The Four Seasons LA Goes Green and Vegan!

chef Ashley James with his vegan creations at Windows Lounge

I have a soft spot for The Four Seasons - about 5 years ago my family started a tradition to go to their Boston location for dinner every Christmas Eve. Since we've become regulars, the staff quickly learned about my vegan diet and now has an option for me each time I'm there - what started as a plate full of vegetables has turned into delicious dishes like creamy risotto, which you can see in this video. Thus, I was thrilled when a friend of mine told me that The Four Seasons Los Angeles was adding vegan items to their restaurants' menus - I knew I was in for a special experience but boy were my expectations exceeded. 

In this video, follow along with me as I try every healthy vegan dish (most of which were organic and/or gluten-free) at The Four Seasons LA's Windows Lounge and Culina restaurants, get an organic massage at their spa and try out their new green hotel room features:

Review: M Cafe de Chaya

Haven't had time yet to do a write up, but this video review of M Cafe de Chaya in Los Angeles should speak for itself (for now).

Video Recipe: Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash and Kale

Head over to Eco-Vegan Food to learn how to make this tasty and filling autumn dish!

Video Reviews: Las Vegas Restaurants with Vegan Options

I'm one of those people who loves Las Vegas, aside from the environmental disaster it is. Fortunately, the vegan options are growing - since my first time there in 2006, several great places have opened and others have expanded their menus to accommodate the plant-based diet. In 2007 and 2008 my vegetarian sister and I made a few videos documenting our dining experiences, which I've finally edited. I've changed a lot since then, in appearance and eating habits, but want to share with you some of the delicious food the city has to offer (vegan donuts anyone?)

Video: Easy, Cheap, Healthy Vegan Meals That Take Less Than $2 and 15 minutes to Prepare

I get a lot of questions about and requests for me to do videos on cheap and fast vegan meals - so here it is! I was pretty shocked myself when I compared prices at Kroger, Trader Joes, and Whole Foods and found that you can make many meals for $2 or less and spend 15 minutes max preparing it. And that's in San Francisco, which is likely more expensive than most areas of the country/world. Prices depend on whether the ingredients are local, in season or are organic, but you'd be surprised how cheap food can be even if all of the above. 

Check out the video for 13 meal ideas under $2 that take less than 15 minutes to make. I give options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, then mention some cheap foods you can have for dessert and snacks.  Most of them are gluten and soy-free and are low in oil, salt, and sugar, or can easily be adapted to fit any dietary preference.

Video Review: Paleta - Organic, Sustainable Meal Delivery in LA - The Ultimate Way to Diet and/or Get Healthy

Yet another video has finally come out of the Eco-Vegan Gal vault! Just over a year ago I tried out Paleta's meal delivery service, which offers vegan and gluten-free options that are organic and locally sourced.

Video: Being Vegan is a Breeze at Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles

In April I was invited to try the new vegan menu at the beautiful Breeze restaurant, which is part of Hyatt's Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles. Despite being on a strict anti-candida diet at the time, I thought it was worth going to have a few bites of the promising dishes. And it was well worth it! A handful of non-vegan food bloggers and I were presented with a private, upscale, 7-course vegan meal, and we all loved it.

Simple Organic, Gluten-Free, Vegan Dinner

After I returned from Debra's Natural Gourmet in West Concord, MA (an amazing market with lots of organic, vegan, gluten-free options and bulk foods) I put together this simple organic meal for me and my mom.

• Broccoli "pan fried" in water
• Homemade polenta (seasoned with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and nutritional yeast)
• Veggie chili from Debra's
• Water with fresh peppermint, cucumber, and lemon

Vegan Dining in Somerville, MA at The Pulse Café & True Bistro

I became a vegan in Boston in 2003, but at the time there were limited options. There was Buddha's Delight (now called My Thai), a delicious Asian vegan restaurant that has a mind blowing selection of faux meats that was unbelievable to me as a new vegan. There was/is also Grasshopper, another yummy Asian place right outside of Boston in Allston. Allston is also home to one of the only vegan pizza joints in the whole country - once called TJ Scallywaggles (seriously) and is now called Peace O Pie. After I moved away a raw vegan restaurant opened in the North End called Grezzo, but they recently closed. Over the years all sorts of vegan options started springing up in and around Boston, so it's always a pleasure to visit.

When I landed at Logan Airport a few days ago I was ready to experience a new vegan restaurant, and I was happily overwhelmed with choices. Something told me I should check out one of two places in Somerville, a cozy residential neighborhood across the river from Boston and next to Cambridge (home of Harvard University). Turns out that was an excellent decision.

Candle Cafe: outstanding food in a friendly New York setting

This past winter I had one of the best vegan meals of my life, and I have been raving about it ever since. I dine at a lot of restaurants, but I can honestly say Candle 79 is my favorite place on the East Coast (at least so far). However, before that establishment opened, Candle Cafe was created, and this smaller, more casual spot is wonderful as well.

Natural Products Expo West: Friday, March 12, 2010

Today I went to Natural Products Expo West for the first time and it was amazing, and overwhelming. I've been to a lot of events and this is definitely the biggest - I have never seen so many company booths in one place!

I am working on a video I shot for Waylon Lewis of Elephant Journal, so be sure to stay tuned for that (next week). In the meantime, here are some notes of the things I saw today (I'm going back tomorrow for more!)

• Tofurky had the most memorable product - frozen vegan pizza with Daiya! It was so good - reminded me of the non-vegan kind I got as a kid: salty, crispy, thin crust.
• I saw some beautiful glass bottles by Takeya - a great product to buy, especially if you read my post on plastic bottles!
• Waylon spoke with Silk/Horizon milk about the recent controversy over their organic line - they had some great answers that you can find in the video. I also tried their new almond milk - delicious!
• St. Amour has some new vegan cakes that might be sold in Whole Foods - they were quite good. Check out my post on their baby biscuits. I took home some of their Rasperberry Chocolate Chip Rocks & Rolls - they are very tasty, great flavor!
• Amy's also has a new vegan pizza, but it's just their roasted vegetable on rice crust. They were out of their new Rice Macaroni today, but hopefully I can try it tomorrow!
• Finally met Abigail Young from VegNews in person, who featured me in an article she wrote for the current issue - check it out!

Though the Expo has taken some measures to be eco-friendly, overall the event is pretty wasteful. Even though a lot of companies use recycled, recyclable, or biodegradable packaging, it's still a lot; there are so many samples in small containers and cups being passed out. I tried to avoid trying products unless they were package-free, but it was hard. If you go, be sure to bring your own water bottle to try all the liquid samples, and don't take a napkin unless you need it.

Organic was the big word there - it was practically on every sign! Sounds like a good thing, but I'm always skeptical until I know about each ingredient and how/if they're certified. I was excited to learn about Quality Assurance International Organic Certification, which you will see in the Elephant Journal video.

Here's a little teaser of the video soon to come...

The Conscious Cook - Pine nut "Chicken" w/ Mushroom Sauce

Here is another recipe that I tried from The Conscious Cook: Pine-nut-and-basil seared "chicken" with lobster mushroom beurre blanc

Check out the other video I did on the book: Paella w/ Match Meat Sausage

Cruzer Pizza

I finally made it over to Cruzer Pizza (it's a hike from Venice Beach!) and now I wonder why it took me so long to go there! I've had a lot of vegan pizza, and I have to say this is one of the best I've had.

What makes the Cruzer food so good is the dough they use for their pizza, sandwiches, and cheese bread sticks - it is soft yet crispy, so it melts in your mouth like no other. The flavors they use are also great, and of course they're special because they're one of the few completely vegan pizza restaurants in the country (if not the world).

Taste: 10/10

Unique menu & flavors: yes

My favorite dish: cheese bread sticks

Organic: no

Local: partially

Healthy: not really

Eco-Friendly: not really

Portion Sizes: medium

Price: slightly about average for pizza

Customer service: nice, relaxed, fun

Atmosphere: small but has traditional

Location: out of the way unless you live near Silver Lake!

Parking: street

This video also includes my thoughts on some new Cheezly products.

(323) 666-0600

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Another opinion:

• brand new menu and a peta pizza at cruzer! quarrygirl.com
• PETA Pizza in the City of (Culinary) Angels

Vegan Drinks at The Waffle

Tonight I went to Vegan Drinks at The Waffle in Hollywood, and I had a blast. Though my first Vegan Drinks (at Pizza Fusion) was fun, this was better because I stayed longer, it was at night, and a ton of my friends were there (Christy Morgan, Lindsey Packer, Lex, Robert Cheeke, Carolyn Scott, Prabhat Gautam, Billy Hulting, to name a few)

The Waffle is semi-vegan friendly, but less so then they advertise. Though their menu claims several items are vegan, be careful to double check. Their soy cheeses are not vegan (though the staff is super confused about this) and their fries are cooked in the same oil as meat. So make sure to double, if not triple, check everything. Their prices are also quite high, but I really enjoyed what I got. The $12 reuben was tasty, even though it was pretty basic. The $6.50 chocolate milkshake was really good - thick and malty.

Please try to make it to the next Vegan Drinks - you'll have a great time!

The Conscious Cook - Paella w/ Match Meat Sausage: video recipe

If you read my first post on The Conscious Cook you already know how much I love that book, and that was written before I even tried any recipes! I made a few meals over the holidays and here is one of them. Tal's recipes are very gourmet, and thus a little intimating. Therefore, take your time and do it right, because you will be thankful that you did. This meal was fantastic, and I hope this video inspires you to try it.

I used Match Italian Sausage in this recipe - so good! Make sure you try it ASAP!

Tanzore: a fantastic dining experience

There are only 2 days left of this round of dineLA, and I highly recommend you take advantage of the special at Tanzore. While I didn't eat off their dineLA menu, I did have one of the best dining experiences I've had in Los Angeles and therefore highly recommend that you go there. They have a vegetarian menu (called "Holy Cow" on their website) but make sure you call ahead and tell them you're a vegan.

I contacted Tanzore to ask them about their vegan options, and they welcomed me in with open arms. Wide open arms. They presented me with some of the best and most beautiful food I've had in town. Though it is an Indian restaurant, it has a fusion of flavors from America, Italy, and Asia, and the food was overall mild (though you can request it to be spicy) - therefore this would be a great place to bring someone who isn't sure if they like Indian food.

But the food wasn't all that wowed me - Tanzore is gorgeous inside, and surprisingly so. I've driven passed the restaurant many times and never noticed it. It's in a big black building and the sign is back from the street. When I stepped inside the restaurant I felt a warmth, which heightened after being greeted by a very kind host. The manager came by and gave me a tour, showing me the lounge, bar, main dining room, and 2 private rooms - all of which were uniquely decorated; this would be a great place to have an event.

It's no surprise that Tanzore has won many awards:

• Best 50 Los Angeles Restaurants by Angeleno Magazine
• Top 75 Restaurants LA Magazine
• Winner of the 2007 Restaurant Design Award from the AIA
• Citysearch and Channel 7 also noted Tanzore as one of the Best New Restaurants to open in 2007.

I have a video review, including an interview with Chef Paul, which I'll post shortly.

The items that I had were either modified or not on the menu, but Chef Paul is more than happy to make them for you if requested. Most of the items had coconut milk in them - so good! I don't remember all the names, but they will be mentioned and described in the video. Though I didn't get wine, they have a great selection (I didn't check for what was vegan).

• papadum chips
• samosas
• parantha bread (naan is not vegan)

• a chopped salad

• a potato based appetizer (might have been the Chatpate Aloo & Samosa Plate)

• rice and kidney beans stuffed in cabbage with a creamy tomato sauce (vegan version of Masala Cabbage Rolls)

• a tofu dish with an Italian flavor (I think it was the Masala Tofu)

• a pear stuffed with candied walnuts on a raspberry sauce (a vegan version of the Cinnamon Poached Kashmir Pear)

• mango lassi
• chai tea

Taste: 10/10

Unique menu & flavors: absolutely

My favorite dish: I can't decide! The pear dessert was the most memorable

Organic: yes

Local: yes

Healthy: yes

Eco-Friendly: semi

Portion Sizes: medium

Price: moderate to expensive (between $10-$30 for an entree, will add up with drinks and appetizers)

Customer service: very attentive, nice, knowledgeable

Atmosphere: gorgeous decor, relaxing, upscale = great for a date

Location: very central to L.A. on La Cienega

Parking: valet or meters on street (street is kinda hard to find)

I would go back to Tanzore in a heartbeat and have been raving about it to my friends. The restaurant is excited about having more vegans dine, and they are considering adding more items to their vegetarian menu, and may even have a vegan buffet! Please go - this would be a great place for Valentine's Day actually...

(310) 652-3894

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New vegan panini at Coral Tree Cafe in Brentwood

Today Coral Tree Cafe in Brentwood started selling a new vegan panini, which beat out non-vegan paninis in a contest they held a few weeks ago. You can find more information about Chole Coscarelli's win on QuarryGirl's site - congrats to you Chole! I tried the new panini and it was great - nice flavors and textures. The bread was perfect, the vegetables were crunchy and well seasoned, and it was slightly sweet - very reminiscent of an Indian meal.

This location recently re-opened after being closed for a year due to a fire, so I haven't been in a long time. They have a few vegan options, but not as many as I remember. They are open to having more vegan options if there is a demand, and they said that Chole's panini has been inspiring. I encourage them to at least offer a vegan dessert, so join me in supporting them and maybe they will!

I enjoyed:

• Mango Masala Panini
• Grilled Portabello Mushroom sandwich (without cheese or pesto)
• Vegetable soup
• Moroccan Mint soy latte

Taste: 7/10

Unique menu & flavors: no, except for new panini

My favorite dish: Panini

Organic: whenever available

Fairtrade & Shade-grown: yes, coffee is

Local: whenever available

Healthy: yes

Eco-Friendly: semi (they recycle and use some corn-based products)

Portion Sizes: medium

Price: Moderate (about $11 for an entree)

Customer service: very attentive and nice

Atmosphere: casual, comfortable, young crowd, patio with fire pit and heaters, free WiFi

Location: great part of Brentwood, close to freeways

Parking: valet or street (street is hard to find)

Dog friendly: yes (seating on sidewalk)

Seed Kitchen - new Seitan Sirloin Burger!

I should call this post, Ode to Seed Kitchen...

Just when I thought Seed Kitchen couldn't get any better - it did. The master chef that is Eric Lechasseur invented a new burger called the Seitan Sirloin, and it may well be my favorite item on the menu, which gives me another reason to call this restaurant my #1 in Los Angeles.

The home-made seitan is topped with carmelized onions in balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and vegan blue cheese, and the combination of such different flavors - spicy, sweet, and sour - is unreal. It's topped with a sunflower seed bun, which adds a little bit of crunch to it. This burger has a very unique flavor, and is so authentic that it left my non-vegan friend scratching her head and wondering how it was vegan.

Check out this cute video my friend Christy Morgan made:

And there's another new addition to Seed: a few nights ago I got a sneak peak of Eric's new mini cupcakes - so glad he brought the cupcakes back! I love the bite-size; in fact I find them so much easier to eat that way (the old cupcakes were a little awkward to eat because they were so big). And their popularity is evident already - they were almost gone when I got to the restaurant tonight!

Tonight I finished off my meal with some other desserts: a chocolate truffle and a chocolate mousse with gold flakes. The truffle is solid on the outside and creamy in the inside, with a great dark chocolate taste. The mousse is delectable - perfectly smooth and certainly satisfied my chocolate craving.

Akasha - dineLA week October 2009

So, here's testament that I'm really behind in my editing - this video is from last October! But, I pulled it from my queue because dineLA week is happening once again, and Akasha is taking part. (Check out QuarryGirl's great post on other restaurants participating in dineLA) **Make sure to call ahead and give them a heads up that you're a vegan when you make a reservation.

I've been to Akasha several times and each have been satisfying. I really enjoyed my experience during dineLA, and they have a lot of vegan options. However, I remember my waiter being a little unsure about what was and wasn't vegan, so I had him double-check everything with the chef. Nonetheless, I really appreciate Akasha for having such eco-friendly and healthy food; they even mention which local farms they support on their menu!

I enjoyed:

• Pumpkin Pie cocktail
• Fig Salad
• curried lentil soup
• Market Vegetable Plate
• Local Apple Crisp with soy ice cream

Taste: 8/10

Unique menu & flavors: yes

Organic: yes

Local & Fairtrade: whenever available

Healthy: yes - "no artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, trans fats, nitrates, hormones or antibiotics."

Eco-Friendly: yes (check out their about page for details)

Customer service: good, professional, could be more knowledgeable about veganism

Atmosphere: well decorated, nice lighting = great for a date

Location: pretty central to L.A., in a great part of Culver City

Parking: free in city parking lot

Portion Sizes: medium

The Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons, Boston

My family goes to The Bristol Lounge at The Four Seasons, Boston every Christmas Eve, and in 2009 they were prepared with some vegan options.

I enjoyed:

• humus
• tomato soup
• risotto with vegetables
• a delicious cocktail

Taste: 8/10

Unique menu & flavors: no, but it was tasty

Organic: not sure

Local: not sure

Healthy: yes (very simple, well prepared)

Customer service: fantastic

Atmosphere: upscale, well decorated, nice lighting

Location: across from Boston Common

Parking: valet, but we park on the street

Price: expensive

Portion Sizes: small/medium