a couple times a month, i like to hit up the los angeles farmers market, grab a few beers, and eat some fine vegan food. there’s so many little stands to choose from, and almost everything i’ve eaten there has been delicious, albeit rather expensive. unfortunately, for months, i managed to overlook one of the best vegan-friendly eateries that the food court has to offer, until reading about it on yourveganmom. singapore’s banana leaf serves fine malaysian cuisine that can be veganized upon order (woo hoo!)…and what i’ve tried tastes divine.
vegetable mee goreng fried noodles (NO EGG, please!) with tofu. $8.50
vegetable curry with tofu. $8.50
yeah, yeah, yeah, this place is pricey. especially considering the fact that you’re forced to eat your meal outdoors on plastic tables, sandwiched between “sticker planet” and a vile meaty deli. but in all fairness and with personal pet peeves set aside, i can’t expect the rest of the world to share my ludicrous “i don’t like to eat dead things that have been tortured & slaughtered” mentality. so, considering the fact that this open-air section of la’s famous farmers market is a mecca for midwest and european tourists alike, i really cannot complain about the $5 premium they add to each meal. and in banana leaf’s case, the food definitely competes with the most authentic of joints. so just close your eyes, plug your ears and ignore those loud-mouthed, overweight tourists. time to enjoy some food.
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if you find yourself at the farmers market, or anywhere in los angeles for that matter, you can always count on chipotle to offer you a tasty, filling vegan lunch. here at quarrygirl.com we love vegan chain dining options, and chipotle is probably our favorite vegan-friendly “fast food” joint. plus, safe mexican food can be hard to come by.
burrito: flour tortilla, cilantro-lime rice, black beans, salsa, romaine lettuce and guacamole.
one thing i love about chipotle is that i trust their vegan options. so many mexican restaurants sneak chicken stock into the rice, or lard into the beans. with chipotle, i know the cilantro-lime rice (yum) and the black beans are totally vegetarian. i don’t have to deal with the hassle of trying to explain to a disgruntled worker what chicken stock is and then wait while they check with everyone in the kitchen before i find out there’s nothing on the menu i can order. (just be sure not to order chipotle’s pinto beans, they are filled with vile bacon!)
chipotle is especially convenient at the farmers market, because all the other dining options are phenomenally overpriced. in the midst of all the small vendors, you can count on chipotle to give you ridiculously huge, american-sized portions at considerably low, evil corporation prices.
and if you are counting calories, get your vegetarian burrito in a bowl instead. it tastes just as good!
my only complaint about chipotle is that they don’t have a salsa bar. 
instead, they offer just 3 different flavors of crummy tabasco sauce. no cholula even! corporate headquarters: if you are listening, you really need to step it up in the salsa department. other than that, great burritos!
the farmers market is a great place to hang during the weekend, drinking beer and eating vegan food. while there are many great places to eat, one spot that i frequent is a little middle eastern stand called moishe’s. the food is pretty expensive, but it’s really good. especially if you are looking for something light to help soak up several pints of beer.
small side of taboule $3.25
large side of hamous $5.25
as you can see, these are just some of the vegan options that moishe’s has to offer:
i love seeing so many things i can eat all lined up together on a sign! moishe’s also makes great falafel sandwiches, if you want a meal that’s a little more expensive hearty.
i’ve definitely got a lot of problems with moishe’s…but it’s just so damn convenient and tasty, i keep on coming back.
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