Where I Ate in Los Angeles

Hinterhof LA Vegan German Restaurant

WHERE I ATE IN LOS ANGELES

If you've been to L.A., or even if you just follow a handful of vegan handles in the City of Angels, you'll know that they're potentially the pinnacle for vegan food in the states. While on the best coast - I mean, the west coast - I had a mental list of all the places I knew I needed to check off. Here's where I was able to get to!

First things first:

Madame Shugah

I am a big fan of Madame Shugah because A. she's hilarious on social media, and B. her treats are the talk of the town. A town with a population of about 4 million. That kinda says something.

While there, little did I know I would run into the infamous Raw Boy... so I had to be that girl and ask for a photo. He was super sweet!

When I approached her booth (at Smorgasburg L.A., btw) she couldn't have been nicer. Or more charming. Or more fun to order from. She said she's known for her pistachio ice cream in the famous ice cream sandwiches, so I ordered one of those. Duh.

Once informed to wait a while before eating since it was sitting on dry ice all morning (but spoiler alert - it was eventually INCREDIBLE), I moved on in search of something to tie me over in the mean time... and found:

Avocado Mama

Avocado Mama was at Eat Drink Vegan, but I never made it to their booth - so I was ecstatic to see them at Smorgasburg!

This is their Buffalo Mac with ranch and avocado added (of course). *Heaven.*

So, next up - this isn't technically anywhere that I ate... but it's somewhere I worked off where I ate!

Everybody Los Angeles

My darling friend, the adorable Edyn Jacks, has recently been certified as a yoga teacher! And since she was coming to the city for Eat Drink Vegan, she also coordinated a class to teach at Everybody, Los Angeles - a friendly, body-positive gym and studio that took sliding scale donations.

I feel like I was one of the first folks to sign up, simply because I was so excited!

I drove to Everybody directly after eating Buffalo Mac and an ice cream sandwich 😂 but because Edyn is a gentle goddess, we did some introductory group discussions and then eased our way into some light yoga work. It was the best way to get re-introduced to yoga, after... longer than I care to admit. (And honestly, I don't know that I remember the last time I truly practiced yoga! Eek.)

Afterwards I was so happy to mingle with other plus-sized beauties, including but not limited to Edyn and her co-host of The Vegan Chub Club podcast, Joelle - aka The Bopo Vegan on Instagram.

And I can't write about this class at Everybody without mentioning this badass! Jessica was assisting Edyn's class that day, but don't be mistaken - she teaches her own classes as well. Give her a follow!!

Seriously - such a calming experience to partake in, and take a break from the bustling city.

WE INTERRUPT THIS BROADCAST TO INFORM YOU:

Immediately after my yoga class, I drove straight to San Diego for a week. If you haven't already read that blog, go ahead and read that now.

If you've already read that: you may continue!

Hinterhof

Like most of my other Los Angeles foodporn follows, I stumbled upon the incredible ALL-VEGAN GERMAN RESTAURANT known as Hinterhof.

Above, you'll find their Hefeweizen with a scoop of lemon sorbet - made by... who else? 

Madame. Shugah.

And below, off the Happy Hour menu:

Vegan Schnitzel Sliders (housemade seasoned seitan cutlets, creamy herb yoghurt sauce, and french fried onions on pretzel buns.)

Kraut Strudel (herbed sour cream over top of a flaky savory strudel filled with sauerkraut, tempeh, onions? I can't recall, and it's not online! But SO GOOD.)

The quarter-German heritage in my genes was rejoicing.

Next up:

Gracias Madre

In a future blog, you'll read all about my long weekend participating in the Girlboss Rally 2019... and the first place I drove in West Hollywood (aka "WeHo") after the weekend ended was Gracias Madre.

The Chili Relleno pictured above is just as f*cking delicious as it looks... a cornmeal-crusted poblano pepper, stuffed with tempeh chorizo, corn, and tomato, served with black beans and salsa ranchero. It's newer on their menu, so (at this point in time) you won't find it online - but just trust that she's there.

I can't even... I can't even tell you... it's easily been over a decade since I've had a "true" Chili Relleno... This took me back, and thrusted me into the future, all at once. It was glorious.

The Kitchen

If you follow my newsletter, you'll see that I recently featured my pal Michelle, a.k.a. The Freedom Fairy! (and if you're not signed up for my newsletter yet, what are you waiting for?)

When I visited L.A., I knew I had to meet up with Michelle for the first time in person. So we met at a place she recommended: the Kitchen, in Silver Lake.

We were in the beginning stages of Mercury Retrograde (IYKYK) and we had arranged to meet there at 4:00/4:30 - right when they were closing. Whoops!

So, Michelle, being the smartypants she is, went ahead and ordered for us before they closed the kitchen.

She ordered the nachos (above - YUM) and their famous mac and cheese (below).

If you're in the mood for a cute atmosphere, with a charming deli next door, and a chill vibe, go over to The Kitchen for that cafe feel and order a couple of their decadent dishes. It was a cute find!!

Now, for something more on the fancy end of the vegan restaurant spectrum... you'll want to go to:

Nic's on Beverly

Good GOD, talk about #foodporn!

This place... I don't even know if dishing about it here on my blog can do it any justice. You just have to follow them on Instagram, watch yourself develop into a superfan, and then waltz your happy vegan ass in there to experience it for yourself.

The cocktail pictured above was the ultimate tease on my Instagram... Bua Loy Kai Wan:

House Made NELA Horchata, El Silencio, Mezcal Espadin, Taro, Kabocha, Pandan, House Kick Boxer Bitters, Plant Based Thai Egg, Black Lava Salt.

Yeah. A PLANT-BASED EGG. As a garnish. Yep.

I first saw Nic's on Beverly on social media when VegOut LA attended a soft opening for them. I couldn't believe the shit I was seeing. I knew I had to make it in there. Ordering the cocktail was the easy part... the food choices, though. Shooooot. So I went with a classic.

Falafel Burger.

truffle tahini / tomato relish / harissa secret sauce / gratin fries

These fries... the Washington Post describes gratin fries as: a rich, special-occasion dish of beautifully layered potatoes, crisp on the outside and buttery within.

Crunchy. Every. Bite.

Get to Nic's on Beverly's. Like, yesterday. You're welcome.

Doomie's Home Cookin'

I have to give my trashiest vegan award to this joint.

When I asked a vegan Facebook group where to go in L.A. over a year ago, they all recommended Doomie's for a dirty time. I ate here in 2018 a handful of times, but this trip... it actually made me sick. So, I advise you to eat at your own discretion! But if you hear from any junk food folks, they'll tell you that Doomie's is THE spot.

Junk food galore, Doomie's is where you can get a late-night fix of greasy vegan items. They even had ice cream floats you could make with their soda machine. 

If you're more into Mexican, check out their store next door... Doomie's Next Mex!

The Treehouse Hotel

Technically a boutique hotel (bed & breakfast style), you'll be delighted to find The Treehouse in Bel Air among one of the most charming places to dine.

My first day there, I had delicious strawberry yogurt with almonds, blueberries, and granola. Their coffee is out of this world.  They even sell it by the bag directly from their hotel!

My second morning, I was offered some quick vegan waffles with Miyokos butter and strawberry jam. I had a bit of a tummy ache that morning (because it was the morning after Doomie's) so the lovely hostess, Gina, made me fresh ginger tea. 

They really know how to make you feel at home here.

You can read more about my review of the Treehouse coming soon as a full review on Happy Cow's blog, which I'll be sure to link here as well as repost on this website (after it runs on Happy cow, first).

Have you ever been to any of these LA vegan spots? Which one are you looking forward to trying?! Leave a comment below and let me know! And stay tuned for my YouTube vlogs to come, where I visit these places and others in California!

Where I Ate in San Diego

SAN DIEGO.

Sometimes referred to as: "America's finest city". 

What do you think of when you hear San Diego? 

Balboa Park? Coronado Beach? Miles and miles of white sand beaches?

I think of FOOD.

Disclaimer:

I can't possibly elaborate all of the places I visited. That would make for a very, very long post. Plus - some of where I ate, I only filmed instead of taking photos, and vice versa - so I want to at least give them a mention here, in case I missed them in my YouTube vlog of San Diego Eats!

Regardless, let's begin.

Plant Power Fast Food

If you follow any YouTubers in the San Diego / SoCal area, you've probably seen them talk about PPFF at some point. That's how I heard about it! 

And how could you not get hyped to go there? It's literally only counter service and a drive-through. 

Yes. 

A 100% vegan food DRIVE-THROUGH.

I met some new friends here for brunch before they headed to their podcast photo shoot, and they definitely did not steer me in the wrong direction for vegan food. (Their podcast is The Vegan Chub Club, by the way. Go give Edyn & Joelle a listen! Body positivity, FTW!)

My photos are not the most blog-worthy from this visit, because I was busy vlogging and chatting and scarfing down a fast food vegan brunch. (Can you blame me?) 

Anyway, here's a taste.

This is the "chicken" and waffles breakfast sandwich with fake bacon and maple aioli. It's served with a hashbrown (a la McD's but wayyy better) and I also got coffee. Annnnd a strawberry milkshake. Because... brunch! Duh.

I ordered this with the warning from Joelle's boyfriend, Andy, that he likes it - but wishes that the waffles were more crispy and the chicken patty weren't so thick. I have to say, I agree. But again, for the concept of fast food (and not to mention the price!) it's a very generous portion and a fun menu item.

Tocaya

Tocaya is one of those California restaurants that bleeds aesthetic. If sleek Cali design vibes turn you on, then book it over here, pronto.

From the minute you walk in, you're in awe of the space and the ambience. Always a good sign.

There wasn't much of a line around 3:30 pm on a Monday, but the cashier still took her time with us to answer all of our  questions regarding options for vegans (me) and vegetarians (my friend).

Plantain chips and guacamole with pepitas and pomegranite seeds.

In the end, I chose a combo deal that was two tacos, a side, and a drink for $17. 

Plus some dessert, of course.

Pictured above, we have the Baja taco (right) with vegan chipotle jack cheese and picadillo (their mixture of Beyond meat, veggies, and spices) and also the Tulum taco (left) with vegan mozzarella and spicy adobo tofu. Served with a lime and some delicious salsa.

Lastly, they offer vegan churro bites with strawberries and a chocolate mousse-type dip.

Salt & Straw

I'm going to need you to not judge me for what happened next.

What's a vacation without... multiple desserts?!

Everyone back in Denver had told me:

"You have to visit Salt & Straw!! Their vegan options are amazing!" And, well, here we are!

As you can see, they have a few vegan options marked with a (V):

Freckled Mint TCHO-colate Chip

Dandelion Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies & Cream

Roasted Strawberry Coconut

Berries, Beans, & BBQ Sauce

I sampled the dandelion, but it was too warm for me to want chocolate. Then I sampled the "camping" special (ice cream with BBQ sauce?! I had to know!) but I eventually landed on a double scoop of the mint and the strawberry in a sugar cone.

And in case you're wondering: the BB&BBQ was pretty good! Mostly tasted like jam.

Thanks to all who recommended Salt & Straw. You were right - they were worth it!

Anthem Vegan

This is only Page 1 of their menu... they have a LOT!

I'd been recommended this place by my good friend, Tim Brogan, so I knew it was worth a stop.

A little hard to find, I eventually discovered Anthem tucked in the back of a bar called Tornado in the North Park neighborhood. 

It was dark, dingy, and one of the bartenders was a little crass - but I do have to say, the food was killer.

Here we have the Buffalo Chik'n Fries smothered in house (vegan) ranch, and a Sierra Nevada pale ale to wash it down. I wish I could've opted for some other items, but when you're traveling solo... it's hard to get to try more than one dish!

Bonus: this is the perfect bar (and neighborhood) to find a spot to sit with a beer while you work online. Always a treasure in the freelance community to find alternatives to coffee shops.

The Modern Vegan

It looks like this originally Vegas-based restaurant has expanded to San Diego!

For being open only two weeks, you could say it was nice that it wasn't super crowded. But that would be difficult, regardless, because they have SO MUCH space!

I'll leave the interior as a surprise if you ever visit, because it's really fun and quirky (still retaining that chic California vibe, though) but as for the menu... you're definitely going to want to look at that before you arrive - or at least come with some time to look it over.

And as for the portions... you're also going to want to bring a friend.

Not sure if you can gauge the size of this biscuit, but it's approximately the size of my head.

A fresh biscuit smothered in sausage and mushroom gravy with breakfast potatoes or mashed. The biscuit is perfectly sweet and crisp, retaining plenty of fluffiness. The gravy is extra savory (more of a broth-flavored gravy than a lighter, milky gravy) and the seasoning is excellent. 

Like I said, though... bring a friend, or bring your to-go container!

Plumeria

We're almost done... this is the last one. Let's finish strong!

Yet another local referral for Plumera. This entirely vegetarian and vegan-friendly spot has stellar service, an elegant atmosphere, and almost always a wait list for seating. And with good reason.

I nabbed the Thai Samosas for an appetizer with their sweet chili sauce and was in heaven!

My friend ordered the Broccoli Delight as pictured below, with the mock duck and a cute presentation.

My personal go-to for thai food is drunken noodles, but since that exact wording wasn't on this menu, I went with the Spicy Noodles and fried tofu.

While I love flat rice noodles and a plate overflowing with broccoli and carrots, this restaurant is one where you should step outside of your normal order and try something new. I was super jealous of my friend's mock duck rice dish, and wish I'd tried something new!

They have an abundance of fun cocktails and desserts that are vegan-friendly - and if I'd had more room in my belly, you can bet I would've gone with a classic mango and sticky rice thai dessert.

But... there's always next time.

As mentioned at the beginning of this post, there were a handful of other stops I made along my San Diego excursions... Guilt Tea Cravings, Sipz, Young Hickory, Java Earth Cafe, and others... but I simply couldn't grasp all of the items I tried and all of the places I stepped into. 

However! 

If you're curious to see a little more than what's here (or get some video insight into these joints) please be sure to follow my YouTube channel to catch my vlogs from the California trip. (**San Diego Eats VLOG coming Tuesday, July 16th! Subscribe on YouTube so you get notified when it's up!)

As always, stay classy, San Diego. 

And I'm... Ron... Burgundy?

Guilt Tea Cravings vegan matcha with white boba.

Vegan Eats: Utah, Nevada, California

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!