Skip to content

The Veg Foodie

Vegan food isn't scary

About
Los Angeles
San Diego
Northern California
New York
The Rest of the World
Publications
- Publications
- Serious Eats

San Diego

BESHOCK Ramen and Sake Bar

Chennai Tiffins

Del Taco x Beyond Meat

Eclipse Chocolate

Fairouz Cafe and Gallery

Flavors of East Africa

Loving Hut Mira Mesa

Kafe Sobaka Restoran Pomegranate

Madison on Park

The Blind Burro

The Far West Lounge

Advertisements

Share this:

Tweet
Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Email Subscription

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Looking for Something?

Search for:

Instagram

I know most vegans get wet in the seat for bananas, but not me. I hate them. Scanning through the "Local Favorites" pre-built bowls at @everbowlcraftsuperfood I spied many different blends of acai, acerola, graviola, and pitaya allllll of which included banana. So I ordered a "Whatever" Bowl with a base of acai, cashew milk, and no mix-ins. So what did I taste on my first bite? God damn banana. • Turns out the acai whatever bowl base automatically comes with a blend of strawberries, blueberries, and bananas—which explains how they keep the prices fixed at a flat $9. And I get it, most people don't mind the taste of banana for the reason stated in the first sentence of this post, I just wish I had been warned. Once I got over the oral surprise, I found the bowl pretty good. Layered automatically with light puffs of granola—another item I didn't realize would be on top and in the bottom of the bowl but I like granola so ain't mad—and your choice of any or all toppings (only honey, bee pollen, and whey are non-vegan) I felt like I was getting my money's worth. The base tastes more like the idea of berries then actual acai (and bananas) but I found the stratum of peanut butter and pineapple under the coconut dusted raspberries I selected eventually blurred away the falvor of the base all together, in a good way. ______________________________________ #AcaiBowl #Everbowl #UnexpectedBanana

For whatever reason, San Diego is slim on quality vegan ice cream shops. Luckily, gelato fills in the gaps—and @adcgelato in Normal Heights slays the vegan gelato game. While not terribly dissimilar from sorbet at birth, gelato is churned at slower speeds, incorporating less air which builds a dense, sticky body rich with fruit. An's takes a mindful approach to flavor, often balancing fruits with seasonal herbs. On my last visit we split a cup of fragrant Basil Pineapple with a tickler of tart Rosewater Raspberry. I'd reorder this in a heartbeat and cannot imagine why anyone would prefer the muddled-down taste of milk mucking up a non-vegan version of this sweet delight. _______________________________________ #SomeAreBornToSweetDelight #VeganGelatoinSanDiego #VeganGelato

Meanwhile, the Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad ($8) at @blindladyalehouse was tip top. Thin ribbons of raw Brussels Sprouts come tossed with peppery baby arugula, matchsticks beets, crunchy bits of roasted hazelnuts and a swipe of vegan almond ricotta in a tart lemony dressing. Blind Lady has always shines in their special salads, I just wish they posted the specials menu somewhere, anywhere, online so everyone could see their creativity. _________________________________ #VeganSaladInSanDiego #ShavedBrusselsSprouts #BLAH

About one million years ago I was a part-time pizza reviewer. I ate a lot of pizza. When I ate a lot of pizza, the categories that fall outside of regional definition—based on intention, audience, space in the kitchen or on the menu—became clear. So I immediately recognized @blindladyalehouse's pizza. I call it Restaurant Pizza. • A Restaurant Pizza is a pizza made with sincere intent, but focuses all that sincerity on the toppings. The crust is firm and chewy, with a tight crumb structure growing more and more inflexible as the minutes away from the oven grow. Not built to be enjoyed on its own (which is surprising to me after reading that one of the owners, Clea Hantman, went through the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana program) the crust instead serves as a neutral and supportive base for an onslaught of rich toppings. But being a lady of simple tastes (or as some call me: boring) I skip fancy toppings for the basic assemblage of a nowhere-to-hide-flaws Margherita. Here, the sweet pulp of tomato sauce rises to the lips of the crust, spotted with islands of house-made almond ricotta and torn rafts of basil leave. I personally found the almond ricotta a bit muted but was dining with a health conscious, low salt, partner so thought it best to avoid that situation (there are salt shakers on the center table near the food/drink lines if you yolo). I love that their is a $0 up-charge to make Blind Lady's Margherita ($10) vegan—the almond ricotta is otherwise +$3 to add to a pizza. ________________________________ #VeganPizzainSanDiego #VeganPizza #BLAH

Thai food and pizza hit the elusive g-spot of cuisine: even when it's bad it's still good. Not that the Tom Kah ($9.95) @plumeriavegetarian is bad—it's rather a basic interpretation of this sweet and sour coconut milk soup. The subtle soup offers few high or low notes, just hints of kaffir leaves and lemongrass—and like most dishes at Plumeria, it would take dragging me into the kitchen to see with my own eyes to believe there are chilies in any of the food. • Still, this light broth floating with zucchini, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and tofu is pleasant enough, warming my belly as we roll in and out of the pineapple express. ___________________________________________ #VeganThaiinSanDiego #VeganSoup #TomKah

I usually don't bring out of town guest to Thai restaurants. Vegan-friendly Thai is a common factor of most cities, so why go to a different city for it. But when @rocat22 lamented the lack of good Thai in her neck of Los Angeles, I rerouted plans and took her to @plumeriavegetarian. • The Noah's Ark of appetizers ($12.95) march menu favorites two by two into our mouths. Vegetables bound tightly in summer roll rice paper with sweet peanut sauce hits first, followed little curried bits of potato in deep fried shells. Bamboo skewers of fire licked soy chicken finish out the peanut sauce while "flower cups" of tofu, peas and carrots pick up the sweet vinegar of the cucumber salad. A small bowl anchors the end the platter with a year-round summer salad laced with cucumber ribbons, red onion, cilantro in a splash of lime. As a person without the skills to mindfully rationing sweet and fragrant peanut sauce, we would have benefited from more of it. There is also nary a hint of chili heat in any of these bites which perhaps some celebrate, but I am not some. ______________________________________ #VeganThaiinSanDiego #PlumeriaSD #VeganThai

In a world driven by ooey gooey, triple decker, splooging all over the place food porn, the simple pleasures can be overlooked*. My pleasure is well baked bread—in this case @influxcafe1's supple focaccia. • Soft decks of risen dough glisten in a sheen of olive oil and specks of herbs on the Tofu 1 ($6.95). Inside, marinated planks of @sandiegosoydairy tofu are stacked with baby greens, tomato, and a smear of chili vegenaise. Served on a hellerware dishes, this simple sandwich continues to top my list of favorites in San Diego. _______________________________________ #VeganSandwichinSanDiego #TofuSandwich #Focaccia • *unless they are staged #SimplePleasures of cut fruit in smoothie bowls and spilled chia seeds on painted background boards.

I was nervous to order the Thali ($10) at @sattvikcatering—scared there was no way my second would meet the same high bar hit by the first. Turns out, I had nothing to fear. • Though not as good as the first, this Thali was still really really really good. At 9 o'clock is the Aloo Gobi Matar—a buttery simmer of turmeric potatoes, cauliflower, and peas in a reduced tomato gravy . At 11 o'clock is the star of the platter, Cabbage Kofta Curry—two cabbage dumpings floating in a tangy tomato curry studded with pops of mustard seed. In the center sits the Gujrati Dal—a soupy blend of pigeon peas steeped in fragrant curry leaf. The offerings are tempered with neutral basmati and four sheets of whole wheat roti which I used to squeegee clean my thali, letting none of the rich sauces go uneaten. • The Thali change daily (updated weekly on their website). Sometime a curry may have paneer (cheese) but I've found the kitchen accommodating with doubling up a vegan item in this case. Also, the chaat menu (India snacks) has been updated with vegan call outs, highlighting all the dishes left for me to try. ______________________________________ #VeganIndianinSanDiego #VeganThali #VeganIndianFood

TheVegFoodie Twitter

I know most vegans get wet in the seat for bananas, but not me. I hate them. Scanning through the "Local Favorites"… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 day ago
I recently read Jame Beard award winning "humor" articles for "fun." I came away convinced that @FartSandwich deser… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 day ago
For whatever reason, San Diego is slim on quality vegan ice cream shops. Luckily, gelato fills in the gaps—and… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 2 days ago

Follow @TheVegFoodie

Recent Posts

Vegan Friendly: An Unbiased Review of Every “Beyond Meat” Vegan Menu Option at Del Taco
Sweet Earth Foods
The Blind Burro (San Diego, CA)
Vegan Friendly: The Far West Lounge by Modern Times in Encinitas
Jennie Cooks Plant Based Parties (Los Angeles, CA)
Vegan Friendly: PlantBasedPopUp Offers Fine Dining Vegan Wine Pairing Dinners in San Diego County
Shangri-La Vegetarian (San Francisco, CA)
Vegan Friendly: Comfort Food and Sustainability at Donna Jean in Banker’s Hill

Categories

Flickr Photos

Advertisements

Blogroll

Fatty's Page
Gritchelle Fallesgon
Hecho/Visto
Knit Yourself Pretty

Other Awesome Food Blogs!

ABCD's of Cooking
Diana Takes a Bite
Herbivoracious
Insufferable Vegan
Klean Slate
Mattatouille
Quarrygirl
Randy Clemens
Restaurant-ing Through History
So Good Blog
The Girl Who Ate Everything
The Minty
This is Pizza
Unemployed Eater
V.K. Rees Photography
Vegan Richa
Vegansaurus
VeganYumYum

San Diego!

Classic San Diego

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Send to Email Address Your Name Your Email Address

Cancel

Post was not sent - check your email addresses!

Email check failed, please try again

Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

%d bloggers like this: