…that’s right! the vegan tofu caprese potato pancake sandwich is comin’ back for the holidays!

the special will make its 2011 hugo’s debut wednesday 11/2 at the studio city location, thursday 11/3 in weho, and wednesday november 16th in agoura hills. we’ve blogged about this sandwich before, and it’s ridiculously good. it’s a double decker stacked with firm tofu, heirloom tomatoes, and fresh basil all sandwiched between thick fried potato pancakes. this time around, hugo’s is also adding the option of gluten-free flatbread. i think i’ll stick with the fried potato. anyways, go check it out…and be sure to specify you want it vegan.

check out hugo’s website for hours and locations.

UPDATED: this special is so awesome, it will now run through sunday february 6th! eat up!

vegan meatball sub available this weekend only at native foods!

Italian sausage meatballs, marinara sauce, caramelized onions, roasted sweet peppers, pumpkin seed pesto, roasted garlic crema and homemade parmesan on a warm grilled baguette, served with an onion ring pileup. Ranch dressing on the sideline!

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i am always a huge fan of the monthly specials at hugo’s restaurant, and this month is no different. you must (MUST!) get over there and try out the roasted vegetable enchilada burrito before january ends.

Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Burrito (vegan): A blend of diced roasted vegetables (butternut squash, carrots, broccoli, potato, onion), chopped spinach, brown rice, a black bean cake and avocado. Rolled in an organic whole wheat tortilla and topped with enchilada sauce, Daiya vegan cheese and cilantro. Served with slow cooked organic black beans in a roasted tomato-chipotle sauce and garnished with a lime cabbage-vegetable slaw. $12.50

first off, this thing is a beast. it’s huge and stuffed with so much good stuff, you won’t be able to eat it one sitting.

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oh gee, i’m just so chuffed about this! the 2010 discount on the best vegan reuben in town was so popular, that locali has decided to offer another deal to quarrygirl readers throughout this week (or until supplies run out)! this time it’s on their brand new mouthwatering vegan sausage special!

discount vegan sausage special at locali when you mention quarrygirl! (beret-wearing hotdog cartoon taken from the amazing nataliedee.com)

here’s the info…

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i am in love with the december specials at hugo’s restaurant, and the best one i’ve tried yet is the south of the border casserole.

a hearty blend of slow-cooked vegetables, spices, and (in my case) tofu, this dish has everything going for it. plus, it’s pretty big, and comes served with a giant mound of brown rice for the mixin’…

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hey everyone! tuesday and wednesday of this week, native foods is kicking off “native days,” their monthly celebration of the environment, animals, and food.

Turkey Loves Rye Sandwich: Organic toasted marble rye stacked with warmed thinly sliced seitan, native stuffing, cranberry orange sauce, shredded lettuce, and dijon mayo. Served with a side of mushroom shallot gravy. $9.95

to get you in the mood to party, they’ve got a new special holiday entree called the turkey loves rye sandwich, available exclusively for native days (this tuesday and wednesday only!). you better go eat this thing, because it sounds insane: thinly sliced seitan, stuffing, cranberry sauce, lettuce and dijon mayo on marble rye with mushroom gravy. it’s a crime that it will only be offered for two days!

native foods will also be debuting two new desserts…

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just got word on a new special menu item over at mandoline grill: fresh spring rolls!

these babies basically have the same ingredients as the noodle bowl: vermicelli noodles, lemongrass tofu, and fresh mint wrapped up in rice paper. right now they’re served with the same vegan sauce that comes with the bowl (a soy sauce-based sauce), but mando is working on a vegan peanut sauce! which means i am going to have to start working out.

the rolls are going to be a “special” so they may not be on the menu all of the time, but if you have the chance, TRY THEM! perhaps at vegan beer fest?!

oh, and a mando sando update – ask for grilled jalapenos with your banh mi, if you specify vegan they’ll put a piece of foil down on the grill. it really kicks up the heat!!

september is a great month by any measure. fall (the best season ever) is upon us; it’s cooling down outside, and pretty leaves are starting to fall off the trees. the crazy summer is fading away, yet the cozy holidays are ahead. this september is particularly awesome though, because it marks the 30th birthday of hugo’s, one of our favorite restaurants. and to commemorate this occasion, they are offering a very unique specials menu which celebrates the food of the past, while looking forward to the food of the future. meaning: there are tons of old school, meat/dairy-heavy dishes, but EVERY ONE THIS MONTH CAN BE VEGANIZED! partaaaaaay!

yesterday i was fortunate enough to try out 7 (yes, SEVEN) of these 10 brand new specials craftily created by chef nabor, and all i can say is…i know i will be a regular customer at hugo’s this month. these dishes need to be eaten several more times, by me, before october comes and they are no longer available.

vegan pasta carbonara: house made pasta cooked with veggie bacon, house-dried smoked mushrooms, scallions, garlic, parsley, chili flakes, white wine and a vegan cream sauce. $13.50

first up i tried the vegan pasta carbonara, an animal-free version of a hugo’s classic. the original comes with prosciutto, bacon, and parmesan cheese—while the new version is loaded with veggie bacon, house-dried smoked mushrooms and a vegan sauce made from sunflower seeds. my oh my, this dish blew me away. chef nabor’s secret recipe of homemade pasta, topped with all the goodness of meaty mushrooms, scallions, parsley and chili flakes was almost too much to handle. anyone who craves a hearty, creamy meal would be pleased by the vegan carbonara. i’m so thankful that hugo’s decided put a cruelty-free spin on this favorite dish. BTW the mushrooms are what make it; they are pure magic, i tell you!

next up, i tried a veganized version of the “caprese potato pancake sandwich,” which came with sliced tofu rather than cheese.

vegan tofu potato pancake sandwich: tofu, sliced heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and Kalamata olive relish between two crispy potato pancakes. $12

i knew i would love this the moment it arrived at the table, and one of the hugo’s peeps quickly explained to me, “this is our vegan version of the double down.” brilliant! instead of being the grossest sandwich known to man, this little beauty took the healthy/vegan route, and was absolutely delicious! it came with two perfectly crispy potato pancakes serving as “bread”, with thick slabs of tofu and in-season heirloom tomatoes in the middle. not to mention fresh basil leaves, and chunky kalamata relish. to die for! and just LOOK at how beautifully crispy the potato cakes were… (i can assure you, they tasted even better!)

by this time i was working up quite the thirst, so i quenched it with the september special basil ginger lemonade.

basil ginger lemondade: fresh agave-sweetened lemonade blended with fresh basil and ginger. $3.25

it was like sweet summertime in a glass, with hints of lemon, basil, and spicy ginger. extra refreshing and packed with a punch, this was one tasty beverage.

onto the rest of the food, starting with the melanzane parmigiana (made vegan!)…

melanzane parmigiana (veganized): layers of deep-fried crispy breaded eggplant, filled with tofu ricotta. topped with mushroom-vegetable bolognese sauce and daiya cheese. served with mashed potatoes and sauteed leafy greens. $13.50

this meal by default comes sprinkled with real cheese but with one quick request to your waiter, you can get it daiya-style. it tastes like a very traditional scrumptious italian dish—layers and layers of rich, deep fried breaded eggplant atop eerily convincing tofu ricotta. it’s got the most amazing and luscious vegetable bolognese sauce as well; why anyone would get this almost entirely vegan dish with a dab of real cheese escapes me! the daiya tastes incredible, so be sure to specify vegan. it also comes with a side of hugo’s signature dairy-free mashed potatoes and sauteed leafy greens. perfection!

the last entree i sampled was the “new age” version of hugo’s world-renowned pasta mama…

new age pasta mama: a vegan version of our signature classic represents our move toward plant-based recipes which better supports the health of the planet.: house-made pasta with scrambled organic tofu, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and Hugo’s seasoning blend $11

the normal pasta mama is served on hugo’s a la carte breakfast menu, and features a mix of fresh pasta, scrambled eggs, garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese. this new age version is even better, and comes with scrambled tofu, bread crumbs, and the same delicious herbs and spices.

the soft crumbly tofu really does taste eggy (in a non-nasty way), and i was eating this stuff up like crazy. so, so, SOOOOOOOO good. this only re-affirms my belief that hugo’s can successfully veganize ANYTHING, and their best work is always on the specials menu…so be sure to order from that whenever possible.

just as i was reaching a maximum fullness, i was offered a chance to try this month’s “trio of sweet delights”. after all the amazing tastes i described above, i just couldn’t say no. within seconds, chef nabor appeared at my table with an gourmet style dessert platter that was nothing short of stunning.

a trio of vegan sweet delights: a slice of torte Setteveli - Chocolate cake with hazelnut frosting and Frangelico liqueur. Poached pear in Port and sweet Marsala wine. Crispy rice paper basket with sorbet. $10

the trio of sweet delights was all kinds of fancy. this is the type of dessert i’d expect to see on an upper class tasting menu. i mean—torte setteveli, poached pear in port, and sorbet in a crispy rice paper–come on! (beware, you must specify you want this vegan, otherwise the sorbet component will contain animal products.) the best of the 3 desserts, OF COURSE, was the torte. we are talking a homemade mini slice of cake filled with chocolate, topped with hazelnut frosting and frangelico liqueur. i die!

hugo’s has really outdone themselves this month with the specials, and i am so happy that every single one can be veganized. be sure to get over to the restaurant this september and check them out!

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

it’s a brand new month, which means a brand new specials menu at hugo’s restaurant! july specials start today at the studio city location, and tomorrow in west hollywood…and let me tell you, vegans are in for a real treat with this month’s offerings.

first up, the soul food plate IS BACK! this crazy delicious dish was on the june menu, and it was so popular that hugo’s decided to extend its run. if you didn’t get to try it last month, now is your chance! this plate is so insane, it needs to be seen from every angle to be believed…

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