West Food Extravaganza, The End

It was time to say goodbye to the west coast. Los Angeles and Las Vegas offered me an overwhelming selection of vegan eats, making the decision on what to cram into this short trip a bit overwhelming. I wanted to try to stick to all-vegan eateries, though CandyPenny and I agreed that sometimes an omni-eatery’s vegan menu items kick major butt, sometimes outshining an all-vegan dining option. Despite eating a lot in LA, there is so much we had to bypass. But digesting all of the amazing bites I had savored in the last 5 days, I knew I couldn’t leave without trying the award winning, Quarry Girl-recommended Vegan Reuben ay Locali in Hollywood.

We hoped Locali would be a quick morning excursion, a quick grab n’ get thee to the airport stop. With eastbound flights booked taking up the entire day, the sandwich would provide all-day sustenance, as I’d pack it nicely in my airtight to-go container, an important item to pack during food trips. (If you remember to bring it along with you to the restaurant, which I didn’t. Luckily California’s to-go containers are usually biodegradable, unlike most of the eateries of New York City, often in stark contrast to the establishment’s food and sustainability ideals.)

The gorgeous Reuben, in all its pink deli-sliced glory, was indeed an amazing sandwich and Locali, a unique vegetarian convenience stocked with some delectable treats: packaged vegan cookies, fresh-made cupcakes from Rising Hearts Bakery in Culver City and a wall of wines with pairing recommendations from their menu. But the excursion proved costly as I inadvertently locked car keys in the trunk, necessitating the services of a locksmith and a stressful dash to LAX with our nearing flight time looming. All is well that ends well I suppose. We made our flight with time to kill somehow and I had a huge sandwich to wean me back into the east coast.

Thank you, L.A., for all the amazing eats!