The (new) Veggie Grill

On Saturday night I was invited to a pre-opening meal at a new restaurant…

[these are the perks of food blogging that Kyle really enjoys]

You may have heard of The Veggie Grill before, since they have a few other locations in the Southern California area.  This new site is mere blocks from our apartment, so we were both excited to try it out (for free no less!). 

Several staff members welcomed us upon arrival and then explained the menu, highlighting the favorites while encouraging us to browse it for ourselves.  We both ended up ordering burgers with the same side. 

Iced teas, lemonades, and the likes…no soda, no fake sugar. 

Agave was the only sweetener option, and the other condiments were just as pure.  I love that they stay true to their mission with real, wholesome, quality products (like Annie’s ketchup).

While waiting for our meals to arrive we chatted with one of the owners, T.K. Pillan.  I was really impressed with his passion for making healthy living more mainstream.  Making simple (yet delicious) plant based food for the average diner seems like a lofty goal, but he was definitely 100% behind the operation.  I couldn’t be more pleased to help spread veganism to the fast-food eating community. 

Then our food came and it was time to get down to business. 

I got the Bayou Chickin’ burger which had a (plant-based) chickin’ patty, lightly blackened with cajun spices, lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado, spicy vegan mayo.

On the side I got an order of mac ‘n cheese.

Gooey. 

I really didn’t know what to expect with the chickin’ since faux meat can be hit and miss with me.  The weirdest thing was how real the texture of it was to meat.  The way it was blackened made it so similar to how a BBQ-ed breast might be.

See how the inside is thick and tough?  It was eerily meat-like. 

Since I have no meat cravings whatsoever, this wasn’t really a pro in my book.  I liked the flavor and I thought it was a good dish, but I’m not sure it’s something I’d seek out.  I think the nearly authentic meaty quality of the chickin’ may be more of an advantage for those who are newly vegetarian or just seeking to reduce the amount of meat in their diet (it’s certainly a healthier option for carnivores who want a hearty burger since the plant based protein doesn’t clog your arteries with cholesterol). 

The avo and spicy vegan mayo added a real punch that definitely “made” the burger. 

I was getting full as I polished off my last bite, so I saved the mac ‘n cheese to take home. 

I can’t wait to try the rest of the menu, especially some of the salads.  The menu was packed with things I was debating ordering – always a sign of a good restaurant. 

Kyle ordered The V-Burger which had a marinated and grilled veggie-steak burger, pickles, lettuce, tomato, red onion, chipotle ranch.  He nixed the pickles, and got mac ‘n cheese on the side, too. 

He described it as a cross between a fatburger and a veggie burger since it was like a greasy, but healthy patty.  Kyle mentioned this (as a compliment) to T.K.  Similar to my reaction, he was surprised by how close to a real burger it was in texture.  He and T.K. then went on to discuss business mumbo jumbo…while I zoned out and returned to my meal. 

After our dinner plates were bussed, dessert arrived! 

First up, carrot cake.  The frosting on this was sooooo good.  It tasted like cream cheese with a subtle sweetness and carrot flavor.  Yum.  The cake was good, too, and I don’t even like walnuts (which were sprinkled throughout the entire dessert).

The chocolate chip cookies were also quite tasty.  I like my cookies with more hearty grains (like oats), but these tasted about as traditional and close to the classic dessert as you could get (without butter, eggs, and sugar of course).  I was totally impressed. 

Thank you to The Veggie Grill for treating us to this delicious pre-opening meal!  The restaurant seems like it will be a big hit…the inside is vibrant and fun, the dining crowd looked like a good mix (with multiple generations represented), and the food was healthy, wholesome, and delish.  I’m thrilled that it’s so close by and now I can’t wait for it to open.  I know I’ll be back many many times. 

As far as vegan restaurants go, The Veggie Grill is (hopefully) paving the way for the future of food.  I love that plant-based menus are now becoming more mainstream…clearly the owners have found success already because they are expanding to more locations.  I only hope that this trend continues and veganism continues to get the spotlight it deserves.  With more support, maybe their growth will eventually allow them to replace some of the McDonald’s and Taco Bell’s.  The I-5 could certainly use some of these veg-friendly establishments.  ;)  I hesitate to compare it to fast food, as that implies a poorer quality, but it’s definitely a quicker to-go option (that doesn’t cost as much as Whole Foods) and exponentially superior for your health. 

The next day I was back to work. 

The leftover mac ‘n cheese made for easy lunch prep.

Mmmm…Daiya deliciousness.  Apparently they just revamped the recipe, and I have to say…It. Was. Awesome. 

How long has it been since I’ve had mac ‘n cheese?  Ummm…years!  I was completely and utterly content, sitting in the hospital cafeteria, watching the rain pour down outside, with my warm ooey gooey mac ‘n cheese. 

I also repeated my quinoa and veggie dish from the other day…this time bringing Artisana’s raw cashew butter to add in.

SO DAMN GOOD.

My oatmeal add-ins included pumpkin, shredded coconut and raisins. 

 

I snacked on this cereal, almond, granola, carob chip mix en route to the hospital (Kyle drove…to be explained later).  Other lunchables included apples, chocolate, dried fruit, candied ginger, and a pear. 

But this guy stole the show.  It’s no wonder it was voted #1 restaurant in Orange County.  The crumbled toasted topping, the gooey nature of the cheese, the perfect ratio of noodles to sauce…it was all amazing.