Quick late night fan girl post of quite possibly the BEST Vegan dining out experience I’ve ever had. Literally. Ever. ❤ ❤ ❤
Also lemme just warn y’all imma probs change this blog theme in the not too distant future to be able to upload multiple pictures to a post so you can finally SEE all of the different foods I’m constantly blabbing about. Will update you when that finally happens.
So, on to it.
Idk how many people know this, but since returning to the States from France (where I kept up a pescatarian diet for 4 months), I’ve successfully adopted a vegetarian diet for the past 3 weeks. After another week, I plan on going vegan for a month.
Maybe longer. 😉
The idea is to try it out and see how I feel, how it works alongside my half marathon training (so excited for the Fall season), and how creative I can get in the kitchen. Idk man, the vegan food world just really excites me. I’ve been reading up on it a lot too! But more on that later.
Since coming out to Vegas to spend the weekend with my aunt (and dad), I’ve been introduced to a whole new world of vegan alternatives to the things I love like cheese, “meat”balls, breads, etc.
But this restaurant tho.
We went last night (June 24) before hitting up the Michael Jackson One show at Mandalay Bay and it was the BOMB!!!! *the show too…but the food…the food is ALWAYS first* 😉
VegeNation is located at 616 East Carson Avenue Suite 120 Downtown Las Vegas, 89101. So you’re welcome for that.
Walking in, we were quick to be seated. And served. The interior of this place is SO CUTE doting on a relaxing, urban atmosphere with beautiful wooden tables and chairs and succulents everywhere.
The restaurant’s concept is very much about spreading veggie love throughout the world which I saw with their map of the world bulletin board that asks people to pin where they’re from. It was cool to see that people from literally ALL OVER THE GLOBE have eaten at this beyond perfect establishment. Great proof that food is POWERFUL in binding cultures and bringing people together for a great time.
VegeNation also uses locally sourced ingredients and promotes community by hosting a truck load of local events. Making this restaurant absolutely flawless. You can read up more on that here. 🙂
So the foods.
I got so excited reading the menu, anxiety took over and I couldn’t decide on what to eat. Once I finally came down to a decision and placed my order (shout out to our waitress for the recommendations), I realized I was slightly shaking from excitement. This foodie got a problem…
Now onto the best part.
WHAT I ORDERED:
APPETIZER: My dad, aunt, and I split their buffalo cauliflower bites (which were FANTASTICALLY FANTASTIC HOLY FLIPPING SHIT THEY WERE THEY BEST I’VE EVER HAD) and their save the tuna (which was vegan sushi rolled in black forbidden rice, that is *heart eyes,* my new fave kinda rice out there [SIDE NOTE: what exactly the vegan tuna was I couldn’t really tell ya but it tasted damn good which is all that rly matters anyways, right?]).
MAINS: I got the eggplant stacks filled with cashew ricotta cheese and topped with vegan mozzarella which was SO AMAZINGLY GOOD. Ugh. I really wanna try making my own cashew cheese when I get back home to Cali because….
…the ricotta was sooooooooo creamy and contained chunks of the cashews making it the perfect texture to compliment their tomato gravy and slabs of juicy, meaty eggplant. Got damn. I must have this again. ANOTHER thing I gotta figure out a recipe for at home that I will, of course, upload. Promise.
My dad got the margarita pizza which I tried and thought was deeelicous (and even better than the real thing because the nuttiness from the plant based cheese was so luscious it tasted a million times better than anything Dominos or Pizza Hut or some crap could ever whip up. Making it gourmet af.) ***TIP: I dunked that crust in my leftover ricotta and it was heavenly. ❤
My aunt wasn’t all that hungry at 4:30 in the afternoon so she opted for the my little dumplings which consisted of a delicious mushroom and spinach filling. Ughhhh.
DESSERT: Unfortunately we didn’t get this far. I was pretty full from what I’d eaten and we needed to get going to find parking before the Michael Jackson One show (which is all the way across the strip btw). We thought about coming back post show for a sweet lil pick me up but opted for an authentic Mediterranean place near my aunt’s house instead. As per my meat eating father’s request.
***PSSSST: It was called Elia Authentic Greek Taverna and had the most delicious spread (wasn’t hungry for a full meal since my dinner was technically earlier so this was more of a snack) called skordalia that consisted of mashed potatoes, olive oil, and garlic. Omg. Such a great hummus alternative for when you feelin’ wild n fancy. I’m gonna figure out a way to make this too when I get back home. There are so many recipes I can’t wait to try!
Eating at VegeNation felt like eating at a Vegan palace. Other dishes on their menu I wanted to try but am human therefore only have one stomach which is rly disappointing btw are:
- Picante Pineapple Pizza (pineapple, jalapeños, and an Italian “sausage” crumble)
- Muchas Gracias (sweet potato quesadillas with black beans and chipotle crema)
- Thai Curry Vegetable Bowl (authentic yellow Thai curry made with sweet potato noodles)
- and basically the rest of the menu.
I can’t wait to get back to California b/c I already know places like this will not be hard to find (I have so many saved on my Instagram HAHA no shame).
When I eat foods like this, so deliciously prepared (w/ regards to both taste and aesthetics) I get STOKED, anticipating when I’ll be able whip out the Food Network chef skills I’ve acquired (through a lifetime of watching it) in my kitchen at home.
That’s all for now. Veg out. Peace. Love. Eat your veggies.
And learn how to cook ’em! B/c they taste pretty damn good when you eat them right.
Until the next post, ya gurl is outtie.
XOXO,
Rebijord ❤
rebijord 