(Photo from L.A. Library Database)
I have something to tell you. Something that I don't talk about very often. Something that I'm going to have to ask you to keep under your hat.
I live in the suburbs.
Specifically the South Bay. Now while I'm clearly not overly proud of this fact, I must say that the hinterlands have a few things going for the vegan. Namely, uncrowded Trader Joe's and some pretty good food. I am going to make it my job to introduce you to these elusive neighborhoods that some of you may just call home. For today's first installment of A Day Out in the Suburbs we will visit the most suburbany portion of Torrance: Rolling Hills Plaza.
I recently wrote about the burgeoning Vegan Town springing up at the corner of Heliotrope and Melrose. Well the corner of Crenshaw and PCH might not be anywhere near as hip and now, but man is there parking.
Here you will find both a Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods, plus an organic vegan bakery-cafe, Casa de Tree, to fuel your shopping. There's also a Japanese grocery to stock up on good tofu and a multiplex to keep you entertained. A block down, there is decent fake meat Chinese at House of Vege. And across the street a couple blocks is an elegant Thai restaurant, Soho Thai Fusion, with cocktails and an extensive vegan menu.
It's all right there, within just a few blocks. You just drive there and park your car once. It will probably take you less time than circling the parking lot and battling for a spot at the Silverlake Trader Joe's. You can spend all day. Entertain yourself. Eat well. Take care of some errands.
I suggest you start with breakfast at Casa de Tree. I know that I have already talked this place up and down, so I will say nothing else at this time other than vegan donut. I know of no other in L.A. (Anyone want to contradict me...I would really like that.)
After your light breakfast, you might hit a matinee at the AMC before your lunch at House of Vege. If you are visiting on a weekday, they have a cheap lunch special served with soup. I am partial to the orange chicken. If you are here on the weekend, then you are in for the feast. It's all you can eat. You order off a special menu, a few dishes at a time for your group to share. When you're done with those, try some more. I recommend the eggplant with basil, crispy fried tofu, vermicelli with pickled napa cabbage, and the dry sauteed string beans. This is one festive meal.
After lunch, why don't you stroll on over to the shopping center, take care of a few groceries. There's one of them big ol'home stores here too, if you're in the market for a new whisk or a lawn Santa.
For dinner, walk down PCH to Soho Thai Fusion. It's a restaurant for everybody with a seperate vegan menu. The people are really nice, and it's a grand space. There is no better way to end your day out in the suburbs than with some superlative mango sticky rice.
Just don't tell them I sent you. Me? The suburbs? I don't know what you're talking about.
