Casa de Sousa on Olvera Street
Casa de Sousa on Olvera Street
For strict vegans, navigating bilingual menus and crossing language barriers with waitstaff at authentic ethnic eateries can be nerve-racking. When you ask, “Is the miso soup vegetarian?” you typically get a wide smile and an encouraging nod in response. Yet, when your soup arrives, you can’t shake the suspicion there’s something fishy in the broth. Inquire about beef in the refried beans, and you’re met with the unthinkable truth that there’s pork lard in the tortilla chips (unfortunately, you’ve already scarffed down a few baskets-full). Never fear, intrepid eater. When you’re in the mood for exotic flavors, LA is full of good vegan and veggie options to whisk you away, one bite at a time. Here are a few of our favorites.
CASA DE SOUSA
634 N Main Street, LA
(entrance: W-19 Olvera Street)
213.687.0363
In the midst of downtown LA’s historic Olvera Street, Casa de Sousa is a tranquil haven for cultural creatives. Whether you’ve come for “The Best Chocolate in Los Angeles,” the “dignified” coffee from Chiapas or the mouthwatering Mexican vegetarian cooking, you’ll love dining among the artists, poets and cinephiles who frequent this vibrant community space. While the Sousa family of restaurateurs have presided over Olvera Street since 1932, Conchita Sousa and Fernando Cruz only began serving vegetarian food two years ago. What began as the fulfillment of her mother’s desire for a “chocolate concert,” has evolved into a vegetarian dinner theater that serves “Chocolate Food Ensembles” (five, six and seven-course meals with chocolate in each course), and hosts conscious gatherings such as Los Angeles en Vivo, a monthly evening of music, food and art promoting green living and progressive food politics. Next time you’re in the mood to flee the city, sail away on a Tofu Boat (spicy tofu scramble on toasty Mexican bolillo bread) to Casa de Sousa, a place “where heritage is prominent, our present thought is evolutionary, and so will the future be green.”
BOMBAY CAFE
12021 W. Pico Boulevard, LA
310.473.3388
bombaycafe-la.com
Believe it or not, the cooks at Bombay Cafe, purveyors of home-style dishes and street food from all over India since 1989, have never used curry powder — not even once. To bring guests the authentic flavors he remembers from his youth in India, Chef Keshew Chahal runs through three spice grinders a year. Respecting vegetarians’ deep desire for clean, completely meat-free meals, the cafe prepares all veg dishes in a totally separate section of the kitchen. The Eggplant Bharta (a puree of tandoor-charred eggplant with ginger, onion, green chili and fresh tomatoes) is sublime, as is the Cholas (Indian chickpeas cooked with browned onions and ginger). Or go for the green beans, cooked differently ever day depending on whatever’s freshest. For dessert, the chef’s lime sorbet (also made fresh daily) is pure nirvana.
BRAVO PIZZERIA
2400 D Main Street, Santa Monica
310.392.746
eatlove.net
When the moon hits the sky like a vegan pizza pie, that’s amore! Bravo to Bravo Pizzeria for bringing New York-style pizza to Main Street, Santa Monica — and for incorporating California’s doggedness for vegan dining options into their menu. The Fresca, an essentially vegan pie made with Bravo’s famous homemade sauce, roasted eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini, roasted peppers and (optional) feta cheese, is sure to satisfy even the most severe late-night, post main-street-bar-hopping hankering. Dine-in at their counter facing the window for some of the best people watching on the Westside, dine out under the moon and stars on their romantic patio, or just sit back, relax, and enjoy the convenience of take-out or delivery pie at home.
RAHEL VEGGIE CUISINE
1047 South Fairfax Avenue, LA
323.937.8401
rahelveggiecuisine.com
In the heart of LA’s Little Ethiopia (South Fairfax between Olympic Boulevard and Whitworth Drive), Rahel Veggie Cuisine is the sole all-vegan eatery on a street lined with tasty Ethiopian fare. For the ultimate dining experience, invite a few fellow veg-heads to justify ordering the Veggie Paradise Combo Special — a tantalizing array of nine items: split lentil stew, Yeatkilt stew, split-pea stew, string beans mixed with carrots, zucchini stew, greens and chopped tomatoes mixed with onion and jalapeno, all served with sunflower injera (a spongy, pancake-like bread used to scoop up the stews in lieu of utensils) and Ethiopian Salad. Wash it all down with a glass of Kombucha Champagne or the 3D (a natural drink made from sunflower seeds, flax seeds and barley, mixed with Agave cactus juice), or finish with a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Hot tip: Visit their website to print a 15 percent off coupon (or mention code #1047).