Veggie Grill: A Meat Eater's Vegan Restaurant

Situated in the Crescent Heights and Sunset Boulevard complex, smack in between CB2 and Trader Joe's, The Veggie Grill looks like any other restaurant, with its pleasing green and orange logo, outdoor patio, and spacious interior with light wood accents.

Their signature poster showcases a huge, meaty-looking sandwich that could compete with any burger from a fast food chain. Stacked high with thousand island dressing, pickles, tomatoes, and crispy onion rings, the bold caption reads, "Taste and Believe."

That's because, like everything else on the menu at the Veggie Grill, the "All-American Stack" doesn't contain any meat whatsoever. Instead, it is made with "grilled veggie steak," one of Veggie Grill's seasoned and marinated vegetable protein blends. Other "meaty" options include "chillin' chickin'" and "too good tempah," a crunchy mixture of organic soybeans and rice culture.

While uttering the V-word could send many a diner running scared for the nearest burger joint, the Veggie Grill makes a vegetable-based diet accessible, and more importantly, delicious.

For instance, take their famous "Sweetheart Fries." Who could be afraid of sweet potato fries served with chipotle ranch sauce? Or "Chill Out Wings" made with chillin' chickin' smothered in a tangy BBQ sauce? The Veggie Grill even has "Mac-n-Cheese," made with brown rice pasta, vegan cheese, and toasted garlic breadcrumbs.

Feeling a little more adventurous? Try the "Bean Me Up Chili," a hearty, rich dish filled with red and white beans, a dab of soy cream, and chopped red and green onions, with a side of "Steamin' Kale," tender, leafy kale topped with roasted sesame seeds and a ginger-miso dressing. Everything on the menu is under $10.

Craving something on the sweeter side? Check out the carrot cake or the chocolate pudding, which rival any dairy-filled version. The chocolate chip cookies have to be tasted to be believed. Loaded with chocolate, oatmeal, walnuts, and brown sugar, they're fabulously moist and buttery (with no butter). They'll leave you wondering why every cookie, vegan or not, doesn't taste this great.

Now you can have your burger and eat it, too. Literally. Just head over to the Veggie Grill. They've got you covered.

The Veggie Grill is located on the border of West Hollywood at 8000 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046, and is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Call 323-822-7575 for more information.