clubs but comes packed with the finest and most memorable ingredients. the avocado is always soft and creamy, the carrots are paper thin, and the other vegetables are fresh beyond belief. add to that some completely spongy yet lightly toasted bread and the best tempeh bacon i’ve ever had….whoa!

    plus each sandwich comes with a side of your choice (not pictured), and the deli salads at m cafe are amazing. depending what’s in season, there are usually tons of good options, but i can never stray from the epic peanut kale (ask anybody who has tried it—-it is insane!).

    as you can tell, i’m a little blown away by the m cafe club sandwich…..and i have been since the day i’ve tried it. but this contest IS FAR FROM OVER! leave your favorite vegan club in the comments section and we will be sure to review it. it’s a tough job, but that’s why i’m here.

    m cafe de chaya
    check them out on melrose, in beverly hills, and in culver city!

    Tags: , , , ,
  • February 2nd, 2010quarrygirldenver, more restaurants (not LA)

    there i said it. watercourse is better than any vegetarian restaurant here in los angeles. it’s roomy and comfortable with a long bar, the menu is enormous and every item can be made vegan, and the food is really REALLY good. plus they have a whole cabinet of vegan baked goods and several beers on tap. in fact, i am planning another trip to colorado just to eat at watercourse again.

    country fried seitan: a hearty breaded seitan steak served with mashed potatoes, country gravy, and mixed vegetables. $10.95

    on our first visit to watercourse, our minds were completely blown by the country fried seitan. the massive plate of home-style cookin’ honestly defies description. it is so delicious and so hearty, it’s one of those food food items you’ll remember it forever. the plate comes with a large piece of chewy yet crispy battered and fried seitan with fluffy mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables all slathered with the best gravy i’ve ever had in my life.

    just look at that spiced and creamy gravy perfection. i can’t think of one place in LA to get a decent vegan gravy dish…and i’m seriously considering moving away for that reason.

    po boy: a crispy portobello mushroom cap on a bun topped with chipotle aioli and coleslaw. served with your choice of 2 sides. +$1 for onion rings. $9.25

    we also split a vegan portobello po boy, which came with a huge fried mushroom stacked with slaw and creamy aioli on a soft bun. watercourse does not fuck around…their sandwiches are under 10 bucks and come with not one, but TWO sides! i went with the mashed potatoes and gravy, as well as onion rings (which cost an extra dollar). that additional buck was money well spent, because the onion rings were epic. have a look:

    enormous, crispy, and deep-fried…what’s not to love? oh, and the sandwich was killer too. this place really has some of the best vegan food i’ve ever eaten; and i’ve eaten a lot.

    the atmosphere at watercouse is super chilled out, the staff is friendly, the food comes out quick…i really don’t have one bad thing to say about this place. basically, just go there if you ever have the chance. even if you are merely flying over denver, it’s worth figuring out how to make an extra stop just to eat here.

    i love you, watercourse!

    watercourse
    837 E. 17th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
    303-832-7313 / » Map
    Open Mon – Thur 7am – 9pm, Fri 7am – 10pm,
    Sat 8am – 10pm, Sun 8am – 9pm

    PS: the team behind watercourse are the same people behind city ‘o city….which we LOVE. these beautiful people can do NO WRONG.

    Tags: , , , ,
  • February 1st, 2010quarrygirlmore restaurants (not LA), NYC

    ‘snice is like the nyc equivalent of cafe muse…but even better. the small and comfy coffee shop in the west village boasts an impressive and entirely vegetarian menu, with plenty of vegan options to choose from. breakfast dishes, sandwiches, salads, wraps, and specials—‘snice has it all.

    vegan reuben: kraut, vegan thousand island dressing and daiya cheese. $8.75

    we tried ‘snice on our recent trip to new york, and after all the talk of vegan reubens in LA, of course i had to their take on the classic sandwich. unfortunately we arrived at ‘snice at around 10:45am, and although they open everyday early in the morning, they don’t serve lunch until 11. the breakfast options are kind of limited and full of bell peppers, so we decided to wait it out until the full menu was available. when my sandwich finally did arrive, it was well worth the wait! while i wouldn’t call it “the best reuben ever,” it was hearty and delicious….with a huge helping of soft tempeh and melty daiya cheese. i’d recommend it.

    vegan panini: smoked tofu, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. $8.75

    on top of the reuben, we also split a vegan panini…which was un-fuckin-believable! soft grilled bread, creamy dairy-free pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and huge slabs of firm tofu; could anything be more perfect. while i was a fan of the reuben, this thing was definitely more memorable. if you go to ‘snice, you GOTTA TRY the vegan panini.

    so visit ‘snice when in manhattan for cheapish, satisfying, casual vegan food. it really hits the spot. just be sure to show up AFTER 11am…when all the good stuff on the menu is available.

    ‘snice
    45 8th Ave
    (between Jane St & West 4th St)
    New York, NY 10014
    (212) 645-0310

    Tags: , , , ,
  • January 27th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, mani's bakery (closed)

    in this week’s edition of the club club, we have a look at the vegan club sandwich from mani’s bakery on fairfax.

    mani’s vegan club is pretty impressive: it’s massive with slabs of breaded seitan, tempeh bacon, and even vegan cheddar (even though the cheese they use is follow your heart, which i’m not a big fan of).

    the vegan california club: breaded seitan with tempeh bacon, layered bread, vegan cheddar, lettuce and tomato. served with your choice of side. $12

    at $12, it’s definitely one of the more expensive clubs we’ve reviewed…but it definitely makes up for the hefty price with its hefty size. the thing is huge, basically the size of 2 sandwiches, and even comes with your choice of side. it’s pictured above with a kind of boring salad, but if you wanted to go all out, you could easily order it with steamed kale, french fries, or roasted potatoes.

    what really sets mani’s club apart from the others is the crispy on the outside/chewy on the inside breaded seitan. it’s very fried chicken-y and super tasty. the fake meat in this thing may be better than the stuff in any other vegan clubs in los angeles. but for some reason though, i’m still leaning towards flore’s sandwich as the winner. maybe it’s the amazing bacon that flore uses, or the fact that mani’s uses FYH cheese.

    either way, mani’s club is delicious, and definitely worth checking out. as usual, leave a comment on this post with your favorite club sandwich in LA…and i will be sure to throw it into the mix.

    mani’s bakery
    519 S. fairfax avenue
    los angeles, ca 90036
    (323) 938-8800

    Tags: , ,
  • January 26th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, mendocino farms

    parking sucks and one-way streets are a bitch, but there is one awesome thing about downtown los angeles on weekdays: mendocino farms.

    the artisan sandwich shop specializes in local organic cuisine, and always has more than a few vegan options. they have a vegan sandwich on their permanent menu, as well as one on their seasonal menu, and they offer a rotating selection of vegan soups and salads daily. i hit up mendocino recently with some of my friends who work downtown, and it was a most delicious and pleasant experience.

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Tags: , ,
  • January 25th, 2010quarrygirlLA restaurants, meet market (closed)

    starting today, the meet market in silverlake is offering loads of new menu items and extending their business hours; this is seriously something you won’t want to miss. already known for its inexpensive yet hearty vegan sandwiches, meet market is adding FOUR new incredible and praise-worthy dishes to their menu, none of which will break the bank. these items are better than the ones you’ll find at other popular vegan eateries, but average 4-5 dollars cheaper. just have a look:

    vegan reuben: rye bread, 1000 island, sauerkraut, marinated wheat meat, balsamic beats & daiya mozzarella. $4.95

    first off we have the vegan reuben at a mere $4.95. did you hear that…a vegan reuben for under $5!? in los angeles!! maybe i am just used to getting overcharged, but this is a full $6 less than some other reubens in town, and WAY BETTER. in fact i would say this could be the best vegan reuben in LA, and the fact that it costs so little when every competitor is nearing (if not over) $10, is totally mind blowing. the marinated fake meat and the dripping balsamic are totally juicy and incredible. there are flavor combos going on in this thing that you won’t find in any other los angeles reuben…it probably deserves its own blog post. seriously, try it.

    grilled cheese and tempeh: focaccia, daiya mozzarella, grilled onions, tempeh bacon, basil. $4.95

    the next dish i tried was the grilled cheese and tempeh. to call this thing a vegan “grilled cheese sandwich” is really doing it a disservice, because every time i hear those three words, i immediately assume it’s something i could make at home. this grilled cheese sandwich, however, was fully loaded and packed with fine ingredients that i couldn’t easily re-create in my kitchen. it was served on warm and fluffy focaccia bread and filled with melty daiya cheese, sweet sticky onions, smoky meaty tempeh, and soft leafy basil. again, at $4.95…this is just stunning. some restaurants throw daiya between white bread and charge upwards of $9 for it. the meet market really gives you your money’s worth. best vegan grilled cheese ever.

    vegan chicken club: sandwich roll, breaded "chicken", tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, sprouts. $5.95

    similarly, the chicken club does not disappoint—a soft baguette stacked with fresh avocado, sprouts, crispy breaded faux chicken, and tempeh bacon. it’s unlike any other vegan club i’vee had in that it’s basically a fried chicken and bacon hoagie rather than a traditional double decker sandwich. it’s fat, hearty, salty and flavorful with a lot of bread and tons of creamy vegan mayo. it’s quite large, under $6, and comes with a generous serving of avocado.

    chef salad: chopped romaine, "beef", "chicken", "bacon", daiya cheddar and mozz, creutons, tomato, avocado, sprouts, house dressing. $6.95

    last but not least, today the meet market is also introducing an incredible chef salad. a huge and hearty meal, this comes loaded with 3 varieties of faux meats, 2 types of daiya, various vegetables, avocado, and rich house dressing. this salad is so delicious and such a good value, it honestly defies description. you really must go eat it for yourself.

    in addition to adding this new stuff, the meet market is revising its hours to 12pm-7pm monday through friday and 10am – 6pm saturday and sunday. that means if you work during the week, you could possibly now have time to hit up the meet market for dinner. i know i will be there at least a few times this week to get completely full for under 5 bucks.

    the meet market
    the meet market
    3206 W Sunset Blvd (at Descanso)
    Los Angeles, CA 90026
    12pm-7pm monday through friday
    10am – 6pm saturday and sunday

    PS: while you are there, be sure to grab a vegan bake sale cupcake. they’re downright delicious.

    Tags: , , , ,
  • « Older Entries

    Newer Entries »