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While on the lookout for new (to me) and interesting neighborhood joints, I came across this vegan one.
Right across the street from the giant karaoke dive Boardwalk 11 on National, The Vegan Joint is a small, cozy little cafe with a huge vegan menu.
Heavy on the Asian fare, they offer many soups, salads, wraps, sandwiches, noodles, curries, and fake meats.
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No Subs, Please
They use soy fish, soy meat, tofu, soy cheese, “egz” and soy bacon.
When I eat vegan, I prefer to stick with vegetables, nuts and grains, and pass on the phony meat. I eat meat, so I don't need a substitute.
Everything we ordered tasted good, was hearty for a carnivore like me, and inexpensive.
We started off with the vegetable soup. The vegetables were pretty, but quite large for a soup, much bigger than bite size, which required you to try to cut them with your Chinese soup spoon. The broth was very delicious, though.
We shared a couple vegetable spring rolls, which were standard fare. It is difficult for something deep fried to be bad (bad tasting, not bad for you).
No Need to Wait
Everything was brought out piping hot, within a few minutes of ordering.
For my main, I had one of the curries, the shitake curry with coconut milk, eggplant, bamboo shoots, and tofu, with a side of brown rice. Not too spicy and very satisfying.
My meal made me forget that animal products were absent. It kept me satisfied the rest of the afternoon (or maybe that was the post-lunch espresso macchiato we drank in our Rome-homesick-state).
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served all day, and they even deliver.
While you are at the joint, go check out the cool time-warp clothing store on the same street — you can load up on your ultra-hip ‘50s garb and pomade.
The Vegan Joint
10438 National Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
310-559-1357
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