Taking the long way around

Donuts, dumplings and hot damn

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Enough with the torturous posts about divine food half a world away from where the majority of my readers reside. I will stop teasing.

Well, I will stop after this post. I promise.

I have given you some decidedly convincing reasons why you should visit San Diego. The Southern California city is a gorgeous location bursting with attractions that will keep compassionate people on the delirious side of happy. See the vegan drive thru and the vegan market stall as examples.

And there is more.

Moncai Vegan is exactly what I see when I close my eyes at night. It is like the dream I have where the food is irresistible, the service is lovely and there are vegan donuts in a large glass case.

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Everybody comes to Hollywood

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Apologies to my loyal non-Californian readers who have been suffering through post after post about vegan food well out of their reach. Maybe you can think of it as the motivation you need to scrape some savings together and get away on holiday. Make Southern California your next vacation destination.

So really, these tempting posts of decadent dishes are a public service. My civil duty to inspire the plant-inclined people of the world to broaden their horizons.

To carry on in this completely selfless fashion, let me tell you what you are missing by not eating at Doomie’s Home Cookin’ in Hollywood.

Doomie’s is the FGV version of heaven. Vegan pulled pork sandwich served with mac and cheese? Check. Cocktails and cold beer? Check. Decadent vegan desserts and sweet treats? Double check.

If I lived in Hollywood, I would most certainly develop an unhealthy emotional relationship with this meat free restaurant. Their menu is what you would show someone wanting to understand the term comfort food.

The only thing that I can’t approve of is the fact Doomie’s offer cow-derived cheese on request. Their food is so utterly delicious and out of this world, offering dairy seems such an unnecessary concession. I can’t imagine that any diner would feel short changed by eating the vegan versions. It is all staggeringly good.

Check out my meal photos below, including the bonus photo of the jumbo vegan burger Doomie’s served me during the Los Angeles Vegan Beer Festival.

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How many snacks?

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I have been busy catching you up on the amazing meals I enjoyed during my recent Southern Californian vacation, but a lot of what I consumed wasn’t from any restaurant.

Check out the photos below of all the vegan snacks I got my chubby, queer hands on. There is a huge range of plant-based products featured, some of them are my old favourites and some are newly discovered tasty treats.

Do you like the look of any of the following snacks? Are any of your faves featured? If you could only pick one, which one would it be?

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How much

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Being a frequent traveller, I am used to the exorbitant prices charged for food items at airports. I am not sure if the food vendors are paying a premium for the space or they have just discovered people will pay anything because they are trapped in that location.

Let’s play a guessing game.

How much do you think I paid for this vegan salad at Los Angeles International Airport last week? The answer is below the photo in US dollars. Take a guess and then scroll down to see how close you were.

cobb closed

cobb open

 

Ready for the answer?

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Throw all your hands up

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Some wondrous food adventures were had during my recent Southern Californian vacation, but none quite as joyous and inspiring as Anthem Vegan.

San Diego is one of the must-visit destinations for plant-based food lovers and one of the most convincing reasons is this 100% vegan market stall. Anthem Vegan is a labour of love for its activist owner Patrick who serves up some of the tastiest food I have ever had the pleasure of devouring.

The stall travels around various locations in San Diego and my pal Steven and I made sure we crossed paths with it at the Pacific Beach Farmer’s Market. I was overwhelmed by the gorgeous menu and infinitely more so by the food itself.

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Hello old friend

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There are some food places on the planet that fit like an old, vegan shoe. You almost don’t get excited when you enter because it’s more of an all-encompassing, comforting feeling. Almost as if you have come home.

This is how I feel at Flore Vegan Cuisine.

When you get to Los Angeles, make Flore your first point of call. The menu is brimming with delectable and nutritious dishes that will have you wishing you lived in the neighbourhood. There is simply too much good stuff to try in a handful of visits.

That said, this FGV is a creature of habit. I know what I love and I get it every time. The Flore chicken and waffles is the stuff of legend. This vegan brunch item is one of my favourite things to eat in the entire world and I would most definitely eat it every day if given the opportunity.

Follow Flore on Twitter and get to LA as fast as you can. Those vegan chicken and waffles aren’t going to eat themselves!

cake
Chocolate and peanut butter cheesecake
lemonade
Fresh lemonade with agave
shake raw
Raw cocoa shake
waffle
Vegan chicken and waffles

Drive thru

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San Diego has everything to make this FGV happy.

Vegan donuts? Plentiful and decadent. Can I get nutritious and delicious soul food that is still cruelty free? Sure thing. Gay dive bars, Native Foods, gorgeous beachside neighbourhoods, farmers markets everywhere and vegan Mexican food? Yes to all of it.

Then surely it doesn’t have a fabulous vegan fast food restaurant with drive through window? It couldn’t that awesome, right?

Check it out. Evolution Fast Food is what every compassionate person deserves to have in their life.

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Cake glory

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I wanted to share this photo for two reasons.

1. Oh my. Can you believe how amazing these giant vegan cupcakes look? I saw this incredible line up in Whole Foods Market San Diego and was more than impressed. Come on London stores, get on it. I want over the top vegan cupcake designs.

2. I didn’t buy one. I was so overwhelmed by the choice I actually couldn’t decide on one. I stood there for roughly five minutes and then walked away calmly. I am a bad FGV, for sure.

Which one would you have picked?

cupcakes

Inflight sameness

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My recent flight between London and Los Angeles featured vegan food that made me feel like I had seen it all before.

The provider of the inflight meals for British Airways must think they have discovered the winning formula for vegan food because I seem to be getting the exact same meal every time I fly.

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So popular

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Here’s a quick post to let you know I made it back to my favourite place to eat in the USA and it was perfect.

Native Foods Cafe is a rapidly-expanding restaurant chain in the USA with locations far and wide. News of a huge financial investment deal means they are now set to appear in even more cities over the next few years.

I would be the happiest FGV in the world if they could find a way to open a London branch. I would eat there every day. Honestly.

Follow Native Foods Cafe on Twitter and then check out my most recent feast below. The Oklahoma cheese burger is the stuff of legend and the Native wings are crunchy sticks of irresistible glory. I threw in some polenta bites and lavender lemonade to make sure it was a well-rounded meal at their Santa Monica location.

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