Happy Summer, Foodies! I have some exciting news about a new restaurant opening up in Long Beach. Veggie Grill has been causing quite a stir in Los Angeles and West Hollywood and has decided to locate in the city of Long Beach as well.
Veggie Grill is a vegetarian-friendly restaurant that has become a phenomena for LA eaters. (They are in Orange County and the new foodie hub, Oregon). This casual restaurant offers healthy lunch and dinner options for a great price (coming from a college student, you know you are getting a good deal).
The restaurant's fare is not only for vegetarians; they also cater to meat lovers. I, of course, dove right in and ordered their most popular dish. The Santa Fe Crispy Chickin' sandwich made my mouth water before I even took the first bite. This sandwich included a crispy fried "Chickin' " breast, lettuce, tomato and a dollop of guacamole topped with red onions. I was told that the sweet potato fries were to die for, so I obviously opted to upgrade my side order from Chili or Red Cabbage Slaw to these crispy fries. Definitely a must. The sandwich was served with a spicy vegan mayo on the side to slather on either fries or the sandwich. I recommend slathering it on anything you can because it was absolutely delicious. The spices of the sauce mixed with the sweet potato fries for a perfect combination.
I completely understand why the Santa Fe Crispy Chickin' sandwich is the most popular dish the restaurant offers. The first bite was a total tease. It gave me the flavor of the chicken patty but left me wanting to get all the other flavors hiding in the middle. The guacamole topped with the red onions mixed with the chicken AND the spicy vegan mayo made for a perfect light and healthy lunch.
Their sandwiches range from $7.95 to $8.95. They will keep your stomachs and wallets full.
Another option for all you vegetarian foodies is the All Hail Kale salad. This salad is packed with flavor. For all you health nuts, this is the salad. Marinated Kale and red cabbage, corn salsa, agave-roasted walnuts, and ginger-papaya vinaigrette topped this delicious mountain of Kale salad. The sweet and sour vinaigrette is enough to make you dive your fork back in for more. I decided to add their famous Blackened Chickin' . The blackened chicken was grilled to perfection. There was the rustic taste of the grill but with no crunch or burns. I let it soak in the mouth watering vinaigrette and topped it with a bite of kale and corn for the perfect bite.
All salads range from $8.95 to $9.95 and give the option to add chickin' or tempeh.
Also, splurge on a drink and desert. They have delicious lemonades and teas to quench your thirst this summer. My favorite was the Peach Tea. Try their dairy free, fat free, sugar and cholestoral free deserts. The Chocolate Pudding Parfiat is absolutely delicious.
This restaurant also has great sides and appetizers to add to your meal. Veggie Grill offers everything from mash potatoes and gravy to Thai chicken. Their wide variety of meals will keep their guests coming back for lunch and dinner. Veggie Grill's staff are just as excited to be there as the customers. They are happy to accommodate your meal and suggest favorites to new comers. Make sure you say hi to Kevin Boylan and T.K Pillan. These co-founders are the friendliest guys I've ever met. Their big smiles are happy to greet new and old customers.
Veggie Grill is three minutes from the Bay Shore Library and 1.33 miles away, located at 6451 E. Pacific Coast Highway. It is in the Marketplace to the left of Trader Joe's. Veggie Grill opens this Tuesday June 26th. I hope to see you there! I cant recommend it enough.
