I have found it very difficult to find a decent vegetarian place around LA. My experiences with vegetarian places have always been the same: insipid yet costly food. But maybe I’m just being lazy; I am in LA where the possibilities are endless. Since I’ve yet to have positive experiences with vegetarian food, I was a bit hesitant about this place. However, I am now ecstatic that my friends made me go to the Veggie Grill!

The Veggie Grill is an environmentally friendly yet chic restaurant with great food and awesome service. The menu consists of many healthy and delicious items ranging from salads to “chickin’” nuggets. If you’re reluctant to try the artificial meat they offer, it’s okay, I was too. I opted to try the kid’s meal, half because I’m cheap and half because I just wanted a taste.

For under $7.00, the kid’s meal comes with your choice of either pasta with marinara or “chickin” nuggets. It came with chocolate pudding and your options of a side of carrots or sweet potato fries. I ordered the pasta with the fries. I was so anxious to try the food but when it came, (in less than five minutes) I didn’t know where to start. Should I start with the pasta, the fries, or the pudding that came with it? Neither, I used the refillable glass they gave me to get a drink. I was surprised at my options. No Pepsi, no sugar-enhanced strawberry soda. I thought I was in heaven when I was welcomed by many freshly squeezed juices and natural teas. Now, I had to face the difficult dilemma of which to start with. (Because I was going to try all of them!)

I started with the Raspberry-Strawberry Cooler. I must say I was disappointed; it was decent – a little bland. Next, I replenished the glass with their lemonade. Simple yet delicious! Now, for the food, drum roll please….

The pasta was fine, just plain noodles with some tomato sauce, ahem, spaghetti. The sweet potato fries were very appetizing! They were surprisingly sweet and crispy. If you’ve never had sweet potato fries, this is a great place to start. The meal also came with chocolate pudding. I’m really not a big pudding fan but it was vegan pudding, so I had to try it. It was the best chocolate pudding I’ve ever had; it even had little chocolate chips in it! Let’s call it, “palatable pudding.”

When I started to eat the pudding, one of the workers playfully said, “Hey! You’re supposed to eat that afterwards!” He then asked us how our food was before walking around to the tables of other guests to see if they were okay. My friends and I noticed how customer-oriented he was and I loved him for that.

The food was delectable considering that it didn’t have any meat, gluten, or artificial preservatives to poison my body. And the service of that fine gentleman made my friends and me all promise to return. How many restaurants really care whether we are enjoying our food?

My challenge is to find another vegetarian restaurant that has as much flavorful food, options, and great service as the Veggie Grill. And if said restaurant doesn’t have those freshly squeezed and natural juices that the Veggie Grill has, they don’t stand a chance. Vegetarian restaurants, I’m calling you out!