Portobello Sandwich - Flore

Thanks to Kevin and Foodeater for catching our error.  The restaurant we reviewed here is Flore, not Flore Cafe.  My mistake, I googled Flore for the address and got confused.  That happens people... I write my posts late at night.   Sorry for any confusion  I may have caused.  But hey, I understand Flore Cafe is just as good, but with some vegetarian options.  So if you read this review and went there instead, you probably enjoyed yourself.

We've been spending a bit more time over in Silver Lake, a trendy neighborhood in Los Angeles.  Silver Lake has a variety of vegan restaurants...  Flore being one of them.  We've been hearing wonderful things about Flore and had been meaning to try them for a long time.  But the reviews all seem to say that the place is cramped and the service slow... and there's no air conditioning... which means it's pretty much off limits in Los Angeles from March until November.  (Okay, that might be an exaggeration.)

Vegan Quesadilla - Flore Cafe

OMG!  Delicious!  Jane had the Portobello Sandwich and I had the Quesadilla.   The Quesadilla edged out the Portobello Sandwich for best meal.  But when I tell you they were both delicious, I mean we're still reminiscing about that meal.

As for the restaurant itself, the ambiance is definitely lacking.  It's crowded, there are loaves of bread and all sorts of inventory items stocked on every surface.   Did I mention it's crowded?  And the service is slow... but we found the waitstaff to be very friendly and helpful.

The restaurant is located at 3818 W. Sunset Blvd., Silverlake (Los Angeles), CA  90026.  Call for their hours:  323-953-0611

Bengan Ka Salan

Jane and I were in Santa Monica today and stopped in at Akbar, possibly my favorite Indian restaurant (they also have locations in Pasadena, Marina del Rey, and Hermosa Beach).  Although they are not a vegan restaurant, they are familiar with vegan cuisine.  We didn't have to go through an explanation of what we could and couldn't eat with our server.  Always a joy!  She even suggested we order the Roti bread instead of Naan as their Naan is made with milk (or was it eggs, I can't remember).

Anyway, this dish is sauteed chinese eggplant in a coconut tamarind sauce, you determine the level of spiciness.  Yum!   If you are in the Los Angeles area and enjoy Indian cuisine, I'd suggest a visit.

So I finally had vegan sushi.  Sushi/sashimi, the non-vegan version, was something that Jane and I adored.  And we knew, that like with pizza, we wouldn't find the vegan versions nearly as satisfying.  So we've avoided the stuff.  On our last trip to Shojin (our favorite vegan restaurant), we had the caterpillar roll, and a mushroom sushi roll.  Oh  My  God!!!  It was heaven.  Honestly.  I know that people are always saying how good vegan sushi is, but really folks, if you're in Los Angeles, head on over to Shojin and order the caterpillar roll, you won't be sorry.

I should have a picture for this post because not only was it amazingly good but it was beautiful too.

Shojin

Hours:
Tuesday thru Thursday, Sunday
11:30am - 10:00pm

Friday, Saturday
11:30am - 11:00pm

Address
333 S. Alameda St. Suite 310
(Little Tokyo Shopping Center 3F)
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Tel: 213-617-0305

I know I'm pushing this place, but you're not going to find it unless you look for it, and it's worth looking for!

Many of you have probably already seen The Vegan’s Hundred list.  There are other ”Hundred” food memes circulating round the blogosphere (The Omnivore’s Hundred, which started the trend; and The Vegetarian’s Hundred).  Generally these a little bit of fluff we bloggers can use a way of introducing ourselves.  Jane and I don't usually bother with them (do you really care what movies we've seen recently, this is a vegan blog after all).  But I really like this list because it can inspire all of us to try new things.

Here's the basic premise:

1) Copy this list into your own blog, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you've eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Post a comment here once you've finished and link your post back to this one.
5) Pass it on!

1. Natto (ironically, we just tried this)
2. Green Smoothie (VeganMomma has inspired me, but I'm still a little nervous)
3. Tofu Scramble (not just for breakfast)
4. Haggis (vegan haggis?  Huh?)
5. Mangosteen (I've never even heard of this)
6. Creme brulee (oh Jane, can you find a vegan version of this?)
7. Fondue (aahhh the 70s.  I have fond memories of my parents having fondue parties)
8. Marmite/Vegemite (once was enough!)
9. Borscht (this might be the way we get over our beet phobia)
10. Baba ghanoush - (Yum!)
11. Nachos
12. Authentic soba noodles
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Taco from a street cart
16. Boba Tea - (two things to look out for here - milk and honey, if you don't eat it.  Often the tea is prepared with milk, and the tapioca "pearls" can be either soaked in sugar or honey... so make sure to ask, or read the label.)
17. Black truffle - (I have the oil, does that count?)
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Gyoza - (can't get enough dumplings)
20. Vanilla ice cream (Not as good as the vegan chocolate ice cream)
21. Heirloom tomatoes (from our garden)
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Ceviche (I didn't know this could be veganized...)
24. Rice and beans
25. Knish (often made with butter, milk, eggs... so ASK)
26. Raw scotch bonnet pepper (hot, hot, hot)
27. Dulce de leche (vegan?)
28. Caviar (I've eaten caviar in my pre-vegan days, but never a vegan version)
29. Baklava
30. Pate (the goose will thank you)
31. Wasabi peas (I don't understand the appeal)
32. Chowder in a sourdough bowl (and you don't have to do the dishes!)
33. Mango lassi - (make sure it's vegan... this is traditionally made with milk and yogurt)
34. Sauerkraut (IMO there are much better uses for cabbage)
35. Root beer float (funny, we were just wondering if vegan vanilla ice cream would make the float bubble like it does with cow's milk.)
36. Mulled cider
37. Scones with buttery spread and jam (Jane makes a mean scone)
38. Vodka jelly (oooh, sign me up!)
39. Gumbo
40. Fast food french fries (sorry to say, I have)
41. Raw Brownies (sorry to say I have... at Leaf, they were horrible)
42. Fresh Garbanzo Beans (haven't seen these anywhere)
43. Dahl (gotta love that Indian cuisine)
44. Homemade Soymilk (homemade almond milk is better)
45. Wine from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more (it was even better because work paid for it!)
46. Stroopwafle (I don't even know what this is)
47. Samosas
48. Vegetable Sushi (one day, when I don't remember how much I loved traditional sushi)
49. Glazed doughnut
50. Seaweed
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi (well, the paste, not the plum balls themselves)
53. Tofurkey
54. Sheese
55. Cotton candy (not since I was a small child, but I'm assuming it was vegan)
56. Gnocchi (I love gnocchi )
57. Piña colada
58. Birch beer
59. Scrapple
60. Carob chips (don't let anyone fool you, this is not a chocolate replacement.  Just stick with the semisweet or dark stuff)
61. S'mores
62. Soy curls
63. Chickpea cutlets (yum!)
64. Curry
65. Durian (bizarre)
66. Homemade Sausages
67. Churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake
68. Smoked tofu
69. Fried plantain
70. Mochi
71. Gazpacho
72. Warm chocolate chip cookies (every time I'm around and Jane makes them)
73. Absinthe
74. Corn on the cob
75. Whipped cream, straight from the can (I keep meaning to slip it in the cart when we're at Whole Foods)
76. Pomegranate (Jane actually likes to open the fruit and eat the kernels individually)
77. Fauxstess Cupcake (we have the cookbook, I know Jane's got a post it on the page...)
78. Mashed potatoes with gravy
79. Jerky (I tried the cactus jerky)
80. Croissants (Jane made a croissant with the leftover dough from the Vegan Danish)
81. French onion soup
82. Savory crepes
83. Tings (I don't think Jane's moving away from SnapPea Crisps)
84. A meal at Candle 79 (Of course, you should never say never)
85. Moussaka (mock, made with eggplant)
86. Sprouted grains or seeds (not quite my cup of tea)
87. Macaroni and "cheese"
88. Flowers (Jane grows nasturtium and adds that to our salads)
89. Matzoh ball soup (it was more like Matzoh mush)
90. White chocolate (I don't understand the appeal)
91. Seitan (Shojin makes the best Seitan)
92. Kimchi (I had a boss who loved the stuff)
93. Butterscotch chips
94. Yellow watermelon (one day, but I really love red watermelon)
95. Chili with chocolate
96. Bagel and Tofutti (get the Tofutti in the yellow container... No trans fats)
97. Potato milk (huh?)
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee (we don't drink coffee)
100. Raw cookie dough (you've got to lick the beaters)

So I've tried 69 of the 97 I would try on this list...  That puts me at 71%.  Looks like I need to get a move on!