lunch plan for today: head over to the west hollywood veggie grill location and get your pick of vegan dessert for FREE. they have carrot cake, chocolate pudding, and chocolate chip cookies…all for the taking!

here are the details:

you gotta be there at 1pm sharp.
you gotta say “kevin sent me.”
and they will be snapping pix inside, so you gotta be cool with having your photo taken.

that’s it! go get ’em!

veggie grill weho
8000 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 822-7575

two new american veggie patties with our vegan, gluten-free mushroom gravy. Served with mixed seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes. $13

we have some good news for you this morning: hugo’s restaurant has finally added a vegan mashed potato option to their menu! throughout december they are continuing to offer their happy holiday feast special, which both me and foodeater have written about in the past, and now you can get it with their new and delicious vegan mash. just be sure to specify you want the vegan potatoes, because they are continuing to offer the non-vegan ones as well.

i highly recommend you get over to hugo’s and order this special while it’s still around, because it’s tasty as hell and the gravy can’t be beat. i can’t wait to go back to hugo’s and try out more of their dishes with vegan mashed potatoes. thanks for listening to the vegans, hugo’s! we will make it worth your while. xo

special thanks to sunny at vegan beauty review for telling me about these potatoes. she is awesome.

hugo’s restaurant
8401 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 654-399
and
12851 Riverside Drive
Studio City, CA 91607
(818) 761-8985

about two months ago a veggie grill location opened up in west hollywood (dangerously close to my house), and since then i just can’t get enough of it! for those of you who have never been there…it’s kind of like an upscale fast food place with relatively low prices, that serves an all vegan menu of burgers and sandwiches. unlike your typical fast food place though, the portions at veggie grill are massive and appetizing, and the atmosphere is clean and relaxing.

the v-burger: marinated and grilled veggie-steak burger, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion, chipotle ranch. comes with a side/ $8.95

veggie grill is the kind of place you’d want to take an omnivore who thinks vegan food is bland and boring. the menu is filled with meat facsimiles ranging from burgers and beef sandwiches to wings and chicken wraps. one of my favorite things to order is the v-burger (pictured above). it comes with a moist and succulent gardein patty (which is probably my favorite product gardein makes, yet it isn’t available in stores!), topped with fresh vegetables and chipotle ranch. it’s hearty and filling, yet not huge and disgusting. i feel satisfied and just right after eating it, not all sick and bloated. if you are a burger kind of person, be sure to try this one because i think it’s one of the best vegan burgers in town.

steamin' kale: tender kale with a ginger-miso dressing and roasted sesame seeds.

the v-burger comes with a side of slaw or chili, but for an extra charge you can upgrade to a side of sweet potato fries or kale (pictured above). while the sweet potato fries are great and come with a really tasty dipping sauce, i can never resist the leafy allure of the kale. veggie grill steams it so that it’s soft and wilty but with a slight crunch. the best thing about it though, is that it’s covered in a tangy miso dressing with sesame seeds that is so delicious i could drink it straight. oh, and over by the soda machine, veggie grill has an unmarked bottle of hot sauce. that also goes well on the kale, and that i could also drink straight.

bean me up chili: red and white beans, touch of soy cream, chopped green and red onion. $2.95

another item i seem to order every time i’m at veggie grill is the bean me up chili. this vegan chili doesn’t have any faux meat in it, it’s just two types of beans in a slightly spicy sauce, topped with vegan sour cream and onion and served with crispy bread. you can get a small serving that’s pretty filling for just under 3 bucks! score!

all-american stack: grilled veggie steak, thousand island dressing, pickles, lettuce, tomato, topped with crispy onion rings. comes with a side. $8.95

the all-american stack is the sandwich i hear people raving about the most from veggie grill, so this may be the one you’d want to recommend to a meat-eater. it comes with grilled strips of steak and fresh vegetables on a bun, all topped off with thick and crispy onion rings. this thing is pretty decadent and very filling, so eat it when you are super hungry.

chipotle bbq: shredded veggie-steak, marinated in tangy bbq sauce, with chopotle ranch, caramelized onion, lettuce tomato. served protein-style on kale. $8.50

for the carb-watchers out there (you crazy freaks), veggie grill will serve your burger or sandwich on kale rather than a bun at no extra charge. i don’t why you would ever want to do this, but my omnivorous co-worker ordered the meal above and absolutely loved it.

so if you haven’t been to veggie grill weho yet, i don’t know what the heck you are waiting for! they are conveniently located at sunset and crescent heights and they even validate parking. i love this restaurant for hearty, simple, vegan comfort food…and it’s a great place to bring people who think eating food w/o animals in it means deprivation.

veggie grill
8000 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 822-7575
7days 11am-11pm

PS: rumor is, veggie grill is gonna start carrying VEGAN MAC AND CHEESE soon too!!!!!!! omg can’t wait.

UPDATE 12/18: sorry it took so long, but we finally have some winners for the caption contest!!!!
the winners are alex with “(looks down at weight watchers info sheet ) ‘phew it’s only 2 pts'”
and lisa with “Think twice before you make fun of men who eat salad.”
that’s all. and i’d like to extend a huge congrats to alex because he also won our first captions contest…which now means he is undefeated.<end of update!>

man, i really love tender greens in los angeles. the casual eatery specializes in big hearty salads, and has a pretty good selection of beer on tap. they use seasonal, locally grown vegetables and mostly organic ingredients…and just about everything i’ve eaten there has been delicious.

grilled veggies, crunchy lettuces, roasted tomato vinaigrette (no cheese). $10.50

i think just two of the salads are vegan by default (the happy vegan and the salad in the raw), but several of them can be made vegan by substituting vegetables for meat or omitting ingredients. above we have the grilled veggies salad, which can be veganized by leaving off the cheese. this thing comes loaded up with perfectly cooked vegetables and crunchy greens in a tomato vinaigrette. my salad came packed with halved brussels sprouts, delicate broccolini, squash, cauliflower, and zucchini. the vegetables at tender greens are always changing, so be sure to let them know if you have any aversions.

happy vegan: tabbouleh, hummus, pasta pearls, farro wheat, young kale, tender greens. $10.5

i know i’ve blogged about this next dish before, but you really can’t visit tender greens and not try the happy vegan. this little plate is full of pure vegan goodness including tabbouleh, green hummus, pasta, farro wheat and succulent greens. this thing is worth ordering for the green hummus alone….i don’t know what goes into it but the yum factor is uncharted. to be honest, this dish isn’t really a salad at all—it’s more like a feast of delicious vegan tapas.

on top of the great food, there is much more to love about tender greens. first off, you order at the counter. the food comes out super fast and there’s no fuckery with waiting for the check, etc. second, the atmosphere is way relaxing. they’ve got comfy booths, tables by the window, outdoor seating, you name it. thirdly, BEER ON TAP. if you are reading this post from a city like san francisco or portland, that may not seem like a big deal….but in LA it is so bleeding hard to find a place where you can drink beer and eat vegan food. and tender greens has a damn good selection, too. our meals above were enjoyed with two frosty pints of lagunitas pilsner. i really can’t ask for much more than that in a restaurant.

tender greens
8759 santa monica blvd.
west hollywood, ca 90069
(they also have locations in culver city and san diego)

oh, and before i forget, it’s time for the second quarrygirl caption contest! the first one was a lot of fun, and the winning captions were awesome. so come up with a caption for the picture below (we spotted this dude wolfing down a salad and some bread at tender greens), and we will post the best ones on the site!

UPDATE: just received the following comment from shoop’s. apparently vegan diners should order sandwiches on the baguette. be sure to double check that your bread is vegan when ordering.

Hi! I’m from Shoop’s. And yes, we do our best to accommodate all of our vegan customers. I just wanted to clarify about the bread. The above pictured sandwich is on a baguette, which is vegan. It’s the Foccacia which has an egg wash. We also have a great German multigrain bread. Thanks for the review!!

located on hayworth right at santa monica blvd in weho, shoop’s is a modest hole in the wall shop with an impressive menu of breakfast items, wraps, hot and cold sandwiches, soups and salads. but the place is so tiny and tucked away, that if you didn’t know it was there you would totally miss it. while shoop’s is by no means a vegan mecca and i wouldn’t suggest herbivores make a special trip there, it has some great animal-free selections.

when i hit up shoop’s a few weeks ago, the owner was working behind the counter. she was super-friendly and willing to answer all my questions about which menu offerings contained animal products. in fact she told me she used to be a vegan herself, and warned me not to order my sandwich on the baguette (egg wash), nor to order anything with soy turkey (egg whites). i knew i was in good hands. she also told me that for vegans, shoop’s would be willing to sub tofu and vegan mayo on any sandwich…so feel free to modify.

timber's tofu filet: grilled marinated tofu, avocado, roasted red peppers, sprouts and vegan mayo. served with fruit. $8.95

i wound up ordering timber’s tofu filet on focaccia bread, a hot sandwich stacked with grilled marinated tofu, avocado, roasted peppers (which i left off), sprouts and vegan mayo. this sandwich was simple, but really excellent. the bread was extremely high quality, crunchy and fluffy stuff—shoop’s obviously doesn’t cut any corners—and the grilled tofu was tender and deliciously marinated. the owner even made a remark to me that she thought their tofu was better than most places because shoop’s doesn’t “just soak it in soy sauce.” i don’t know what they do marinate it in, but it was tasty.

as i was packing up the second half of my sandwich (it was way too big to eat in one sitting), the owner brought me a small cup of lentil soup. she explained that shoop’s daily soup is almost always vegan, and i should try it out. yum…thick and hearty with soft lentil chunks, this thing really hit the spot.

while there isn’t a huge vegan selection at shoop’s, it’s nice to know that there is a sandwich shop willing to accommodate us. the place is SUPER vegetarian-friendly, so maybe if we bother them enough they will switch to a brand of soy turkey that doesn’t have egg whites in it!

just remember, get your sandwich on focaccia NOT a baguette! ….and order it with fruit, the coleslaw isn’t vegan.

shoop’s
1107 north hayworth
west hollywood, ca 90046
323-654-9500

oh oh oh, and they have a santa monica location too!

shoop’s
2400 main st. #a-l
santa monica
310-452-1019

actually, make that: i am thankful for whole foods, gardein and field roast. although i’ve got holiday/family celebrations going on throughout the weekend, my meal on the actual evening of thanksgiving came from the prepared foods section of whole foods west hollywood. and boy, what a feast.

Read the rest of this entry »

hey los angeles vegans! just a quick post to let you know that whole foods has some special holiday offerings including seasonal products from gardein and field roast.

in the prepared foods section, you can find a whole holiday spread which features stuffed turk’y roasts by gardein and stuffed hazelnut cranberry en croute by field roast. both products look absolutely delicious, although i haven’t had the chance to try them yet.

gardein stuffed turkey at whole foods

they also are offering gardein rosemary grilled breast. seriously, there is no excuse not to have a vegan thanksgiving. everything you need is at whole foods!

also, at whole foods west hollywood (fairfax and sanmo) they will be offering 50% OFF all whole and 12 inch prepack pizzas! This includes the basu’s homestyle pizzas, the black garlic pizzas, or you can create your own! they also have a hummus pizza and a field roast pizza, which i haven’t tried yet. whole foods uses daiya cheese on their vegan pizza and they do a fucking amazing job, so i suggest you take this opportunity to check it out if you haven’t already.

i know i will be hitting up whole foods for some vegan thanksgiving eats, as well as a post-holiday pizza.

ever since zpizza (my favorite pizza chain ever) started carrying daiya cheese, i have been on a mission to try everything they offer that’s veganize-able. from the vegan sausage pizza, to the tuscan, to the provence, i have been working my way through their menu.

vegan california: organic tomato sauce, daiya cheese, fresh rounds of tomatoes, red onions, jalapenos, mushrooms, zucchini, black olives

over the weekend i tried out the california pizza with daiya rather than mozzarella cheese, and jalapenos instead of bell peppers. almost every time i try something new at zpizza, i instantly have a new favorite. the same was true of the california pizza, this thing was fucking awesome!

covered in a generous amount of fresh vegetables and topped with perfectly-melted daiya cheese, i really can’t think of a better pizza.

Okay, so we’ve already posted about the best vegan and best vegetarian restaurants in Los Angeles, but sometimes we vegans HAVE to eat in omnivorous restaurants. That’s a part of life. What’s interesting, though, is when we find meat-serving restaurants that we WANT to eat in. That’s a whole different story, and LA has a few outstanding omnivorous establishments that go out of their way to cater to vegans. Here are our favorites.

M Cafe

While the “M” in M Cafe probably stands for Macrobiotic, I believe it actually stands for Mmmmmmmm, which is pretty much what I murmur with every bite of this amazing food. With a totally vegan menu except for fish, M Cafe has a chic urban appeal, backed up with an A-list of ingredients (and clientele) all layered over an efficient kitchen and fair pricing, considering how great the food is. While the last year or two M Cafe’s items have been prepared by kitchen staff rather than chefs, their menu items are still some of the best in town.

Vegan Benedict at M Cafe

The Big Macro is arguably LA’s best vegan burger. The broccolini pepporochini is without a doubt LA’s premier broccolini, and the Vegan Benedict is constantly voted one of the “best” breakfast items on any local menu. There are plenty of vegan options at all times of the day, and the rotating menu constantly keeps one coming back for more. The deserts are out of this world, along with the very best vegan tiramisu known to humanity. Check it out!!

Purgatory Pizza

It’s probably inaccurate to credit Purgatory Pizza with single-handedly introducing incredible vegan pizza to LA, but we’re going to anyway. The insatiable team, formerly headed by Chef Ricky, that painstakingly worked to veganize an entire product line and food preparation process has gone from strength to strength. Purgatory was not only the first pizza place to embrace Teese (the ground-breaking alternative to Follow Your Heart Cheese), but is also the first to stock Gardein and Field Roast as toppings, and one of the first to serve Daiya (the best vegan cheese at time of posting) in SoCal.

Vegan Chicken Pestop Pizza with Gardein and Daiya at Purgatory Pizza.

To get your Purgatory Pizza kicks (if you’re not in the delivery area), show up with a bottle of cheap wine and/or a six-pack of beer, then order your pizza to dine in. Feeling like a cross between an 80s suburban pizza joint and some kind of modern art experiment, Purgatory has a great, brightly-lit atmosphere and friendly staff to keep you entertained while you swallow slice after slice of LA’s best vegan pizza.

Hugo’s Restaurant

With two locations (one in West Hollywood, the other in Studio City), and a full-on meat-oriented menu, one might be surprised to find that the Hugo’s chefs have created some seriously innovative vegan cuisine. Not only do they have loads of options, but they have menu with several clearly marked animal-free alternatives, as well as dishes that can be optionally veganized. If you can get past the trendy atmosphere, long waits and constant celebrity sightings (I’ve watched the staff at the WeHo location fawn over Gabriel Byrne and Jeff Goldblum within the past few weeks) you’re in for a vegan treat.

Tikka Masala Veggie Patties at Hugo's Restaurant

Although I’ve long been a fan of the tofu scramble, I also love the Very Green Casserole (one of the best vegan burgers I’ve ever tasted atop stewed vegetables and sauce in a pot) as well as the salads, tikka masala veggie patties, stir-frys and wraps. Make sure you specify “VEGAN” clearly when you order, while the restaurant is extremely vegan-friendly, there may be butter hiding in unsuspecting dishes.

Toi

Sadly, the Toi chain has contracted from two locations to just one, on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. Thankfully the sacrificial lamb of this two-outlet chain was the Santa Monica outlet on Wilshire and not the ultimate rock and roll dining location sandwiched between Guitar Center and clothing stores most mortals are too… well… mortal to shop in. Toi has a loud, brash atmosphere with a class-based seating system (some tables suck ass, others are amazing — you ride the wind and luck of the draw depending your arrival time).

Vegan Pad Thai at Toi

Get the vegan pad thai with grilled tofu for a real treat, or the Saigon spring rolls…and make sure you request the hot sauces to dollop liberally over your food. The portions are huge, the kitchen respects us vegans, and most things on the menu can be made vegan — substitute chicken for tofu, oyster sauce for vegan oyster sauce, and you’ll get a superb meal. Take your omni friends there, and chillax the fuck out listening to rock ‘n’ roll on the speakers. Step into the parking lot at the back and you can smell weed in the air. Need we say more.

Mama’s Hot Tamales

OK, I’ll admit, MacArthur Park (just West of Downtown LA) has a shady reputation. Lotsa crime, lotsa drugs, lotsa pigeons, lotsa bodegas and lotsa REAL, AUTHENTIC Mexican restaurants. How glad are we vegans, then, that one of the most popular, Mama’s Hot Tamales, has a full-on vegan menu, complete with Daiya cheese, vegan sauces and all the trimmings. Did you hear that? Authentic Mexican food AND Daiya Cheese!!!! That is reason enough to make any top 5 list, as far as we’re concerned.

Vegan Daiya Cheese Enchiladas at Mama's Hot Tamales Cafe

At Mama’s you can enjoy all the greasy, cheesy filling Mexican food that omnivores love to death, but prepared under the supervision of Mama herself: the real deal, a Mexican señora who could not be more understanding of what a vegan is, what we need and how to prepare the food for us.

Honorable mentions: Green Peas, XIV, Zpizza, Cafe Muse, Interim Cafe, Mani’s Bakery

hugo’s restaurant is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to dine. even though they are an omnivorous establishment, hugo’s menu boasts several vegan options and even has a handy legend to help us determine what’s safe to eat. anything with a ▼ symbol next to it is vegan, and this (▼) means that the item can be veganized. this whole labeling system makes ordering at hugo’s a cinch.

among the many appetizing vegan dishes the restaurant has to offer are tacos, burritos, tamales, casseroles, pastas, salads, burgers, wraps and sandwiches. on a recent trip to hugo’s with my mom, we tried out the veganized version of spaghetti and meatballs which came with thick house-made noodles in a rich tomato sauce, topped off with chunky artichokes and veggie balls. this dish was absolutely spectacular, and even won over my mom, who is a big time omnivore pasta lover.

vegan spaghetti and meatballs: veggie balls made from our 'New American' vegetable mixture. Served atop our fresh house made spaghetti tossed with marinara sauce blended with diced tomatoes and artichoke hearts. $13.50

the sauce and vegetables in this dish were flavorful and perfect, but the real stars were the meat balls made up of hugo’s new american veggie burger mixture. a combination of “organic sprouted mung beans, organic brown rice, assorted fresh vegetables, mushrooms, pumpkin & sunflower seeds, herbs and spices fried crispy.” hugo’s uses this mixture in several of their dishes, and i gotta say it’s a winner. definitely the best meatball/patty replacement i’ve ever tried. they also offer it on a burger or in a wrap…which i’m sure is incredible as well.

tikka masala vegetable patties: Made of organic, sprouted mung beans, organic brown rice, assorted fresh vegetables, mushrooms, pumpkin & sunflower seeds, herbs and spices. Covered in an Indian inspired sauce of tomato, onions and spices. Served with turmeric rice, leafy greens and cilantro-mint chutney. $13.75

another item which hugo’s puts the veggie mixture to good use in, is the tikka masala vegetable patties. this dish is entirely vegan as it comes, and is one of the best things i’ve tried at the restaurant. the delectable vegan patties are fried up nicely and bathed in a sauce of tomato, onions, and indian spices. the dish comes with tumeric rice littered with nuts and raisins, as well as a side of succulent leafy greens. the patties are perfectly moist in the center and crispy around the edges, and absolutely amazing all mixed up with the creamy curry sauce. with two full-sized patties, this meal is huge…but it’s so damn good i don’t see how anyone could resist eating it all.

vegan asian stir fry: marinated organic tofu, snow peas, fresh tomatoes, broccolini, mushrooms, jicama, green onions, cilantro and a mild sesame chili sauce served with a choice of quinoa, rice or kelp noodles. $13.50

if you are in the mood for loads of green vegetables, i highly suggest the vegan asian stir fry entree. this comes with mounds of broccolini, mushrooms, jicama, green onions, cilantro and tofu all mixed up in a sesame chili sauce. plus, you get to choose between quinoa, rice, or kelp noodles as a base. i prefer the protein-rich quinoa…hugo’s does it just right, all fluffy and soft like it should be. this whole dish just oozes with delicious freshness—it definitely gave me a healthy pick-me-up.

another vegetable-rich option is the veganized very green casserole, a dish of broccolini, spinach, asparagus, zucchini and herbs topped off with a veggie patty and vegan cheese. this dish is awesome because you get lots of greens AND one of hugo’s amazing new veggie patties. score! the only thing i can fault with this entree is that the vegan version comes covered in follow your heart cheese (yuck). hugo’s actually somehow makes the cheese, which i normally can’t stand, taste pretty decent…but hopefully they will come to their senses one of these days and switch to daiya. are you listening hugo’s?

very green casserole: Sautéed broccolini, spinach, asparagus, zucchini, with garlic and fresh herbs in a tomato basil pesto sauce. Topped with a veggie patty and melted goat and mozzarella cheeses. Served with organic mixed greens. Vegan cheese substituted upon request. $13.75

although hugo’s can tend to be a bit pricey, the huge portions and incredible food ensure you get your money’s worth. i’ve never walked out of the place disappointed, except for when it’s been too crowded to get a table! hugo’s has two locations for your convenience, one in west hollywood and one in studio city. i’ve only been to the weho outlet, but i hear the food at the valley hugo’s is excellent as well, and you can read all about it here.

so go check out hugo’s if you want some high-quality vegan deliciousness. there’s plenty of selection to keep herbivores and omnivores happy, and the food never disappoints. HUGO’S FTW!

P.S. a few quick notes about hugo’s: the mashed potatoes ARE NOT vegan. remember that. also, at the time of this post, they don’t have a separate fryer…the french fries and chips hang out in the same place as the calamari. my advice would be to stay away. ALSO, be sure to specify vegan when ordering, they have been none to use butter on stuff that it doesn’t seem like there would be butter on. just tell ’em you are vegan and they will look after you.

hugo’s restaurant
8401 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 654-3993

12851 Riverside Drive
Studio City, CA 91607
(818) 761-8985

Monday – Friday
7:30 AM to 10:00 PM
Saturday – Sunday
8:00 AM to 10:00 PM

one of the best pizzas i've ever had.

i’m sure you’ve heard by now that zpizza, an awesome organic chain with locations all over the country, is offering vegan pizza with daiya cheese. they have a few locations in los angeles, and many throughout southern california. while most of the zpizzas in socal are already offering vegan cheese, every location across the united states should have daiya within the next couple months. if you haven’t stopped by and tried one of their vegan pies yet, well i don’t know what the hell you’re waiting for.

i have been going to zpizza for ages, and until last night i always ordered the same thing: a build-your-own pizza with tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic. recently, on their facebook page, zpizza took the time to create a list of all their vegan-friendly pizzas and which substitutions need to be made to veganize them, as well as a list of which sauces and toppings are vegan. i was shocked by how many items off the “zpizza creations” menu were easily made vegan, and i was inspired to try something new.

i went with the tuscan, which is easily veganized by omitting the feta and ordering it with daiya cheese instead of mozzarella.

tuscan pizza (veganized): homemade roasted garlic sauce, daiya cheese, cremini, shiitake and button mushrooms, caramelized onions, truffle oil and thyme.

the vegan tuscan pizza came with a delicious mix of cremini, shiitake and button mushrooms as well as caramelized onions, truffle oil and thyme—all atop melty daiya cheese and homemade roasted garlic sauce. now i was already a huge fan of zpizza, and i can tell you this pizza blew my mind. i can’t believe a pizza chain could make something that tastes so unique and high-quality, and be VEGAN at the same time. i have heard people rave about the roasted garlic sauce, and they were absolutely right—no description could possibly do it justice. and the amazing sauce mixed in with truffle oil, sweet onions, and a variety of mushrooms was an absolutely heavenly combination. i cannot believe that i have been going to zpizza for so long and missing out on this bliss.

another thing to note about this pizza is how perfectly distributed and melted the daiya was. they’ve gotten even better with the vegan cheese since my first vegan pie at zpizza a few weeks ago. with vegan cheese this good available, there is absolutely no excuse to be a vegetarian.

really guys, i can’t speak highly enough of this thing. go to your nearest zpizza and get yourself a vegan tuscan pizza ASAP. oh and for a limited time, you can fill out this survey to $5 off your purchase at zpizza. i suggest you take advantage of this, as money off pizza is never a bad thing.

in los angeles, daiya vegan pizza is available at both the west hollywood, burbank and larcmont zpizza locations. if you are going to any of the other zpizzas, i would call and check to be sure they have vegan cheese.

truly amazing vegan pizza from a national chain. oh my friends, i never thought i’d see the day.

zpizza with vegan daiya cheese

it’s finally happened. zpizza, a national pizza chain, has decided to get rid of their casein-laden soy cheese and roll out pies covered in daiya, making vegan pizza available to the masses. from LA, to manhattan…from santa clarita to montana, zillions of vegans across the united states will be able to dig into that familiar box of home-delivered goodness. zpizza has started serving vegan pizza at their west hollywood outlet, and over the next several weeks should be selling it in all 68 locations throughout the country.

in case you were wondering, daiya is a vegan cheese that has been taking los angeles (and the rest of the country) by storm. it stretches and melts almost exactly like real cheese, and it doesn’t contain soy. it has even gotten the attention of whole foods, who have started using it on pizzas in their prepared foods section. …and zpizza is a national chain serving up organic and healthy style pizza that tastes like authentic delivery. they have been serving a non-vegan soy cheese as a healthy alternative to regular dairy, but are swiftly replacing it. yes!

since hearing about zpizza’s plan to offer daiya, we have been regularly tracking their status (almost daily if you can believe it!). we didn’t expect it to hit LA so soon, but today we called the west hollywood location and found out they had “the new vegan cheese” in stock. we headed over and skeptically asked to see the new cheese. they brought a large bag from behind the counter of daiya italian shreds, and we were in business. we specified NOT to use any of the old non-vegan soy cheese on our pizza, and they assured us that they would be using the vegan cheese from now on. for safety though, even at the weho zpizza, you should confirm that what you are getting on your pizza is indeed daiya.

make sure you get a receipt that says you are vegan, y'all!

large pizza with daiya cheese, mushroom, tomato, and chopped garlic. $19.48

after eating this for dinner, i can tell you that the marriage of zpizza and daiya is a fucking beautiful thing. zpizza has a 650 degree oven that melts the cheese like none other. the crust and sauce at zpizza have always been a favorite of mine, and the toppings are as fresh as they come. the fact that a national chain is offering vegan pizza this good is absolutely mind-blowing. it’s fast, it’s convenient, it’s consistent, and it’s VEGAN. seriously, i never thought i’d see the day!

after flipping out and doing a happy dance over my vegan pizza, i called the other local zpizza locations to see if they had the goods as well. larchmont village, burbank, woodland hills, and santa clarita are still serving non-vegan soy cheese for now…although most of the locations assured me that they would have the new vegan cheese next week. zpizza claims that all of their locations will be serving a 100% vegan option within the next 6-8 weeks. until then, head over to the weho location and ask them for some vegan pizza. you won’t be sorry.

zpizza
8869 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 360-1414

hugo’s restaurant is a great little los angeles eatery that caters to both herbivores and omnivores alike. they have 2 locations, one in studio city and one in west hollywood. their menu is extremely vegan-friendly, with so many options i could never possibly try them all. plus they have a cool little easy-to-read legend on the menu that lets you know which stuff is safe to eat. ▼means the item is vegan, while (▼) means the item can be made vegan. simple. how rad would it be if everywhere gave us this much support?!

vegan breakfast burrito with scrambled tofu, vegan cheese, and breakfast potatoes. $11

my most recent meal at hugo’s was a veganized breakfast burrito stuffed tight with tofu, vegan cheese and tomatoes with a heaping side of breakfast potatoes. i was kinda nervous about the vegan cheese, after finding that so many restaurants may lie and mislabel their cheese. fortunately when the waiter brought out the burrito, i instantly recognized the unmelted mass covering my entree.

that’s right, i confirmed it was follow your heart brand vegan gourmet. even with daiya and teese available, it seems that most restaurants resort to this boring stuff. ok, so it doesn’t melt and it’s not very good….but at least it’s vegan and it’s better than no cheese. i actually quite enjoyed it on the hugo’s breakfast burrito.

inside the burrito, was some extremely tasty tofu with a texture that can’t be beat. thick firm slabs, but still kind of scrambly…if that makes any sense. i loved it. even with the unmelty follow your heart cheese, this breakfast was on point!

my only qualm with this meal is that it was a little pricey. $11 for a breakfast burrito and some potatoes is pretty steep…but what the hell, this is a trendy location in weho and the food was damn delicious.

vegans, go to hugo’s. and if you have to stoop so low as to hang out with omnivores (yugghghghghhghggh!), this would be a great place to take them. just be sure to avoid the french fries. i hear they aren’t vegan. just be sure to grill your waiter about all the extras when you order a vegan-optional dish.

it seems like every time i go to hugo’s, it’s for breakfast. i need to hit them up for lunch or dinner soon because the menus look amazing. to be continued….

hugo’s restaurant
8401 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 654-3993

if you like healthy food, relaxing lunches, and damn good tap beer, you need to hit up tender greens. the casual eatery has two locations, one in culver city and a brand new one in west hollywood. i checked out the weho outlet with friend and fellow blogger jennshaggy, and was blown away by the taste and quality of the food, the friendliness of the service, and the overall atmosphere of the place.

happy vegan: tabbouleh, hummus, pasta pearls, farro wheat, young kale, tender greens. $10.5

after browsing the menu online, i wasn’t expecting much from tender greens. they seemed to have mostly salads and nothing really jumped out at me. however, the minute i walked into the restaurant and was greeted by the smell of freshly baked bread and could see all the fresh vegetables being chopped and prepared behind the counter, i knew i was in for a treat. i could tell this was no ordinary salad place, and that our food was likely to be exceptional.

i ordered the happy vegan pictured above, which was a mix of several small dishes accompanied by soft leafy greens and crunchy bread. of the several mounds of delicious food on my plate, my favorite was the green hummus (pictured below), which tasted like a mix of hummus and edamame…absolutely amazing. of course i washed everything down with a pint of delicious draught beer. i don’t even remember what kind of beer i ordered, but it was something fancy. you don’t see crap like bud light and mgd on tap at tender greens, but rather selections like chimay and fine ciders.

while tender greens only has two salads that come vegan by default, most of their other creations can be veganized as well. jennshaggy ordered the chinese chicken salad, but with vegetables instead of chicken and tomato rather than sesame dressing. the roasted vegetables included squash, baby carrots, cauliflower, and asparagus….all of which were cooked to perfection. i tried a bite and jenn’s salad was even better than my happy vegan plate! i am definitely gonna take a risk and order off the menu next time like she did.

chinese chicken salad with no chicken, add roasted vegetables. spicy greens, golden pea sprouts, carrot, crispy wonton, cilantro, green onions, roasted peanuts, tomato dressing. $10.5

in addition to great food and fancy tap beer, tender greens has a super comfy and laid back atmosphere. you order at the counter and pay for your food then take your tray to one of the many sun-soaked booths or tables underneath the large windows. on a weekend i could spend hours at this place, sinking beers and eating hummus.

so overall, tender greens gets an a+. the food is fresh and tastes good, and everything is unbelievably light and healthy. i think i would do myself a favor by eating here more often.

tender greens
8759 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 358-1919

UPDATE 2011: this place has closed.

los angeles vegans with a big time sweet tooth, you need to pick yourselves up stat and head over to ice pan in west hollywood. the ‘natural’ and ‘nutritious’ ice cream parlor offers ten low sugar, low fat flavors with no added preservatives, all of which can be made vegan by choosing the soy milk option. i checked ice pan out over the weekend and ordered their nondairy chocolate ice cream with oreo topping, which did not disappoint.

chocolate and oreo soy ice cream. $4.95

for a dessert that prides itself on being ‘healthy,’ this stuff sure was creamy and decadent tasting. the soy ice cream could definitely pass for the real thing, and the crispy little oreo bits added a delightfully crunchy texture. oh, and i’m leaving out probably the coolest thing about ice pan: they make the ice cream right there in front of you! you get to watch as they blend up your ice cream and milk mixture, poor it onto the ice pan and mix it until it becomes firm. then they lay the toppings on top of the ice cream, mash it all up, and scoop into your container. neato! (for more about how they make it, check out this step-by-step.)

so let’s just review here: ten flavors of ice cream with a vegan option, tons of toppings to choose from, amazing taste and creamy texture, all made right before your eyes. oh and let’s not leave out the bit about it being ‘healthier’ than normal ice cream and having no artificial flavors or preservatives. bottom line, i think you need to get down to ice pan right now and try out their vegan ice cream. you won’t be sorry.

ice pan
7100 Santa Monica Blvd # 135
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 883-0267
Mon-Sun. 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.