awesome vegan news and reviews

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.

hugosclubcu 570x368 the club club: hugos restaurant

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!).

hugosclub 570x352 the club club: hugos restaurant

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

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.

IMG 3149 570x346 vegan mac and cheese coming to hugos!

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!

hugosmac vegan mac and cheese coming to hugos!

hugosmac2 570x427 vegan mac and cheese coming to hugos!

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:

hugos tamales 570x339 new menu at hugos restaurant: its official

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.

hugos chili cheese fries 570x373 new menu & vegan french fries to hit hugos this week!

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

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!

IMG 3326 570x271 more vegan mex from hugos restaurant

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!

IMG 3324 570x352 more vegan mex from hugos restaurant

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

hugos corncake napoleoncu 570x429 vegan corn cake napoleon at hugos

i am all about dine-out specials this week so today at hugo’s restaurant i tried one of their january menu items, the corn cake napoleon. the folks at hugo’s really know how to make mexican food (they do operate a taco stand too, after all), and this napoleon was no exception.

hugos corncake napoleon 570x416 vegan corn cake napoleon at hugos

Layers of tamale cakes filled with layers of mashed pinto beans and roasted vegetables in Chef Nabor’s Guajillo sauce. Topped with finely shredded cabbage, Pico de Gallo, and more Guajillo sauce. $7.50

it’s basically like a tamale, except way more awesome because it comes stuffed with mashed beans, loads of vegetables and some of the most incredible red sauce i have ever tasted. chef nabor is a genius—i seriously wanted to drink the guajillo sauce straight! the pics don’t do the napoleon justice, i swear underneath all those colorful vegetables, are are some soft fluffy corn cakes that are perfectly crispy around the edges. as you can see, the portion is pretty hefty as well…a damn good deal at under 8 bucks.

seriously, so good. i would suggest you hit up hugo’s while this special is still around and give it a whirl. oh, and be sure to SPECIFY YOU WANT IT VEGAN. i think the original version comes with cheese.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

hugos meatball 570x345 hugos restaurant: food that makes me :)

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

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

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

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.

hugos stirfry cu 570x379 hugos restaurant: food that makes me :)

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

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

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

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.

hugos fyh cu 570x380 hugos restaurant: where vegans and omnivores collide

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!

hugos burrito inside 570x321 hugos restaurant: where vegans and omnivores collide

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

yesterday i had the opportunity to check out a place i’ve been meaning to try for a long time, hugo’s restaurant. hugo’s is a well-reviewed eatery with a huge menu and more vegan options than i could ever get around to trying. they also happen to be the big brother to my new favorite taco stand, hugo’s tacos. hugo’s restaurant has 2 locations, one in studio city and one in west hollywood, both of which are said to be excellent.

yesterday, my husband treated me to breakfast at the weho outlet, and i took the opportunity to get my thanksgiving on one day early. you see, hugo’s was offering a holiday dinner meal that looked way to good to pass up, even at 8am.

happy happy holiday feast: two new american veggie patties, with vegan, gluten-free mushroom gravy. served with mixed seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes. $13.75

happy happy holiday feast: two new american veggie patties, with vegan, gluten-free mushroom gravy. served with mixed seasonal vegetables, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes. $13.75

the happy happy holiday feast was a great way to experience hugo’s for the first time, and the perfect early start to what non-vegans make a most depressing celebration. the thoughtless slaughter of millions of turkeys per year makes thanksgiving, by far, my least favorite day of the year. i was so impressed to see that the holiday meal that hugo’s was offering up was completely cruelty-free…and damn tasty as well!

PLEASE NOTE: if you order this, be sure to order it without the mashed potatoes, as they are not vegan. my waitress mistakenly told me that they WERE, but according to commenter foodeater, they aren’t. my advice is to be safe and order the feast with extra vegetables instead. luckily, i barely touched the potatoes…but the fact i even had a bite still bums me out. totally gross.

anyways…the new american patties were positively delicious. they tasted like excellent mini homemade veggie burgers mixed up with traditional thanksgiving stuffing all in one. all slathered in tasty and thick mushroom gravy, this was definitely a feast by any definition of the word. i ended up taking half of it home because it was too much to eat in one sitting.

my husband opted for the more traditional vegan breakfast, and ordered hugo’s tofu scramble. i had a taste and i gotta say it is one of the best tofu scrambles out there.

tofu scramble: organic tofu scrambled with potatoes, green onions, tomato, spinach, garlic and mushrooms with ginger-soy sauce. $11.50

tofu scramble: organic tofu scrambled with potatoes, green onions, tomato, spinach, garlic and mushrooms with ginger-soy sauce. $11.50

he ordered it with normal potatoes, instead of the sweet potatoes it usually comes with. they mixed up with the tofu very well, and everything was perfectly cooked. the tofu was juicy and plump, not like the mushy stuff in your typical scramble. a very welcome change.

so overall, hugo’s was an epic win. all the food was great, and they offered a scrumptious holiday meal that involved no murdering of animals. i can’t wait to go back and try out more of their vegan offerings.

have a great vegan thanksgiving!