There is an organic vegan French-Japanese bakery-deli-cafe in Torrance called Casa de Tree. Do I really need to say more? Just go.
Okay, fine, it is in Torrance, you may need some more convincing. They make vegan donuts, and pancakes, and quiches...I recommend the spinach-mushroom. The quiches are served with a choice of sides from the deli case; if they have the salad with fried onions and chickpeas on top of perfectly dressed mizuna, get that. They also prepare interesting sandwiches on bread that is made in house. Just popping in for a snack? Get the curry vege donut. One of my new favorite foods. Ooh, and please, whatever else you order, have a lemon tart for dessert.
One more thing... you ought to know, I have a thing for tapioca pudding. My Grandma Sally used to make it, and it's one of those simple classic comfort foods for me. I've been on a casual quest for a vegan version for the last six years. Now, I was, of course, delighted to find that Casa de Tree had such a pudding on their menu. However, what with this being a French-Japanese impeccable little bakery cafe, it is not my grandmama's pudding. It is so much better. It's thin, which was at first off-putting since I was searching for that classic custardiness, but it's peppered with this sneaky little dice of surprising fruit like watermelon, kiwi, strawberries, and canteloupe that perfectly contrasts with the creamy pudding. Actually calling it a pudding seems inappropriate. It transcends pudding.
Oh, like I said, just go, eat here.
