UPDATE: hummus king in thee valley has closed down, but they are offering catering and free delivery until they hopefully re-open in silverlake!

i walked in to work the other day and happened to swing by my fellow vegan coworker’s office (to talk about food, of course, not work) after making my usual morning stop in the company kitchen. much to my surprise, she holds up a menu for hummus king and tells me she’s going there for lunch because it says “vegetarian heaven” right on the menu. i was intrigued, especially after taking a gander at the menu and seeing vegetarian shawarma. i’d brought my lunch but i said i’d go along to try some things (and to take pictures for you lovely people).

four of us ended up piling into a car and heading over to valley village. when we walked in we had a lot of questions re: dairy, eggs, etc., and the guy at the counter was more than happy to answer. when asked about the shawarma, he quickly produced a plate for us to sample.

vegan shwarama!

this stuff was fucking aweeeeeesssssssooooommmmmmmeeee! i’m pretty sure just it’s just seitan that’s been seasoned and cooked, but it is damn good. i immediately regretted eating before my field trip because i imagine this shawarma stuffed in a warm pita with some hummus is just glorious.

while i was hogging the shawarma samples, snapping pix, and texting QG about how awesome the shawarma is, i look over to see my coworkers being given samples of all of the different types of hummus. i got in on the sample action a little late so i only got to try 3 of them, and all of them were really good and super creamy. my favorite of the ones i tried was the jalapeno.

my coworkers ordered and all got their food in a snap, and let me try a few bites.

okay. i. loved. this. falafel. SO good! not super greasy or over-fried. it was perfectly seasoned. once again i immediately regretted having already eaten lunch and started thinking about having a shawarma/falafel pita. IT WILL HAPPEN.

i’m not a huge fan of eggplant but i also liked this as well. once again, not overly greasy or fried tasting, and well seasoned!

so, in conclusion, hummus king is the king of kings. the food is great, the staff is super friendly, the prices are reasonable, there is ample parking… there’s no reason not to check it out!

hummus king
12422 burbank blvd
valley village, ca 91607

sunday – thursday 10am-10pm
friday 10am – 7pm

PS: here are some snaps of the menu, since i can’t find it anywhere else online.

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

hey everyone: listen up! this is a HUGE madeleine bistro update for this weekend that you are gonna wanna know about. hot off the press we’ve got NEW hours, a NEW menu, and a NEW poll for you to fill out…but sorry, no new location yet, as we hinted at earlier.

desconstructed s'mores: chocolate ganache, graham crackers, marshmallow fluff. $12

here’s what’s up with madeleine this weekend!

1.) NO BRUNCH THIS WEEKEND. sorry folks, but madeleine is renovating and improving their current brunch menu and need a few weeks off to get it ready to go. they will still be open for dinner though, so don’t miss out on that.

2.) NEW MENUS for this weekend! not only is there a brand new dessert on board (pictured above), but the tasting menu sounds incredible. the new dessert is chef dave’s version of “deconstructed s’mores,” basically chocolate ganache, graham crackers, and vegan marshmallow fluff. i’ve tasted it, and i can say it’s one of the best vegan desserts i’ve ever had. EVER. the tasting menu this week sounds just as epic: a 5 course meal of bisque, “re-imagined” beet tartare, arborio-crusted mushrooms, cheese cannolis, and fig perdu. read all about the new menu here. you won’t wanna miss it.

3.) lastly, VOTE FOR MADELEINE BISTRO in the vegnews veggie awards! they were nominated for best restaurant (page 1), and for best chef (page 6). honestly, they deserve it. and we deserve to see LA represented FINALLY in the veggie awards. DO IT. also, please vote for quarrygirl in the best blog category! thx. xo.

that’s all i got for now. bummer that madeleine is closed for brunch this weekend, but i guess that means i better make it there for dinner. s’mores, anyone?!?!

madeleine bistro
18621 Ventura Blvd.
Tarzana, CA
(818) 758-6971

pizza cookery in woodland hills has been on our radar since way back in november when we learned that they had a separate vegan menu. however, we resisted making the trek out to the valley just to eat there for quite some time, because the restaurant was using follow your heart vegan cheese. i’m not a huge fan of that product, and with all the vegan pizza available much closer to my house, i just couldn’t justify the trip. anyways, those days are over now because pizza cookery now offers both follow your heart AND daiya…so everyone can enjoy some vegan pizza! we finally hit up pizza cookery recently, and found their vegan food to be absolutely fantastic—this place is definitely one of my new favorite spots.

an amazing vegan pizza

pizza cookery is your normal old school pizza joint in almost every way. they’ve been around since the 70s, with their sawdust-covered floors, pitchers of tap beer, huge private booths, and delicious food at a good value. the fact that a place like this is catering to vegans (and also gluten-free diners), is almost unbelievable.

the moment we were seated, we were presented with both “normal” and vegan menus, and a plate of complimentary rolls were placed on our table. we asked if they were vegan, and our waitress apologized that they weren’t…and offered to make us a dairy-free batch. we took her up on it, and i’m so glad we did. wowza.

the piping hot rolls arrived in one huge clump at our table about ten minutes later, and they were visually stunning. gooey vegan cheese was bubbling out of them and glistening in the light, i don’t think i’ve ever seen such beauty. shockingly, they tasted even better than they looked. they were filled up with melty follow your heart cheese, which actually worked well, and brushed with a thin coat of oil. if you go to pizza cookery, you GOTTA REQUEST the free vegan rolls! they will blow your mind to bits.

we also ordered a small salad as an appetizer–the caesar with vegan dressing and daiya cheese. we loved it!

vegan caesar salad. $8.35

i’m glad we ended up going with the small, because the salad was huge! the large would probably be enough for several people. plus with all those rich rolls, we barely had any room for pizza. we ordered a small 11″ pie to share with daiya cheese, tomatoes and mushrooms, and it was more than enough. in addition to loads of vegetable toppings, pizza cookery offers vegan pepperoni and chicken as well–both of which i’m looking forward to trying. please note, if you order vegan pizza at this place it comes with follow your heart by default. daiya lovers (like myself) need to specify.

the pizza itself was exceptional—by far some of the best vegan pizza in LA. super top notch crust, flavorful sauce, nicely melted cheese, and fresh vegetables. basically, it was everything a pizza should be and more. it would have been PERFECT, but they slice it up strangely at pizza cookery, so it was a little difficult to eat. (i like my pizza slices shaped like triangles, thank you!) but anyways, that’s a small complaint considering how incredible the pizza was.

pizza cookery also serves wine, and has beer on tap…which is very important. the selection isn’t great, but it sure hits the spot. everything is pretty cheap too—we had 2 drinks, salad, and pizza for around 25 bucks!

when you visit pizza cookery, and i really hope you do, be sure to wander around and check out all the relics scattered around the restaurant. they’ve got some really neat stuff in there like vintage soda machines…

gumball dispensers (remember those?)…

and even a cigarette machine advertising the vegan menu. lol!

i seriously love pizza cookery so much. the atmosphere, the food, the prices…everything there is wonderful. and i will be dreaming about those damn vegan bread rolls for months!

pizza cookery
6209 topanga canyon blvd.
woodland hills CA 91367
(818) 887-4770

PS: there are a couple other pizza cookery locations in the valley, but they are not affiliated with this one, and don’t have vegan options. so beware.

PPS: has anyone ever been to earth, wind, and flour in santa monica?!?! it is SO MUCH like pizza cookery on the inside (right down to the playing cards glued to the ceiling), and the pizza tastes very similar. i can’t find any tie between the 2 pizzerias online, but i’m just throwin’ that out there.

as you probably know, madeleine bistro is the best vegan restaurant in town. recently, they’ve changed their hours and have decided to offer a different tasting menu every weekend, as well as a new delivery menu every monday. their website doesn’t reflect this change yet…so as a service to you, the readers, we are going to post the menus here each week for your enjoyment.

check out what madeleine has in store this weekend—it looks freaking fantastic. from a vegan “egg in the hole” with portabella bacon, to summer gnocchi, and wild mushroom wontons.

here is the glorious menu.

LA’s finest vegan restaurant, madeleine bistro, is switching it up a bit this summer. they’ve changed their hours, their menu, and they are now BYOB (with NO CORKAGE FEE, woo!). the new menus are looking pretty insane, and we have all the details right here. so listen up!

new vegan guilty pleasures menu

over the summer, madeleine bistro will only be open friday through sunday, and will offer a new “guilty pleasures” menu and a chef’s tasting menu every night, as well as brunch during the day on the weekends. the guilty pleasures menu consists of decadent vegan comfort food like onion rings and shamrock shakes, and the tasting menu will change each week with 5 elaborate courses for just $50! this is a great deal, considering madeleine bistro holiday tasting menus can cost upwards of $100. i suggest you jump on this while it’s available. madeleine is also now doing weekly home delivery, find out more on that here.

new weekly chef tasting menus

here are the new menus and hours:

Read the rest of this entry »

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…

Read the rest of this entry »

hugo’s restaurant is definitely one of our favorite places to dine in LA. in addition to their rotating monthly specials, which always include a slew of mouth-watering meatless options, they are constantly adding new vegan fare to their regular menu…and now even have a vegan-friendly kid’s menu as well!

let’s start off with the kid’s menu. hugo’s went from having no vegan options at all for youngins, to now having several…and if you have little ones, you’ve gotta check it out. vegan dishes range from comfort foods like daiya quesadillas and burgers and fries, to more healthy options like grilled tofu with vegetables and pasta with broccoli. just be sure you specify that you want it made vegan, because a lot of these meals are vegetarian by default.

lil green casserole: sautéed broccolini, spinach, asparagus, zucchini, with garlic and fresh herbs in a tomato basil pesto sauce. topped with a veggie patty crumble, melted vegan cheese. $8.10

i stopped by hugo’s earlier this week, and they were kind enough to let me try one of the kid’s entrees. i went with the lil green casserole—a mini version of the very green casserole, the restaurant’s most popular dish. the lil green comes packed with all kinds of good stuff including broccolini, spinach, asparagus, and zucchini…all topped off with hugo’s amazing veggie patty and a light sprinkle of daiya cheese. the casserole is absolutely delicious, and pretty big for a child-size portion. it costs just over $8, which is more than 5 bucks less than the adult size, and a great value. if i had a kid, i would order this for them all the time—man, it’s so scrumptious!

i’m pretty sure the kid’s menu is for kids only…but if you are an adult craving this dish, you can order the larger version. you should try the green casserole if you haven’t already, it’s the most popular dish for a reason!

next up in exciting hugo’s news, they’ve added some killer vegan and gluten-free pancakes to their breakfast menu. they’ve been specials in the past, but now you can get these cruelty-free pancakes everyday. and they are so tasty! they normally come in a huge portion size with 3 pancakes for $10.65, but if you are feeling less hungry or you want to sample more flavors, you can get individual cakes for just $3.50. the single cake option isn’t listed on the menu, but now you are in the know, so just ask your server.

roasted pineapple-coconut pancake: vegan, gluten-free pancake infused with roasted sweet pineapple, toasted coconut, and ground almonds. topped with sliced bananas, toasted slivered almonds, and coconut. coconut agave syrup. $3.50

first we have the roasted pineapple-coconut pancake (pictured above), which is fantastic. it’s made with a blend of toasted coconut, pineapple, and ground almonds…and it’s so fluffy you just won’t believe it. next is the almond energy pancake (pictured below), made of almonds, seeds, quinoa, coconut, puffed rice, and fruit. there is so much going on in this pancake, and the flavor combinations are completely insane. lemme just say, i am thrilled that both of these wonderful pancakes are now regulars on the hugo’s menu.

almond energy pancake: a vegan, gluten-free pancake prepared with almonds, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, shredded coconut, cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, puffed rice, dried cherries, and cranberries garnished with fresh berries. spiced agave syrup. $3.50

i love the fact that hugo’s continues to cater more and more to vegans as the years go by. from carrying vegan cheese, to having a clearly labeled menu…and now to offering vegan options for children, and amazing animal-free pancakes. hugo’s pretty much rules.

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

well ladies and gentlemen, this is a first! we just received a post in the quarrygirl forums (aka quarrums) that was so awesome, we decided to publish it on the main blog. check out tettes’ in depth review of tonight’s special madeleine bistro tasting menu. the food writing here is exquisite, and you are all in for a real treat. this review makes me so sad that i wasn’t there, and reminds me that i need to eat madeleine bistro tasting menus WHENEVER POSSIBLE. here you go:

I checked out the tasting menu at Madeleine Bistro on Saturday, June 26 and it was so mouth-wateringly amazing I wanted to share my experience with you guys. I wish the photos did the food justice!

First up:

Rainier cherry gazpacho: Cherrywood-smoked corn panzanella, crostini, avocado foam

How it tasted: The gazpacho was more like a thin pudding rather than a soup. Pretty spicy with a tangy finish and just a hint of cherry sweetness. The corn gave it a playful smokey flavor, but it didn’t overwhelm the dish as smokey flavors can often do. The corn and crostino gave the dish a much-needed textural contrast. And I’ve never had avocado foam before. It was light, fluffy and fun to eat! Chef Dave told me this puree-like gazpacho comes from Spain, and he adds toasted bread to the gazpacho and purees until it reaches perfection.

Next up:

Read the rest of this entry »

hey everyone, quarrygirl here. this is very exciting news. not only is there now a place to get vegan pizza delivered in north hollywood…but it’s cheap, authentic, take-out pizza as well. not fancy, specialty pizza like you find at most places in LA with vegan offerings. anyways, the following post is by field reporter brittany (of sick of lettuce). we’ve gone ahead and set her up with her very own qg username (check out the top of the post to see who it was written by), so after this i am gonna stop introducing her entries. enjoy!

large pizza with vegan cheese, garlic, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and mushrooms. $13.69

a couple days ago i got an email from QG alerting me to lenzini’s pizza in north hollywood, and the fact that they recently started offering vegan pizza. WHAAAT? i was a bit skeptical that a random pizza place in noho was offering vegan pizza, so i double-checked ahead of time and found that 1) they use daiya cheese and 2) the dough is vegan as well. SCORE! i, of course, immediately sprang in to action (by immediately i mean a day later) and walked down to lenzini’s for lunch with some of my co-workers.

after a short stroll we arrived at lenzini’s and started picking out toppings. no faux meats on the topping menu, but there are a ton of yummy vegetable offerings. we decided to go with garlic, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and mushrooms on half – we had a mushroom hater in the group.

this pizza was delicious! the crust was light and airy, the sauce was great, there was tons of melty daiya, and the toppings were generous & fresh. we ended up getting a large and it cost $13.69 – i was expecting it to be more but they have a lot of specials posted. i was honestly a little confused by all the signage they have going on inside the shop and i don’t know which special we ended up getting, but i’m not complaining because i’m used to paying at LEAST $20 for a large vegan pizza, usually more.

we chose to dine in because we were hungry and didn’t want to walk back to our office and delay our eating time any longer, but lenzini’s is probably more of a take-out place. there are a few tables, though, if you are impatient like we were.

our pizza disappeared faster than it arrived (which was pretty quickly) and everyone left feeling pretty satisfied. even the omni in our group enjoyed the vegan cheese! i am a little afraid of how dangerously close this place is to my office, though, and have the feeling that there will be EVEN MORE pizza consumption in my future.

lenzini’s pizza
5044 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood CA 91601
Phone order :818-506-0200 Fax:818-506-7997

Sunday-Thursday 11am – 10:30pm
Friday and Saturday 11am – midnight

I wish I lived closer to Madeleine Bistro (or, rather, I wish it would move closer to me).

I’ve been known to find any excuse to be in Tarzana around brunch time on the weekends, so I can pop in and grab a donut, benedict, phillet-no-phish and a sumptuous dessert before going about my day. In fact, many people I know usually frequent Madeleine Bistro for the extensive and good value brunch menu (only served at weekends, but the lunch menu served during the week has many of the same items on it).

This last weekend, I had occasion to celebrate a palindromic birthday and could think of no place I’d rather be than Madeleine Bistro for dinner. I teamed up with three other ravenously hungry people and we set about eating our way through the menu. After all, and statistically, I’m over 50% through my palindromic birthdays, so this was a night to celebrate.

Hurling caution to the wind, we started out with some assorted small plates, salads and appetizers while we waited for the alcohol buzz of the organic lager and wine to settle in.

Classic French onion soup, crouton, farmer's cheese. $7

First-up was the “Classic French onion soup”: I’ve only ever had this type of dish once before in my life – in Paris (of all places) where I managed to find one with no meat stock in it. Well, Madeleine’s take on veganizing this dish is incredible. The soup is a hearty gathering of tangy onions and garlic in a rich sauce that one practically chews rather than sips. Sprinkles of “farmer’s cheese” on top made my day. If you’ve never had French onion soup, this is a must-have experience I can tell you.

Classic mac 'n cheese, bacon bits. $13

Next came the “Classic Mac ‘n’ Cheese”, a dead ringer for the non-vegan dish, but with a twist I’d never seen before: “bacon bits” that were made out of thinly sliced, crispy mushrooms. They went perfectly with the gooey cheese and chewy macaroni, leading me to rate this as one of the best vegan mac n cheeses I’ve ever eaten. And I’m something of a connoisseur by now, for sure.

French lentil salad, chardonnay cheese, spring mix, green goddess dressing. $10

We got a “French Lentil Salad” to share, which came with spring leaves and something called “Chardonnay Cheese”. Despite the fact that this dish looked like a phallus it was gone within seconds. I took some leaves, spicy lentils and cheese and ate them all together in one mouthfull, and without a doubt this was one of the highlights of the evening, and I’m not sure I’ve ever said that about a salad before!

Porcini-crusted tofu scallops, shiitake-green bean ragout, carrot syrup. $13

Continuing in the vein of small plates, we ordered the “Porcini-crusted Tofu Scallops” which were undoubtedly the most surprising dish of the night. We were treated to round, crispy tofu “scallops” in a very, rich mushroom sauce along with perfectly cooked vegetables. There were four people at the table, and we had one scallop each: left to me I’d have eaten all four and ordered another plate as well! They really were that interesting. Crispy on the outside, soft and steamy on the inside. This is right up there with the best of Executive Chef Dave Andrerson’s “how the hell do they do that?” dishes, along with the donut and souffle (of which more later).

Red beet tartare, warm tofu cheese crouton, cucumber, balsamic glace. $13

We also grabbed a “Beet Tartare”, which has to be one of the most astounding vegan dishes available anywhere in the world. I’ve known people travel to LA from the Bay Area and beyond, purely for a fix of this menu item. And I can see why. Cool, thinly sliced cukes, a warm fried cheese crouton topped with finely chopped red beets not only looks like a work of art, but it tastes like one too. There are few adjectives to describe this creation so, in common with the rest of the menu, I usually just advise you to get one into your life (and, by eating, out of it again real fast) as soon as you can.

Chicken-fried seitan, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetable medley. $13

Surprisingly, we had room for entrees, so we ordered the “Chicken-fried seitan” for one of our guests who happened to be an omnivorous girl from The South (a tough customer for any dish with “fried” and “chicken” in its name, for sure). After eating the whole thing, she proclaimed “That might be the best Fried Chicken I’ve eaten outside of Dixie, y’all” (actually, I’m doing a caricature of what she said, but you get the idea. She liked it for sure).

The "Bigger Macque" (two no beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese...) $11

Although I love fine dining with nice wines and great company, a superb addition to the entrees at Madeleine’s is the “Bigger Macque”, and no matter what the occasion I always find an excuse to order one. This sandwich is a loosely based facsimile of the well known fast-food item, which has been served to billions and billions of poor bastards, but just better. In every way. You have to get one of these at some point in your life, just as I have to get one of these at some point in every visit to Madeleine’s.

Phillet no phish (panko-crusted seitan, cheese, tartar sauce, whole wheat bun) $10

As if by magic, the corollary to the above dish also arrived at the table: “The Philet no phish”, another cheeky take on crappy fast food, incredibly elevated to fine dining status. Yeah, I had a nibble of that too: crispy seitan, cheese and tartar sauce. Another amazing dish.

Rustic mashed potatoes. $5

Other things on the table at that point included a healthy portion of “Rustic Mashed Potatoes”, a perfectly cooked heap of creamy mash covered in gravy as well as a side of “Pan-roasted cauliflower”.

Pan-roasted cauliflower. $6

It’s safe to say that if I could make mashed potatoes or cauliflower this good, I’d probably never leave my house and would OD on the deadly cocktail of cauliflower and mash, when eaten by the ton.

Lemon-rosemary seitan, cauliflower crepe. $13

Our last entree of the night (we were getting pretty full by this time) was the intriguingly-named “Lemon-rosemary seitan, grilled asparagus crepe” which was like nothing I’d ever eaten before. Tangy, perfectly chewy seitan, was laid to rest on a fluffy crepe filled with creamy cauliflower. Let me tell you, the combination worked perfectly. The lemon and rosemary fired up one’s mouth, and the cool, creamy crepe rode in to save the day with a creamy after-texture and after-taste to die for.

Shockingly, we found room for desert (I’m still not sure how, but Madeleine’s is one of those places I can go to, eat myself silly and feel perfectly content — never over-stuffed and certainly never needing more).

classic cheesecake, raspberry coulis, whipped creme. $11

We enjoyed our deserts dim-sum style, so we all had a bit of each just to prove how cosmopolitan we are. First-off was the “Classic Cheesecake”, another perfectly made dish sitting proudly on a delicious raspberry coulis with a tuft of whipped creme topping. I was told that the birthday candle was inedible — the only thing in the place I would not therefore eat.

strawberry shortcake, almond cake, rhubabrb ice cream. $12

I was delighted to also try the “Strawberry Shortcake”. It has strawberries. It is a cake, but this was not a short order — a huge brick of fluffy and spongy cake arrived and was consumed before our attentive server got back to the kitchen to bring our next dessert item: “Bananas Foster Split”, a tremendous triumvirate of bananas, hot fudge and whipped cream, with an order of ice cream and chocolate sauce thrown in for good measure. Another amazing dessert, another plate emptied to shining within seconds.

Banana foster split, hot fudge, whipped creme. $10

Finally, my favorite desert – not only of the evening, but of all time – arrived from the kitchen like an angel from a heaven: “Chocolate souffle with vanilla ice cream”. I tell you, this dish knows how to make an entrance! There are two ramekins, one containing stone cold ice cream, and the other containing a crispy-crusted chocolate souffle with gooey chocolate sauce inside. Just eat a bite of chocolate (which is oven-hot) with a bite of ice cream, and your mouth will thank you for an eternity.

chocolate souffle, vanilla ice creme. $12

I’m remembering my last birthday with such fondness: A three course meal, book-ended with the heretofore unattainable French Onion Soup, and rounded off with a another uniquely French creation: Chocolate Souffle is an experience to savor for a long time. As I know I and my guests also will.

Executive Chef Dave Anderson’s creations are at the arc of vegan cuisine, second to none and lovingly prepared and served. Whatever your occasion to dine out — or even if you don’t have an occasion — you really must try Madeleine Bistro if you’ve not been yet. For a quick and informal time, show up for the weekend brunch and dine on scrambles, doughnuts or the Bigger Macque. For a family occasion or intimate dinner, make some reservations and dine away the evening with one of the best menus on this good earth, superb service and an atmosphere that only a family owned and run restaurant can deliver.

See you there!

Madeleine Bistro
18621 Ventura Blvd
Tarzana, CA 91356
(818) 758-6971

Hours of Operation

Wednesday through Thursday
Lunch: 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Dinner: 5:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Friday
Lunch: 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Dinner: 5:00pm – 10:00pm

Saturday
Brunch: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Dinner: 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Sunday
Brunch: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Dinner: 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

closed Monday & Tuesday

i shop at whole foods like it’s my job, and i officially have a new favorite location. first i thought it couldn’t get any better than venice, then el segundo took the crown, and now tarzana has got them both beat. it’s massive and it’s epic like no wfs i’ve ever been to before. it needs to be seen to be believed.

i first got wind of the new whole foods when a helpful tipster wrote in to the blog. (if you know of cool vegan places, please do the same!) she wrote, “FYI… I’m sure you’ve heard by now but the new whole foods opened in tarzana and there’s a crap load of vegan stuff. Soups, hot food, frozen food, and a wine and tapas bar that has daiya sandwiches…” yes! later that day, i saw a post on LAist, with a slew of photos of the new location, and i knew i had to check it out. it took me a few weeks, but i finally hauled my ass out to the valley, and boy was it worth it! (the new store is located immediately across the street from LA’s best vegan restaurant, madeleine bistro…in case you need more inspiration!)

naturally, i started my tour of the joint in my favorite section: prepared foods! it was amazing. the space was vast and there was way too much stuff to take pictures of. sensory overload to the max. i did catch the entirely vegan salad bar…

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UPDATE: NiceCream has changed its name to KindKreme!

after a long, long wait the day is finally here! nicecream vegan ice cream in studio city has opened its doors, and wow……this place is PHENOMENAL.

vegan soft serve topped with raw cacao nibs

today marked the very first day of business for LA’s only entirely dairy-free ice cream parlour, and of course we were there to check it out…

nicecream galore!

now before i go all crazy talking about how delicious this place was and how much enticing stuff they have on the HUGE menu, i just want to point out that nicecream is not entirely vegan—some of the flavors contain honey. at the moment, all of the honey-containing varieties are currently marked, except for “strawberry.” the owner told me that they are going to make a new sign to mark that one too, and it should all be labeled very clearly by their grand opening on saturday. she also told me that all the honey used in nicecream products is obtained through cruelty-free means at a local facility. i don’t know what your stance on honey is (i don’t eat it, and i think it’s vile and unvegan), but that’s not what we are here to talk about. glad that’s out of the way, now let’s get down to the nicecream!

what struck my eye when i first walked in, was the huge vegan soft serve machine. it is very hard to come by dairy-free soft serve in LA, so this thing was an instant matter of interest. the friendly employee behind the counter saw my excitement and immediately offered me a sample. with just one bite, this stuff changed everything i know about vegan soft serve. it was thick and flavorful, dense yet fluffy, oh man….fucking perfect. the best soft serve i’ve ever had, hands down. i’d like to install one of these machines in my house and pump its crazy-good ice cream down my throat on a daily basis. i don’t know how nicecream manages to make it all vegan, raw, and organic…but it’s totally mind-blowing.

there were many more insane-sounding dishes that i can’t wait to try out next time. milkshakes, banana splits, and ice cream sandwiches just to name a few. check out the menu:

nicecream menu: CLICK TO ENLARGE!

they also had a large selection of vegan ice cream to go…

(via nicecream's facebook page)

a counter full of delicious-looking treats…

a team of 3 lovely and helpful ladies…

(via nicecream's facebook page)

and free parking for vegan ice cream lovers…

seriously, THIS PLACE IS AWESOME! get there as soon as you can, and be sure to make it to the grand opening on 5/15.

i love the idea of nicecream in general, and their huge menu and incredible desserts make me love them even more. if only this place would switch to agave!!!!!

nicecream vegan ice cream
3701 cahuenga blvd.
studio city, ca 91604
818-308-6758

Mon – Thurs: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sun: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm

follow them on twitter!
friend them on facebook!

My first visit to Tony’s Darts Away pub in Burbank was a somewhat rushed affair. After reading a few things about the pub I was excited to go, but only had a few minutes to spend in the bar after driving there from the west side. So, I was delighted to be able to carve out several hours of my otherwise uneventful Saturday so I could spend much longer in Tony’s in order to drink some more beer, order more food from the menu and generally absorb more of the the vibe and scene.

Although my initial impressions first time were very positive, would Tony’s hold up for a longer visit? Would the beers all be top notch? Would the other food items be as tasty as the one dog I’d eaten? Would the staff be as friendly? Would the other patrons be as eclectic and nice as last time?

Well, on a bright sunny day this weekend, we settled into a bar seat and began to order my way through the beer and food menu, while chatting with the staff and experimenting a little with what I ate and drank.

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Since I heard about a new bar opening in Burbank with OVER 30 BEERS ON TAP, a complete vegan menu, and an environmentally sustainable mission statement, I’ve become like a thing obsessed, spending hours refreshing the “coming soon” page at Tony’s Darts Away in my web browser waiting for an announcement that they are open for business. As soon as the page changed and hours were posted, I drove like a mad thing from my work in Beverly Hills to Burbank, reviewing the beer and food menu on my iPhone while negotiating CA 170.

I can tell you that the rush hour commute was well worth it, and I’m destined to be a regular at Tony’s Darts Away. The original bar (it never really had a name, but the “Darts Away” sign outside kinda gave locals a handle by which to refer to it) was your typical neighborhood dive bar: bottled beer, Budweiser on tap, a greasy meat-based food menu and chewing gum encrusted floors and bar area.

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I grew up in the pubs and curry houses of England. I distinctly recall dodging in and out of doorways on many rainy nights as I made my way along cobbled streets between The Dog and Duck and Raj Palace in East London. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as a pint followed by a curry – indeed, Indian food is now the national cuisine of England!

I’m regretful that Indian food hasn’t really taken off that well in the USA, but most cities have a pretty good choice of excellent restaurants these days, and one of the best in LA is Gangadin in Studio City. We’ve raved about this place before, and couldn’t resist hitting it up again, but this time with a twist: We’d hit up a pub first just like back home!

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