Los Angeles: How to Pick Where to Eat

The variety of vegan options in Los Angeles is overwhelming. While meal destinations are carefully deliberated, there are some guidelines that can help differentiate a good vegan options with a meh vegan option.

The first guideline: forget the eateries that have packaged foods on the menu. You’re not food shopping; you want a prepared meal from a skilled chef made with quality plant-based ingredients. If you avoid the eateries who put super-processed vegan cheese, frozen veggie burger patties or texturized soy proteins on their menu, you make a daunting decision less so. Quality is always important. Or it should be at least.
Embracing plant-based, we headed to Vegetable in Studio City.  This place is a delicious celebration of the almighty vegetable, but it is not “all-vegan.” This is another guideline: don’t righteously dismiss an omnivorous eatery. In my experience vegan options at omnivorous eateries have often trumped all-vegan offerings.

“All modifications politely declined.”

The amazing cheese board with the cashew-based Bella Italia Tomato Basil, the Smokey Kale Sriracha, and the Goatless Herb Chèvre (left to right). It is kind of my own rule to always order the cheese plate when it’s available.

The Grilled Corn on the Cob topped with guacamole, dairy-free herb butter, sriracha aioli, coconut sour cream, and chives brings me to another guideline. Every bite is an opportunity, so don’t squander it. Look for layers of flavors. Sweet, heat, tang, salty. Menus that play with these things skills fully beat out one-note menus. 

The creamy Roasted Garlic Broccoli with sautéed shallot in a cashew alfredo sauce

Look for “housemade” all over the menu. Housemade breads are so wonderful to see in an eatery, like Vegetable’s potato bread roll. Quality eateries make everything themselves. They care about having absolute creative control of every detail of their dishes. This passion pays off in the food. Like anything in life, you can do it half-assed or you can take pride in having integrity and standards.

On the “from scratch” tip, we headed to Magpies Softserve for a sweet ice cream dessert. Clearly marked vegan options make it easy to order.

My corn almond softserve with the Magic Shell chocolate topping and an LA evening.

And for tomorrow morning, a sixer from Donut Friend in Highland Park. This leads me to another guideline. Creativity and nostalgia Count! The Vegan Victuals ranking of best vegan donut is bestowed to Los Angeles’s Donut Friend for many reasons. Naming each of the many donut varieties after first and second wave musician ties nostalgia on top of a perfectly-executed donut. 

Nostalgia can make something taste better, so imagine how delicious these already perfect donuts taste.

Our selections: Youth Brulee, Bacon 182, S’morrissey, Angry Samoa, Custard Front Drive, and Polar Berry Club.

And just because, me in the pool with a vintage swim cap.