Vegan Dining at the Four Seasons

In the nick of time for holiday gatherings, the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills has created a diverse vegan menu exclusively for their Windows Lounge. I was privileged to attend an all-vegan tasting of the new menu items before Thanksgiving (all photos in this post were taken at the event and were provided to me by the Four Seasons as my photos were too dark).

Vegan STREAT Menu (Street inspired vegan dishes available from 4:00 PM, created by Executive Chef Ashley James.):



Jicama Tostadas: crispy corn tostada, roasted tomatillo salsa, jicama cilantro slaw, avocado $8



Morelian Gazpacho Salad: jicama, watermelon, papaya, pineapple, cucumber, orange juice, chilli salt $9 (Seen at back of the above photo.)

Real Fries: the best fries in the City, Chef Ashley’s house made ketchup $9



Handmade Quesadilla with Corn and Mushrooms: corn tortilla, soy cheese, charred corn, mushrooms, onion, cilantro, salsa Molcajete $12

Eggplant Coconut Curry: crispy pappadums $12

Young Hollywood Salad: Farmers market greens, strawberries, blueberries, avocado, cucumbers, tomatoes, hemp seeds, Napa wine vinaigrette. $22 (Seen at left of the middle photo.)

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies with Chocolate Mousse (I believe this was a special dessert created for the event only and isn't on the menu.)

Everything was delicious (although I did find the quesadilla a bit greasy) with my favorite dishes being the Morelian Gazpacho Salad and Eggplant Coconut Curry, which I would have served with rice rather than the too-delicate pappadums.

For vegans in LA, having an upscale, mainstream dining option where omnivores will also be happy is quite a coup. If the vegan menu were offered all day rather than only after 4 p.m., I'd most definitely suggest this for our annual office holiday lunch. It would also make a fantastic date location just as easily as it would work for a client or out-of-town family dinner.

I have a couple caveats, one of which is to make sure not to eat the snacks that are available on the bar and tables. Despite the fact that I attended an all-vegan tasting, there were non-vegan bar snacks arranged in dishes on our reserved tables during the cocktail portion of the evening. It was a very unfortunate oversight that was rectified by the removal of the snacks from the tables, but not until after people had partaken. The other is that the Young Hollywood Salad is exhorbitantly priced at $22! All the other menu items seem to have more reasonable prices, but do keep in mind that these are considered small plates akin to tapas and not entrees.

For more gorgeous photos, check out Veggywood's post about the same event.

Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
300 S Doheny Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90048

I Am Grateful

It seems fitting to close my month-long ode to Cafe Gratitude with the dish that both defines and sets it apart from every other restaurant I've ever encountered. I Am Grateful is a donation-only bowl consisting of simple, nutrient-dense ingredients: a grain (option of quinoa, brown rice, or a combination), black beans, shredded kale, and the lovely garlic-tahini sauce. While the suggested donation is $7, anyone can order it and pay as little or as much as they're willing and capable. The menu says: "Payment is by donation. No one is turned away. Suggested value is $7. Feed yourself and someone in need for $14." It's a program that allows customers to experience the gifts of giving and receiving, of nourishing someone else and of being nourished by another.

There's a great story of the I Am Grateful bowl in action here.

Recently, Cafe Gratitude LA gathered a crew of community members to feed the Occupy LA participants with I Am Grateful bowls. If it hadn't been on a work day, I would have been right there serving up gratitude with them! The video of that day's experience is here.

If you'd like to donate, but don't live near a Cafe Gratitude location, please check out the Grateful Bowl Program.

I've thoroughly enjoyed sharing and celebrating my favorite restaurant during VeganMoFo this year. I am so grateful for the healthful, delicious food and for the community itself...this community is my family.

Today's Cafe Gratitude Question of the Day: What is your secret super power?

I Am Grace, Eternal, & Cool

Cafe Gratitude LA makes wonderful almond milk-based and coconut milk-based milkshakes to sweeten its meals. Above is I Am Grace, a shake made of young coconut milk, almond butter, dates, and vanilla bean.



Falling under the name I Am Eternal is a foursome of shakes in chocolate (seen above), vanilla, coffee, and strawberry flavors. They each used to have their own name under the previous menu, but the new menu grouped them together. If I had to choose, my favorite is probably the coffee shake, but they're all perfect.



Saving the best for last, my very favorite Cafe Gratitude LA shake is I Am Cool, a mint chocolate chip shake packed with nutrients. Containing VitaMineral Green, a nutrient-dense green "superfood powder," and cacao nibs, which are rich in antioxidants, this milkshake has health benefits and satisfies my mint chocolate chip cravings all in one.

(Not pictured here, but previously featured is I Am Luscious).

Today's Cafe Gratitude Question of the Day: What ignites you?

I Am Juicy

I'm sure it's no surprise that Cafe Gratitude LA excels at fresh juices. My favorite is I Am Rejuvenated, a blend of wheatgrass, apple, ginger (I pretty much love anything that contains ginger), and lemon juice with sparkling water.



I Am Divine is new to the menu; a sweet and spicy mix of carrot, lemon, and ginger juice.



I Am Healthy is exactly that: a healthful combination of kale, celery, cucumber, and lemon juice (add ginger juice for a kick!).



Another sweet and spicy option is I Am Worthy, the kale, beet, celery, apple, and ginger juice.



I Am Energized is a completely different type of spicy, though. It's an alkalizing green smoothie with kale, cucumber, celery, lemon, cilantro, avocado, and jalapeno. I ordered mine without avocado and I wasn't able to get through much of it. The richness of the avocado would naturally cut the heat of the jalapeno, so if you're an avocado lover, order this on my behalf!

Today's Cafe Gratitude Question of the Day: What are you creating?

I Am Transcending

Cafe Gratitude LA really understands Latin American flavors and translates them perfectly into raw and cooked vegan cuisine. I Am Transcending is 2 raw tacos on spinach-flax tortillas with a spicy sunflower seed pate, the infamous chipotle cashew cheese, guacamole, and salsa fresca (I ordered mine without guacamole and salsa fresca, opting instead for the salsa verde from I Am Trusting). The sunflower seed pate has a great texture and definitely is spicy. I love spicy food, so I was very happy and warm after eating this dish.

Today's Cafe Gratitude Question of the Day: What are you learning?

I Am Present

I Am Present is Cafe Gratitude LA's bruschetta appetizer. On the previous menu, it was toasted baguette topped with raw heirloom tomato, cashew mozzarella, basil, and a balsamic-olive oil drizzle. However, with the new menu changes that occurred on October 1st, the tomato was replaced with caramelized butternut squash. I took one scrumptious bite and my eyes widened in awe. Bruschetta should always be topped with caramelized butternut squash from this moment forward.

Today's Cafe Gratitude Question of the Day: What motivates you?

I Am Fantastic

One of the big changes the head chef at Cafe Gratitude LA made when updating the menu was creating exciting new breakfast dishes. Among the 4 new choices, I was most looking forward to I Am Fantastic, a raw banana-chia crepe full of fresh fruit and topped with coconut creme, maple syrup, chopped pecans, and a dash of cinnamon. The crepe is like soft banana fruit leather and mine was stuffed full of beautifully ripe strawberries (the fruit will change upon seasonal availability). The coconut creme is light and lovely, coating each bite along with the pure maple syrup. I Am Fantastic is heavenly!

The online menu says breakfast is only served from 8-11 a.m., but don't be fooled; I confirmed that it's actually served all day! That means, if you can't get to the Cafe at breakfast time, you can order I Am Fantastic for lunch or dinner (or for dessert)!

Today's Cafe Gratitude Question of the Day: What is most important to you?