Where oh where did my Wednesday go? How is it almost 7pm already?!?
Started off the morning seeing my shrinky dink, and ate a Lighter Living Probiotic Bar on the way
This was the Lemon Poppyseed flavor; don’t worry – I wasn’t snapping pix and driving at the same time. All staged.
Stopped by the 99-cent store on the drive back to fill up my after-meal candy stash…
Picked up Abe and we drove BACK into West Hollywood for lunch, courtesy of Kevin Boylan, one of the Veggie Grill owners.
If you’ve been reading T.A.D. for a while, you know I LOVE the Veggie Grill. When I first began blogging about it, I had to drive to the O.C. (where it originated) for my fix (read my other post about the Irvine Spectrum Center location here). Now they have one in Los Angeles, and I even hosted my first blogger meetup there!
I almost always order the All Hail Kale salad with Tempeh (truly stellar) but decided on some new things today.
The Chop-Chop Chef, in honor of my friend Diana’s site, “Is It Chopped?”
And for my BVSLA list, the Sante Fe Crispy Chickin’ Sandwich (which had been recommended to me by numerous readers to try)
Our free lunch (!!!) also came with a free beverage, so I got some Unsweetened Black Tea.
They’re all caffeinated, unfortunately – I mixed half the glass with water.
Veggie Grill is vegetarian fast food at its finest – aside from being housed in a clean, modern environment…
…the stuff comes out really quickly – and by golly it’s good!
We ordered the mac n’ cheese with the sandwich (usually $2.25 extra)
It’s made of brown rice macaroni, vegan cheese, and toasted garlic bread crumbs.
Our gorgeous salad, perfectly dressed with chipotle ranch -
I got to work dividing…
Pour moi:
The salad was tasty, but I still prefer the All Hail Kale. I think romaine is a pretty boring lettuce, in general, and the leaves could’ve been a little more finely chopped.
The sandwich, however…
…is most definitely on the BVSLA list. Crispy but not greasy, moist and flavorful – skeptical carnivores need to order this. I don’t know if it’s really a sandwich or a “chicken burger” but I don’t care. It’s on the list.
The mac n’ cheese was awesome as well – creamy, gooey, smooth, and I can’t believe it’s vegan!!!
I ate half the pasta and cleared my plate.
Me and my Sugar Daddies
Thank you so much, Kevin, not only for treating us to lunch, but also for doing what you do – bringing affordable, healthy, cruelty-free, and seriously delicious food in a fun, fast, and interesting way. Please expand WORLDWIDE!!! If you’re in Southern California, make sure to follow Veggie Grill on twitter and facebook for contests that could score YOU a free lunch as well.
And, while you’re on facebook, would you “like” my new fan page, please? 
As if you needed another reason to go, the Los Angeles Veggie Grill is next door to a Trader Joe’s, and just downstairs from the Sunset 5, where my movie “The People I’ve Slept With” will be opening on the 27th. There, they also have screenings of the best worst movie I blogged about, “The Room.”
Catch a flick, then get that All Hail Kale and Sante Fe Crispy Chickin’ Sandwich!!! That’s an order!
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a totally random comment but I did not know that Nips made a peanut butter flavor!!! I used to eat the chocolate ones like nobody’s business. Must get me some P.B. ones soon!
oh yes, i love the PB and the chocolate parfait ones b/c they have a “gooey” filling.
Ahhhh the food looks delicious! Lady, you are making me want to move to L.A. solely for the food scene. Perhaps I’ll be a professional vegan food taster
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Those salads look incredible!!! I wish there was one in D.C.!!
I love Sugar Daddies! I haven’t had one in ages! What I do buy on occasion are Sugar Babies
I want one of those places in NorCal! Yum…I’ve yet to try vegan cheese, but think I would like it..especially in the form of Mac n Cheese.
Oh and I had no idea that the 99cent store had candy…eeep!
I am excited that there is a gluten-free mac n cheese! Maybe I will give Veggie Gril another shot.
Hee hee I remember that place! I wasn’t all too impressed with their chili, but their salads were good….I guess I’ll have to try that sandwich too!
I absolutely love The Veggie Grill. We go to the one in El Segundo because my boyfriend hates anywhere that he has to spend more than 30 seconds to find parking. Sometimes I can talk him into O!Burger, though. I love their sweetheart fries.
I wish I could visit! That mac and cheese looked divine. Nice and cheesy. Next time I’m in California….
That “chicken” sandwich DOES look good
Love avocados in sandwiches!
Finally found the “like” button to like your T.A.D. fan page. But I think there should be a “love” button cause you can’t just “like” T.A.D.
“Like” her peeps, “like” her, she’s very likeable
the food looks delicious
Looks like an eventful day!!!
Have a lovely day!!
Jen @ http://www.passion4food.ca
yum @ that mac and cheese!
I need to pick up some candy for after dinner sweet treats too- what are your faves?
i love tootsie pops, chocolate reisens (i freeze them!), PB and chocolate parfait nips, and ginger chews!!!
From an accountant’s point of view, there’s no such thing as a free lunch…ha ha j/k Sorry, jst taking a break from studying and I have my accountant hat on right now.
I love Veggie Grill, I can’t believe you drove all the way down here in OC for that. I must say it’s worth it. All Hail to the Kale…woohoo! The Veggie Grill by UC Irvine is also next to Trader Joe’s, Peet’s coffee and a Theater..hmmm what a coincidence.
I love the Veggie Grill! The All American is so yummy…tastes just like a burger from a BBQ…
Ohhh! I think I saw VeggieGrill somewhere…Irvine maybe? Looks very delicious
yes! they have locations (2 of them) in irvine!
This place looks fantastic!!
wow! all that food looks so good!
Tell Veggie Grill to open in Philadelphia please!
Everything looks really really yummy.
First off that bar looks really good. Need to look into those. And I would give anything for a restaurant like that around here. All I have is my own kitchen
Yay for free lunches! They always taste the best
The Veggie Grill sounds so good. We don’t have a vegetarian fast food place anywhere near us, which is sad. The mac and cheese looks fantastic!
Okay, this post reminded me that I haven’t had GOOD mac & cheese in wayyy too long. I’ve got to get on that, pronto!
That mac n cheese looks delicious! I’ve never had a good gluten-free/vegan mac n cheese
Okay, love the 99-cent store! I’m more for chocolate than candies, so I can’t buy goodies there too often… but I remember one time after Christmas, they had so many bags of Dove chocolates… I was in heaven. <3
And Veggie Grill sounds delicious… mmm mmm. It's 7:30am but your photos just made me hungry for lunch!
that mac’n cheese looks amazing!
That sandwich looks sooooo good! YUM!
Gosh that place always looks so good. I’m lusting after that mac and cheese.
That lunch sounds fantastic!
Sugar Daddies bring back so many memories
veggiegrill looks amazing! i’d drive up to the OC for that, too!
omg so jealous you going to the veggie grill. i have gone a handful of time and have never been disappointed! i just wish i lived closer so i could go there more often! next time i’m in town it’s the first place i’m hitting…or rutabegorz…in fullerton. freak’n fresh and awesome!
I want to LIVE in that little dish of mac and “cheese.” Slobberslobberslobber.