Omnivore Galore

Animal eater or not, Green Leaves Vegan is a welcome new casual café.
by Lesley Bargar

It’s absurd that the area from Los Feliz to Echo Park doesn’t have a vegan restaurant on every corner. Where there’s a plethora of yoga studios, so should there be a surplus of spots specializing in animal-free fare. I myself do not practice yoga, nor do I refrain from the occasional (or daily) fleshy indulgence, but I keep finding myself rubbing my hands together vigorously and emitting an excited “oooh!” whenever I hear of a new vegan establishment opening-and I never quite understood why.

But recently, I’ve realized that, to me, the word “vegan” implies that extra special attention is paid to food preparation, which is generally appealing in any cuisine. Plus, where dairy and meat are not, other nasty foodstuffs tend to be absent as well. And I’ll be the first to admit that, while I lack the conscience and the will power to ignore the primal craving for animal products, I do feel a helluva lot better when I stay away from them. Go figure.

All of this is an attempt to explain why I found myself inside the three-month-old Green Leaves Vegan in Los Feliz. I’ve passed the Hillhurst Avenue banner a few times, and was always surprised I hadn’t heard more buzz. It reads “Vegetarian Restaurant for A New Generation,” and while I’m still not sure what that means exactly (and whether or not I’m a member of this new generation), it was enough to draw me in. Well, that, and a woman standing outside with a hefty to-go container raving about her first visit.

Sitting across from me in one of the many booths that line the walls of the spankin’ new (and also a little sparse) interior was my vegetarian coworker, there to give her expert opinion on meat-free cuisine. We were promptly greeted by one of the very friendly waitresses and an intimidating menu. Gazing at its two packed pages of 8-point type, I knew I should have brought more friends. It was divided into the well-stocked categories of Breakfast Burrito Combos, Pancakes, Scrambled Egz, Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Wraps, Sandwiches and Burgers, Dinner Combination, Vegetables & Rice Dinners, Noodles and Curry-all of which are served all day (11 a.m. to midnight). Though I wasn’t remotely contemplating breakfast five minutes before-it was 7:30 p.m. after all-the sight of  “chicken” and pancakes ($6.95), “chorizo” scramble ($6.95), and the “soy bacon, tofu egz and cheeze” burrito ($5.95) almost made me deny the ridiculous assortment of dinner selections.

I had barely begun to peruse the second page of the menu when the waitress asked me for my order. To fend her off for the 15 minutes I knew it would take to decide, I asked to begin with the chicken nuggets appetizer ($5.95). I had no idea then that what I tossed off as a quick starter was to be the greatest dish of nuggets-chicken or otherwise-I’ve had in years. Almost too quickly, a plate stacked high with fried goodies and a cup of barbecue ketchup was placed in the middle of the table. There must have been a dozen, good-sized nuggets on there-an amount we swore we would never finish. We did. In fact, we devoured them in about two minutes. The soy chicken was an absolute triumph in texture, with the carnivorous strands of fake muscle tissue (sorry veggie friends) as tender and tearable as the real thing wished it could be. The fry coating was perfectly seasoned with a subtle kick of spice and salt, and achieved the elusive, ideal ratio of grease to crunch. In short, they were addictive, and visions of them have been sporadically dancing in my head since the first bite.

Somewhere amid my nugget haze I managed to order a second course-soup. Creamy mushroom soup, to be exact ($4.95), with coconut milk, bamboo shoots, lemongrass, lime leaves, huge chunks of raw ginger root and delicate little mushroom halves. This soup could almost have qualified as a curry, and I would have welcomed a little brown rice on the side and called it a day. But as a soup, it was delectable-if a bit intense. The huge hunks of celery, ginger, lime leaves and lemongrass infused the sweet coconut milk with enormous flavor and a refreshingly rustic feel. It was a far cry from the traditionally dairy-laden ‘cream of mushroom soup’ in texture, but the Thai influence proved it wasn’t striving for that in the first place. We ordered a small, which could easily feed two, and they brought an extra bowl for sharing-for free no less.

For my main course I was recommended the Cashew Nut dinner ($6.95), which comes with a choice of either soy chicken, beef or tofu. Being the carnivore I am, I chose the soy beef. It arrived alongside a suspiciously purple pile of brown rice, which proved to be absolute grain perfection. Lightly flavored, soft but not too soft, and piping hot. It was served on an enormous plate along with dollar-bill sized chunks of soy beef, onion, bell pepper and sweet cashews that were all swimming in a rich brown, spicy sauce. The soy beef didn’t succeed nearly as well as the chicken in the texture department, but the “meat” was well seasoned and absorbed the veggie juices like a saucy soy sponge.

My coworker ordered the Rock & Roll noodle with tofu ($6.95), that was a dead ringer for pad see eu-pan fried wide flat rice noodles with chili sauce, basil, tomato, bell peppers, bean sprouts and a “special house jalapeño sauce.” The tender noodles had that addictive mix of sweet, salt, spice and oil that can make any dish a restaurant’s specialty (which, according to our server, this dish was).

By the end of the meal, we were far too full for dessert, but we watched a gorgeous pair of hollowed-out coconuts filled with ice cream get delivered to the table behind us ($4.95). When the light faded outside, the energy picked up inside with trendy Los Feliz locals and post-yoga eaters quickly filling up the restaurant’s small interior. My coworker and I remarked that despite the fresh paint and shiny counters, this place had the feel of a long-established local haunt. The casual vibe, huge menu and comfortable booths (not to mention the check, which, with an appetizer, soup, two entrées and a yummy Thai iced tea, came to $29) make this place more of a hang out diner than a hip new vegan restaurant. And for a meat eater like myself, that’s all that really matters anyway.   LAA

Location: 1769 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz.
Phone: (323) 664-2345.
Vibe: Diner with a conscience.
Price: All dishes under $9.95.
Etc.: Free delivery, $12 min.
Overall: 4 out of 5