Forget the roar of traffic and towering buildings for a sec! We plunged taste buds first into the culinary jungle of Downtown Los Angeles, not on a safari for prime-steak cuts, baked pescatarians, or intoxicating cocktails, but for a vegan adventure! This is DTLA Vegan Weekend, and it was time to get wild!
Equipped with a vegan map of this year’s participants and compostable utensils for environmental protection, this wasn’t just about food, though—oh no, this was about celebrating the fact that Downtown LA is a haven for plant-based peeps, even if full-on veganism isn’t everyone’s cup of (soy) milk.
The Vegan Joint – Head Chief of DT Vegan Burgers
Our taste-bud expedition began at The Vegan Joint. Forget bland, boring tofu. Located on the corner of 9th and San Pedro, The Vegan Joint offers an exploration into downtown’s hidden world of vegan soups, noodles, spring rolls, curries, stir-fries, and raw food items. The Vegan Joint also shelves a variety of pre-packaged items, along with teas, smoothies, and power juices.
Shown Here: Garden Salad at The Vegan Joint
Their impressive “faux” chicken plates are a feast for the eyes and the stomach. From the chicken quesadilla to the chicken nachos, each dish can easily outweigh the flavors of poultry alternatives.
Their breakfast menu even offered fluffy pancakes and a vegan chicken patty, along with vegan butter and sweet maple syrup.
Of their four salads, the Garden Salad with mixed greens topped with tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, and spiraling avocado slices, springing generously from sunflower seeds, danced for our enjoyment.
Downtown vegan burgers reign supreme at The Vegan Joint. Burgers made from seitan, black beans, impossible meat, chicken, Jackfruit, and lentils hinted that Vegan Joint was the head chief when it came to its Vegan Joint burger tribe. www.theveganjoint.com
A Culinary Safari at Au Lac
Our culinary safari took a fascinating turn with the vegan discoveries of Au Lac on Bunker Hill. Here, we encountered the legendary Chef Ito, a culinary maestro who has maintained a vow of silence for almost three decades. Surrounded by an aura of quiet focus, vegan tribes gathered to savor his selection of hot and raw dishes.
Shown Here: Olive Cheese Dip at Au Lac
The ceremony began with a living bowl of olive cheese dip with four spiced flax crackers supported by macadamia cheese, bruschetta, olives, and micro-greens.
Of the seven salads prepared by Chef Ito, the kitchen prepared spicy vegetable Paella, which seemed to incorporate everything leafy green, chopped red, sliced yellow, and minced brown into an enormous bowl that took two separate days to finish.
No exploration is complete without indulging in a hot dish at Au Lac. Out of the shrimp, pho, and spicy calamari, the Siu Mai House-made dumplings with vegan pork, shrimp, and veggie filling pouched inside vegan wontons will always remain a DT Weekly top favorite. www.aulac.com
The Fountain of Youth at Nature Well Juice Bar
X marks the spot for the fountain of youth at Naturewell. For the health-conscious adventurer looking to make that wish, Nature Well ginger shots and fresh juices are a revitalizing welcome. Shelves are loaded with prepackaged items along with hard-to-find ingredients such as spiraling, hemp seeds, maca root, and coconut flakes. They’ve got fresh-pressed almonds, peanut butter, and juices to throw into their deep well of super-healthy ingredients.
Shown Here: Naturewell Acai Bowl – photo courtesy Nature Well Juice Bar
Take the avocado smoothie, for instance. Avocado has never tasted so good with Lion’s Mane, Almond Butter, Coconut, Dates, Banana, Coconut Water, Spinach, and Chlorophyll. It’s 100% vegan and 100% delicious. The same goes for the other juices and Nature Well Açaí bowls that leave downtown feeling energized and youthful every single day.
This hidden oasis is located inside historic Spring Arcade Corridor just south of 5th and Spring. Keeping health conscious consumers back time after time, the sheer number of people who patronize Nature Well speaks volumes to the popularity of living a delicious vegan lifestyle in downtown. www.naturewelljuice.com
Let’s Get Wild at Wild Living Foods
Next, we got wild at Wild Living Foods. A pioneer of raw food creativity in downtown Los Angeles, located on 8th and Main, here we found a refreshing market place, stocked with everything from raw drinks to tasty desserts and a raw food menu worthy of worship.
Shown Here: New Egg Rolls at Wild Living Food
Wild’s Açai bowl presented at Wild is a vibrant mountain of purple Açai topped with strawberries, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, and coconut flakes.
Things took an adventurous turn when it came to prices; however, vegans in downtown know it’s money well spent. While the price of $22 for a raw food BBQ Chorizo Burger made with a pumpkin seed patty may seem extreme, the tribe at Wild never sacrifices quality or principle. The true king of the jungle prides itself on its one-of-a kind market place, fresh cold-pressed juices, desserts, and raw food creations that round out the wildest of imaginations. Other popular items include egg rolls, wraps, and Mahalo pizza. www.wildlivingfoods.com
Buying Organic at South Park Farmer’s Market
It’s official, DTLA residents can explore a different farmers market everyday of the week and pick up fresh organic fruits and veggies. Leading the way in class and style, is South Park Farmer’s Market held every Saturday, from 9 am to 2 pm, you can find this vibrant market on Grand Ave. between 11th Street and Olympic Blvd.
Show Here: South Park Farmer’s Market – photo courtesy Shawn Smith
The South Park neighborhood, known for landmarks like the Crypto.com Arena and the Los Angeles Convention Center, now adds locally grown produce, artisanal foods, handmade crafts, and the soothing sounds of acoustic music outdoors on the weekends.
Vegetables grown in healthy soil, allowed to ripen naturally, are more nutritious and flavorful than those harvested prematurely and transported long distances.
Every purchase at the farmers’ market is a vote for a sustainable, community surrounded each day by vegan options in plain sight. www.southpark.la
And the DTLA Vegan of the Year Award Goes to…
DTLA Vegan Weekend was a journey of discovery! From the variety of vegan food options to the picking up organic fruits and vegetables weekly at downtown Farmer’s Markets, it’s a jungle out there that’s easier to navigate once steered in the right direction. For those locals who have devoted their lives to leading the way, DTLA Weekly presents – The DTLA Vegan of the Year Award every year.
This year’s award goes to Attorney John Levine, Esp. a passionate advocate for veganism for over 40 years.
While prizes and giveaways abound from participating eateries, the true reward of DTLA Vegan Weekend is the chance to explore a cruelty-free lifestyle that nourishes the mind, body, and taste buds.
Take the #DTLAVeganChallenge and share your experiences using #dtlaveganweekend and #dtlaveganchallenge on social media. You might even become the next “Vegan of the Year” and win a special DTLA vegan dinner for two!
Follow us at @dtlaweekly for more details.
