Adventures of a Vegetarian

Where to eat: 

There are many veg options in Washington DC. But for lunch you MUST go to the Native American Museum cafeteria. They have food from all over North America representing the different native american groups and areas. Some veg options include yuca, accorn squash, cile rellenos, wild rice, salads, and the white chocolate drink. There are many nice restaurants right in the heart of downtown with good veg options.

Oyamel Cocina Mexicana- Modern Mexican Tapas with many veg options

Modern morrocan tapas with many veg options

Where to stay:

Henley Park Hotel-Walking distance to everything, beautiful rooms, and well priced

Where to Go (if you can’t go to them all):

National Portrait Gallery-make sure to visit the triple portrait of Steven Colbert

Capital-(For a Tour line up outside the captial in the AM to get a ticket to go inside later that morning)

Natural History Museum-best collection of dinosaur’s I have ever seen

Air and Space Museum

Native American Museum 

Asian Art Gallery

We recently came back from Negril, Jamaica. To my delight, there were several excellent vegetarian restaurants b/c of the large population of Rastafarians, who are all vegetarians. The “local” veg cuisine is ackee (sort of like scambled egg but is an african fruit), callaloo (much better than spinach), rice and peas, and several really tasty and unique breads: bun, bami (cassava flour pancake) and festival (sort of like a dense crunchy donut). 

 The vegetarian restaurants I would reccomend are Royal Kitchen (vegan with a set menu food made by Rastas $), The Hungry Lion (fancy restaurant with $$ sophistcated veg menu, reservations are a good idea) , and Jus Natural ($$) – try the kalalu melt, it was yummy. They were all located on the main road, 3 to 5 km south of downtown Negril. You can walk from your hotel or get a cab. The Hungry Lion will actually send a bus to pick you up at your hotel if you call them up.

For good veg options I would reccomend Kuyaba ($$), Irie on the beach (callaloo pasta was really tasty), Selina’s eatery, and Miss Sonia’s ( for patty’s – try the ackee one), these are all north of downtown, also accessible by foot or cab.

 My favorite drink was the dirty banana, which was banana and rum, simple but delicious.

This link has a map with all the restaurants on it:

http://www.talkofthetownnegril.com/2008_Negril_Map.pdf

Hotels:

We stayed at the Beach House Villas, 1 or 2 bedroom suites on the ocean front with full kitchens. It was nice but did not have a pool. I definately reccomend staying at a local hotel rather than at an all inclusive. You will miss out on all the local culture and cuisine if you stay at an all inclusive. An important FYI, hotels south of town have cliff views (no sandy beach). Hotels north of town have sandy beaches for easy swimming. Both are really pretty but just keep in mind if you want to sit on the beach stay to the north of town or make sure to check with your hotel in advance and verify if it has a sandy beach.

Things to do:

Besides relaxing on the beach and drinking dirty bananas, trips to the Royal Palm Reserve and Mayfield Falls (an adventure)  are a must. These are both accessible by Cab or a group tour. Renting a bike would be a great way to get around too, just make sure you get a lock.

There are several good veg friendly restaurants in Orange County CA. For those of you that don’t know the OC is about 30 miles south of Los Angeles and is known for its beaches and malls.

Rutabegorz (Tustin and Orange Locations)- Mainly veg home cooked food with huge portions. Try the squash that got stuffed, mexican casserole, black bean tostada, chili, and their soups and salads.

Gypsy Den (santa Ana)- Hip/Artsy Cafe in the Art district with many good veg options. Try the quiche, chilli, sandwiches, desserts, and chai latte. Live music on Friday and saturday nights.

India Cook House (Irvine)- Excellent north indian restaurant with many veg options. Get the vegetarian thali as that is the best deal. The eggplant is to die for.

Cantamar (Huntington Beach)- The best veggie burrito in the OC, bar none.. They also have a veggie quesadilla.

Natraj’s Tandoori (Tustin marketplace)- North indian quick casual restaurant with several veg options. They offer 2 and 3 dish combos for a good price. I like the eggplant, spinach, and channa masala.

Au Lac (Fountain Valley)-Veg chinese and vietnames food. Here you can try “veggie” fish, shrimp, squid, beef, chicken, etc. It is amazing how realistic everything is.

Thai Spice (Tustin Marketplace)-Many veg options but I reccomend the spicy garlic tofu. 

There are many restaurants and buffets on the Las Vegas strip but only a few have good options for vegetarians. I have compiled a list of where I usually go when I am in Las Vegas.

Border Grill (Mandalay Bay) – Good veg options include Empanadas, Mushroom Quesadillas, Chile Relleno, and Mushroon Mullitas.

Spice Market Buffet (Planet Hollywood) – This is the best buffet in Vegas and has many veg options. The middle eastern, italian, chinese, and extensive salad bar has many tasty veg choices to keep you happy.

Mesa Grill (Cesar’s Palace)- The menu does have two veg options: a quesadilla and a corn crusted Chile Relleno.

PF Chang’s (Planet Hollywood)-There are many veg options at this familiar chain restaurant.

There are many excellent vegetarian restaurants in the Greater Los Angeles Area, in which I live. Some suggestions for you to try if you are going to be in town:

Anarbagh Indian Restaurant (Encino and Tarzana)- My fav north indian food in the valley with many vegetarain options. Try the eggplant bartha, shahi paneer, and okra bhaji, and tell me this is not the best food you have ever had.

Sat Down Jamaican Grill (North Hollywood) – Excellent jamaican restaurant with several vegetarian options. The jerk tofu and curried veggie beef are both excellent. Make sure to try the veggie patty for an appetizer. Try the sour sop juice if they have it available.

Annapurna (Culver City)- Purely Vegetarian South Indian cusine. I highly reccomend the Pav Bhaji and Channa Batura.

La Casita Mexicana (Bell) – Authentic and Healthy Mexican Food with veg and vegan options. The vegan Chille Relleno is  a MUST HAVE and is stuffed with mushrooms and nopales, served with a red sauce. For appetizer the queso azteca is unbelievable. The true beauty of this place is their incredible fresh ingrediants with unique moles and sauces I have had no where else.  Try the Cafe de Olla for an after dinner drink with the Fried Rice Pudding with Pecan Sauce. The ambience and decor is beautiful too.

Addi’s Tandoor (Redondo Beach) – Tied with Anarbagh for the best Indian restaurant in LA with many veg options. This place is top notch and great for a date night! Definately try the Aloo Vindaloo, incredible and unique flavor. But order a few veg dishes and eat family style.

La Sol Y Luna (Tarzana) – Excellent mexican in the valley with several veg options. I usually get the chile relleno plate with black beans.

Las Fuentes (Reseda) – A casual order at the front restaurant that is tied for best mexican in the valley with several veg options. I usually get the quesadilla de rajas, chile relleno plate, or tacos de rajas. The salsa selection here is amazing, but order the small chips or you won’t be able to eat your main meal which is typically enormous. They have take away boxes too (you will need them).

Pita Kitchen (Sherman Oaks) – Best middle eastern cafe in the valley. Their falafel is really incredible (get the wrap) and they have a veggie combo plate that is a great deal. Also try their arabic coffee or mint tea.

Streets of India Cafe (Encino) – Best indian vegetarian lunch buffet in the valley. There has to be about 10 items for $8. They do have a few meat dishes off to the side, I guess they had to sell out to cater to the local lunch crowd of office workers. Their dinner a la carte menu is still purely veg last time I was there.

Mercato (Los Angeles) – Best Ethiopian restaurant on Fairfax. Try the veggie combo plate and / or Shiro.

Bhulan Thai Vegetarian Kitchen (Silverlake) – Vegetarian Thai restaurant that has everything you could have ever dreamed of, you can’t go wrong here with anything on their menu. I like their curries.

Takzin Thai (Woodland Hills) – Best Thai in the valley with several veg options. I like their green curry best.

Garden Wok (Reseda) – Vegetarian chinese restaurant on Reseda Blvd with an extensive menu. Tyr their “chicken wings” for an appetizer, they are good. Everything here is delicous.

Bamboo (Sherman Oaks) – Very nice chinese restaurant on Ventura blvd with several vegetarian options. I like their tofu dishes best. Also try their lychee martini, so good…

Blue Dog (Sherman Oaks) – Incredible high-end beer selection (import and local) with the best veggie burger I have ever had. I usually get the fire starter with garlic fries, you have to ask for the veggie patty. They also have vegan chili, salads, and a vegan sandwich. The belgian beers are always the best.

Madeline’s Bistro (Tarzana)- Veg and Vegan upscale bistro with beautifully prepared but pricey food.

Border Grill (Santa Monica)-Good vegetarian options at this modern Mexican restaurant with an emphasis on plant based ingrediants and sustainable sources. I reccomend the Chile Relleno and Mushroom Mullitas mains. The empanadas are good too. There is another Border Grill in downtown LA, same owners, with a similar menu. Great for a before or after theatre meal.

Elf Cafe (Los Angeles)- Veg/Vegan small restaurant/cafe. The food is middle eastern/mediterrean and excellent. It is very tiny and popular so reservations are a must.

Real Food Daily (Santa Monica) – Good veggie food but a little pricey for what it is. But the location and menu selection make it worth checking out if you are in Santa Monica.

There are several excellent vegetarian restaurants in Mexico City. Last week I went to “Vegetarian Yug” in the Zona Rosa on Varsovia between Reforma and Hamburgo. It was excellent! I reccomend the Molcajete (Mexicana or Santa Cruz). It is essentially a queso fundiddo with lots of vegetables and Soyrizo. But one order is enough food for two people. The soups were excellent too. There is a lunch buffet as well between 1 and 5PM.

The night before I went to a late night cafe Parri Pollo which had some veg options (on Hamburgo about two or three blocks east of Vasovia on the south side of the street ). I got the quesadilla con huitlacoche. It is a type of mushroom/fungus that grows on the corn. It sounds strange, but it was very good. I suggest you try it if you see it on the menu somewhere in your mexico travels.

This is not a “vegetarian” related post but it is very important! Driving in Mexico is a bit of a challenge because of the road condition, often times invisible speed bumps known as “Topes”, large/slow trucks and buses that you share the road with, and police and military check points which can be intimidating if you do not speak spanish. We have experience driving in Mexico city, Oaxaca, Tabasco, and Chiapas regions. The following is a good summary of advice from our travels.

Some road advice:

(1)Make sure you come to a complete stop before going over a tope. (2) Look for the vehicles in front of you stopping in the distance  as this is a pre-warning for an upcoming tope. (3) A slow vehicle ahead of you putting on their left indicator light is their way of telling you, that you can pass them, but of course check the road ahead first. (4) Passing is an art and a necessity if you want to get to your destination on time. (5) Do not drive at night for safety reasons (both road and robbery related). (6) Always have 50% more gas than you need. The road condition and absence of gas stations on remote roads means you should always have more than enough gas to get you from point A to point B. (8) If you can take a GPS with you. The roads are often not well sign posted and this will ensure you are going the right direction. (9) At a check point come to a complete stop. Make sure you have your passport, driver’s license, rental car agreement, and tourist card (the card you retained from the immigration form when you flew in) readiliy available for inspection. (10) DO NOT rent a car and/or drive in Mexico city. The road rules are in a constant state of flux and the police target tourists by falsely accusing them of traffic violations leading to requests for bribes. It is not worth it, trust me. Get a bus or taxi to Puebla or another safe city and rent a car from there instead. (11) If you are approaching a curve pelligrosa (dangerous curve) and there is a large vehicle coming the other way it is better to let them pass through the curve before you enter it as they may go over the line into your lane.

Rental Car Advice: 

(1) Check your credit card and car insurance policies before you leave to determine their “rental car” Collision (CDW) and Theft protection (TP) policies with regards to renting a car. If you are covered you can decline the CDW and TP that the rental car agency with try and sell you when you go to pick up your rental car. (2) Do a full sweep of the car’s condition and make sure all damages are listed in the rental contract agreement or appropriate form before your leave the rental office. Also check the fuel level and have it noted on the agreement, often times it is not full. (3)If you have a digital camera with you take a photograph of the car’s condition before you start driving it. In the event you have an accident you can take photos of the scene, other driver’s paperwork, and your car’s post accident condition.

I returned yesterday from the Chiapas region of Mexico. We went on a one week (by car) adventure from Villahermosa, to Palenque, Ocosingo, San Cristobal, and back to Villahermosa. The area was beautiful traversing through the rain forest, highlands, cloud forests, and back down to the valleys. The area is known for the ancient Mayan Cities of Palenque, Tonina, Yaxchtitlan, and Bonampak. They are easy to get to and fascinating to explore. The local towns in between are rustic, fascinating, a bit off the beaten path, and beautiful.

Where to Go (where I went):

(1)Mayan City of Palenque (6 km from Palenque town) 

(2)Misol Ha-Beutiful Waterfall and Cave (20 km from Palenque town)

(3) Aqua Azul-Remarkably blue river and park for swimming, rafting, and picknicking (50 km from Palenque town)

(4) Aqua Clara- Spectaculr Waterfalls and pools for swimming, hiking, sampling local food,  (60 km from Palenque town)

(5) Mayan City of Tonina (10km from Ocosingo town)

(6) San Cristobal Town

(7) Grutas de San Cristobal-Massive ~2km long cave with beautiful rock formations (9 km from San Cristobal)

(8) Huitepec Ecological Reserve-Chiapas forest reserve with local animals and vegetation (3 km from San Cristobal)

What to Eat: 

Finding vegetarian food was rather difficult in the small towns and road side cafes in Chiapas. The local food is primarily meat based. In resaturants menus are divided into antojitos (small plates), eggs, meat, fish, and bird dishes. If you are an ovo-lacto vegetarian you can get Huevos Rancheros (eggs with red sauce, cheese, and corn tortillas) and Chilaquiles con Huevos (tortilla chips topped with eggs, cheese, red sauce, and piquante). Other items to order are plantanos con crema y queso (fried plantains with cream and cheese), plantanos rellenos (dough stuffed with plantains), aquacate con totopos (guacamole with torilla chips), frijoles (beans), quesadilla con queso/papas/champinones, (with cheese, potatoes,  mushrooms), ensalada verde (green salad). There are also some street food options, corn of the cobb, roasted corn in the cup (where they add butter, lime, chile, and cheese. If you want traditional salsa ask for “picquante” or they won’t know what it is you want as salsa means sauce in spanish.

The panaderia’s also serve delicous sweet breads that are coated/filled with , chocolate, vanilla, or pineapple. They make for a very inexpensive breakfast or snack and you can get about 5 or breads for 15 pesos. The dulceria’s have delicous candies/desserts that are made with suger, coconut, nuts, queso, and chocolate.

What to Drink:

There are several delicous and unique drinks in Chiapas. I highly reccomend trying them as many you won’t find anywhere else in the world! (1)Pozole con Cacao-semi-sweet corn/chocolate drink, (2)Tazcalate con leche- sweet corn/chocolate drink with spices. (3) Guanabana- sweet fruit juice. (4) Chiapas “organically” grown coffee. (5) Tamarindo – tamarind juice. (6)Chocolate Caliente- mexican hot chocolate with milk and spices, infinitely better than any hot chocolate you have ever had.

Restaurants w/ vegetarian options:

Palenque: Cafe de Yara, Restaurante Maya Canada

Ocosingo: Pizza El Desvan, Hotel Central Restaurant

San Cristobol: Madre Tierra, Maya Palenque Restaurant

Where to stay:

San Cristobol: Casa Fellipe Flores-Absolutely beautiful place w/ breakfast

Shopping:

Most of the local crafts in the area are textiles, wood, amber, or stone based. You might want to avoid the small paintings of Mayan scenes as they are often drawn on leather. 

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