there’s an adage that says: “those who can, do. those who can’t, teach.”. clearly, that’s not remotely accurate as many wonderfully productive people can also teach up a storm, particularly the talented dave anderson, executive chef at madeleine bistro.

ever had one of his ice creams that are so light and flavorful that you want third helpings?
ever eaten chunks of his pan-roasted vegetables by the dozen?
ever wondered what goes into making such sublime sauces?

well, if you have (and if you’ve ever eaten at madeleine’s you’ll be on the same page here) are you not just a little intrigued as to how dave and the team invent, prepare and cook such amazing food?

thankfully for curious minds, madeleine bistro offers cooking classes/demonstrations on the weekends (the next one being this saturday!) where average folks like you and me can not only learn some of chef dave’s secrets, but enjoy an artfully-prepared three course meal as well. we sat in on the most recent class and gained some culinary wisdom that will last a lifetime.

pan-roasted califlower in filo with roasted butternut squash and cauliflower puree.

the class we attended included recipes and instruction on three separate courses, with the focus being on roasting and braising. the first course, pictured above, was pan-roasted cauliflower in filo with roasted butternut squash and cauliflower puree.

we got to watch and absorb the whole cooking process, from the pan-roasting of the cauliflower, to the oven-roasting of the butternut squash, to the forming and shaping of the beggar’s purses…

for the main course, chef dave schooled us in the art of braising with braised tempeh, braised root vegetables, and cabernet-roasted mushroom sauce.

braised tempeh with braised root vegetables and cabernet-roasted mushroom sauce.

everything in this course was wonderful, from the finely cubed vegetables to the browned tempeh slices and flavorful sauce. again, we saw the process from start to finish. i have never learned so much in two hours!

from the chopping of brunoise root vegetables…

to roasting vegetables for the cabernet-roasted mushroom sauce…

to making the roux for the sauce (woo a roux!)…

to preparing the tempeh…

and the finished product was just exquisite, vegans and non-vegans alike were singing its praises.

lastly, even our dessert course implemented braising and roasting techniques.

the last course consisted of pears braised in riesling, agave and vanilla bean, along with homemade ice creme made from baked sweet potatoes.

the dessert turned out perfectly, and i loved every last bite even though i’m not a big sweet potato or pear fan. seriously, i was licking the plate. when it was served, it even came with a dollop of dave’s special coconut whip cream (which he would not give away the secret to).

overall, the madeleine bistro cooking class was a huge success. the students gathered around in the dining area and watched intently as chef dave prepared each course and explained his methods. the students didn’t do any actual cooking themselves, but were free to take notes and ask unlimited questions. i really enjoyed the way chef dave ran the class, and i left with a stack of invaluable recipes and a wealth of knowledge. plus, dave was ridiculously funny and laid back throughout the lesson, making for a really fun environment.

madeleine bistro usually hosts cooking classes every other week, the next one being this saturday march 6th. each class is $75 per person, which includes a 3-course meal! money well spent, if you ask me.

so be sure to contact madeleine bistro and sign up for the next cooking class that you can. hope you love it as much as i did!

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

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

it isn’t very often you hear me get excited about a salad, but the chilled orient from healthyca is something to write home about.

chilled orient: buckwheat noodles, tofu, carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, rice sticks, black sesame seeds, seaweed, baby greens. $9.24

it’s less like a salad, and more like a huge bed of noodles piled high with vegetables, two kinds of tofu, rice sticks, seeds, and baby greens. there is so much going on in this thing, and i can safely say it’s the best noodle salad i’ve ever eaten. the buckwheat soba noodles are substantial and filling, and all the leaves are insanely fresh. the best part about this salad though, is the generous portion of grilled marinated tofu. it’s crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle, and very deliciously flavored. healthyca also throws in a hearty amount of soft tofu for good measure, and the combo produces some very tasty results.

the meal clocks in at under 10 bucks, and also comes with a side and dressing of your choice. i got mine with quinoa, and a cup of non-fat basil. seriously sooooo good.

the pictures don’t do this thing justice, and i can’t talk it up enough….so you are gonna have to go experience this salad for yourself. i don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

healthyca
monday-friday
11am-6pm
4724 lankershim blvd
noho, ca 91602
818-505-1035

the best place to have an extravagant, relaxing, delicious brunch in los angeles is without a doubt madeleine bistro. the entirely vegan restaurant located in tarzana specializes in organic, elegant, and cutting-edge cuisine. i dined there recently with a large group of friends and strangers, and our table was covered with some of the most amazing food i’ve ever eaten. i didn’t get pictures of everything, but here is just some of what we had…

beignets, organic fruit compote. full order. $8

we started with a couple of orders of beignets to pass around the table. the small fried dough balls were perfectly fluffy with a sugary outer-coating.

fresh organic donuts. $2/each

we also shared a few plates of donuts, which are so good they defy description. there’s a reason we put these things on the bucket list of must-try vegan food in los angeles.

red beet tartare, warm tofu cheese crouton, english cucumber, balsamic glace. $12

a couple red beet tartares were ordered as well, to be shared by some of the diners around the table. this is madeleine bistro’s signature dish, and a must order if you are a first time visitor. the most incredible mixture of soft beets atop a warm cake tofu cheese and doused in balsamic glace, it’s a culinary masterpiece.

porcini-crusted tofu benedict, smoked portobella, rosti potatoes, hollandaise sauce. $15

sitting across from me, polly from veggywood ordered the porcini-crusted tofu benedict, which looked like layer upon layer of pure scrumptious-ness.

waffles and "chicken": belgian waffles, seitan chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy. $16

brittany from sick of lettuce ordered the waffles and chicken, which looked so good, i will be sure to order it next time. her plate came with a huge stack of fluffy waffles, crispy chicken-fried seitan and a mound of mashed potatoes.

plus it was all smothered in madeleine bistro’s incredible gravy….something i could drink by the gallon.

lemon rosemary seitan with cornbread stuffing.

melisser from the urban housewife went with an order of lemon rosemary seitan and sourdough stuffing. i have eaten this exact seitan at madeleine’s before, and i can tell you it’s nothing short of divine.

the bigger maque: two no-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese... $11

also at the table was a bigger maque, definitely a contender for the best vegan burger in los angeles. this thing comes stacked with two patties, layers of cheese and fresh vegetables. it’s like a gourmet, cruelty-free version of the old mcdonald’s favorite.

phillet no phish: panko-crusted seitan, cheese, tartar sauce, whole wheat bun. $10

the phillet no phish was also ordered, and this is seriously one of my favorite things on the menu. panko-crusted seitan, cheese, and tartar sauce all on a soft wheat bun. if you are a sandwich lover, this has got your name on it.

madeleine club: chicken-fried seitan, tempeh bacon, sourdough. half order $6

already approaching food coma from the donuts, i went with a half order of the madeleine club. it came with chicken-fried seitan and tempeh bacon on sourdough, and it really hit the spot.

vegan crème brûlée

for dessert, natalie aka vegan kitten, ordered the vegan creme brulee. she snapped the gorgeous pic above, and for more of her madeleine bistro photos you should check out her flickr set.

organic mimosas

and of course, what long and lazy weekend brunch would be complete without at least a couple of mimosas? madeleine bistro offers those as well.

seriously the brunch at madeleine is absolutely epic, and what you see here is only about half of the food on the table. i couldn’t think of a better place to spend a few hours having a meal. pure food bliss, i tell you!

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

UPDATE! scroll to the bottom for more pix!

this is some pretty exciting news that i have been dying to post for a while….and now it’s finally time! hugo’s restaurant will be running a vegan mac and cheese special this month that is absolutely amazing. the new specials menu rolls out today in studio city and tomorrow in west hollywood, so make sure you get over and eat it asap.

vegan mac and cheese: fusilli pasta with diced onions, garlic, sliced mushrooms and sweet peas in a creamy cashew cheese. cooked crispy with a potato crumb crust. $7.50

i tried an earlier version of this mac and cheese (mine didn’t have all the amazing sounding vegetables in it), and i was absolutely floored. hugo’s makes their very own cashew cheese sauce in house, and it’s unbelievably flavorful and creamy. the best part of this mac though, is the crispy potato crumb crust, that adds a bit of crunch to every bite. although it had a wet texture, this is nothing like the old school kraft mac and cheese you remember from when you were a kid. this was way better with deeper more full-bodied flavor and a much thicker and richer sauce. absolutely incredible.

i’m actually really sad that hugo’s only decided to run this as a special, rather than put it on their regular menu. los angeles doesn’t have nearly enough vegan mac and cheese; and this is seriously some of the best around. you gotta get over there and order tons of this stuff; let’s make them re-think their decision.

so remember, this mac and cheese is available today in studio city and tomorrow in west hollywood tomorrow. go eat it up, and lemme know what you think!

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

UPDATE: so my friend brittany went to hugo’s today and tried out the vegan mac and cheese as well! she was kind enough to snap some pix which i will attach below. she loved it just as much as i did, and confirmed that the vegetables mixed in are awesome. she also did a great post on another hugo’s special…the po boy! check it out!

hey guys, i know i teased it the other day, but this is just a quick reminder that as of today the new menu at hugo’s restaurant has officially launched and is officially awesome. both the west hollywood and studio city location are offering loads of additional exciting vegan items, and everything i’ve tried so far has been amazing.

i took my parents to hugo’s yesterday to check out the new offerings, and both of them agreed it was some of the best “vegan food” they’ve ever had. here is the new stuff we tried:

vegan green tamales: Two green tamales infused with spinach on a bed of tomatillo salsa topped with an avocado-tomato salsa. $7.35

Read the rest of this entry »

one of our favorite vegan-friendly places in town, hugo’s restaurant is adding some really interesting stuff to their menu this week…including vegan french fries! YAY! finally! they will roll out the new changes tomorrow in studio city, followed by west hollywood on thursday, and i couldn’t be more excited. i went for a tasting of some of the new items that hugo’s has in store, and let me tell you, it was all AMAZING.

vegan chili cheese fries

one of the new vegan dishes you’ll be able to order is a massive whopping plate of animal-free chili cheese fries. on the menu it’s called “black bean chili: your way,” and you basically get a delicious homemade mixture bean and vegetable chili along with the option of vegan cheese atop your choice of carb or vegetable. put it on top of hugo’s new separately-cooked vegan french fries, and you have a match made in heaven!

also being added to the menu are several items that have been specials in the past, but will now be available year round. green tamales, portobello stew, and sandwiches just to name a few…not to mention a whole new slew of items that will be added to the “create-a-plate” section of the menu. they are also introducing a new line of vegan and oil-free salad dressings, vegan kids’ menu items, and a whole new menu section called “lentils, leafy greens and rice”. basically, it all kicks ass.

i got a chance to sit down with chef nabor and try some upcoming vegan items that aren’t on the menu yet….and WOW, we are all in for a treat. hugo’s is working on some stuff that is seriously gonna knock everyone’s socks off. so stay tuned.

for now, hit up hugo’s ASAP. and remember, the new stuff and vegan fries are not available until wednesday in studio city and thursday in west hollywood. oh, and seriously…if you like the stuff hugo’s is doing for vegans, be vocal about it. write them an email or tell them when you visit! we were vocal about the non-vegan mashed potatoes and they changed those, and now they are veganizing the fries as well. so keep speaking up!

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

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

it’s sunday, and if you don’t have brunch plans, i highly suggest you drive out to tarzana and have a meal at madeleine bistro. recently i tried their phillet no phish (a vegan gourmet take on the popular fast food sandwich), and i was completely blown away. seriously, i’m thinking or re-writing the LA vegan bucket list and adding this thing in.

it’s absolutely huge with a hearty chunk of breaded seitan, homemade vegan cheese, and creamy tartar sauce on a fluffy bun. while i love pretty much everything i’ve tried at madeleine bistro, this is definitely my favorite item so far.

madeliene bistro is serving brunch today from 10am-3pm, but luckily if you can’t make it, this sandwich is also served on their dinner menu. go check it out, you won’t be sorry!

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

check their website for hours!

last week i raved about the corn cake napoleon special at hugo’s restaurant, and this week i’m back to rave about another one: the vegan tofu rancheros!

Tofu Rancheros: Tofu atop corn tortillas, roasted tomato Chipotle sauce, sliced avocado, vegan mozzarella cheese and fresh cilantro. Served with smashed pinto beans and Spanish rice. $11.75

hugo’s restaurant has two locations (one in weho and one in studio city), it is seriously one of the best vegan-friendly eateries in town. every month they have a whole menu full of amazing specials, most of which can be prepared animal-free. today i ordered one of the breakfast specials, the tofu rancheros, which came with thick slabs of tofu, savory chipotle sauce, sliced avocado, tortillas, rice and beans. i love mexican-inspired breakfasts, and seriously this is one of the best ones i’ve ever had. i am going to have to get over to hugo’s again and order this before the month is over. so damn good. if you like big messy plates of food full of delicious sauce and protein, you will love this thing. i mean, LOOK—they even got the follow your heart cheese to melt!

Vegan Soy Chorizo and Vegetable Quesadilla: vegan mozzarella cheese with a blend of vegetables, soy chorizo, sauteed peppers, onions and potato grilled in a flour tortilla. Served with Pico de Gallo and guacamole. $6.75

in other hugo’s restaurant/mexican food news, they also offer an amazing quesadilla on the starters menu that isn’t a special, so you can get it year round. my dad orders this every time he goes to hugo’s, without fail, so it has to be pretty good. at under 7 bucks, it’s a really great deal and definitely big enough to eat as a meal. as always, when ordering at hugo’s be sure to specify that you want your food made vegan, because a lot of these dishes are not by default.

what’s better than warm mexican food on a cold rainy day? not much!

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

it’s a whole new year, and that means a whole lot of new food at vinh loi tofu. if you haven’t heard of vinh loi, they are an amazing tofu factory/vietnamese eatery that we named one of the best vegan restaurants in los angeles. seriously, this place is incredible. not only do they make their own tofu and tofu-based products…but they have the best, spiciest, and most authentic meat-free asian cuisine in town.

kevin tran is the mastermind behind vinh loi tofu…and like any genius, he is always perfecting his art. in the new year he decided to add a whole slew of items to VL’s menu, and they are items that you would only really know about if you befriended the restaurant on facebook. practically everyday kevin posts a new crowd-pleasing special, appetizer, or noodle dish on his “wall”. (after all, that’s how i found out about vinh loi’s amazing holiday turkey!)

earlier this week we trekked all the way out to reseda in order to try some of kevin’s new creations, and boy, we were not disappointed!

soup 2010: udon, vegan duck, sesame seeds, chilis, lemongrass, peanuts, cilantro. $9.50

we shared a couple entrees, the first being kevin’s facebook advertised daily special: the soup 2010. like most of vinh loi’s delicious liquid-based meals, this consisted of a spicy broth along with thick noodles, loads of fake meat and fresh cilantro. i am a big fan of kevin’s soups, but this was better than any i’ve tried before. not just was it tasty and uber satisfying, but the soy duck was better than any of his other fake meats and the to-go packaging was perfect: VL packed the liquid in a huge container protected by a plastic bag, with the noodles and vegetables all stowed separately to maintain ultimate freshness. i appreciate that.

beef udon salad: thick udon noodles, vegan beef, salad greens and vegetables, chilis. $9.50

our next main dish was a new item that kevin highly recommended, the vegan beef udon salad. wow, this thing was the perfect—full of vegetables, greens, salty soy meat, fat ass noodles, and special seasonings. what more do i require?! at under 10 bucks, this was also a bargain. seriously, go to vinh loi and request this dish pronto!

vegan ham roll: tofu ham, brown rice, seaweed, nori. $4.50

we also tried the “ham” roll sushi, which was probably my favorite find of the evening. leave it up to kevin tran to give vegan sushi a completely new take—this was the meatiest, stickiest, most flavorful roll i’ve ever had. with no vegetables, it relied solely on the vinh loi vegan meats for flavor, which i love more than anything! plus the seaweed was excellently sticky, and each roll held together just perfectly. guh, i should have gotten some of these to stockpile!

veggie bun: wheat flour, cabbage, mushroom, soy bean oil, seasoning. $2

aside from trying the new menu items, we also tasted some vinh loi classic dishes, the first being the veggie steamed bun. whoa, this things is all kinds of yum! it reminded me a lot of the seitan bun from the new year’s eve menu at madeleine bistro, except this was full of vegetables and served in a to-go fashion. it was a whole mess of savory vegetables and sauce encased in a sweet sticky bun, PERFECT.

lemongrass and chili $1.25

lastly, as usual, we had to get an order of kevin’s homemade tofu. he has several flavors to choose from including plain, lemongrass and chili, and mushroom….all for just $1.25 per serving. i am not kidding when i say this is the best tofu i have ever had, and every time i visit vinh loi i have to buy at least a couple portions. this makes normal tofu taste like ugh. this is the BEST TOFU EVER!

so the moral of this whole story is: if you haven’t checked out vinh loi tofu already, you are missing out. AND EVEN IF YOU HAVE CHECKED OUT VINH LOI TOFU, you are probably still MISSING OUT!
the only way to get the full on low down/experience is to befriend vinh loi on facebook. it’s so worth it for the daily specials, holiday offers, and new menu items.

come on, be a vegan in the know!

vinh loi tofu
18625 Sherman Way #101
Reseda, CA 91335
818-996-9779

Sometimes you just want to eat good food in a relaxing atmosphere. Sometimes you want that food to be extraordinary, hand-crafted and completely original menu items you won’t get anywhere else. Always, you want that food to be vegan. Am I striking a chord here? Good, then I’ll continue. What if that food comes to your table as a seven-course tasting menu prepared by one of America’s top vegan chefs? Oh, and finally, it happens to be some of the best food you’ve ever eaten?

Well that experience, we learned a few days ago, is very common for vegans “in the know” who book early and are lucky enough to get a table at Executive Chef Dave Anderson’s Madeleine Bistro for one of his special occasion tasting menu treats. We showed up for the New Year’s Eve event not really knowing quite what to expect and left blown away by his creativity and skills in the kitchen.

To be honest, I’m rarely a fan of tasting menus. It’s like being in a car at the top of a hill with no brakes, careering to the bottom and trusting the chef to take care of you through multiple courses, delivering you safe and satisfied to the bottom. Only the finest chefs can deliver a consistently strong tasting menu, especially when they set themselves ridiculous targets like seven courses. SEVEN COURSES? It’s about all most restaurants can do to prepare ONE half-decent course, with a limp salad appetizer let alone serving after serving of excellence.

For a tasting menu to be successful, each course has to have broad enough appeal that pretty much anybody will like it, yet be outstanding in taste, texture and (on occasion) sheer novelty and construction value that one will occasionally wonder “how did they do THAT?”. Only the best chefs can really pull this off, and they inevitably take a huge personal risk that a high stakes game will play out in such a way that everybody is happy. I’m pleased to report that chef Dave not only filled my belly with incredible food, but peaked my interest with every course due to its presentation and even, on occasion, whimsical novelty.

course #1: dim sum. steamed seitan bun, tempeh lollipop, crispy wonton.

Let’s take the first course, dim sum, as an example. The description of this dish included “tempeh lollipop” as one of the items. I mean C’MON? a TEMPEH LOLLIPOP? Yeah, that’s just what it was. A ball of tempeh seasoned and lightly fried so that it is crispy yet breaks apart with ease in one’s mouth. I guess chef Dave’s challenge was how to make such a creation easily edible – I mean, you will want to dip it in the dim sum sauce, but poking it with a fork would break it up, and chopsticks wouldn’t really work with the other menu items, so he stuck a stiff leaf stem into the ball in order that you could pick it up, dip it in, and eat it right up. See what I mean about interesting presentation and construction? Genius.

Accompanying the lollipops was a crispy wonton that defies explanation (so I won’t bother) and a sticky, seitan-filled bun that just begged to be cut up, dipped in sauce and eaten straight down.

The three items resonated perfectly together and provided an intersection of taste and texture I’d never experienced before.

One down, six to go. Next up was simply “Clam chowder in a bread bowl”.

course 2: clam chowder in a bread bowl

I have no idea what “real” clam chowder tastes like, but this thing was fucking amazing. So much so that I not only ate ALL the chowder, but the bread bowl as well. Only after I did was I told that usually one leaves some of the bread. I was brought up poor and forced to eat everything on the table, so I guess old habits die hard. The server told me that the bread was baked from scratch in-house, and the chowder was a special creation of chef Dave. No shit, “special” is an understatement. This stuff should be in a can and sold everywhere, it was SO AMAZING.

Next up was some respite in the form of a delicate salad of chestnuts and apples with a mulled cider vinaigrette and fennel puree.

course 3: chestnut and apple salad, pickled pearl onions, fennel puree, mulled cider vinaigrette.

It was, again, simply amazing. The fennel puree looked a little like guacamole, yet had that smooth, almost aniseed taste that bumped perfectly up against the salad dressing. What another amazing combination of tastes and flavors!

Course four was both simple and unique. On one side of the court was a tangine of artichokes and chickpeas (who would ever have thought they would go so well together?) and the other was a crusty slice of seitan on a bed of greens divided by something called a “harissa emulsion”.

course 4: quinoa-crusted moroccan seitan, artichoke and chickpea tangine, lemon confit, harissa emulsion.

I ate the dish like a game of tennis – grab some from one side, drag through the emulsion, grab some from the other side, back again then put it in my face. Rinse, and repeat. Again, another dish that’s really hard to describe, but there was a full and complete flavor, almost moorish yet not overpowering.

Coming right out of left field was the next dish: Arugula tagliatelle, portabella mushroom and a mushroom ragout.

course 5: portabella chasseur, house-cut arugula tagliatelle, wild mushroom ragout.

Thankfully the portion was compact as I ate the entire thing and would have been way to full for the subsequent servings! I’m half Italian, and grew up eating my mother’s Italian cooking (she’s not the Italian half, but that’s a long story) so I’m a genetic expert in Italian cuisine and I can honestly say that this dish, served as a main entree, would be within the top two or three pasta dishes I’ve ever eaten. It was simply that good. Yes, and they even MADE the pasta itself from scratch!

Into the home stretch came “popcorn and cheese”, a strange sounding combination of a herb-crusted cashew cheese and biscuits…

course 6: popcorn and cheese: herb-crusted cashew cheese, kettle corn, crackers, popcorn ice creme.

with a plate of popcorn ice cream surrounded with (you guessed it) freshly popped warm popcorn.

I was skeptical when the plates arrived – I mean, give me one or the other, but BOTH? How can popcorn ice cream possibly go with cheese and biscuits which are anyway usually reserved for the post-drink cognac or port phase of a meal? Well, I was wrong. Everything was amazing and all created from scratch in chef Dave’s kitchen. The cheese was smoother and creamier than any premium vegan cheese I’d ever eaten before, and it slipped so well onto the warm biscuits and down my throat. The popcorn ice cream was a party in my mouth of cold ice cream and warm popped corns.

Finally, as I was begging for mercy, our cheerful server brought out two large plates of something called “3X3”, chocolate, peanut butter and caramel.

course 7: 3x3. chocolate, peanut butter, and caramel.

This was actually three separate deserts, all cleverly uniting three scrumptious desert flavors. Dish one was a cheesecake sort of contraption with a layered approach to the three ingredients. Dish two was three individual chocolates in little paper cups, like something you’d get out of a very expensive box from Switzerland, and the third dish splayed out the ingredients in an almost mathematical shape so you could pick at them and mix to your heart’s content. The desert was actually shocking: that sweets of this quality could be made at all either vegan or not is astounding.

So to sum up, the journey down the hill with no brakes felt as if chef Dave and his team were actually carrying the vehicle. No bumps, smooth sailing and a safe return to the end, weighing a few ounces more than I did at the beginning but expanding my horizons of taste and appreciation for food and the fine art of fine cuisine. Indeed, my experience with the New Year’s eve tasting menu has set the standard by which all other food will be judged for 2010. That’s either a good thing or a bad thing depending how you look at it!

For sure I’ll be back to Madeline for the amazing brunch, or dinner before the next tasting menu extravaganza for Valentine’s day, 2010. Although the dishes we ate might not be available again on a predictable basis, you can count on a great dining experience you’ll never forget.

This menu was prix fix at $100 per person, which is unquestionably a lot of money for food, yet really good value when you think less about what you pay and more about what you get. It is, frankly, a privilege to eat food like this at any price especially bearing in mind the hours of design, testing preparation and final cooking that shine through in every bite.

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

UPDATE 1/7/10: ok, so i got an email from the staff at follow your heart saying the wheat bread is VEGAN. they also said the burger bun is the only bread-type-thingy with honey in it. so do with that info what you will!

UPDATE 1/6/10: i have heard from a couple people that the wheat bread at FYH contains honey (not vegan, duh)! although i have been told twice by servers that it is vegan. since FYH has a sketchy honey policy, i would definitely avoid the wheat bread. be safe and get rye, yo.

so…since we have declared what appears to be an undefeatable winner in the vegan reuben wars, maybe it’s about time we move on to another sandwich, eh? and what could possibly be better than the vegan club? the traditional double-decker sandwich comes layered with several pieces of turkey meat and vegetables between 3 slices of bread, and is so big that each quarter of it has to be held together with cocktail sticks.

los angeles, being a great town for vegans and all, has several restaurants that offer animal-free versions of the meaty sandwich. we set out in an effort to try all of them, and first on our list was follow your heart.

Club Sandwich: The Classic Triple Decker on Toasted Whole Wheat Bread with Turkey-Style Wheatmeat, Vegetarian Bacon Bits, Lettuce, Tomato, Thousand Island Dressing, and Vegenaise. $8.50

the all vegetarian restaurant in the valley is known for its massive unconquerable sandwiches, and the club is no different. basically two meals in one, it comes with double layers of seitan, wheat bread, green leaves and fresh tomatoes. unlike most clubs this comes with bacon bits instead of sliced bacon, but it’s surprisingly good!

at $8.50 it’s reasonably priced and too big to eat in one sitting. by default it arrives with a side of carrot chips, but you can upgrade to fries for an extra charge…and you can also add avocado to your club, which i’m totally gonna do next time.

as with everything at follow your heart, be sure to specify you want your sandwich vegan. while they don’t serve any flesh at this restaurant, if you aren’t careful you may end up vegetarian animal products. i always just tell the staff i am vegan to avoid any slip-ups.

so there you have it, a damn good sandwich. so far, so good. who will be next to join the club club? wait and see.

Follow Your Heart
21825 Sherman Way
Canoga Park, CA 91303
(818) 348-3240

i’ve got some kinda sad news in the vegan-friendly restaurant department: it appears that friedel caribbean cuisine in studio city has closed down.

i only got a chance to try them out once, and while the service was extremely slow, the food was decent and the menu had a good amount of vegan options. plus, in may they even had a booth at wordfest, serving up all kinds of meatless cuisine.

we drove by friedel today, and they seemed to have been replaced by a mexican restaurant. i didn’t have my camera on me (bad blogger!), but their signage was gone and everything. plus their phone number is disconnected, and their website is down.

so long friedel! sad to see a vegan-friendly establishment disappear.

here is their old info:

friedel caribbean cuisine
11320 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 763-8100
www.friedelcaribbean.com

lemme know if you know anything else about the situation!

i just got word that madeleine bistro (one of the top vegan restaurants in LA) is offering a whopping 7 course chef’s tasting menu on new year’s eve! they still have some spots left, and if you don’t have plans you should definitely check it out. madeleine serves up the best food i’ve ever eaten.

here is the info:

Happy Holidays!!
Reservations are still available for a very special New Year’s Eve at Madeleine Bistro.  Each year, Chef David goes to great lengths to create a tasting menu that will amaze, amuse, surprise, and delight you.  If you are looking to end the year tastefully — you won’t want to miss this one!  A limited version of our a la carte menu will also be available.  We hope you’ll join us in ringing in the new year!
Warm wishes,

Molly & David

New Year’s Eve 2009 Chef’s Tasting Menu

Thursday, January 31, 2009 5 pm – 10pm

100 per person

“Dim sum”

Steamed seitan bun, tempeh “lollipop”, banh chung

“Clam” chowder in a bread bowl

Chestnut and apple salad

Pickled pearl onions, fennel puree, mulled cider vinaigrette

Quinoa-crusted Moroccan seitan

Artichoke and chickpea tagine, meyer lemon confit, harissa emulsion

Portobella “chasseur”

House-cut arugula tagliatelle, wild mushroom ragout

Popcorn and cheese…

Herb-crusted cashew cheese, kettle corn “crackers”, popcorn ice creme

“3 x 3”

Chocolate, peanut and caramel

Everybody hates going to the dentist, which is why last summer some very nice people gutted a crappy dentist’s office in Sherman Oaks and replaced it with the Blue Dog Tavern: an honest, homely place with one of the valley’s best beer selections and ample parking all just seconds from the 405.

We hit up the Blue Dog one Sunday lunchtime for a quick drink on the way home, and settled into a comfortable booth with a nice, fresh German beer (they had 8 amazing beers on the menu when we were there and 16 more in bottles). Usually, a “real” bar – the kind with TVs showing football and burgers on the menu – has nothing vegan for us kind, but we were shocked to find Vegan Chili on the menu, boasting “10 different vegetables”, which was a good thing as we hadn’t made lunch plans.

vegan chili: 10 different vegentables and protein-rich kidney beans. $5.99

Well, $5.99 and another round of beers later we were chowing down on some awesome vegan chili, which was really tasty and just the right texture. This thing was full of vegetables and beans in a rich tomatoey sauce, and arrived with a hunk of toasted bread.

Sadly we were only passing through and had to drive otherwise we could have comfortably spent the entire afternoon there eating bowl after bowl of chili and drinking everything from Duvel Green to Chimay ON TAP!!

For vegans in the 818, or vegans who live close to the 101 or the 405 (basically all of Southern California) the Blue Dog is a great destination for lunch, dinner or as a start to a great night out. For movie fans, it’s within walking distance of the Arclight at Sherman Oaks Galleria.

Oh, and it’s worth pointing out that (literally) across the street is the Sherman Oaks Wholefoods so if you want to stock up on pretty much any vegan produce just stagger out of Blue Dog with a belly full of beer and chili to buy your essentials.

10/10 and huge kudos to Blue Dog for having something vegan on the menu. We really appreciate it and will be back time and again.

blue dog tavern
4524 Saugus Ave
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
818.990.2563