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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

guys, i cannot get enough of the vegan deep dish pizza at masa of echo park.

vegan chicago deep dish pizza with teese, spinach, and mushrooms.

since they first started serving up vegan chicago-style deep dish with the new teese a couple months ago, i’ve been addicted. and it seems like the pizza just keeps getting better and better. i went recently with a friend and we got a build-your-own large with spinach and mushrooms that was to die for. i couldn’t believe how big it was—enough to feed 4 people probably—but that’s the way to go at masa, because then you have tons of leftovers.

i’ve never had a “real,” dairy-filled chicago deep dish, but people i know who have swear that masa’s vegan version tastes authentic…and better than all the others. the delicate crispy cornmeal crust is topped with a layer of stretchy teese and thick sauce filled with garlic and whole tomatoes. you have to eat it with a fork and knife, like a piece of pie, and one or two slices is enough to fill you up.

one fun tip, since the pizza takes 50 minutes to bake (it’s worth the wait!), is to start your evening off across the street at el prado. the small bar always has good stuff on tap, and it opens daily at 6pm. so you can pop in, have a few beers, order your deep dish over the phone, then arrive at masa to eat shortly before it comes out of the oven. good times!

beer at el prado

if you haven’t been to masa yet for a vegan deep dish, stop messing around, and get over there! honestly, it’s by far the best vegan pizza in LA, and one the most special vegan dishes i’ve ever eaten. there’s no excuse not to try it!

masa of echo park
1800 West Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 989-1558

oh and here is the el prado info, should you take my advice!

el prado
1805 West Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90026-3226
(213) 484-6079

today is a very sad day, because our beloved meet market is closing its doors for good. the small vegan restaurant and convenience store has been a favorite of ours since it opened in november last year, with its cheap hearty sandwiches, all you can eat brunches, and specialty grocery items. we are gonna miss this place SO MUCH, but let’s send them off today in a big way!

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

if you haven’t tried the amazing vegan reuben from the meet market yet, this is gonna be your last chance. it’s huge, delicious, and it’s under 5 bucks. go grab one today, and while you are there load up on groceries….because they’ve got everything from daiya to cleaning supplies, and they are ALL gonna be 50% OFF.

sad, sad, sad! but at least we have one more day to enjoy this wonderful little place.

meet market
3206 W Sunset Blvd (at Descanso)
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323-667-0116
(i think the hours are noon to 7pm, but you should call to double check, because it’s their last day in business and all.)

breakfast at wayward cafe in seattle: it doesn’t get any better than this!

wayward has been one of my favorite restaurants since 2005, when i was a relatively new vegan. we are talking about long before i had this blog, before i was married, before i could even legally drink.

as i’ve said before, wayward is nothing short of incredible. it’s got an all vegan menu, it’s family/locally owned (i believe now, by the same people who own pizza pi), and the food is RIDICULOUSLY GOOD. it keeps early hours (9am -4pm), and the breakfast is unmatched as far as i’m concerned. the establishment recently moved from a residential area in greenlake to the vegan center of seattle, university way. we hit up their newish location last month and left super full and happy, for the most part.

very veggie omlet: stuffed with sauteed broccoli, carrots, spinach, red onion, cheddar cheeze and topped with diced tomatoes. served with home fries. $9

okay, so when you have good and bad news, you are supposed to start off with the bad news first, right? well, the bad news is…our “omlet” was full of nasty follow your heart cheese that rendered it almost inedible. the menu description sounded amazing, tons of vegetables stuffed into a vegan omelette with a side of home fries. both the “omelette” itself, and the filling were delicious….the only issue we had was with the unmelted soy cheddar covering it. seriously, everything about this dish rocked…but just look at that gross orange gunk. party foul. we were able to pick most of it off, but next time i will order this meal sans vegan cheese.

tempeh bacon side. $2

moving on to the good news. next up, we got a side of tempeh bacon which was phenomenal. salty, crispy, and perfectly moist in the middle….this is the best vegan bacon i’ve ever had. the picture doesn’t do it justice, but these were little nuggets of pure bliss.

country bumpkin: a warm herb biscuit open-faced and topped with scrambled tofu and ladled with country-style sausage gravy. served with garlic steamed greens. $8

we also ordered the country bumpkin, which was way too good for words. even better than standard biscuits and gravy, this meal consisted of a warm open faced biscuit, topped with tofu scramble, and smothered in country “sausage” gravy. add to that a side of garlic steamed greens, and i’m in heaven. SERIOUSLY, so good. the chunky gravy was incredibly rich, the biscuit was moist, and the tofu was perfectly scrambled. i would eat this every day if i could.

when in seattle, breakfast at wayward cafe is a must. although i hated the follow your heart cheese, everything else i’ve tried from the restaurant has been flawless. plus, the staff is nice and they play good music.

wayward cafe
5253 university way NE
seattle WA 98105
206-524-0204
open 9am – 4pm every day

chaos cafe is a great little spot in portland to grab a simple, tasty vegan breakfast. the casual restaurant is entirely vegetarian, has a sweet coffee bar, and opens everyday at 9am. we got there around that time and had the place to ourselves. chaos is exactly what i expected the pacific northwest to be like, i could have easily spent hours there. plus, the food was great!

the big bang: marinated tofu scrambled with mixed veggies, served with breakfast potatoes and toast. $8.75

we split a couple of entrees, starting with the vegan version of the big bang. this thing came with marinated tofu, mixed vegetables (including broccoli, onion, and tomato), toast, and a side of breakfast potatoes. everything was delicious, from the deeply flavorful tofu to the crispy vegetables and bite sized taters. i think it’s actually pretty hard to find a decent tofu scramble in restaurants, and this one definitely passed the test. the tofu was cubed and chunky, not all mushed together with tons of nutritional yeast.

bowl with brown rice, black beans, steamed greens, broccoli, mushrooms, and salsa. $8

even though it was only 9 in the morning, chaos was rockin’ the entire lunch menu, so we decided to split a bowl. have i mentioned before how much i LOVE BOWLS?! and bowls are everywhere in portland! man, if i lived up there, i’d eat a bowl at least everyday. anyways, the way the bowls work at chaos is: you get to customize everything from your grain, to your vegetables, to your sauce. we went with brown rice, black beans, steamed greens, broccoli, mushrooms, and salsa. SO GOOD. everything was on point, but the salsa really made this dish. it was thick and extra tomatoey, with a little bit of spice. i would order this bowl again, and again, and again.

inside, chaos cafe is quite lovely. it’s brightly lit with comfy seats and funky decor. our waitress was friendly, the service was quick, and the coffee was good. all around, a great little place! <3

chaos cafe
2620 SE Powell Blvd
Portland Oregon 97202
Open Mon-Thur 9am-9pm
Fri-Sat 9am-10pm
Sun 9am-2pm.

hey los angeles! this weekend is packed full of awesome vegan events that you should know about. cancel your plans, and get ready to eat.

Read the rest of this entry »

oh shojin, i love you to bits! but who doesn’t?! i think we all can agree that the modest restaurant located in the little tokyo shopping center in downtown LA is one of the best vegan places to eat in this city, with its constantly changing menu and always inventive japanese cuisine.

i hit up shojin recently with some friends, and as usual, the food was delicious. but i’m not here to tell you ONLY STUFF that you already know, i’ve also got news that shojin has added a new sushi roll to their regular menu. but more on that later, first let’s talk about our dinner!

spicy rock shiitake tempura: tempura shiitake mushrooms tossed in spicy wasabi mayonnaise. $6.95

we started with an order of the spicy rock shiitake tempura as an appetizer, because everyone is kind of obsessed with this dish…and you will be too once you try it. the small plate comes loaded up with little nuggets of breaded and fried mushrooms, all soaked in a scarily good spicy mayo-style sauce. holy shit guys, it’s unreal. no joke, everyone i know who has tried these has proclaimed them to be the “best mushrooms ever,” and i’m no different. there’s something about the crispy shell and the creamy mayo that makes these babies irresistible. trust me! order ‘em!

spicy seitan bbq roll. $7.50 shiitake & avocado roll. $5.95

next, of course we got some sushi plates. shojin has by far the best vegan sushi in los angeles, and no visit to the restaurant is complete without a roll or two. pictured above are the shiitake avocado roll, as well as the spicy seitan bbq roll. the shiitake avocado is as you’d expect: rice tightly wrapped around big hunks of cool avocado and sliced mushrooms. what makes it special is the delicious marinade they soak the mushrooms in, as well as the added kombu cooked in soy sauce. the spicy seitan bbq roll is even better—shojin’s homemade wheat meat along with greens and kaiware sprouts mixed with spicy soy sauce and vegan mayo. i die!

clear shio ramen: simple, delicate and profound. sea salted. sweet vegetables, baby bok choy and mushrooms. $10.95

for my entree, i went with the clear shio ramen. the menu describes it as “simple, delicate and profound,” which is pretty accurate. in fact, this dish was a little too simple for my palate. the vegetables were fresh (i loved the kale!), and the noodles were spot on, i just found the broth to be a tad too basic for my taste. i chalk it up to a bad ordering decision—i should have gone with the “hot and spicy ramen” or the “creamy sesame ramen”, both of which sound divine. next time!

so, let’s talk about that sushi roll i mentioned earlier in the post. according to their twitter page, shojin recently added the MOTHER FUCKING DYNAMITE ROLL TO THEIR MENU! pay attention!

this roll started out as a special for shojin’s weekly sushi nights, and when i tried it, i was instantly smitten. it’s spicy mock tuna mixed with avocado, then wrapped in rice and topped with spicy mayo and green onion. seriously dude, seriously, the BEST VEGAN SUSHI I HAVE EVER HAD. i was ecstatic when i saw that shojin added this to the regular menu. so please, please, PLEASE go eat it and help keep it around. i’d hate to see this item axed due to low demand.

that’s about it, kids. in closing: shojin still rules as one of the best restaurants in LA. always order the spicy rock shiitake tempura, fill up on sushi, and get adventurous with your ramen choice. oh yeah, and THE DYNAMITE ROLL IS AVAILABLE. i’m done.

shojin
333 S. Alameda St. Suite 310
(Little Tokyo Shopping Center 3F)
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Tel: 213-617-0305

Monday, Tuesday
5:30pm – 10:00pm
Wednesday, Thursday
11:30am – 2:30pm,
5:30pm – 10:00pm
Friday
11:30am – 2:30pm
5:30pm – 10:30pm
Saturday,
12:00pm – 10:30pm
Sunday, Holidays
12:00pm – 10:00pm

ever since we posted brittany’s glowing review of hummus king, an all vegetarian restaurant in valley village, we have been dying to go there. we finally made the trip this weekend, and i can safely say that it’s one of my new favorite spots.

the menu at hummus king is large, inexpensive, and almost entirely vegan (i think the only animal products at the restaurant are eggs as a topping). they’ve got several platters, salads, and sandwiches filled with your choice of homemade falafel, spiced vegan shwarama, and SEVEN different kinds of hummus to choose from. the second we walked in, a friendly fellow behind the counter started whipping out spoons filled with hummus, offering us a chance to try each flavor. they were all super tasty; i knew immediately that we were in for an awesome meal.

falafel platter: small hummus plate, eight falafel balls, two sides, two pitta breads, and a fountain drink. $9.95

we decided to share the falafel platter, which isn’t a platter at all, but rather several small plates of food. this would probably be enough to feed 2 people, or one VERY hungry person. our platter came with 8 falafel balls (a mix of normal and fire flavor), a side of salad, a side of shwarama, a side jalapeno hummus, 2 pieces of pita bread, and fountain drink.

lemme start by saying the falafel was FANTASTIC! some of the best i’ve ever had. super fluffy in the middle and crispy on the outside, yet not burnt to a crisp. it wasn’t overly oily, and it was perfectly seasoned. i highly recommend doing what we did and asking them to throw some “fire balls” (spicy falafel) into the mix, because those were even better than the normal falafel.

the side of shwarama that came with the falafel platter was huge, i couldn’t believe it was just a side when they brought it to our table. one bite of this stuff and i was in love—thinly sliced and super meaty, it was all mixed up with fantastic mediterranean spices and little bits of grilled onions. i’m definitely gonna work this shwarama into my order every time i go to hummus king.

the salad was very nice as well, light and refreshing with crispy cubes of cucumber, plump tomatoes, and shredded cabbage. it went great stuffed on top of the falafel in the warm pita bread.

the last component of the falafel platter, the small side of hummus, was probably my favorite thing on the table. there were so many flavors to choose from, but we went with jalapeno and were not disappointed. this was some of the creamiest, most flavorful hummus i’ve ever tasted and it was finished off with a chunky scoop of chickpeas and some spiced oil. TO DIE FOR. i honestly wanted to pick up the plate and face palm it.

the falafel platter was so good, i would highly recommend it! i mean just look at the four pictures above—all that food for under 10 bucks! and you can’t even see the pita bread!

vegetarian shwarama sandwich: pita bread with choice of hummus, filled with mediterranean spiced shwarama, chopped vegetable salad, green tahini and mango sauce. $6.95

oh, but that’s not all my friends. not knowing how epic the falafel platter would be, we also got a shwarama sandwich to share. this was a very generous portion of the same tasty fake meat described above, shoved into a soft pita picket with salad, hummus, and green tahini. i would order this hefty hand held meal again any time, it was wonderful! it was all the deliciousness of the shwarama, salad, and hummus i described above neatly tucked together in an easy to eat sandwich. if i were at hummus king on my own for lunch, this would be my go to meal. it’s the right size for one person without having any leftovers.

our first experience at hummus king was phenomenal, and just thinking about it makes me want to drive over there right now. the place is pretty basic on the inside (as you can see in the picture above), but the food is out of this world. plus, the service is friendly, the prices are low, and you can sample pretty much anything you want before you order. oh, and it’s kosher!

get over to the valley and show this vegetarian business some support! you will thank me later.

hummus king
12422 burbank blvd
valley village, ca 91607
818-509-7999
sunday – thursday 10am-10pm
friday 10am – 7pm

click here and here for the menu.

we all know that vegans LOVE cupcakes. i’m not sure why, but it’s definitely a thing. we also know that los angeles LOVES food trucks, so it’s about time these two delicious worlds collided. less than a week ago, sweet e’s bakeshop (follow them on twitter for their schedule!) hit the streets in their brand new cupcake truck, and they have been carrying vegan red velvet cupcakes every single day.

i was fortunate enough to try sweet e’s goods back in may, and i can assure you, these cupcakes are delish! i’m talking moist fluffy cake, melt-in-your-mouth creamy frosting, and perfect presentation! plus, they are bite-sized and super adorable. <3

delicious mini vegan cupcakes by sweet e's!

the photo above is from a special box of QG-decorated cupcakes sweet e’s sent me as a gift. so while i can’t say the cupcakes on the truck will have that rad quarrygirl design, i CAN say that they will taste amazing!

i mean, where else can you get roaming vegan cupcakes on demand in this city?! right?? follow sweet e’s on twitter, and get out to the truck to try some vegan cupcakes ASAP!

sweet e’s twitter
sweet e’s facebook
sweet e’s website

PS: more vegan cupcake flavors should be coming to the truck soon, we will be sure to keep ya posted!

PPS: if you are looking for some specially decorated cupcakes for a party or something, you should contact sweet e’s, because they can do just about anything.

hi folks, just a quick post to tell you about some fantastic current and upcoming chili addiction menu items that you should all be aware of.

i’ll start with the food that is actually available right now: vegan sorbet! did you even know that chili addiction offered dessert?!? i didn’t until my last visit, and now i am gonna be HOOKED. this stuff is so good, and just perfect for the hot weather. after stuffing myself with various kinds of vegan sausages (more on that later), the chili addiction dudes offered me a sampling of 3 of their sorbet flavors—lemon, lime, and banana. i am usually not a sorbet fan, but this was incredible.

lemon, chocolate covered banana, and lime sorbet

most sorbets i’ve tried in the past have been thick and icy, but not this. it was extra smooth and silky, with an almost milky texture, like real ice cream. i asked what made it so creamy, and johnny (the chef wizard at chili addiction) explained that he has a special contraption that helps the fruit reach that magical texture. not only is it delicious, but it’s relatively guilt-free as well. made from only fruit and sugar, this treat has no excess fat or scary ingredients—just pure, natural goodness.

now, let’s move onto the stuff that isn’t available just yet. very soon, chili addiction is ditching their store bought vegan sausages, and switching to homemade ones using match meat and a variety of herbs and spices. they are still waiting on casing for these sausages before they are available to the public, but i got to sample them and i promise that you guys are in for a treat! here are the flavors you can look forward to (please note i tried these in patty form, but i’m pretty sure they will be shaped sausage style once they hit the menu)…

vegan bratwurst sausage

the bratwurst was amazing. as a burger, i loved it…but i can’t wait to try it as a sausage with some sauerkraut as a topping. as much as i love all the pre-made veggie dogs and sausages on the market, this has got it beat.

vegan cilantro sausage

the cilantro sausage was quite delicious as well. i myself am a coriander lover, so this was right up my street.

vegan chipotle sausage

next up was the chipotle sausage, the perfect blend of match and hot spices. i loved this thing so much; and it was served with a fantastic side of homemade salsa. i didn’t even know chili addiction carried salsa, but i am gonna ask for this as a side from now on.

honestly, this can hold its own with the freshest of stuff from real mexican restaurants. it’s that damn good. and the sausage ruled too.

vegan italian sausage

then came the vegan italian sausage, and it took everything to a whole new level. this baby was all loaded up with seasoning and fennel, the closest thing i’ve tasted to proper meat ball since going vegan. i really wanna try this in some pasta, or maybe atop a bowl of chili mac.

vegan breakfast sausage

lastly, we tried the new vegan breakfast sausage…and i’m not gonna lie, this was my favorite one. decades ago when i was a wee meat-eating quarrygirl, i remember visiting my aunt in tennessee, and every morning she’d cook up batch after batch of her “extra special” sausage. of course it was all full of animals and gross stuff, but i really loved it at the time. suffice to say, one bite of this creation, and i was transported to those childhood memories in the deep south. authentic-tasting beyond belief. i can’t wait to see what chili addiction decides to do with this, but i sure hope it’s some kind of breakfast sandwich.

sorry to tease you all with these mouthwatering sausages that aren’t available yet, but look out for them at chili addiction soon! the sorbet is on the menu now, though. so go and eat that up with all of the other amazing dishes chili addiction has to offer!

chili addiction
408 N. La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 203-1793
closed mondays!
lunch 12pm-3pm
dinner 5:30pm-9pm
(sundays they close at 7pm)

hey everyone, time for a field report from right here in los angeles! this one comes to us from monterey park, and is the first post by our new local operative, “M-E”. check it out, and learn all about veggie world, a family owned restaurant.

I work in East LA which is an area spotted with little gems of restaurants most of which cook with animal fat- the culinary gems don’t usually leave much for the vegan to uncover. My boss is Vietnamese and while driving she saw a sign for what looked like a new restaurant, “Veggie World” and she was dying to show me the wonders of meatless Vietnamese cuisine. We went today after a rough morning in the office.

“Veggie World, Vegetarian Restaurant” is located in Monterey Park and has a vinyl sign with the restaurant name and a little lotus flower hanging out front. We entered zen, the restaurant was empty, but it was immaculate. White walls, beautiful screen dividers, glass lazy susans on the large tables and many jade statues and gold laughing Buddhas evidencing that the patrons were devout Buddhists. The menu is extensive and has $6 lunch specials which come with soup and rice.

I rarely get asian cuisine so my boss and I decided to go all out. I must admit I usually shy away from fake meats as I don’t remember or miss the taste of meat but I LOVE asian food so I was game for an adventure. We decided on a shredded lotus salad with carrots, fake shrimp and pork belly and yummy sauce. Really it was sweet, savory, crunchy and delicious and my boss swore up and down the pork belly tasted exactly like the real thing.

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heyo! time for another vegan field report from barcelona, spain by dadatamonkey! this one is pretty awesome, if i do say so myself. not only does the food sound amazing, but this post will give you some serious ethiopian food education. read up!

Having spent some time here in BCN (Barcelona) I was getting a tad bored of the usual vegan places here, and decided to try out a few non-vegan places and see how I got on. The power of google led me to Abissínia. Which is cool as I spent time in Ethiopia as a kid! I had not found it reviewed on any of the usual suspects (yes it’s there now!) etc, but know Ethiopian food fairly well so knew I would be able to eat there. A number of traditional review sites seemed to rave about it so I popped along! It’s to be found within a 5min stroll of the metro in the Bohemian area of BCN, Gracia. This area used to be the main place for the large anarchist community here but less so now.

This tiny frontage is like the opening to the Doctors Tardis. With foodie heaven hidden inside!

Abissínia opened in 2006 I think, and is headed up by the brothers Behe. Ethiopian food is often vegan by default, due to the Coptic and Orthodox religions practiced by most people requiring avoidance of animal products at certain times of the year. Be aware though that butter is also widely used in cooking so check first in any other place. Meat is prepared and cooked totally separately so you have no issues with cross contamination in this kitchen!

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Do you remember the moment in The Wizard Of Oz where the celluloid goes from monochrome to color? Well, I had a similar experience last week when I drove alongside a dusty railroad track to a barren industrial park on the outskirts of downtown Fullerton, Orange County. The monochromatic middle-American dustbowl view turned into vibrant color as I stepped inside our destination: Bootlegger’s Brewery.

Suddenly I was surrounded by brew kettles, mash tuns, piles of kegs and a makeshift “tap room” (which was actually a corner of the brewery itself).

What’s more, as I looked back out toward the parking lot, I could see Seabirds, California’s only entirely vegan food truck, pulling up and getting ready to serve food.

Now, many of us have been to plush beer bars with comfortable seating and a vast array of beer on tap. Some of us have also been to tap houses: usually less comfortable and with a much smaller choice, but the beer is fresh from the brewery which means it’s as good as you can get. The experience at Bootlegger’s is a little different as you’re actually sitting right inside a working brewery, and the beers are served to you directly from the kegs that have been filled and aged by the brewing team.

While we waited for Seabirds to set up, we enjoyed a few pints of the outstanding “Old World Hefe”, a traditionally brewed unfiltered ale that was extremely drinkable (some might say, TOO drinkable!). We also enjoyed the “Palomino Pale Ale” which was served via a contraption called a “Hopinator”, a sort-of glass tank containing fresh hops under a little pressure. The beer flows over the hops right before it gets served and they impart a fresh, floral flavor that is to die for. In fact, Bootlegger’s chose Citra hops, a relatively recent American hop strain that’s finding its way into more and more beer varieties.

At Bootlegger’s, your beer is served from glass preserve jars rather than glasses, and you sit (if you’re lucky enough to get a seat) on plastic lawn chairs either inside the brewhouse or outside in the parking lot. Urban chic it isn’t, but if you care about being in a place with friendly people, great beer and awesome food you will find few places better in Orange County, or anywhere else. Talking of food, we managed to tear ourselves away from drinking to step outside and grab a bite from Seabirds truck, which was open for business just outside the brewhouse.

Organic Veggie Burrito Bowl: Grilled organic veggies from Tanaka Farm, organic beans, organic brown rice, guacamole, and red or green salsa. $7

I regularly run into food trucks at various events, and it’s surprising how many of them are quite vegan friendly. As Seabirds is entirely plant-based, though, everything on the menu is up for grabs, and we wasted no time in availing ourselves of a few dishes. First up was a Veggie Burrito in a bowl (kindly made in advance for us with no bell peppers) which was a deceptively tasty collection of chopped vegetables, beans, rice and a tangy salsa/guacamole combination. It was truly remarkable, so fresh and healthy tasting yet full of flavor. I’d certainly have that again, and I bet the burrito is even better.

Seabirds Burger: Our homemade nut & seed patty topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and seabird sauce. $5

Next up we were drawn to the Seabird burger, as they proudly proclaim the patty is “home made”. I’m a sucker for home made burger patties as so many places use off-the shelf burgers (at worst Boca, at best Gardein). Not Seabirds! Their burger was perfectly prepared with just the right amount of ingredients – a nut/seed patty with crunchy onion, tomato and fresh lettuce on top of a tangy sauce (also home made) in a wholewheat bun. There’s something about fresh farm-produced organic ingredients that are carefully prepared – they taste SO DAMN GOOD! You can pig out without feeling bloated, and that’s exactly what happened here.

Hummus and Pita

Feeling the need to be bloated, though, we also ordered a side of hummus and pita bread and were delighted with its freshness and taste. I sometimes forget how awesome something so simple can be, and Seabirds really delivered a super-creamy hummus that wasn’t too oily. Oh yum.

We planned to eat some more food, but were just too full. Next time we’re going to go all-out for some of the more exotic dishes like the Beer Battered Avocado Taco, Jerk Jackfruit Taco and the “Bella” – grilled portabella mushroom and pesto sandwich. Oh and for those with a sweet tooth, Seabirds also offers dessert – delicious vegan cupcakes by Luscious Organics.

Not only is the food stunningly good, but the crew at Seabirds are so pleasant, polite and nice that I felt like picking each one up and hugging them. I tend to do that when I’m drunk, though, so don’t read too much into it.

I really wish Seabirds would put some extra miles on that spiffy truck and go a few miles further up I5 to LA for some of our events closer to home. The good news, though, is that even if Seabirds can’t come home with you a growler full of fresh Bootlegger’s brew can.

As we headed away from Bootleggers, along the dusty railroad line to our car, I took one last look back toward the brewery and food truck and was again reminded of The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy and the gang look down at The Emerald City in the distance – a tempting vista of wonder ahead. As we headed away back to LA things turned into black and white again, but I’m sure that was the pints of Palomino finally taking control of my consciousness.

Bootlegger’s Brewery
401 S Richman Ave
Fullerton, CA 92832
Thur and Fri 4pm – 9pm, Sat 2pm – 9pm

Seabirds Truck
Follow them on Twitter or check their schedule for location.

want delicious gourmet vegan food at affordable prices? if so, you are gonna love the new meatless monday specials at tender greens. the restaurant started the initiative this week, and from now on every monday, in addition to their regular menu, they will offer seasonal vegetarian and vegan dishes with an emphasis on whole foods (no processed ingredients or fake meats).

we have been fans of tender greens for quite awhile; their salads are fresh and made with the finest ingredients, and their “happy vegan” plate is one of the best meals in town. so when we heard that they’d be offering new vegan items each week, we were beyond excited. we dined at the west hollywood location on monday, and were absolutely thrilled with our dinner. tender greens really took it to the next level with this one.

homemade vegan pasta with chili roasted heirloom tomatoes, toasted garlic, basil, arugula, and lemon vinaigrette. $10.50

we started with the pasta special, which normally comes topped with parmesan, but was easily veganized. the chef came to our table specifically to describe the dish: homemade noodles made with 00 flour, chili roasted heirloom tomatoes, toasted garlic, basil, arugula and lemon vinaigrette. this meal was amazing…i couldn’t get enough of the little heirloom tomatoes that were so delicate they basically melted in my mouth. pure excellence from the thick noodles, to the light sauce, the flavorful bits of garlic, and the fresh greens.

grilled oyster mushrooms, black barley, baby heirloom squash, rainbow chard. $10.50

next, we tried the special of grilled oyster mushrooms, black barley, baby heirloom squash, and rainbow chard. this is one of the best dishes i’ve had in a while, truly spectacular. the flavor combos going on here were insane, and the chewy meaty mushrooms were mind blowing. all the vegetables were grilled to perfection, and tasted great all mixed up with the barley. i am so used to eating salads at tender greens, i had no idea they were capable of this kind of food! it’s so high quality, like the stuff you’d find at a fancy restaurant, but for just over ten bucks.

another thing tender greens has going for it seven days a week, not just on mondays, is a good selection craft beer. they switch it up regularly, and always have something good on tap whether it’s from the local eagle rock brewery, deschutes in portland, or ballast point in san diego. oh, and they are all available by the pitcher. glug glug!

it’s safe to say i am a huge fan of meatless mondays at tender greens, and i hope they keep it going strong at all their los angeles locations indefinitely. seriously, get over there and check it out as soon as you can. if your food is even half as good as the stuff i ate, you will love it. my tip would be to check out tender greens’ twitter page each monday, and see what they are serving at each of the locations. that way, you can be sure to get a special that’s to your liking. also, always confirm that what you are ordering is vegan, and doesn’t come with any superfluous cheese or anything.

tender greens, nice work. thanks so much for embracing the meatless monday movement. here’s to hoping other LA restaurants follow your lead!

tender greens
8759 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 358-1919
and
6290 West Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 382-0380
and
9523 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 842-8300