Vegan
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Glassell Park: Super King’s Service Deli is a Savior for the Kitchenless
Apr 05 2011
I’ve been without a kitchen for two months now thanks to a remodel. And, while of course I’m looking forward to a beautiful new space, the process is slow, and our cooking situation is pretty desperate—no stove, no microwave, no sink. We’re down to a fridge and toaster oven, which makes nightly meals a huge hassle. Eating out every night lost its luster after about two weeks, and toasting for two isn’t as glamorous as it sounds.
Enter our culinary savior: Super King Market. The Glassell Park location of this small grocery chain, specializing in ethnic foods (specifically Armenian and Mexican in this locale) has been saving us from a fate of frozen pizzas for a few weeks now. Super King’s service deli is filled with all the fixings for a nightly mezze feast, including a top-notch selection of hard-to-find cheeses—I recommend the pungent and creamy Bulgarian Feta—and olives. I’m also partial to their dips, especially the jajukh (cucumber-yogurt dip), garlic spread and muhammara, a thick and smoky concoction of roasted red peppers, bread crumbs, walnuts, olive oil, and red pepper flakes.
Echo Park: Vegan Ice “Cream” at KindKreme
Mar 21 2011
I guess you can’t really call it ice “cream”, but the raw vegan desserts at KindKreme will most likely con your cravings into submission.
Taking up half of the Sunset Blvd. storefront most recently occupied by Mooi, this is the small vegan chain’s third Los Angeles location. Also sharing the new space is Sage Organic Vegan, a full-service restaurant (from the owners of Millie’s) that’s already earning heaps of praise—the Jamaican Jerk Burger is suppose to be out of hand. But we went strictly for some scoops.
The flavors available during my visit—honey chai, banana chocolate swirl, chocolate salted caramel, ginger basil among them—made for some tough choices. But, I eventually settled on chocolate and caramel apple, both of which were rich, creamy and very satisfying. The well-rounded texture is created by non-dairy bases of coconut, almonds, almond milk and cashews. I guess that also makes this stuff nutritious. Yes!
Eagle Rock:A Cozy Winter Menu from Four Cafe
Feb 17 2011
This would be the third time I’ve posted about Four Cafe. I really can’t help myself. Owner/chef Michelle Wilton (easily the sweetest restaurateur on Colorado Blvd.) always manages to keep me dazzled with her ever-changing selection of comfy soups, sandwiches and salads. Her newish Winter menu is no exception.
I’ve been frequenting this perfectly casual neighborhood restaurant for 3 seasons now, and I have to admit, I always get a little antsy when I hear that the menu is about to change. I get attached, you know—especially to their soups. First, there was my beloved gazpacho, and then my fall favorite, Kabocha Squash Red Curry.
Echo Park: Terrible Service but Good Food at Mooi
Nov 24 2010
“Is this some kind of performance art?”
That’s the question Josh asked as we watched the staff at Mooi try—with the urgency of molasses—to seat a restaurant full of people for a 9 o’clock pre-fixe dinner service. The minutes ticked, some poor girl fell off the rickety wrought-iron chair she was made to sit in, and yet-to-be-seated patrons looked forlorn as we all waited for the restaurant to get its shit together.
It was a weird scene, but I wasn’t surprised. The reviews on Yelp, which rail on the aloof service, have been scathing (and I mean scathing) since Mooi opened last spring. Still, I’d heard great things about the food, and boy, do I love a pre-fixe. Plus, there have been reports that time might be running out for the raw/vegan restaurant, and I wanted a taste.
I’m glad I got one because the 4-course Italian meal by chef Anne Lee of New York’s Pure Food and Wine and Mooi owner Stephen Hauptfuhr really made up for the evening’s ramshackle start.
Highland Park: Cinnamon’s Hopelessly Addictive Vegan Pies
Aug 27 2010
In a neighborhood known for its meat-centric cuisine, Highland Park’s Cinnamon definitely stands out. The vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant offers a large menu of Mexican favorites, including their much-celebrated “chicken” mole, burritos, pozole, sopes and homemade tamales. They also serve a bevy of salads, sandwiches and even a “shrimp” cocktail—all soy-, wheat-, or vegetable-based and completely meat free.
I’ve been a fan of this friendly little place for a while, and more often than is respectable, I find myself craving their delicious vegan pies. On my first visit, they gave me a sliver each of all four flavors: blueberry, keylime, chocolate and pumpkin. They knew what they were doing because ever since, I’ve been hopelessly addicted to these unbelievably creamy desserts.
Made in-house daily by Cinnamon’s chef Esperanza Cano (she runs the restaurant with her brother), these impeccable pies are sweet, but not too sweet, with a crumbly crust. The flavors are so authentic, without a hint of artificial flavor that plagues so many of even the most famous pies in town. I recommend taking a friend and sharing a slice of the rich, chocolate pie along with any of the others because the contrast is pretty spectacular.
All pies are $3.50 a slice or $25-30 for an entire pie (order a day in advance). A little pricey, but so worth it.
-Valentina
Cinnamon
5511 N. Figueroa St
Los Angeles
