Funky, good restaurant for vegetarian friend visiting from SF

[ElleBeavero]

Hubby and I don't get out much now that we have kids, but our friend from SF is visiting next weekend so I need somewhere to go for dinner. Preferably SF Valley, Pasadena, or Westside. She is vegetarian so the restaurant needs to have a good selection for her. Not too expensive - tops about $40 per person for food only. Great martinis a plus but not required.

[J.L.]

Shojin in Little Tokyo: No bar, but excellent vegetarian Japanese food and extensive menu!

Shojin
333 S. Alameda, 3rd floor
LA, CA

[Emme]

Hugo's has a pretty good selection for the veggie friends, though I wouldn't say it's funky.

You might try Mao's Chinese Kitchen over on Melrose, as it will give you somewhere to walk around after, or hit up the Groundlings.

[NAspy]

I took my vegan friend to the original M Cafe de Chaya in Hollywood, which I think is more accurately a macrobiotic restaurant: whole grains, no meat, raw fish.

There is a new branch in Culver City which is very good also and in quite a fun area.

[westsidegal]

if persian food on the westside is an option, shamshiri grill on westwood blvd has a large portion of their menu devoted to vegetarian selections and offers even more of them scattered through other parts of the menu.
(their website, though, is an inaccurate disaster.)

the food and the restaurant are extremely good and a great value.
they do not have a hard liquor license, and i've only seen wine served there.

there will be PLENTY of meat, chicken, and fish based dishes for you and your husband.

imho, the food quality at shamshiri and the ambiance of the restaurant is so much better than that at carnival, that it's DEFINITELY worth the drive.

[Diana]

Woodlands Pure veggie indian in Chatsworth. Not fancy at all, really affordable, totally veggie and so amazingly good!

Also:
Madeline in the SFV

Rahel veggie Ethiopian on Fairfax in Little Ethiopia (not in your area criteria, but funky, veggie, and really good! BYOB

Aroma Bakery Cafe on Ventura in Encino

Hummus Bar and Grill in Tarzana

Carnival in Sherman Oaks

Leanore's Mexican veggie in the SFV

Akasha in Culver City

Pure Luck pub bar in LA, right across from Scoops amazing ice cream

All veggie based places!