Westside Native

On Sunday I broke my coffee-free streak.

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USVAB almond milk, Wholesome Sweetener organic vanilla agave, cinnamon.

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Artisana makes the best nutbutter, but it also happens to be the most $$$.  Once this coconut butter is gone (which will be very soon), I will be making my own only.  No room in this hippie’s budget for jars of something I can make on my own for a fraction of the price.  No matter how delicious and convenient it is to purchase.

After digesting, I went for a short run, made shorter due to the weather.  It was HOT!  Also, the Santa Monica stairs were super crowded.

I generally try to to avoid this popular work-out spot on the weekends, but I forgot that it was a Sunday (and regretted it once I saw how many people were there).  Oh well.  I did one climb up and ran back home to take the coldest shower ever.  Felt so good.

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Kyle and I headed into Westwood for lunch.  We are both very familiar with our former college town…having lived there throughout our undergrad years.

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Native Foods Cafe is one of Westwood’s vegan treasures.  I’ve been to this location before, but never blogged about it.  I have reviewed the Palm Springs location (twice) as well as the Costa Mesa one though.

In my opinion, Chef Tanya does a great job of making vegan meals for all ranges of diets…from those who are high raw to those who dabble in the plant-based world to meat eaters (like my husband).

Kyle and I both got seasonal specials and we both loved our selections.

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He ordered the Portobello and Sausage burger with “juicy grilled portobellos, homemade Native Sausage Seitan, caramelized onions, salsa pomodoro, sweet roasted garlic, creamy pumpkin seed pesto and mayo.”

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The “sausage” seitan looked just like Field Roast “meat”, which I love.  Kyle seemed to enjoy the burger a lot.  On a scale of plate cleaning to finger licking, it was on the finger licking end.  No shame.

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I hemmed and hawed over two kale dishes, and in the end went with the Sesame Kale Macro Bowl.

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The menu describes the dish as “Chef Tanya’s tempeh atop steamed kale, brown rice, creamy ginger sesame sauce, tangy sauerkraut, gomasio and toasted sesame seeds.  Green onion garnish and crunchy cucumber seaweed salad on the side.”

Mine actually had quinoa underneath, which was fine with me, since I prefer it to brown rice.

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Quite the presentation!

I don’t think I’ve ever had sauerkraut before – I really liked it!  The tempeh was nice and nutty, and even though it did have a slightly bitter aftertaste, it was still great.  I think I’m the only one who detects this flavor in tempeh anyway…everyone else (Kyle included) seems to love it.  I do too…when I don’t prepare it myself…which is why I almost always order tempeh when I go to restaurants that offer it.  Native Foods’ tempeh based burgers are better at masking the bite (I loooove the scorpion burger).  But I’ve ordered it twice and I am really trying to branch out.  Rather than re-order the same thing over and over again, I got the macro bowl.

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It was what I craved, so it was what I got…grains & greens (and protein, oh my!).

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Definitely a great choice.

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After we finished eating we wandered around on campus.

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Of all the people to run into on campus, we saw Ethel who was showing her cousins around.  So random!

It’s especially fitting that we saw her on our anniversary since she was one of our biggest relationship cheerleaders.  She was there when we first met (she also worked at the same on-campus job) and championed our getting together from that first day on.

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After I got a Kombucha from the student store, we peaced out.  Being a Sunday, we decided to get some weekend errands done, so we hit up Costco.

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Unpictured: obscene amounts of hummus and toilet paper.

Both are equal in terms of necessity in my life.  And I’m serious when I say that.

We made use of some of our latest groceries for dinner.

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Potatoes.

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Green bizzles.

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Field Roast smoked apple sage “sausage”.

There was team work in the preparation.  I did roasted the potatoes and steamed the green beans, while Kyle BBQ-ed the sausage.

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Olive oil + salt + paprika + 35 minutes on 375.

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The trick to timing roasted potatoes has to do with the size of the chunks.  If you’re in a hurry hungry, cut the potatoes into smaller pieces and they will be ready faster.  I often use the broiler for the last minute to get them extra brown and crispy.

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Perfect.

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These were simply steamed and salted.  Nada mas.

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Dinner is served.

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I had two rounds of dinner…and then two rounds of cookies.

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The bottom of the cookie jar is FINALLY in view.

If you missed it, here’s the Tropical Tradition oat giveaway winner.

When did you last visit your college campus or town?

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Comments (37)

  1. Yin

    Your lunch looks really good! I wish my campus had that type of food when I was around. Well, it still doesn’t and they should change that 😛 The last time I visited my college town was back in June. It usually snows there but during the summer, it is absolutely gorgeous!

  2. Elise

    This has made me seriously miss my uni town 🙁 I haven’t been back in about 6 months I think! Which is silly seeing as I live within 2 hours and I have friends there still. It’s on my to do list now!

  3. Abby @ Abz 'n' Oats

    I agree with tempeh having a funky bitter aftertaste. I have only tried making it myself a couple of times! I was last on campus yesterday. lol. I need to get going there today. I always seem to get more work done when I am there instead of at home!

  4. lynn @ the actor's diet

    i was just talking about 1. how artisina is so freaking expensive 2. how good native foods is 3. how i’d like to eat sauerkraut in a bowl

    if i lived closer to wesleyan i’d go back all the time with abe to relive the roots of our romance….

  5. Nikki

    My college town doesn’t have a single place for people who don’t want strictly meat and potatoes! I end up having to get a salad anywhere I go in order to keep with my healthy living way of life! 🙁

  6. Yolie @ Practising Wellness

    Mmm…your eats looks divine – the meal out AND the meal in. What did you have in your sandwich? Just coconut butter? I’ve never tried that! I love the stuff, and drizzle it on oatmeal and smear it onto pitta breads, but I’ve never had it in a sandwich before. It’d probably be nice with a fruity spread. Or with some chocolate chips. Or on a cinnamon and raisin ezekiel muffin 😉 Yum!
    I swear, Costco in the USA is sooo much better than Costco in the UK..we can’t get supersized trail mix, kashi goods, cliff bars, almond breeze, almond butter…none of the cool things. Boo! 😛 xyx

  7. Yolie @ Practising Wellness

    PS: I’ve been looking everywhere for purple potatoes but can’t find them anywhere…they’re so pretty! I love eating colourful food – eating the rainbow! Those roasties look scrumptious…totally hear ya on the small pieces, I’m waaay impatient with cooking times, lol! But some things are worth the wait. Roasted vegetables being one of them 🙂 xyx

  8. Katie

    I feel that way about all nut butters…why are they so dang expensive?! I can make them myself (and usually do), it’s just a hassle. I hate cleaning my food processor.

  9. GtSkinny GoVegan

    Too funny about the TP and the hummus, a match made in heaven?? And awesome on breaking the coffee fast, as my husband says, No one likes a “reformed whore” ! 🙂

  10. Lindsay Loves Veggies

    I haven’t been back to my college town in over a year now! Wow time flies!! I graduated last May, and the last time I went was last August to visit some friends.

  11. Paula

    I love visiting UCLA, reminds me how proud and lucky I feel to be a bruin! It’s just seriously the best – from the gorgeous buildings to having kombucha at the student store 🙂

    The last time I was there was when my dad had his surgery there. Added a whole new level of my admiration for UCLA knowing my dad was in the best hands.

  12. Kaitlyn@TheTieDyeFiles

    OHMYGOSH that dinner looks so good!! And kombucha at the student store? Lucky duck. I visited my alma mater all last year since both my boyfriend and my siblings were still students. Now my boyfriend lives on the opposite end of the state, so not as often! I sure love that area though and I plan to visit my siblings often this year 🙂

  13. Kaitlyn

    I had the same exact dish when I ate at Native Foods in Chicago! I *loved* the sauerkraut.

  14. Alexa @ Simple Eats

    I just went back to Ithaca in June. You would probably love it there! It seriously has some of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to.

  15. Anna @ Food Fitness and Frolicking

    Well I’m actually in college now, so it’s safe to say that TODAY I visited my college town 🙂 hehe

    Your dinner looks delicious..fresh green beans are SO yummy!

  16. Ethel

    strong LIKE! “green bizzles” hehehe

  17. Sayward

    Have you tried steaming your tempeh before cooking it? Just like, 10 minutes of steaming, and then prepare as normal, really seems to cut the bitterness out when I make it at home.

  18. BroccoliHut

    Oddly enough, Seth and I just visited our alma mater and meeting place too (Go Duke!). It was fun to reminisce and visit all our favorite spots together:)
    You’re making me crave Costco…I need more almond butter!

  19. Lindsey

    I’m from LA and I read your blog RELIGIOUSLY! I’m a manager at Native Foods in Westwood and would have been so stoked to have met you and Kyle! Bummed I missed you guys! I’m glad you enjoyed your food (and especially since it was your anniversary)! Thanks for the good review 🙂

  20. Elise (Post author)

    HI LINDSEY!!!! how cool. i wouldve loved to meet you too! dont worry we’ll be back 🙂

  21. Elise (Post author)

    i have tried steaming it, and kyle thought it was great, but i still detected the bitterness…but i shall continue to forge ahead with my attempts at homemade tempeh!!

  22. Elise (Post author)

    that one was for you 🙂

  23. Elise (Post author)

    ive heard good things about ithaca actually. so many places to go!!

  24. Elise (Post author)

    i think i need to start buying sauerkraut…

  25. Elise (Post author)

    sorry nikki 🙁 at least you make your health a priority and perhaps ordering salads will subtly hint to those places that they need to get better veg options?

  26. Elise (Post author)

    i didnt even know the UK had costcos!

  27. Elise (Post author)

    ditto. ugh, such a pain.

  28. Elise (Post author)

    best. quote. ever. haha. i love it!!

  29. Elise (Post author)

    you said it perfectly! such a great place to live, learn, work, everything…

  30. Elise (Post author)

    i was pretty surprised that they had kombucha too…only in LA, haha.

  31. Yolie @ Practising Wellness

    we do indeed 🙂 lame ones 😉 xyx

  32. Shannon

    My husband and I met at Indiana University in 2002. We actually only live in the next county over so we go there a lot. We love taking our 3 year old daughter and showing her around.

  33. Elise (Post author)

    so cute! i hope to one day be doing the same…

  34. Brigid

    I work in Culver City now and just tried their Native Foods location. It was love at first bite! My (decidedly omnivorous) other half got the same thing Kyle did and devoured every crumb. I got the Twister wrap, which was the special that day, and it was unbelievable. I’ve never had such authentic-tasting blackened “chicken.”

  35. Brigid

    Oh, and I meant to add that I’m going to check out their cooking demo on Sunday. So excited!

  36. Elise (Post author)

    thats so cool! ive been meaning to go to those demos for a while. im so glad you liked the food. chef tanya is definitely one of the best at bringing vegan food to the masses.

  37. Pingback: Kale & Quinoa Sunflower Macro Bowl

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