Pure Luck

Pure Luck is a vegan restaurant located on the hip strip of Heliotrope, across from the Bike Kitchen and Scoops Gelato. Serving a mixed menu with Mexican and Asian touches, the kitchen's claim to fame is their use of jackfruit as a meat substitute.

Visits: 5

Andrew Says: This should be my favorite restaurant. I love vegan food, and this spot is in bicycle heaven, with L.A's best gelato across the street. This is my restaurant, dammit! But sadly, this is not my restaurant. First off (because it's the first thing you'll notice), the service is awful. Not rude, just slow. So slow that you will get tired of waiting for your food, and enter a grumpy state where you are no longer hungry, just eager to get on with your night. If you plan on eating here, give yourself at least an hour, if not longer.
The menu items that I like, I really like. The potato pal appetizer is a huge guilty pleasure. Deep-fried gnocci, sprinkled with black pepper and served with a tangy BBQ-ish dipping sauce. I also enjoyed the BBQ sandwich, with jackfruit replacing pork. Even though the sandwich wasn't hot, and the sauce was nothing to get excited about, it was tasty and sloppy in the way a BBQ sandwich should be.
When things go wrong, they go really wrong. The noodle bowl is a cold, sad excuse for an Asian dish, and always arrives with a good inch of water in the bottom. You may think about returning it, but the thought of another 3o minute wait will quell that impulse. On a recent visit they were out of the jackfruit (the reason I stopped in) as well as the homemade lemonade. The jackfruit I can understand, but out of lemonade? That means you're out of lemons, sugar or water, and those can be easily replenished, perhaps by the waitress idly sipping a coca-cola by the window?
Again, I want to like Pure Luck, I want something to click here, but I guess not all luck is the good kind.

Natalie says: Ugh. I want to like Pure Luck. I really do. But, as one reviewer on Yelp wrote, the only good thing about Pure Luck is its proximity to Scoops, the gelato restaurant across the street (which, by the way, has vegan gelato for those of you who prefer your frozen desserts that way). My first meal at Pure Luck was a flavorless tofu pesto sandwich. The pesto was bland, and the tofu was pan fried, but lacking any spices. My second meal was even worse: an "avocado" salad that was worse than anything I'd make for myself, and I would have been embarassed to serve it to anyone else. It had about four slices of avocado on it, pico de gallo, some bruised romaine leaves, some pumpkin seeds, and an unidentifiably flavored salad dressing drizzled on top. It sounds like a semi-boring salad, but wait! This salad was floating in water. I imagine that the cook forgot to dry off the lettuce before putting it on the plate, but it was hard to fish the pumpkin seeds out of the salad water and also maintain a healthy appetite. Good thing Scoops has such hefty servings of amazing gelato (black sesame cheesecake!!). The food was bad and the service was comparably bad. We waited much too long for our water, and an insane amount of time for our food (two cold salads). I did enjoy the deep-fried gnocchi, but I would bet a pound of jackfruit that the gnocchi is not homemade. The dipping sauce for the gnocchi is veganaise mixed with BBQ sauce, both of which come out of some sort of industrial size container. I would've prefered a garlic pesto dipping sauce, or some sort of fancy balsamic reduction, but those don't normally come in plastic bottles.

I don't know why people like Pure Luck, but this place gets lots of rave reviews from vegans and meat eaters alike. I would rather eat at any number of other vegan restaurants than Pure Luck (see Bulan below).

Overall: 2/5

Veg Friendly: As friendly as it gets.

Dog Friendly: There is no outdoor seating.

Cost: Lunch for two with lemonade, $25

Wurstkuche

Wurstküche is a restaurant in L.A's downtown arts district that specializes in sausages, frites and beer. And that's it. This hugely popular spot features a menu jammed with a wide variety of sausages, from the rattlesnake and rabbit to the vegetarian beer brat. They also have 24 beers on tap, and the dining area is a large room with communal tables, perfect for partying.

Visits: 1

Andrew Says: As a vegetarian, the idea of an all-sausage restaurant holds about as much appeal to me as an all-sausage party, but I heard there were some non-meat options, so I tagged along. Boy, am I glad that I did! There are a lot of faux hot dogs and sausages out there these days, but nothing like the beer brat I had at Wurstkuche. Tender and juicy inside, and packed with flavor, the first thing I wanted afterward was another one. The exterior of the brat wasn't too realistic, but veg technology hasn't mastered faux intestine yet. I paired the brat with some frites and chipotle aioli (one of eleven sauce options), and washed it all down with a spiced apple soda. A meal so seemingly simple, but built on so many flavorful details I can't wait to visit again.

Overall: 5/5

Veg Friendly: Sure, so long as you don't mind gazing into the display window packed with meat links. There are three veggie sausages on the menu, and all the dipping sauces appear vegetarian. I'm not sure if anything is vegan.

Dog Friendly: Of course, that's all they serve! HAHAHAHA, right folks? Right? But seriously, the 'patio' is just a narrow strip of tables on the sidewalk. You could bring your dog, but there are no waiters, so leave the pooch at home.

Cost: Sausages and fries for two, with two fancy-ass sodas: $25.00

Home

Home is a beautiful restaurant that flips the indoor to patio ratio around and is mostly outdoors, with small indoor rooms. The above picture doesn't really do it justice; visit their impressive website for better pictures of the outdoor seating area. It has wooden floors and tables, with birdhouse condiment caddies and heat lamps for the chilly evenings. The food is American with a few fancy flourishes.

Visits: 2

Andrew Says: There are a few jokes you can't help but make while eating at Home: "I'm going to start eating at Home a lot more now," "I'm just going to stay at Home tonight," and "When I eat at Home, I like to get my order wrong." Sadly, this last joke was on us when our multi-grain salad arrived with the red onions inside, not on the side, as requested. Not a big enough deal to send it back, but irritating since I explained it was allergy-related. The salad itself was tasty, although the menu made it sound more flavorful than it turned out to be. We shared the salad with a plate of the spinach and cheese ravioli, which were very rich and delicious, smothered in an Alfredo sauce.
The menu was an odd mix of intriguing creativity and incredibly cliched items. The appetizer menu, in particular, reads like every chain restaurant you've ever sat in, featuring dusty classics like Santa Fe Egg Rolls, Jalepeno Poppers, and Chicken Tenders. To be fair, I didn't try any of the appetizers, and perhaps the kitchen has their own wondrous way with them, but there was nothing in their description to entice me.
As a whole the restaurant's ambiance is so enjoyable and relaxing that I plan on returning, at least a few more times.

Overall: 4/5

Veg Friendly: There are some creative veggie options like a veggie 'meatloaf' and a tofu breakfast burrito, and plenty of salads.

Dog Friendly: Perhaps overly so, a table near us had three dogs that were out of control.

Cost: Dinner for two with water, $30

Intelligentsia

Intelligentsia is a coffee shop located at Silverlake Junction, specializing in high-end espresso and coffee drinks. They recently took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the barista championships.

Visits: 80+

Andrew Says: If you really, really care about coffee, this is the shop for you. The price will turn many people away, with a cup of coffee running you around $4 (no refill), but for coffee connoisseurs it's worth it.. They use the Clover brewing method for their 'drip', which in my opinion produces the best cup possible. Another turn-off may be the clientèle, which ranges from people talking loudly and chain-smoking to people talking loudly on their cell phone and chain-smoking. Intelligentsia is at hipster ground zero, so be prepared to wade through a sea of hungover failed musicians just to get to the counter. The shop does offer some very tasty baked goods, with surprisingly good donuts, and an almond croissant that seems to be 80% delicious butter.

Overall: 5/5


Veg Friendly: They do have soy (no charge for cold soy), but I doubt there is a vegan pastry in the case.

Dog Friendly: There are usually a few dogs outside, and they will let you bring your dog inside (Peaches loves it), but there are also a lot of birds around, so know your dog before you bring her.

Cost: Coffee and a pastry for one: $7

Mako

Mako is a teeny tiny Japanese restaurant, sequestered nearly in the lobby of a movie theater on Vermont that specializes in diner-style food. Blink twice and you might miss it, with its unassuming decor and tiny sign. Notorious for their 'C' rating from the health board they were recently bumped up to an 'A' (or discovered photoshop). The service ranges from curt and quick to completely silent, but you get what you pay for.

Visits: 6+

Andrew Says: The 'C' rating had kept me away from this spot for a few months, although the incredibly inexpensive menu teased me from the window. When they finally received an 'A' I gave it a shot, and have been hooked since! Pardon the fish pun, Natalie has corrected my English and it's not pronounced Make-o like the shark, but 'Mah-ko'. Now you know. The biggest draw of this place has to be the price. Don't get me wrong, every dish I've had is very tasty, but the price is simply unbeatable. Dinner for two is going to run you about $11 on average. That's basically half-priced eating in Los Angeles. You might imagine skimpy dishes, but your money goes a long way. For $4.95 you can get veggie tempura, with a little cabbage salad and a bowl of miso soup. For even less than that you can get Yakisoba noodles with the side salad, or fried rice. There's something that evokes gritty, Blade Runner visions of Los Angeles just hunching over the counter, watching the grill man do seven things at once and suddenly -poof- your food is there. As for the service, we once had a waiter that ran completely silent. A literal stealth waiter. He approached our table, gave us a little nod to commence ordering, brought our food in silence, and then the bill. It was odd, but it really wasn't as off-putting as you might think. Who needs cheap pleasantries when I can get a $3 plate of noodles?

Overall: 4/5

Veg Friendly: There are veggie options, including the Miso soup (I checked), tempura, yakisoba and fried rice.

Dog Friendly: There are two tables outside, but no water bowl. The staff would likely give you a bowl if you asked.

Cost: Dinner for two with tip: $12

Bulan

This is the Bulan on Santa Monica in Silverlake, although they do have a location on Melrose. Serving vegetarian and vegan thai food, Bulan actually manages to offer a fairly accurate version of genuine Thai food.

Visits: 3

Andrew Says: I had eaten once at their Melrose location and been underwhelmed, however the Santa Monica spot has been very impressive. On my first visit I had the Pad Thai with 'chicken', which was quite tasty. The food presentation is very clean and precise, and it comes out so quickly that you'd swear the cook was psychic. I gambled on my second visit and tried the Prig Khing Fried Rice, which is fried rice with chili paste, basil, green beans, and 'pepper steak'. While the pepper steak was a tad rubbery, this dish was delicious. The perfect combination of spicy chili and smooth basil, I cleaned my plate and was tempted to order another to take home (but this time with 'chicken'). For dessert we had Banana rolls with coconut ice cream. The ice cream was great, with real chunks of meaty coconut, but the banana rolls were still frozen in the center, which was a letdown.

OVERALL: 4/5

VEG FRIENDLY: Extremely so. Everything is vegetarian, and (almost) anything can be made vegan.

DOG FRIENDLY: There is a bowl of water outside on the patio.

COST: Dinner for two with tea and dessert, $35

Cafe Tropical

Cafe Tropical is located at 2900 W. Sunset blvd, where Sunset hits Silverlake blvd. It's on a busy corner, and while it doesn't stand out among all the other restaurants packed around it, it would be a mistake to pass it by. Specializing in inexpensive Cuban food and pastries, served up with strong espresso, Cafe Tropical is an oasis on an overpriced strip. The air inside is hot and humid, and the small patio area seems to leave you sun-baked regardless of the time of day, but if anything that just adds to the ambiance.

Visits: 10+

Andrew Says: Friday nights the Silverlake Lounge has an open mic comedy night, and by chance I stumbled into Cafe Tropical to use their ATM machine. I've stumbled back in nearly every Friday since. I always get the egg and cheese sandwich, and I've never thought of trying anything else. Served on buttery, grilled Cuban bread, they top the egg with a processed white cheese, which makes the sandwich perfect. Toss on some hot sauce, chase it down with an Americano with cinnamon, it's the perfect start to any evening.
I've also tried the guava and cheese pie, which is an ultra-rich combination of flaky pasty, sweet guava paste and the aforementioned white 'cheeze'. It's tasty but doesn't replace the egg sandwich. The only drawback to Cafe Tropical is that when it's busy, it's crazy. You might not get exactly what you ordered, and the generally friendly staff will be too busy to help you out.

Natalie Says: Café Tropical’s egg sandwiches are so simple that I really should be making them at home to save a buck or two. But there’s something about standing in line and yelling your order to someone who still gets it wrong, sitting on hard metal chairs while sipping espresso con leche in the broiling heat of the mid-morning sun, and listening to the clapping of the AA meeting that shares a wall with that cafe that I enjoy. I really do. One reviewer said that Café Tropical might initially feel like a pseudo-Cuban hipster hobble, with posters of Che Guevara on the walls and the clientèle smoking hand-rolled cigarettes with perfectly disheveled hair and immaculately weathered leather boots; however, once you bite into the guava-cheese pie or burn your mouth on the hot melted cheese of your egg sandwich, it’s worth all the identity issues that surface when you first walk in.

Today we sit outside because we have Peaches with us. After changing tables three times so that we can find a spot of shade for her to lie in, we squint against the heat of the sun and squirt the ubiquitous Hot Sauce (available on every table inside) onto our egg. We then stuff the sandwiches into our faces so that we can get out of the heat as quickly as possible. Because today is Sunday, the café is packed. While Andrew waits outside with Peaches (and chats with a woman who pushes her little dog around in a baby stroller) I stand in line, which, although it is long, goes pretty quickly. “What would you like?” asks the woman scooping pastries into paper bags.
“Two egg and cheese sandwiches on bread, one with tomato.”
“One egg and cheese sandwich. What else?”
“Two egg and cheese sandwiches on bread,” you have to specify on bread or else they’ll put them on croissants, “and one espresso con leche and one espresso with water.”
“So you just want one coffee?”
“No, one espresso con leche and one shot of espresso with hot water.”
I listen as she shouts out the incorrect order in Spanish, “Dos sandwiches de huevo y queso.” No tomato. “Y dos cafes con leche.”
There is no time to argue. Our shots of espresso are already being pulled and the milk is already being poured into both cups. The man at the register rings me up and smiles; he’s always friendly no matter how busy or slow the café is. I usually come on Friday nights while Andrew does comedy at the Silverlake Lounge next door. I bring my reading for class and eat a sandwich or a pastry because sometimes I would rather stick needles in my eyes than watch an open-mic comedy night. Not that Café Tropical is equivalent to needles in the eyes. Quite the contrary. It’s a good place to go for an affordable sandwich on fresh bread (baguettes), tasty desserts, and good coffee. I suggest coming on a weekday to avoid the crowd and its concomitant chaos, though if you’re flexible and interested in seeing how L.A.’s bourgeois proletariat spends its Sunday mornings, then put on your leather boots and head to Sunset and Silverlake.

OVERALL: 4/5

VEG FRIENDLY: Vegetarians can enjoy the egg sandwich, or the Cuban veggie sandwich, but vegans will likely want to steer clear.

DOG FRIENDLY: They do have four bowls of water set out on the sidewalk, but they were good and hot.

COST: Breakfast for two with coffees, $13.00