Hello, Foodies & Travelers!
I've just returned from a long journey: a two week road trip from Colorado to California. And I can't wait to tell you all about what I ate! From on the road to on the coast, there were plenty of vegan eats.
Let's start with:
UTAH
My half-way stopping point was to visit an old AmeriCorps friend in an outdoorsy, desert mountain town by the name of Cedar City.
Utah is epic and gorgeous, if you didn't know, and Cedar City had a charm about it that I was excited to explore a little more. Home to Southern Utah University, the Utah Conservation Corps, and Utah Shakespeare Festival, there were plenty of things to do while still admiring the small-town feel.
After a late night arrival and a restful sleep on my friend's couch, I was told the best coffee was at the Grind Coffee House - and, bonus! - they also had vegan menu options.
The first thing you'll notice when you approach is the large sign that boasts:
GLUTEN FREE & VEGAN OPTIONS.
The second thing you'll notice is the long line.
Luckily, for a food review, this is a great problem to run into.
The energy of the staff is focused and controlled. The baristas are running the show and keeping the flow of the lines moving. The mood is curious with tourists, bikers, and passers-through, gawking at the kitschy items. At least I'm not the only one taking photos!
As promised, there are, in fact, vegan options!
For coffee:
All of their syrups are vegan, the mocha is vegan, and they offer soy and almond milks. Incidentally, this place made the best almond-flavored almond milk latte I've ever purchased.
For food:
Their original and everything bagels are both vegan. They have oatmeal, smoothie bowls, salads, and two bagel sandwich offerings. At the cashiers recommendation, I went with the Cedar Breaks bagelwich.
These bagels are huge.
They seem to shave down the bagels so they're more sandwich-friendly and less fluffy, making them capable of filling to the max. This sandwich has spicy hummus, balsamic vinaigrette, spring greens, onion, artichoke, cucumber, and tomato. For only $5.99? Unreal!
Beautifully served showing off all of the inside ingredients, with a side of lightly pickled bean salad (garbanzo, green bean, kidney bean, and red pepper). My only wishes were that they offered vegan baked goods in their display case, and a vegan chip on their shelf (there were only flavors of Doritos, Cheetos, Funyuns, and other bold-flavored chips that aren't vegan, sadly.)
Even from a marketing standpoint, it would be wise to invest in a few more baked good items that are vegan: if I came here to work over over a light breakfast pastry with my coffee, there's a high chance I'll stay long enough for the vegan lunch option, too. More sales for them, more options for me!
The service was super helpful, open, and expedient - the baristas could've easily beat out a carnival barker in a contest - and they bus tables as quickly as they flip. (So quickly, that in the time I got up to grab a to-go container, the other half of my bagel was gone and the table was cleared! But the busser apologized, and kindly offered to reimburse me another half-wich.)
Oh - and they also have a bookstore, next door!
Overall, the space is wonderful. Large, clustered tables, but plenty of seating. The front will give you a mountain view and nice natural light. My view happened to include two adorable cyclists and a red mountain.
There's also an entire back area away from the coffee hustle up front, for a more laid back seating option. Comfy chairs included. I could spend all day in here if I didn't have to hit the road.
All in all, if you ever find yourself in southern Utah, be sure to stop by The Grind.
Next up:
LAS VEGAS
Vegenation's claim is:
"Fresh global street food that makes you feel really damn good!"
And honestly, I can't dispute this.
I stopped here for a late lunch/early dinner leaving Cedar City. I knew I needed to try something vegan while in Vegas, and this one popped up close to the highway. So, why not?
I found parking just around the corner - mind you, it wasn't free, but... I lived dangerously, and decided to run inside to eat quickly, and hope to make it back out before getting a ticket. And guess what? I WON! You can't say I didn't gamble in Vegas...
Featured here is the Muchas Gracias, one of their customer favorites. It's a sweet potato & black bean quesadilla, topped with chipotle ranch and guacamole for $13.00.
This dish was clean, filling, and left me feeling light. My only complaint is there wasn't much flavor going on - which, for a quesadilla, I was hoping to get a little spice kick or at least some seasoning.
I washed it down with a gingerade kombucha and got back on the road before rush hour. If you're ever driving through Vegas and you want something quick, VegeNation is a good one.
Plus, it's adorable!
Onward, to:
EAT - DRINK - VEGAN
Pasadena, California
If you've been in the vegan game for a while and you're familiar with the Los Angeles vegan scene, you've heard of Eat Drink Vegan. However, there are many articles floating around saying this was their last festival.
While sad, fear not! There are an abundance of vegan festivals throughout L.A. on a regular basis - which is, allegedly, one of the reasons why this was the last EDV fest - so you can be sure to still find these vegan restaurants, trucks, and pop-ups around town for some time to come.
Rather than give you a photo series and literary run-down of what I ate, I'll just direct you to my latest YouTube video where I discuss everything. Please give it a view if you're a super-foodie, like me - I am pretty proud of this one, I must say!
And for now, that's all I've got for you - BUT!
Please check back for the next blog, which will feature:
WHAT I ATE IN SAN DIEGO
And more to come:
Where I ate in L.A. (besides EDV)
My experience at the Girlboss Rally
Bel Air Bed & Breakfast Review (Entirely Vegan/Veg!)
Please stay tuned to my YouTube channel, as well! I've got lots of exciting content coming soon over there - including video content to complement the future articles listed as well as some collaborations with Los Angeles YouTubers/influencers!
Be sure to sign up for my e-mail list so you are notified when the next article is live. :)
I'll see you on the next adventure, whether that's on the road or in the kitchen.
Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment