January 11, 2010 | 4:58 am

Vegan Heaven

Posted by Chava Tombosky

Follow JewishJournal.com on

When you keep a strict Kosher diet you will find any reason to eat out in as many Kosher restaurants you can find.  Keeping kosher means you are willing to drive, fly, or even swim for food.  Yes, you’ve narrowed down your sushi options, but you still don’t have to give up on great cuisine.

I am a big fan of eating out at kosher establishments. I do love to cook, but nothing I make tastes quite the same as a darling waiter serving you a piping hot dinner cooked by someone else who has done the menu planning, shopping and preparation. And if the only tradeoff involves leaving a tip for doing dishes, then that’s one tradeoff I am willing to make.

I have tried pretty much every Kosher restaurant in Los Angeles. But nothing has come close to the experience I had tonight upon venturing into Real Food Daily.  It was like having a rendezvous with brown rice and fakin bacon rolled up in the perfect delight of cashew cheese (I’ve never even heard of cashew cheese!) in a whole wheat wrap with a twist of avocado and ranchero sauce. I am moonstruck with this place!

Of course if I’m commenting on the food, I can’t help but comment on the group of patrons that dined at this establishment. It was a really cool eclectic mix of vegan, organic, Birkenstock wearing hippies, and movie stars like Kirsten Dunst. (Yep, I really did just name drop. And I can’t tell you I didn’t feel guilty for chowing down on the high caloric burrito while she ordered the raw salad.) Then there was us brisket smelling Jewish folk who had never bought “seasoned seitan” or knew what it was let alone dared to order it.

Aside for the hefty price on carrot juice, which was $5.99! The desserts were tastefully without guilt and the over all vibe of the atmosphere felt overwhelmingly trafe, without that guilt either. It was like the perfect “pareve” palace. Fake meat, fake cheese, and fake calories but with REAL taste- hence, Real Food Daily.  Check it out!