it’s no secret that i’m always on the lookout for new and delicious vegan food. i try to hit up as many vegan-friendly restaurants as i can in search of that perfect tofu scramble, veggie burger or burrito. that’s why i can’t believe sante la brea has been right here in hollywood, under my nose for the longest time, and i waited until yesterday to try it out.

it first came to my attention when someone from sante delivered the menu to my work. i skimmed through it and one thing immediately caught my attention. right there, printed on the menu was the fact that sante can prepare ANY item vegan by substituting fake for real meat. hell yeah. plus, i did some research and saw that vegan-la had some nice things to say about sante, and that pretty much sealed the deal.

so yesterday, the husband and i headed over to give sante a shot…and everything about it was absolutely amazing: the food, service, atmosphere and presentation were all impeccable. sante la brea gets an a+!

tofu scramble with toast and potatoes. $8

we arrived at around noon, so sante was serving both their brunch menu and their normal dinner menu. their brunch menu isn’t available online, but it was filled with really appetizing stuff. tons of scrambles and omelettes, and of course tofu could be substituted for egg in any dish. we shared the tofu scramble and it was incredible. the fluffy tofu was mixed in with tons of garden vegetables and a delicate seasoning. it was the perfect texture and tasted out of this world healthy. you know, the kind of feeling you get when you are eating stuff that’s super good for you. this tasted really good, and i know it was guilt-free. not much oil or fat, just the right ingredients. it’s so refreshing to eat a meal like this, because i am used to eating way too much junk food!

we also ordered off the dinner menu, and what we chose happened to be vegan, without any substitutions. yay us! the macro ended up being just as tasty, and probably just as healthy as the scramble. i love being married, because it means i get to try two different meals at lunch!

the macro: tofu, hijiki broccoli, zucchini, daikon root, carrots and onions sauteed in a tahini ginger sauce. served with black beans, tahini dressing and root slaw. choice of entree or wrap. $13

because it’s easier to share, we opted for the wrap, and man-o-man was it scrumptious. it was so simple, yet so full of flavor. the exotic vegetables mixed together with the seasoning and tofu perfectly, and were covered in tangy dripping tahini sauce. so divine. better than anything i’ve ever eaten over at m café, the los angeles macrobiotic headquarters. sorry, m, this shit was so much tastier.

not to mention, both meals came with breakfast potatoes that were unbelievable. it’s so great to have a side (that at most restaurants is so full of disgusting grease) be so light AND delicious. i don’t know how they do it, but sante really puts the time and effort into making genuinely healthy food that doesn’t sacrifice taste in the slightest. we need more restaurants like this.

not just the food is da bomb at sante though, the service and atmosphere are killer as well. the place was empty on sunday at lunch time (a total crime, considering how great sante is!) but our waitress was all over us. very attentive, friendly, and quick when it came to refilling our water glasses. the outdoor seating area was quite lovely too, big wooden tables shaded by curtains and benches with huge fluffy cushions. it was great relaxing in the sun and enjoying our lunch as calming chilled-out electro music played softly in the background.

overall, sante was a great find. they have TONS of vegan options, plus anything they offer can be made vegan. oh yeah, and a grip of vegan desserts as well. hmmmm. i can’t think of a reason not to try them out asap. delicious all the way around.

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i love finding new entirely vegan restaurants, especially when they offer up original food that’s new and different. so when a commenter named jason mentioned (original comment here) that i should try stuff i eat, a healthy animal-free eatery down in inglewood, i knew i just had to check it out. the result was one of the best lunches and two of the best burritos i’ve ever had.

breakfast burrito: tofu scrambler, cottage fried potatoes, and tofu sausage, salsa, guacamole and savory sauce. served with a side salad. $10

portobello burrito: portobello mushrooms with onions, black Beans, wild rice, savory sauce, fresh salsa, guacamole, mixed greens, rainbow coleslaw and SIE dressing. comes with a side salad. $11

located on cute but abandoned little street in downtown inglewood, stuff i eat doesn’t look like much from the outside. walking in however, customers are greeted with a smile and welcomed into a cozy restaurant with a vibrant but relaxing atmosphere. small polished tables litter the dimly-lit eatery and big comfy chairs line the walls. there’s even a seating area with couches and a coffee table bathed in sunlight near the window, in case you need to wait for a table. food is ordered at the counter and paid for (cash only!) then brought to your table. the kitchen area is open and visible, and everything is clean and inviting. i can’t remember a time that i loved a restaurant so much, before even trying a bite of their food. and at stuff i eat, the food is the best part…

lemme just say, i really love burritos. filled with the right stuff, they can be the most exciting food ever, all in one easy to eat handheld pocket. so naturally, it’s awesome being married to someone who also loves burritos…because we can order two, cut them in half and split them. 2 for 1! this time, it was the breakfast burrito and the portobello burrito that we shared. both were incredible.

the portobello burrito was both unique and delicious. the mushrooms were perfectly seasoned, and the wild rice was soft and coated with light and tasty dressing. although this burrito was pretty massive, it tasted refreshing and healthy. i can tell they use only the toppermost of ingredients at stuff i eat, because i didn’t feel at all full or bloated after eating there.

i’m still trying to figure out what seasonings they use at this place. there was a slight curry taste as well as a bunch of other unknown flavors, and all of it was superb. nothing was bland, and i was introduced to a whole new taste of food that i’ve never experienced before. what a treat.

the breakfast burrito was even better. it was shoved full of scrumptious potatoes, soft guacamole and the best tofu scramble i’ve ever tasted. if only i could make that at home! again, i have no clue what they use to season it, but it was perfect. and the texture was just right as well. the burrito was wrapped tightly and grilled on the outside so it was easy to pick up and eat without spilling the innards everywhere. i am gonna go out on a limb and say this was the best breakfast burrito i’ve ever had. totally not what i was expecting when i rolled in for some casual lunch upon the recommendation from a blog commenter.

the food is so freaking good at this place, i just can’t believe it. what a pleasant surprise! the prices are reasonable, considering you get a huge amount of food, plus the atmosphere is great, the seating is comfortable, and the staff couldn’t be more friendly.

so all this being said, i can’t urge you strongly enough to go check out stuff i eat. you will not be disappointed. it’s a bit of a journey, at least for me anyway, but definitely worth it. plus, it’s pretty easy to access, being located right off the 405.

i will be going back to eat there again as soon as possible.

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who has time to cook breakfast during the week? we sure don’t. and since we don’t want to be forced into skipping it entirely or microwaving a frozen boca burger each morning, we make one huge tofu scramble on sunday, and eat it all week long. this week’s tofu scramble was (and still is, there’s so much of it!) awesome. probably because we based it on the kick-ass ppk recipe for scrambled tofu.

scrambled tofu (adapted from the ppk recipe!) with field roast sausages, tomatoes and sour supreme.

now i’ve eaten a lot (and i mean a lot!) of tofu scrambles in my time, and this was actually one of the best. i make them constantly at home, either with mix out of a box, using recipes online, or simply by throwing everything from my cupboard and fridge into a pan with some tofu…and this was the first one that can hold its own with breakfast from my favorite restaurants. the tofu was spot on, firm and not mulchy at all, and the spices were blended perfectly, enhancing but not overpowering. 

each morning the scrambly mixture just needs to be spooned out and microwaved for 1 minute to be the perfect breakfast again and again. we also cut up some fresh tomatoes each morning and split a chipotle field roast sausage, both fresh off the grill. and of course i cover mine with the hottest of hot sauces and garnish it with a goop of sour supreme every time, i just can’t help it. 

all hail the ppk—they rule and so does this scramble. it has been a great sunday and monday breakfast so far, so i know it will help get me out of bed and get me through the rest of the week.

adapted ingredients and more after the jump.
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last weekend marked my first journey into highland park. while i actually went there (2 days in a row) to check out an amazing bar, i also found myself at a damn good vegetarian restaurant: cinnamon. yeah, it is a bit of a trek. but cinnamon is a great place that deserves a visit if you love authentic mex cuisine, but think chicken stock is no bueno. word of warning: highland park is at the intersection of “cutting-edge hippsterville” and “i don’t feel safe walking around at night”. so come prepared (in the daylight if you happen to be a pussy like me) for good food, good bars and good times in the least expected areas.

we (mr. meaner and i) found ourselves dining at around 11am. it was the real sweet spot of times, during that window where breakfast and lunch are both being served. i opted for breakfast, he chose lunch. both ruled.

tofu scramble with mushroom & spinach. $6.95

tofu burrito. $5.95

the tofu scramble was delicious. next time i want to order something a little more adventures, something really authentic sounding that i can’t pronounce—but this time i was a tad hung-over, a little worse for wear and just wanted a safe, comforting breakfast food with lots of tofu. and that’s just what i got. a mound of tofu, super tasty mushrooms and heaps of spinach all mixed together with a blob of beans and rice on the side. drown it in hot sauce, and i’m happy. nothing wrong with this dish.

the burrito was equally impressive. lettuce, green sauce, some other vegetabley things, tofu, rice and beans all rolled into a massive wheat wrap. oozing with flavor and scrumptiousness. chipotle’s got nothing on this sucker. it tasted like an old school mexican burrito, the dangerous kind with refried beans and god knows what in the rice…yet it managed to be creative at the same time with the wheat tortilla and vegetable variety. perfect.

cinnamon is a pretty sweet place. let’s review: vegetarian, check…huge menu, check…affordable, check. not bad. the service on the other hand, is a little slow and strange. over friendliness was followed by indifference, then again by more friendliness. and the complimentary chips suck, not only are they out of a bag, but they are ROUND. round chips are not cool. but, whatever, the hot sauce rocks and the atmosphere is lovely…with big windows that let the sunshine in to cover the cozy albeit cramped tables.

cinnamon could definitely improve in some areas, but the food rocks. and that’s all that matters, right? the food rocks.

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ahhh…sunday morning breakfast. what better way to begin the end of the weekend than with a stomach full of homemade vegan food?

fantastic frittata: quarrygirl.com’s veganized version of the monterey frittata

i REALLY love a leisurely sunday breakfast. 3 cups of coffee and a calorific vegan feast sounds like the perfect way to prolong the agony of the forthcoming week. but in a world where most restaurants are packed on sunday mornings and/or pride themselves on the fact they shovel heaping piles of eggs onto peoples’ plates, it’s hard for me to get morning meal satisfaction on the day it matters most. 

this week, i found solace in this amazing recipe…located right under my nose, in the back of my cupboard, on the back of a tofu scrambler box. all it needed was to be veganized…
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