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LAVBF, PART II
Hey, there, heeeeyyy! I promised you part two, so I give you part two of my one day adventure to the 2013 Los Angeles Vegan Beer Fest. In part one I gushed about meeting Tony Kanal, & shared delicious eats from Shojin, The Franken Stand, Mohawk Bend, & Susan Feniger’s STREET. And as if that wasn’t a lot of food already, oh you betcha, there’s more!
- At last year’s LAVBF (recapped here) I experienced the magic that is the Seabirds Truck for the very first time. Their fried avocado tacos & jackfruit tacos are legit. I seriously craved them all year long, counting the days for the next LAVBF! They make daily appearances throughout Orange County, & will be opening a restaurant, Seabirds Kitchen, in The Lab this summer, so I really have no excuses if I let another year fly by without visiting them again! It was while I was in line at Seabirds that Tony Kanal walked by, so I jumped out of line to
bother, harassgracefully approach him & when I returned to order my food I was so starstruck/flustered that I forgot all about the jackfruit tacos & delicious cupcakes they were offering. I did manage to blurt out a frenzied request for an order of the “Beer Battered Avocado Tacos,” while I tried to gain my composure. And once again those tacos did not disappoint! My friend also ordered the “Cheesy Potato Taquitos,” oh yeah! I had serious a late night love affair with potato taquitos back in my bar-hopping days, & pretty much O.D.’d on them years ago, but couldn’t pass up an opportunity to try out the Seabirds creation! Crispy, cheesy, comfort food, a perfect beer fest snack, for sure! Please, Seabirds, please come to San Diego before you retire the truck!
- Follow Your Heart, the makers of everyone’s coveted vegan staple “Vegenaise,” & of my favorite vegan mozzerella, was there cooking up samples of grilled cheese sandwiches & quesadillas to show off their new line of gourmet shreds & sauces. The samples were gone just as quickly as they were plated, so I wasn’t able to snap photos, but I did catch them in their cute shirts while I stuffed my face! And lemme tell ya, move over Daiya, there is a new shred is in town! This stuff gets melty like whoa, & in the best way possible, & tastes divine! I cannot wait to get my hands on these shreds, & the “Chipotle Vegenaise!” Oh the culinary possibilities!
- Next up a trio of “Cryptozoological Gonads on a Stick” by Doomie’s Home Cookin’! Holy, ha whaaaaat??? While I did not sample these myself (my friend got them for the road) I absolutely had to take a photo to share the ridiculous but creative awesomeness that is “Unicorn Nuts, Abominable Snowballs, & Loch Nesticles.” OMG! Haha! I wish I could give a better description of what these were comprised of, but I all know is that, while they appear to be sweet treats, they were actually savory! Absolute A+ for presentation & marketing!
- Last, but most certainly not least I enjoyed a cone of vegan “Mint Chip Ice Cream” from Kind Kreme. They share a space in Echo Park with Sage Organic Bistro, where I had the pleasure of dining for lunch on my birthday! Although I was tempted to try a scoop of Kind Kreme that day, I knew there would be much more indulging later, so I refrained. When I saw them set up at LAVBF, I knew I wouldn’t be leaving without an ice cream cone in my hand! Even though I’d had more than my fair share of food that day, what’s a tiny scoop of ice cream? Besides, “vegan” means “guilt free” right? Sure! I hadn’t had a lick of mint chip since the dairy days & it was worth the indulgence. Sage was there as well, serving up mozzerella sticks & butternut squash tacos, but then my friends would’ve been rolling me out the door!
Thus, that concludes my 2013 LAVBF recap! There were so many other amazing food vendors with amazing looking food that I wish I could’ve stuffed into my belly - M Cafe, Cafe Gratitude, Gracias Madre (yep, they’re opening one in West Hollywood, yay!), LA Vegan Crepe, Mandoline Grill, Golden Road Pub, & more, more, more! LA, you’ve got it going on! I only hope that San Diego can get more on the ball & follow suit. Maybe a SDVBF in the future? We’ll just have to see!
Big props & THANK YOU to QuarryGirl, TDA, & The Roxy for a rocking good time!
LAVBF Part 1
Wow! What can I say? The 4th Edition of the Los Angeles Vegan Beer Fest presented by QuarryGirl, Tony’s Darts Away & The Roxy, was all kinds of AWESOME! This event was so much bigger than last year (2012 recap here!) - more food, more beer, more vegan peeps! It was so big, in fact, that they moved it across the street from its original location. It was so inspiring to see so many people out & about & living la vida vegan! It’s apparent that L.A. vegan foodie scene is going off right now - the amount of vegan food vendors was staggering, & that was just a small sampling. Kinda makes me wanna move to L.A., or get a stronger movement in my hometown of San Diego!
While I enjoyed tons of incredible food, sampled some tasty brews, & caught up with a few of my favorite vegan bloggers, the highlight of my day was meeting Tony Kanal of No Doubt! I’d caught wind that Tony would be in attendance via twitter & just about lost my you know what. I love that he is vegan & is becoming more & more outspoken about animal issues. I’ve been a huge ND fan since high school & was lucky enough to see them play a very intimate show at when I was in college at UCSB in ‘94. I shared that memory with Tony & he said “those were the best shows!” I’ve met very few “celebrities” in my life & it’s super out of my comfort zone to approach someone like that. But I’d seen him taking photos with other “fans” & took my opportunity! YOLO, as they say & I must say that he was super gracious while I dorked like a mega-fan. He was super gracious & his kindness totally made my day!
So let’s talk about what you see in some of the photos! It was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to decide where to start with the food, but there were a few “no-brainers.”
- First off, I devoured the “Dynamite Roll” from Shojin, LA’s all vegan, macrobiotic, & organic sushi spot. I went there for this year’s pre-Moz show birthday dinner & it was awesome, so when I saw them on the bill I knew I needed to seek them out. Best vegan sushi ever!
- Stopping by The Frankenstand is also always a must. They were slammed & sold out of frankenweenies by 3 o’clock! So glad my friend was able to grab one of the last “Creatures” before they closed up shop. The duo behind the cart “Wolfie & Vampy” are total characters & I love their spooky theme concept!
- My friend Sarah recommended I try the “Korean Bibimbap Lettuce Wrap” offered by Susan Feniger’s STREET. I first learned about STREET from QuarryGirl’s video. While not an all vegan joint, there are vegan/vegetarian options always offered at the restaurant & is one QG’s top picks for dining out in LA. I had put it on my list of must tries, & there they were! The lettuce wrap was delicious. Super light & crisp with seasoned rice, tofu, kimchi & veggies. YUM!
- Another dish that caught my attention was the “Chilled Soba Salad” from one of my fave LA joints, Mohawk Bend. I love a soba salad & this was super tasty with radish, avocado, orange, crispy onion, sesame, carrot, & soy vinaigrette. They were also giving away a small cup of “Spiced Horchata Cake” - how could I say no to that?
Obviously I was feeling the Asian foodie fare!
As for the beer…there was a lot. People consumed a lot. I however, did not. For one, I was driving. For two, I am not a day drinker. For three, & try as I might, I’m just not THAT in to beer. I can hear my craft beer nerd friends GASP at the sound of it! Don’t get me wrong, I do appreciate beer, especially vegan craft beer, but I just don’t geek out on it! But I was super happy to see a familiar face, though, as Lee Chase, the vegan 1/2 of SD’s Blind Lady Ale House & Tiger!Tiger! Tavern, & the brewmaster behind Automatic Brewing Company was there with his “Don’t Run Me Over” Tangerine IPA. And because I am a creature of habit, I naturally gravitated toward what I know I like - Saison - & really enjoyed North Coast Brewing Co’s “Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale.” Other than that, I stayed pretty dry & enjoyed watching the drunken shenanigans of others go down! You put that many people & unlimited beer pours together on a hot day in LA & you know tomfoolery is gonna go down hard. Fortunately, as this was a place full of compassionate vegans, no one had a drunken bro-down throw-down! At least not that I witnessed. Sloppy, yes. Disorderly, no.
Believe it or not, that’s not all folks! Oh yes there’s more! And you bet I didn’t forget about Seabirds! Oh no! Their fried avocado tacos really float my boat. But you’ll have to wait for part II to hear all about that.
And, that concludes part 1 of my LAVBF recap. Stay tuned!
Juicing it up before hitting the road to LA! Spinach, Kale, Celery, Romaine, Cucumber, Fennel, Ginger, Carrot, & Lemon. All organic & as local as possible! #LAVBF here I come! (at Vegenista’s Kitchen)
LAVBF!!!
Getting packed up & ready to hit the road on my way up to the 4th Annual Los Angeles Vegan Beer Fest! This festival features Southern California’s best vegan food & beers with over 40+ participating brewers, 30+ food vendors, & music!
BREWERIES pouring VEGAN BEER: Golden Road, Brunhaut, Gluten Free Anchor, Hangar 24, Noble, AVBC, Sierra Nevada, Triple Voodoo, Firestone, Deschutes, North Coast, Figueroa Mountain, Stone Bootlegger’s, Epic Brewing, Lagunitas, Speakeasy, Cismontane, Taps, Drake’s Monkish, Karl Strauss, El Segundo, Dogfish Head, Ballast Point, Surf Brewing, New Belgium, Automatic, Bison Brewing, Noble Ale Works, Ass Kisser, Wolf Creek, Indian Joe Brewing, Ninkasi, Ballast Point, Monks’, Kinetic, Avery, Tap It, Fireman’s Brew
VEGAN FOOD VENDORS: Chicago Vegan Foods, STREET, Seabirds, The Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, The Frankenstand, Mohawk Bend, Fresh Fries, Gracias Madre, Sage Vegan Bistro, Kind Kreme, M Cafe, Madeleine Bistro, Food For Lovers, Amanda’s Bakery, Green Truck, LA Vegan Crepe, No Jodas, Tony’s Darts Away, Dosa Truck, Golden Road Pub, Southern Fried Vegan BBQ, San Diego Pretzel Company, Doomie’s Home Cooking, Beggie’s Taco Cart, MJ’s Vegan Gourmet, Follow Your Heart, Sweet Crush Ice Bar
I mean…
I plan on taking lotso fotos & can’t wait to return with a full recap!
Off I go!
LAVBF!!!!
The LA Vegan Beer Fest is fast approaching. I am really excited to be heading up the coast next weekend for what will surely be an EPIC event! You don’t wanna miss this! So many awesome vegan vendors, breweries, bands & more are lined up for a day of food, booze, tunes, & fun! Get your tickets here before they sell out!
in case you haven’t heard the news already, the LA Vegan Beer Fest has gotten so big that we had to move it across the street from The Roxy to a vacant lot on Sunset. we are going to have more food vendors and more beers than ever before, so don’t miss what’s sure to be the most epic event of the year!
VIP tickets and non-drinking tickets are already SOLD OUT! click here to buy your general admission tickets now! they will sell out soon!
Who else is digging these awesome vids from quarrygirl? Tony’s is definitely high on my list of LA vegan joints to check out, & stat! OMG THOSE BRUSSELS SPROUTS!!!! And you better believe I’ll be headed back up to the The Roxy for this years LAVBF!
i’m super excited because today’s video is on our favorite pub in los angeles, tony’s darts away. many of you are probably familiar with the numerous meatless sausage options at tony’s…but did you know about the long list of inventive rotating daily specials, most of which are are vegan? we caught up with chef randy st. clair and learned how he makes traditional meat offerings vegan, as well as his favorite vegetable based dishes. if you haven’t been to tony’s darts away yet, definitely check it out. the food and beer cannot be beat.
oh, and don’t forget to buy tickets to the upcoming LA vegan beer fest that we’re throwing with tony’s and the roxy! it’s gonna be the best vegan event of the year.
SAVE THE DATE…
…for the Los Angeles Vegan Beer Fest! Last year was a blast, & I didn’t even have a drinking ticket (read my recap here)! You better believe that I’ll be attending VIP style this time around! Bring on the craft beer & Seabird’s tacos! I believe the discount tickets are already sold out, but stay tuned for the release of the rest of the tickets. Yay!
Save The Date: Los Angeles Vegan Beer Fest is May 4, 2013! Get your hands on the fan discount tickets ASAP before they’re all gone. Use the code: ILOVEBEER http://roxy.la/lavbf4
LA Vegan Beer & Food Fest
I was a naughty blogger at the LA Vegan Beer & Food Fest this past weekend. I ate my way through it with reckless abandon, but barely documented any of it. I had a fully charged battery & well intentions, but I just didn’t make it happen. Apologies.
Truth is, sometimes I don’t want to be “that blogger person.” The one that lets my food get cold while I try to get that perfect shot, the one that tells everyone “hands off the food” until I get said perfect shot, the one that turns everything into a photo-op, the one that misses the party because she’s hiding behind the camera the entire time. So at the LAVBF I decided to kick back & enjoy the party. And it was a blast!
I had the pleasure of making the trek from SD to LA with the LOVELIKEBEER boys. In exchange for my driving they treated me to the food & I absolutely took advantage of that. First stop: The SEABIRDS Truck! I’ve been reading & drooling about Seabirds forever. So intrigued by the Jackfruit Tacos, & dying to try everything else they create. We ordered almost everything on the menu.
My faves:
- Spinach Artichoke Dip - spinach, artichoke hearts, white beans, panko, served with truck made corn chips. Yum! I’m a sucker for anything artichoke & a creamy dip is one of my favorite indulgences.
- Chipotle Jack Tacos - grilled jackfruit, chipotle sauce, pickled red onion, & mango salsa. I’ve never had “pulled pork,” but everyone who had said the texture is spot on. I don’t really know how I feel about that, but I do know that these were so tasty, & full of spicy flavor.
- Avocado Beer Battered Tacos - fried avocado, creamy jalapeno-cilantro sauce, red onion, & cabbage slaw. One word: heavenly. I could happy live inside that tortilla filled with that fried creamy goodness.
My friend Kevin, my guest blogger Andi’s husband, ordered up a bunch of yummy cupcakes from Life is Sweet Bake Shop, who offers their decedent desserts via Seabirds. He ordered one of each of the day’s special offerings:
- Chocolate Stout Cupcake & Buttercream,
- Blue Moon Cupcake with Orange Buttercream
- Chocolate Stout Cupcake with Peanut Butter Buttercream.
- Tofu Bahn Mi - cucumber slices, pickled carrot & daikon, cilantro, jalapenos, vegenaise, & scallion oil.
- Vietnamese Nachos - cripsy tortilla chips with jalapeno, mint, cilantro scallion oil, & vegan Sriracha aioli.
The Bahn Mi was good, but for me tops the one from San Diego’s Miho Gastrotruck. I did, however, love the Vietnamese Nachos. Sriracha aioli, what’s not to love?!
I’d pretty much reached my limit before a friend of the group handed me the uneaten 1/2 of his hot hog from The Frankenstand, LA’s horror movie themed vegan hot dog cart. I have a (not so secret anymore) dream of having a vegan hot dog cart. I have a thing for veggie dogs. So when I started to research the idea, I came across The Frankenstand & was instantly intrigued by their quirky concept & simple menu. You order the frank of your choice & load it up with your preferred fixins. I’m not sure what frank my friend ordered, but it was so good that Andi & I decided to create & split our own. We ordered “The Franken” sausage with sun dried tomato & basil. Super, super yum & only confirms my desire to be a vegan hot dog cart entrepreneur.
As the day progressed, I managed to indulge in a stout & vegan chocolate ice cream float, french fries, more cupcakes, fried plantains, & the famous “Buffalo Style Cauliflower” from Mohawk Bend. Want more now please!
So that’s how one eats her way through a vegan food fest. And maybe next year I’ll arrange to stay the night in LA so I can actually enjoy the beer too! While pretty much everything that I stuffed in my face was amazing, I must say that my favorite of the day were the Avocado Tacos from Seabirds. Ridiculously delicious. This was the most fun I’d had in quite a while & wish this was happening every Saturday for the rest of my life!
I’m already counting the days until next year!
I’m really excited to check out this awesomeness tomorrow!
the LA vegan beer & food fest hosted by the roxy, tony’s darts away, and yours truly is tomorrow! get your tickets now before they sell out: http://roxy.la/LAVBFtix
seriously, this is the funnest day of the year: unlimited beer, more vegan food than you could possibly try, and live music! the video above is from last year’s fest, and this one is going to be even bigger and better.
this year’s food vendors include: doomie’s, seabirds truck, the frankenstand, fresh fries truck, mandoline grill, corazon de jah truck, mama’s tamales, plant food for people, southern fried vegan, amanda’s bakery, mohawk bend, tony’s darts away and golden road pub! plus madeleine bistro is making the ice creme for the motherfucking BEER FLOAT stand. it’s gonna rule.
Who else is going?
