Green Leaves...vegan love for the meat minded

1769 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Angeles, CA. 90027
(323)664-2345
Open Daily 11AM–Midnight

***Lindsey C. of Reality LA this is so you!***

Our next worthwhile foray into the world of veganism is Green Leaves and what can I say? I'm of the mindset that meat out of sight is out of mind. If any of you have been reading my posts you know that I'm not such a vegan, in fact I love meat to the point of almost wishing I had my own livestock to eat if I could.

Located right across the street from Home in the Los Feliz area this cozy spot has been winning vegan hearts on the East Side for a little while now. The interior has a sort of calm rock and roll meets corner cafe appeal to it (which ironically is also the crowd I think they're aiming for) .

Despite what you may be thinking this is a coconut, not an amateur rocket. And, it was cracked open just for us. If you haven't ventured to try the natural libation of coconut, this is the place to do it. No cracking it at home over your sink with your biggest/heaviest knife, risking life, limb and loss of juice. Here you can enjoy it's lightly sweet nectar and meat for $2.75 and get enough to share between two or three people.

Their Spring Rolls were solid veggie spring rolls, with an emphasis on glass noodles and tofu. What made them stand out was the unusual sauce they served along side, which was like the standard sweet chili oil sauce but theirs had a little something of a special aromatic that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Needless to say the sauce itself added an even fresher taste on this already fresh appetizer.

They describe this their Rock and Roll Noodle as "Pan fried wide rice noodles with tofu, chili sauce, basil, tomato, bell peppers, bean sprouts & our special house jalapeno sauce". I describe it as quite possibly my favorite vegan plate to date. It satisfies my basic needs for something flavorful, healthy, textures and plate size.

Almost looks like a hamburger with mushrooms doesn't it? Well, it's their mushroom burger with lentil loaf for the patty and it made quite a tasty burger. The lentil loaf itself was very tastefully spiced lentils, so if you like lentils you'll love it. The mushrooms were well sauteed and tender, the lettuce, tomato and sprouts fresh and crisp, and served on a super fresh (almost sweet) wheat bun. Make sure you try the sauces they bring out if you get this too, they add great flavors. One word of warning, the lentil loaf might fall apart on you. Celeste found though that if she removed the bottom bun and turned it upside-down that it stayed together just fine. Hey, what matters is that it tastes good and it's healthy, right?

All in all, the restaurant has great returnability factor. Healthy, tasty, good service and some awesome late night hours. Street parking can sometimes be tricky but there's plenty of it so you're cool. So next time you or your significant is feeling healthy or tired or not feeling healthy please pop on in as you'll be highly impresses with their sizable menu of familiar yet alternative eating!

PS. Pop on in for breakfast for some extraordinary pancakes!

Free Refills: Sorry to say but I always forget to check cause I never order soft drinks when I'm there...something about being healthy in there.
Entree Ranges: Appetizers are $3 to $6, soups and salads $3 to $7, breakfast is $4 to $8 and main entrees are $4 to $9. Can you say VERY good deal?

RFD (Real Food Daily)... a PSA for our beloved LA Vegans

414 N. La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 289-9910
Sun-Thurs 11:30AM-10PM
Fri-Sat 11:30AM-11PM
SUNDAY BRUNCH 10AM-3PM

Second location at
514 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 451-7544
Open seven days a week: 11:30AM-10PM

Alrighty, a first for this site...a Vegan restaurant! This is Celeste, the often mentioned wife of Aubrey, and I'm reporting in since I enjoy...let just say...meatless cuisine far more than he does.

As a disclaimer...our trip to this particular place was instigated by the many glowing reviews of it, even people who said they were staunch carnivores said that they loved it and couldn't tell the difference between the meat alternatives. While I believe they really felt that way, it's really just not the same. For the same reason that organic corn fed pork or grass fed beef taste different and better than the grocery store butchers' selections, fake meat would never make me think I'm eating real meat; what goes into each one is entirely different. TOFUrkey will never taste like turkey no matter how optimistic you try to be about it. THAT SAID, this is what I have to say about going to vegan or vegetarian focused restaurants:

These restaurants do vegetables, and they do them good...so eat the vegetables, the tofu, and the tempeh that don't reference being an alternate version of meat, and you'll LOVE it. Go for the flavors you love and mix them up with a specialty item...like Corn Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms...SEE...doesn't that sound tastey? Well it does to me!

I started out with their Nori Maki, a very nice sweet brown rice sushi roll with shiso, tempeh, avocado, carrot, collard greens, umeboshi, tamari, wasabi with pickled ginger and cucumber salad on the side. It's got both chewy and crunchy textures to it. And, be sure to eat with the pickled ginger on the side and dip it in the sauce, cause both add a lot to the dish.

Next was my Ceasar Wrap, and if you look really closely, you can tell that that's it taking up the right side of the plate. Their thin but chewy spinach tortilla is what makes it blend in with the spring greens salad, but that's ok cause it was also filled with ceasar salad, and also had just the right amount of Blackened Tempeh, which was very good and not at all dry.

We know this place is definitely well known among many, but wanted to feature it especially cause several of our friends with dietary limitations have deemed it their favorite restaurant. Even from my own experience of just wanting a salad, then getting some place where their vegetables aren't even worth trying, and from that I can only imagine the frustration of looking at a menu and finding it so limiting for what you're wanting or able to eat. So I hope you can all come here and enjoy!

Free Drink Refills: No
Entree Price Range: $4 to $15

Xotik Kitchen...a picnic in the park...or at The Bowl

6121 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
(310)280-3961
Mon-Sat 11AM-8PM

Today's entry is interesting in the way that I'm going to call it like it is, and maybe not how they want to be known as. Xotik Kitchen, located in the Arts District of Culver City, is a smallish shop that is as casual as you can make it. A couple of chairs and tables out front and a very small counter inside comprise the entire eating area. They describe their food as a natural organic fusion. I could agree with them on that, and heck I could even agree that it's pretty healthy and generally affordable. My view of this place is different on one thing really. The food and layout is more designed for takeout and imparticularly if you're feeling like having a bite out of the house but not in a restaurant like say a picnic. It makes sense that they do a good bit of catering.

We wandered over to Xotic one day on our way home from work, in the mood to hunt around a bit and spotted this place right after we passed the Helm's Bakery area. We hopped in and ordered one Sumatran Coconut Chicken with potatoes and rice(you have a choice of many different sides to choose from) and their Grilled Vegetable Salad. We sat down inside and waited for maybe 10 minutes, then the lady who took our order brought our food. As soon as the food arrived we noticed a dog outside who must have sensed the food in the air. He watched us eat the entire time. I so wanted to swing by and throw him one of my leftover bones.

As you'll notice, the food comes out in aluminum bowls. I grew up eating food like this from Puerto Rican places when I was a kid, so I wasn't too suprised. I must admit though, it was funny seeing it come out like that, especially cause they had little prepackaged plasticware as well. This is one of the main reasons also why I feel they're much better for take out and not so much a dine in spot, granted we came close to their close time so that may have been the reason. The chicken was surpisingly super moist and the slightly tangy coconut sauce that was drizzled on it gave it some zip. The potatoes and rice were not insanely over the top good, but I had no complaints about them. What's nice about this dish is the amount of chicken they give is a half free range chicken. Enough to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites.

Next up is a plate for rabbits with a discerning palate. I enjoyed my few bites, but Celeste loved this thing. Besides a whole mess of grilled vegetables of the season like different kinds of squash etc, feta cheese, maple crusted pecans with pesto were served over a bed of field greens with a citrus dijon dressing. YUM said my little rabbit.

They have other salads, fish plates, some ribs and even a skirt steak to choose from. While their offering is humble, it's all solidly good. The season and weather is very right for a picnic and the Hollywood Bowl is starting to have their picnic type nights and a meal from here would be perfect. Just one thing... make sure you bring extra napkins cause the food is fingerlicking good.



Free Drink Refills: No
Entree Price Range: $7 to $13

Yonni's

1714 N. Wilcox
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 962-1020
Mon-Fri 9AM-9PM
Sat-Sun 10AM-9PM

Yonni's was a great find for a couple of reasons. One, for the fact that it's so close to Hollywood Blvd where we catch lots of shows, from standup and improv at the IO, to small theatre such as the Paul Gleason theatre, [Inside] the Ford and some other random small theatres that pop up around the area. We just so happened to catch one such play that was lots of fun at [Inside] the Ford called "The Defenders" (basically a wild spoof on The Avengers show from the 60's) that evening. Two, is that for as many places as there are to eat on or close to Hollywood Blvd., most of them are just downright bad for you to the point of being a little scared to eat or too expensive. Yonni's is a safe haven from all of that. So if you're close to the Capitol Building end of Hollywood and you don't want to cripple your colon or are tired of sushi, here's a good (and good for you) place to go.

Looking like your small run of the mill coffee shop but with a little more love in it and a hint of Pari, Yonni's has a lot to offer in great simple flavors. Great coffee and tasty sanwiches are their specialty but they also have personal size pizzas that are awesome and pasta if you want something a little more hearty. Their burgers are somethign special as well as they have a bit more flavor and high quality ingredients to them than just your average everyday burger. Take the turkey burger which has barbeque sauce in it. The burger, the tomato, cheddar cheese, romaine lettuce and this super tasty sauce...some how it would seem that each item was picked to blend in harmony with each other. Top it off with their side salad with vinaigrette and you have a small way to break up the day and to save your stomach. They also have healthy breakfast items that will also help pop those tired eyes right open.



While parking is always an issue on Hollywood Blvd. I would say go here if you're already in the neighborhood or work near there. When I was inside of this place I was just reminded of just how the attention to details really steps up such a common thing as a cafe. Yonni's is a small place in a very big town and in perhaps the largest part of it...hopefully this underdog will stay afloat.

Free Drink Refills: Coffee is .50 for a refill and sadly soda by the can
Entree Price Range:$5 to $7

Kung Pao Bistro

7853 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
Sun-Thurs 11AM-10:30PM
Fri-Sat 11AM-11:30PM

I am attacking this little post with great ferocity. Kung Pao Bistro, though a small chain (a third one is supposed to be opening soon) is worth a post for a couple reasons.

1) Obviously the food is worth a mention. It's pretty healthy...meaning healthier then most Asian spots. We started our meal with their spicy wontons that were more like huge dumplings mixed in a spicy chili sauce with spinach...very tasty. We then noticed that we could get half orders of quite a few of their dishes. For you our readers (and for our pockets) we ordered 3 half dishes to get the most of our dining experience. Orange Chicken, Moo Shu vegetable, and Kung Pao Shrimp came out quickly and with a smile. The half sizes were very good size. In fact they were so big that we kept on thinking they didn't hear us when we ordered the half size and brought out the full size by mistake...not so. One thing, if you get the Moo Shu, tell them not to stuff the crepes totally and to leave some on the side...yes there was that much. I would recommend going there and eating family style where you all share, cause the half sizes were plenty. Everything tasted fresh and you felt good afterwards (unlike many Asian meals where you feel like you ate a lot of oil).

2) The price was super cheap when you eat the half orders. Once again I would highly recommend this.

3) Parking is great there due to the fact that it shares the same parking with Whole Foods.

4) This location is great...it's in the middle of a lot of shopping areas (walking Santa Monica boulevard) and is just outside enough that you don't feel cramped in getting to where ever you're trying to get to.

The place is healthy and has a good vibe and when we went we saw a bunch of actors just eating and talking shop and the staff really didn't seem to mind them just kind of camping and taking there time. I may bring a tent next time I want some local Asian food.

Free Drink Refills: Yes
Entree Price Range:half plate average about $6 to $8 while regular plates and specialties $9 to $13

Venue Food: Leela Thai

1737 Silverlake Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90026

(323) 660-6100

Mon-Thurs 11:30AM-10PM

Fri-Sun 11:30-11PM

(Press play on the youtube above so you can get in the mood for this post.)

A new section for you lovers of music in LA...where to eat that's close to music venues. Last night I went to go see the gentleman up there on the youtube (that you're hopefully listening to) who's name is Ferraby Lionheart. He was playing in Silverlake at Spaceland for there second slot of the night. Great show and it was nice to hear some new songs from his next album due out later this year. With that being said, a great place to try when you want to eat before popping into Spaceland is literally steps from the place. And I mean steps. It couldn't have been more than 100 steps from the entrance of Spaceland to the restaurant entrace. Leela's Thai is beloved by many a "Silverlakian". Great "healthier" Thai at great prices. I say healthier cause they have vegetarian conscious plates for those who would rather murder plants then animals...I'm more of a strict carnivore though I'm learning to stab carrots and corn as of late. Just kidding but not really.

We had the Pad Thai (which was super yummy), the "Secret Spice" which had a sort of coconut based chili sauce, some soup and the appetizer sampler (the shrimp and spring rolls stood out above the rest of the appetizer items). If you enjoy Thai Iced Tea, there's is pretty tasty (of course there will always be those that argue that they taste like wind instrument reeds). The entire meal was perfect for a pre-show dinner. A small word of warning and it really is small...it's a cash only place. Also I'd like to share with you the unique fact that they have a one dollar per person corkage fee in case you'd like to bring your own wine...which we love doing! We'll be back...with a bottle of wine...or maybe even two.

Free Drink Refills: Only on Iced Tea and Lemonade (can you say Arnold Palmer?)

Entree Price Range: $6 to $8