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Akasha is our last stop before jumping on the red-eye to Philly. Erik recommended this place as high-grade organic cuisine. Indeed, what you're seeing were the best sweet potato fries I've ever tried. Perfectly crisp, sweet, and salted. I'm just a bit bummed I picked the wrong item on the menu. The Thai curry noodle tasted nothing like a curry and the tofu was a bit pungent. It was originally listed with salmon and I asked them to veganize it. My mistake. The noodles were very bland, and I learned since salmon is very strong and it's often served with something very light.
The others in our party loved their dinners: the organic turkey burger and market vegetable stack. I wish we weren't in such a mad dash to the airport because they also offered a few vegan desserts. Next time...
I miss you already L.A.!
We're looking for birthday sweets one late evening and returned to RFD in Santa Monica to see what else is available. It's slim pickings before closing time, but we found happiness with the Fauxstess Cupcake and Brownie Bowl.
The Fauxstess looked like the real thing. Pretty good imitation. My only reservations was that the cake was a bit dry and there wasn't much cream to be found. Again, maybe if we had one freshly prepared...
I loved the Brownie Bowl. I had no idea the scoops of ice cream would be so gigantic. We tried the carrot cake (recommended by waiter) which was weird and definitely didn't go with the brownie. It was sort of spicy and the consistency of the ice cream (made from rice and hemp milk) was grainy. The other ice cream flavor was mint chocolate chip which was excellent. It was refreshingly minty and creamy. We also ordered a scoop of chocolate ice cream, but it was left out. Seeing how large the scoops were, we're glad they did.
The brownie was perfectly moist and fudgy and I would say made the Brownie Bowl the best vegan dessert we had in L.A.
My favorite Mexican food joint of all time is...<drum roll>...Taco Loco! Laguna Beach has plenty of vegetarian options, but hangs you dry when you're vegan. Taco Loco saves the day with their scrumptious blackened tofu and mushroom tacos, burgers, and salads. (They offer lots of fresh seafood as well.)
For $2.50, I ordered a blackened portabella soft taco with blue corn tortilla, a heaping mound of fresh guacamole and spicy sauce. I don't know how they make it, but it's cheap and good.
The salad you see is a half-order at $5.50. Over a bed of tortilla chips are layers of crispy romaine and blackened cubes of grilled tofu and mushroom. Again, topped with generous amounts of gauc and spicy sauce.
Fresh, light, healthy and fills my tummy. I could eat this stuff every day and never get bored.
I haven't seen my freshman year roomie, Gretchen, in years. I love reuniting with Smithies because 1) they don't age (!) 2) we always pick up where we left off and 3) they're like the sisters I never had.
Gretchen has been living in LA since we graduated from Smith and she is a walking, breathing embodiment of being healthy. She likes to dine on salads for dinner and that's what you see here from the M Cafe de Chaya.
M Cafe is a macrobiotic place that is mostly vegan with a few seafood options. I wasn't feeling terribly hungry this evening, so I went for a small plate of organic brown rice sushi which was excellent, but expensive. One is topped with hijiki seaweed (a bit too fishy for me), the other has marinated shiitake which I loved, and the rolls are made with avocado and more shiitake. The sushi was delish, but at $2.50 per piece...yikes! We're talking vegan here.
For dessert we went for the most appetizing options which were the Tiramisu and chocolate layered fudge cake. The Tiramisu was pretty damn close, but the cake was crumbly and failed to melt in your mouth like the real thing. The creamy portion tasted a bit too much like soy milk and left more to be desired. The creamy filling and frosting of the chocolate cake was right on. Nothing vegan about it, but the cake was a bit dry. Maybe if it was eaten the day it was prepared it would've tasted fresher.
Overall, this place had a great menu, but what you end up getting for the price leaves you feeling hungry and broke.
I couldn't wait to hit up Real Food Daily, also remembered as my favorite veg spot in Los Angeles. It's been several years since I've visited, and my have things changed.
First, the prices have noticeably gone up. I remembered this place being under $10 a plate, but now most everything is above. Secondly, the food isn't as satisfying or amazing as remembered. Maybe my tastes have changed...
What you see here is the THE CLUB TRIPLE DECKER sandwich made with a seitan chicken cutlet, tempeh bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato on sourdough. The seitan tasted like bland nothingness and didn't add much to the sandwich. The tempeh bacon was made in-house, so it tasted much better than Fakin' Bacon and more like a lightly baked chip. I would've preferred a whole-grain bread over sourdough. Overall the sandwich was unsatisfying, and this used to be my favorite item on the menu. Shockingly, the salad was more filling than the sandwich. You know how I don't care for salads, but the peanut dressing was ever so light and creamy. I wish I could replicate the dressing at home. Price: $13.75
The other plate we ordered was the BASIC FOUR where you choose a protein, grain and vegetables. We went for grilled tofu, a quinoa and millet combo, and collard greens and a mixture of the veg of the day (butternut squash, brussel sprouts, etc.) This tasted as boring as it sounds. The grilled tofu had no seasoning and the vegetables were simply steamed or broiled. I suppose that's what the dressing is for, we chose the wasabi vinaigrette which wasn't enough to salvage the above. Price: $11.95
Last, but not least was dessert. We tried the three best on the menu: layered chocolate fudge cake, pecan pie, and pumpkin pie. All desserts are sweetened with maple syrup, and baked with whole wheat or unbleached white flour.
The chocolate layered cake tasted like the real thing. You could not tell it was vegan. The cake was fluffy and moist and the cream and chocolate ganache were perfectly rich and sweet. But, for $7.95 I won't be ordering that again.
The pecan pie was the table's favorite, but I couldn't tell what the mushy filling was made of so it was slightly off-putting. Price: $4.50
The pumpkin pie was most disppointing; it was overtly spicy (too much ginger) and the crust was bland. Price: $4.50
Despite the mediocre fare and high prices, the place was packed on a Monday afternoon.
After attending our friend's debaucherous wedding in Acapulco, I was looking forward to a good vegan meal in the City of Angels. Our gracious host, Erik, picks me up in his Prius and whisks me away to Merkato. I've had Ethiopian in D.C. and West Philly before and neither made me want to return for seconds, but this place was different.
We grabbed the spongy Teff and started scooping up the deliciousness. For a trio of vegans, this 20"+ platter was good and plenty. What you see remaining are collard greens, red lentils, ground chickpeas, cabbage with potatoes and carrots, and tomato salad. Merkato changed my feelings about Ethiopian fare. Each of these dishes had a distinct flavor, and the bread was slightly sweet which balanced the curries well. For the first time, everything didn't taste like pungent vinegar.
Thanks for changing my mind about Ethiopian, Merkato!
After relying on Beowan as my usual Korean fix for years, I recently discovered Myung Ga Korean. This place is also in Cherry Hill (NJ) except this place knows how to please picky eaters with multiple restrictions. Low carb? Check. Vegan? No problem. Jain? Sure!
I tried the same dishes I order at every Korean place: tofu soon dobu (tofu stew) and dolsot bibimbap (stone rice bowl). I've tried every Korean dish that can be made vegan and these are my favorites. The dolsot bibimbap was generous with vegetables and had lightly seared cubes of tofu over multi-grain rice. It was heaven. I love purple rice and wished it was more available. The tofu soon dobu was also solid, but I prefer the kimchi over the mushroom tofu stew because of the added flavor. Next time, I'm not ordering two entrees. The dolsot will be plenty- plenty satisfying that is!
What I love most about Myung Ga is that your dietary requests are understood. No dirty looks here. The staff is incredibly hospitable and eager to please.
My non-vegan boyfriend ordrered this massive calamari udon dish that was in a platter the size of a pizza for $16. The prices here are reasonable and the food very plentiful.
When you go vegan, brunch pretty much goes out the window. Let's face it, who wants to eat cereal, oatmeal or fruit when you're out to eat? But, what else is there? I've tried a very hyped vegan brunch place in Philly, and it was utterly disgusting. If you want the name, email me.
Sabrina's is my #1 brunch destination in Philadelphia. It doesn't have many meat-free options, but what it does have is a winner. My ultimate fav is the Grilled Veggie Sandwich on a Sarcone's hoagie roll. I request the sandwich to be made without pesto or cheese. Trust me, you won't miss anything. It comes with a side of sweet potato fries, home fries or regular old french fries. The home fries are delicious and huge with golden crispy edges. I've never tried the french fries...why would I when there is sweet potato? I make sure mine come without the powdered sugar (so unnecessary!) and the fries pictured here were actually very crispy. I avoided the coleslaw completely because the cabbage is always raw and bitter. It's as if I could taste the methane in my mouth. Unfortunately, on this particular day they were out of Sarcone's at the Art Museum location. The sandwich isn't as good on sliced whole grain bread. I have much better luck at the original Sabrina's in the Italian Market, although I frequent both. The 9th Street location is consistent and never fails, while this spot is hit or miss...
I've also tried the tofu scramble which is what you'd expect... kinda bland and kinda soft. I'd rather stick with the perfectly grilled veggies on Sarcone's sesame seed roll. And for the rest of the world that eats everything, there are some amazingly generous and decadent choices like challah french toast, frittatas, breakfast burritos, etc.
Thanks Sabrina's for giving me brunch back! What's even better is that you can order brunch all day long.
Beawon Korean restaurant is in the D&Q Plaza (great bike/ski/swim shop) off Rt. 70 in Cherry Hill. It is my favorite Korean restaurant in the Philly area. Why? Because they understand what vegan means. I've had so many veggie requests in Philly come back with little pieces of beef mixed in or tofu stew with clams or squid sitting at the bottom. Also, the Korean food in Philly is often too sweet or salty. They seem to junk it up like most ethnic cuisine here. No, thank you!
Beawon has a karaoke room in the back and every table can BBQ your own meat if you wish. They changed their menu last year or so which leaves us with fewer vegan options, but there are still two dishes I love.
The Korean waitresses laugh at my face when I order two entrees: as if it's not lady like to eat so much. I can't help it! It's so satisfying, why would I deprive myself? First, I order the tofu soondobu (tofu and cabbage stew) with a vegetarian broth. The waitstaff always look at me with a confused look and say, "kitchen staff don't do that". Stay strong and fight for your veggie broth because they do! They always check with the kitchen and always return with a triumphant, yes. Next, I order the stone bowl bibimbap with egg and beef on the side (for my non-vegan companions). The veggies included are cucumber, carrot, shiitake mushroom, daikon radish, radish, and another kind of mushroom I forgot the name of...
Finally, I add the stew to my bibimbap and voila! A magically delicious combination. The bibimbap is too bland without the soondobu. They instruct you to add this sweet, thick spicy sauce for the rice bowl but as always, it's too sweet, salty and junky for my taste. I prefer adding the stew.
Another bonus is the myriad of little dishes at the beginning of every Korean meal. I only included the vegetables in the photo, there are another 4-5 dishes not pictured. My favorites are the miso soup, watercress and bean sprouts.
After dinner, head to the H-Mart next door for an Asian grocery store that is organized, clean and full of options. You'll see every race in that store buying up Indian spices, Mexican ingredients, and any variety of dumplings you can imagine. Their fruits and veggies are always fresh and cheap to boot. Love it!
There are probably even better Korean places around, but have yet to try. If you know of any please comment! Next on my list is Myung Ga Korean, also in Cherry Hill. This one is slated to be even better... will let you know!
Tonight we were shut out at Rangoon (kitchen closed at 
8:30pm instead of 9pm). Booo! Pics of my favorite Burmese eats will have to wait.
We didn't have too many options at this hour, but saw Sang Kee's sign glowing in the distance. They have one thing I truly love: doumiao (translation: snow pea leaves). When I lived in Taiwan and China I used to eat this stuff daily. Sang Kee is the only place in town serving up these greens! To compliment my sweet greens I ordered the Singapore noodles with tofu and shiitake mushrooms. It was all light and satisfying.
A pleasant surprise was that they'll make dishes without sugar and cornstarch upon request. Don't be fooled by the gooey sauces of Chinese restaurants. Chinese people don't eat like that! They think that's how white people like their food, but they're not giving you enough credit. Ask for dishes without the goop and you'll also be pleasantly surprised how healthy Chinese food can be.
After a sweat-soaking butt-kicking workout with Juliet (Fusion Trainer Extraordinaire), my friend AC and I headed to POD in University City for some healthy, but oh-so-good grub.
The lighting in the place was extra horrible for photos, but managed one shot of the lettuce wraps...
I love the Lettuce Wrap with Tofu. They use delicate butter lettuce to complement the nicely diced tofu. I ask the tofu to be prepared with "less salt" otherwise the regular dose bloats me up the next 24 hours. I also ordered the mushroom fried rice with brown rice and without egg. I should've asked for this with less salt too, it was a tad too much. Note to restaurants: we as a country don't need any more sodium! The fried rice comes with mushroom tempura, but since the batter has eggs, they graciously put the tempura on the side for AC to enjoy.
AC had the miso soup which is always a winner and their lightly battered calamari salad.
Another great workout, another yummy meal. If you're ever in Philly, give Pod a try.
Who needs cheese anymore? I definitely don't miss it! I know, I used to be a cheeseaholic and couldn't imagine life without it. Now, not only does food taste better without the overwhelming nature of dairy, I don't fall into food comas either.
One of my favorite things to eat at a place with limited vegan fare is to order a thin crust pizza with toppings of my choice. The Cheesecake Factory makes an excellent pizza crust and will saute the veggies before it heads to the oven. Gianfranco Pizza Rustica (Old City, Center City, South Philly) also makes a fantastic crust with eggplant, broccoli rabe, portobella and tomato all sans cheese (whatever you want and the small is huge). I don't do fake cheese either. Why bother when a roasted veggie pizza is so good?
Tonight my non-vegan partner and I headed to Carrabba's. He loves their calamari, mussels... and I appreciate they'll make me whatever I want! I've asked for sauteed vegetables which are done deliciously with garlic and olive oil, but my favorite is their thin crust pizza. The dough has the perfect bite and flavor. See for yourself. The pizza I devoured has sauteed spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, and grilled smoked eggplant with a touch of sauce. Yippy kaye!
The Natural Pet Expo will take place in Northern Liberties this Sunday, September 27th. Learn about natural and holistic pet care while indulging in some Pure Sweets. We have new items you'll enjoy!
Look for our table as we try to raise money for Philly Paws and Mainline Animal Rescue!
In Philly, we like to head to South Jersey for real Indian food. Yes, Jersey. Philly thinks New Jersey is useless, and being from West Deptford I know the pitfalls, but watch out Philly because ethnic food across the bridge is giving you a run for your money!
Coriander in Voorhees, NJ does not serve the typical curry slop we've found in Philly proper. It's unique from other Indian dishes because it's authentic. After living in India for a month, it's the only place to get my Indian fix.
Favorite appetizers: Palak Chaat (flash-fried spinach that melts in your mouth) and Lasooni Gobi (cauliflower nuggets that are a spicy and sweet).
Entrees: you can't go wrong with any of them. I often order the okra which is nicely sauteed with caramelized onions minus the heavy sauce. (There's another okra dish under "Regional Specialties" that is fried, which is not the one pictured or the one I prefer.)
For non-veg peeps, I hear the Goan shrimp curry is straight from the motherland.
Bonus: the staff is incredibly friendly and they remember you. When I take newbies to Coriander and ask for my food to be spicy as in "5 stars", my friends/family try to talk me out of it. The wait staff stick up for me and firmly say, "No, she always gets 5 stars." Yeah!!! I love it when the restaurant knows what you like and how you like it. Don't specify any stars if you don't like your mouth and bellies to be on fire. The star system is applied above the normal spice level.
P.S. Golfland across the street has a great course for Pitch 'n' Putt. Play 18 holes on the lush greens, then enjoy some dinner.
If golf isn't your thing, there's also a ginormous movie theater that features everything from independent films to blockbusters located in the same plaza as the restaurant. It used to be owned by Landmark Theaters (Ritz franchise), but the clientele remains the same. You won't be disturbed by much riffraff or chatty Cathies in the crowd and can enjoy some espresso or Italian sodas with your movie.
Welcome to the Pure Sweets Blog!
Hope you'll find blurbs about my favorite vegan-friendly eateries and travels helpful for your own jaunts. The most common question I hear is: What do you eat when you go out? If I can find vegan eats, while on the road and just hanging in Philly, anyone can! Wherever I go, my omnivorous pals are happily eating, too.
