Vegan food at its best can be found here at The Veggie Grill. Their dishes are colorful, healthy, and tasty. Their salads are incredible. They look like works of art, you’ll want to take a picture before you dig in and scarf it all down. The Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich is so delicious that it’s hard to believe that it’s not chicken. LA Mag has even named it one of the best “cheap-eats” around. As if that’s not a good enough reason, then check out their website for more info about their mouth-watering dishes.

Although it’s a cheap place to eat, they also serve beer and wine, so you can dress it up a bit. Their tomato soup is perfect for a rainy day and will take you back to your mom’s home cooking. They’ve got a tortilla soup that tastes like a tamale crossed with veggies and some spices thrown in for good luck.

Best of all, you can customize your food to make it just how you want it. Vegetarianism is becoming more and more mainstream and it’s no wonder. With places like The Veggie Grill, many meat eaters will cross over to the other side. The downside? Parking is hard to find or expensive. But, hey, this is LA, what do you expect?

The Veggie Grill
www.veggiegrill.com
(323) 822-7575
8000 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Mon-Sun 11am to 11pm

If you’re tired of the same Asian cuisine, then you’ve got to try eating Tibet Nepal House. Authentic food and great service makes this restaurant stand out among the rest. At $9, the lunch buffet offers the perfect chance to try out the various dishes and not have to worry about expenses. The food is similar to Indian food, but not as spicy. The lunch buffet has about five dishes, as well as sides such as rice, pita bread, and veggies.

The restaurant is super small, so don’t go with a large party. Your best bet is to get it to go. The décor is pretty zen-like with a Buddha and water fountain to add to the experience. Vegetarians will enjoy this place as they’ll have lots of options to choose from. Like the lunch buffet, the rest of the menu has reasonable prices, you’ll eat well and have enough left over to go to a movie afterward.

Their website offer five pages of photos and explanations of the dishes, so you can choose what you want before you go. The Aloo Achaar, which is potato with spices, is delicious and filling. They’ve got lamb, seafood, chicken, and even goat meat to choose from. Their Nariwal Jhinge Machha at $15 is a bit expensive, but if you consider that it’s shrimp with coconut milk and spices, it’s a steal.

Tibet Nepal House
www.tibetnepalhouse.com
(626) 585-0955
36 E Holly St
Pasadena, CA 91103

A hot dog cart with a twist, everything’s vegan, and the food is Halloween themed, The Frankenstand is sure to be a hit for vegans and non-vegans. Cheap and delicious, you can’t go wrong. As with all hot dog stands, you can find your favorite condiments, such as onions, pickels, relish, sauerkraut and even vegennaise, their version of mayonnaise. Following their Halloween theme, you can choose from three vegan sausages: the witch, the franken, and the wolf. Scarily enough, they actually taste like meat.

A true hot dog stand, The Frankenstand moves around LA, so keep your eyes peeled and when you see it, order a hot dog or two. Thank goodness for modern technology, you can find them by following them on twitter. Or try going to their MySpace website.

The one downside to The Frankenstand? They move around, so one day they might just be right outside your door and the next you might have to drive a bit to find them. Either way, when the craving hits for a vegan hot dog, you know the place to go. Go to Twitter and MySpace and find out where The Frankenstand is.

The Frankenstand

http://thefrankenstand.blogspot.com/

Los Angeles, CA 90046

If you’ve never tried this Korean dessert, you should go to Koo’s and try it right away. A sweet pancake with melted brown sugar and cinnamon in the middle, you’ll be tempted to risk burning your mouth instead of waiting for it to cool for you to take your first bite.

Sweet and gooey and priced at only $1 a piece, you’ll be tempted to buy a couple and then buy some more to take home and eat later. Kind of a combination between a churro, donut, and pancake, ho-tteok will be on your favorite list for years to come.

You’ve got to try Koo’s Sweet Rice Pancake Ho-tteok Cart. They only serve one thing, but there’s no reason for them to put anything else on the menu since their dessert is out of this world. $1 each means that you can try something new and not have to spend a lot of money by doing so. Next time you’re in the area, try a ho-tteok from Koo’s.

Koo’s Sweet Rice Pancake Ho-tteok Cart
450 S Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90020
Mon-Sun 11am to 11pm

Even when spending under $10 for a meal – you would expect a little something for your money! The service can at times be slow and outright neglectful, or it can be stupendous and “everything-and-then-some” type service. I’ve probably eaten at Norms 6 times in the last 3 months. The Tuna Fish sandwich with soup and salad is a good deal for around $7.00. When at Norms, less is always more. I enjoy watching the servers socialize and take care of one another. I enjoy watching the host turn waiter because a server is overworked and completely besides him or herself. The manager at this location runs a tight ship and holds it all together 24/7 365 days a year. Try it out, and keep your tab under $10 to make it a worthwhile experience.

11001 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Neighborhood: West Los Angeles
(310) 479-2978

Your cookies and ice cream make me feel naughty. You make my ass expand exponentially and my love handles overflow with lard. Your mexican ninja workers put out thousands of cookies a day without breaking a sweat. Diddy Riese, from what edible eatery god did you come forth from?

From Diddy’s website:

Diddy Riese Cookies first opened it’s doors in 1983 and has been serving high quality cookies, brownies and ice cream—at very reasonable prices—to the Los Angeles community ever since. We’re known about town for our signature custom-made ice cream sandwiches, where you can choose from ten varieties of freshly baked cookies and from twelve flavors of Dreyers premium grand ice cream. To build your own creation, make your own “virtual” ice cream sandwich today!

Our mission has always been to sell high quality deserts at very affordable prices. That’s why we’re known for our ability to easily supply bigger orders of cookies and brownies quickly and affordably, ranging anywhere from one dozen to 100 dozen and beyond. Please see our catering menu for more info.

So, stop on by today and try one of our famous ice cream sandwiches, cookies or brownies. And, please think of Diddy Riese when planning your next occasion. We’d be delighted to help make your event a great success!

(Oh, in case you were wondering about the name, Diddy Riese is proudly named in honor of our beloved grandmother.)

We look forward to serving you soon.

Diddy Riese
926 Broxton Avenue
Westwood, CA 90024

***** / ***** (five out of five stars)