Baja Fiesta Salad
The Veggie Grill is slated to open its third fast-casual eatery Friday at the Irvine Spectrum Center.
The Irvine-based restaurant chain makes meals inspired by classic comfort foods, but there’s no animal meat in any dish. Meatless meals, such as the “carne asada” sandwich, are made with protein substitutes like tempeh and marinated veggie protein blends.
Because the menu features foods free of animal fat, most people think “tofu terrible,” jokes Liz Sims, general manager of the new Irvine Veggie Grill.
In fact, that was her first impression when she heard about the concept two years ago. But, after her first bite, she says: “I was so blown away, I couldn’t believe it.”
She’s now a vegan, or almost vegan. “I do still eat meat sometimes, because, you know, your body craves it.”
Other Veggie Grill menu items: Baja Fiesta and Chinese Chickin’ salads; and Santa Fe Crispy Chicken and Chipotle BBQ sandwiches. Desserts include carrot cake and homemade oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies. I’ve tasted nearly all of these items and they are fantastic. The food at Veggie Grill, which is a fast-casual chain, is flavorful and elegant. It also makes you feel good, because you know you’re eating healthy.
The Santa Fe Crispy Chickin
The new Veggie Grill is adjacent to Carousel Court near Chipotle Mexican Grill. The restaurant will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Phone: 949-727-9900.
In celebration of the grand opening, The Veggie Grill is donating 20% of sales to the Irvine Public Schools Foundation. The fundraiser is valid for all meals purchased from Nov. 21 through 23.
The original Veggie Grill opened two years ago at the University Center near UC Irvine. The chain’s only Los Angeles eatery is in El Segundo. A fourth Veggie Grill is slated to open next year at 8000 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Map/Locations here.
- More: Restaurant openings in Orange County.
- More: For the latest updates on menu changes at your favorite chain, or restaurant go to my New On the Menu section, found to the right of this blog.
- More: Veggie Grill and other chains continue to grow amid a tanking economy. However, others are shutting down. Find a list of O.C. restaurant closures, here.
Veggie Grill is good… but pricey. No opening day specials?
Mega high calorie food, loaded with fried food and oil/mayo based sauces. They better pray they don’t have to ever comply with the menu calorie labeling law, it would destroy their business.
Why does the veggie crowd think that you can’t eat meat and be healthy? I went for two years without eatting meat, and I have to tell you, I’m healtier now that I’m eating meat than when I wasn’t. Food for thought.
audiogirl, for some of us it’s about ethics. i eat minimal animal products because large-scale animal farming is a waste of natural resources and also a major pollution source. some veggie folk don’t want to kill animals. if you were not healthy while eating a meat-free diet, then you weren’t doing it right.
Thanks girly girl. I also think it’s more about a lifestyle decision than just choosing to not eat meat.
Homemade mac n cheese, hands down, is the best non-meat comfort food ever!
First Veggie Grill steals all recipes from Native Foods, and now their new store manager makes an ignorant and idiotic comment like this. Wow, just wow.
Yeah, I agree with flips. What a bad PR move. Smaaaart. The writer should have left out that quote. Actually, if I were her, I would have left it in. Ha.
Poor comment from the Manager? Agreed. Your comment about Veggie grill “stealing” recipes from Native Foods..now thats ignorant and idiotic
Wow..just wow..