With the opening of Veggie Grill in that giant new shopping center in El Segundo, my vegan son can have chicken nuggets and fries for dinner just like everybody else's child! Don't worry. I kid. And yes, I know that joking about vegan children's diets is not funny. But we did supplement his deep fried kid's meal with snacks from home (dried mango and flax seed crackers are his current obsessions), and Paul and I pretty much hogged his perfectly battered fake chicken strips and sweet potato fries. Oh, and the chocolate pudding that the kid's meal comes with for dessert? Definitely not for kids, especially the barely a toddler variety. It's the ganache style of vegan chocolate pudding. You know the kind that is so thick and rich that it bears more resemblance to a truffle than a pudding? Delicious, but in one bite increments, not bowls full. This place is incredibly kid-friendly though. The minute we walked in the young man at the counter handed Desmond a cool toy to play with, and there were a number of (clean!) highchairs to choose from.
To leave room for dessert, Paul and I shared the Chipotle BBQ sandwich. It was good. Their fake meat products are uncannily authentic, and it was slathered in a tangy sauce that contrasted nicely with the smoky chipotle mayonaise that seems to adorn at least half of their sandwiches. The bread just didn't hold up to the saucy innards though. This is a sandwich that requires something crustier, but it's a minor gripe. It was a tasty creation, and Paul was a fan of the simple coleslaw that it came with. I was a fan of just being able to eat their coleslaw - I love a vegan restaurant.
That pumpkin cheesecake there in the back? Rocked the party. Made venturing out in yesterday's storm worth the trip.
This place is slick. I'm sure I mentioned this before, or rather Paul probably did, after our trip to the Irvine branch over the summer. But what is perhaps most remarkable about Veggie Grill is it's business savvy. With the creation of their second branch, they have managed to carry over the brand that they established in the Orange County restaurant. This place is primed to be as ubiquitous as the corner McDonald's or Starbucks, which I think is just great.
Veggie Grill
720 Allied Way
El Segundo, CA 90245
(310) 535-0025
