Veggie Grill Vegan Restaurant
Hey guys!
If you live in OC or LA county, CA, and are cravin’ something fresh and outside the clog-your-arteries norm, you’ve gotta give Veggie Grill a try. Ok, ok so it’s a vegan restaurant, but don’t let that deter you from trying it out if you’re an omnivore — this food was designed, like Native Foods’ food — to appeal to everyone. In fact, the same restaurateur who backed Native Foods, joined the Veggie Grill team in its infancy to get things rolling.
The menu is very similar to Native Foods’ in that dishes aren’t listed as explicitly vegan — i.e. they still call things “tacos,” “burgers,” “pizza,” etc., (sneaky, sneaky!) even though it doesn’t have the animal products we’ve come to associate as the foundation for these food items.
The boyf and I hit up Veggie Grill on my birthday last year and even on our 3-year anniversary last week. What can I say? My boyf is a trooper and knows that I’m not a fancy schmancy girl, but a girl with a little, hippy mission — eat food that doesn’t make me or the environment suffer unnecessarily. He eats at these places out of love for me — cause #1 — but I think the fact that the food tastes damn good is kinda his secret cause #2, knowhatimean?
Carne Asada Sandwich – $8.95
Our specially seasoned and marinated veggie protein Grilled veggie-steak, marinated in Mexican spices, with southwestern spiced vegan mayo, red onion, lettuce, tomato on a wheat roll.
Grillin’ Chickin’ – $8.95
Grilled chillin’ chickin’, avocado, lettuce, tomato, red onion, cilantro pesto, chipotle ranch on a wheat roll.
Baja Fiesta Salad w/ Crispy Fried Chillin’ Chickin’ – $11.45 (inc. $2.50 for added chickin’)
Chopped romaine, papaya, avocado, roasted corn salsa, quinoa, cucumber, cilantro with a ginger-papaya vinaigrette.
Chinese Chickin’ Salad – $9.50
Chillin’ chickin’, romaine, cabbage, green onion, sesame seeds, roasted corn salsa, mandarin oranges with a sesame-rice vinaigrette.
Chipotle BBQ Sandwich & Sweetheart Fries - $8.50 (+2.25 extra for sweet potato Sweetheart Fries)
Shredded veggie-steak, marinated in our tangy BBQ sauce, with chipotle ranch, caramelized onion, lettuce, tomato.
Chickin’ Caesar Wrap – $8.95
Wrapped ceasar salad, blackened chillin’ chickin’, avocado, corn salsa, chipotle ranch.
Sweetheart Fries – $4.25
Scrumptious sweet potato fries, seasoned and served with chipotle ranch.
Please excuse the awful photos — The Veggie Grill gets crowded on Friday evenings and weekends and, usually, the boyf and I can only get outdoor seating where flash — the killer of good photos — reigns supreme.
My favorite dish is the Baja Fiesta salad with added crispy chickin’. The taste of the quinoa with the papaya and avocado is foodgasmic. The boyf’s favorite is the Chickin’ Caesar Wrap (shhh don’t tell him that it’s like a SALAD in a wrap…he likes to think he’s anti-vegetable).
When I last went to the VG I noticed they were testing out new items that have not yet appeared officially on their menu. These items include Macaroni and Cheese with Whole Wheat Macaroni (and I’m guessing cashew cheese) and nachos. The boyf, who could live off mac ‘n cheese, had to give the VG version a try…
He thought it was mighty cheesy. In a good way — not in a chick flick way.
With locations in West Hollywood, El Segundo and two in Irvine — you may have to take a little road trip to try it out. It’s worth it. The boyf and I happily drive the 20+ miles each way to hit up the Irvine Campus location. The food’s that good. Ok, and it also happens to be across from my alma mater, so it’s like nostalgia mixed with vegan food and you’ve totally uncrankyfied The Cranky One.
Go for the Sweetheart Fries. Stay for the Fat Tire (yep, they sell it at the Irvine, Campus Drive, location!)
<3,
The Cranky One
