Where to take dedicated vegans

[dergrosseludwig]

My sister and husband are coming into town for the holidays. They are both dedicated and very strict vegans, so much so that they will not even Thai food seasoned with fish sauce.

I'm in need of restaurant suggestions that can satisfy the vegans and also keep a non-vegan chowhound like myself happy. In other words where can I get good vegan and non-vegan food? I live on the westside but will travel as far as East LA.

One thing I'm particularly looking forward is a good Mexican joint where I can get my tacos al pastor fix, and the vegans will be happy as well.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

[dergrosseludwig]

Many thanks to all for the suggestions!

[Jerome]

please post the report of where you went and how the food was.

[Emme]

if upscale is of any interest, La Cachette accommodates vegans with regular menu dishes or a tasting menu. Also, Grace is very accommodating for veggies and vegans.

in Culver City, Akasha does a great lentil pumpkin seed burger that is vegan.

Food on Pico is simple and has vegan options.

Gr/eats on Sawtelle

A Votre Sante or Sante La Brea

Leo's Tacos

Paru's Indian or Nawab of India or Ambala Dhaba or Chandni

The Flowering Tree

Eat Well

Rahel

Shamshiri in Westwood

Tamara's Tamales

Green Temple

Good karma in Venice

Newsroom Cafe

Scoops for gelato!

mabye too far but Papillo in el Segundo has meat and non-meat options

[choctastic]

Pure Luck is right across from Scoops. Food here is pretty good. Twould be a good double header.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, if I'm with a meat-eater who wants to try a vegan restaurant, I always take them to Veggie Grill. It's just great. Native Foods is almost as good, but Veggie Grill is really, really good.

[PandanExpress]

Akasha is a great suggestion because it does great vegan AND meat dishes. Although their menu doesn't specifically note which dishes are vegan, most of the servers we've had were very knowledgeable. Off the top of my head, the vegan-ok dishes are:

- onion rings have a vegan batter and the waitress told us the smoked paprika sauce was made with veganaise.
- sweet potato fries
- regular french fries
- white bean dip (flatbread it comes with is also vegan)
- mushroom pizza
- pumpkin seed/lentil burger (the vegan BF thought this was the best non-meaty veggie burger he's ever had)

For the meat eaters, I've been happy with:
- organic beef burger (they do a fantastic medium rare. It's a simple burger, but oh so tasty and juicy.)
- spaghetti with eggplant gratin (spaghetti packs some heat and the eggplant gratin was perfect. I would have preferred more broccoli rabe with the spaghetti).

[lasushiblog]

WIthout a doubt you should go to real food daily. It is a little on the healthy/raw side but there should be plenty for a non-vegan to eat. There is one near 3rd st in SM if you are on the westside...

[houndofmusic]

I agree with the suggestion of Real Food Daily. There's also one in West Hollywood on La Cienega just north of Beverly.

[Das Ubergeek]

Real Food Daily suffers from the problem many vegan restaurants have -- namely, the avoidance of spices and flavour. I'm not sure why -- chili peppers and all spices and herbs are vegan, but yet nothing tastes like anything at RFD.

In addition to M Cafe de Chaya, which really is excellent, you could try Madeleine Bistro in Tarzana. The service can be be iffy, but a word in the ear of the hostess when you are seated may help... and while it is 100% vegan, I am an avowed dead-animal eater and I always find things I really like on the menu.

[Jerome]

there's a vegan mexican in the valley. i haven't been but i know about it from vegan friends. search mexican vegan north hollywood should bring it up. lucy's maybe...

for chinese - happy family if they're strict vegan, and not just picky eaters. many dishes taste like meat but have no meat in them. it's a buddhist place. no meat, fish, eggs, onions, garlic, or alcohol. There may be a dish or two with some dairy. Ask. If they won't go if it's even in the kitchen and not in their dish, then go elsewhere. The dairy dishes will be pretty clear as the use of dairy is rare in most chinese cuisines (but not all).

Happy Family
111 N Atlantic Blvd # 351
Monterey Park, CA 91754

[phone]

MExican -
www.leonorsvegetarian.com

11403 Victory Blvd,
North Hollywood -
[phone]

[westsidegal]

i've been to leonors in the valley. it's ok if you like your food to taste like cardboard.. . . .

we had many dishes, they were all beyond bland.

[bulavinaka]

M Cafe De Chaya is vegan-worthy. Here's Das Ubergeek's solid review. Not everything is vegan, but there are enough great choices to make most very happy.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/559279

Here's a recent thread about good vegan eateries in LA as well:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/569375

[westsidegal]

many mexican joints use lard in their beans and lard in their rice, making it practically impossible for a vegan to find enough to eat at those places. sorry, i have no mexican suggestions for you

there will be plenty of vegan choices at:
THE SPOT in hermosa beach
MAO'S KITCHEN in venice and west hollywood

and there will be one vegan choice at
CHAYA VENICE

for burgers, these places serve good veggie burgers, but i am not sure about whether the buns are vegan or not:
THE COUNTER
HOUSTONS
26 BEACH RESTAURANT\SHAMSHIRI GRILL in westwood
RAHEL ethiopian on fairfax (this restaurant is entirely vegan)

also, 26 BEACH RESTAURANT will adapt many of their great salads so that tofu is used as the protein source, making the salads vegan

there will be some vegan choices at
SAMOSA HOUSE