I've been petsitting my grandparents' dogs in the Valley for a couple weeks now. I normally live about ten minutes away from our office at Crossroads of the World, but since petsitting began, my morning and evening commutes have stretched to about an hour an a half-each! As a result, I normally have to hurry home every day after work to get back to the house and give the dogs their dinners. Last night, though, my boyfriend, who has been very busy himself, was amazing and gave me the night "off!" We had an early dinner at Doomie's, and then he went out to the Valley to feed the dogs so that I could meet up with a girlfriend--who I hadn't seen since she got engaged!--at Café Stella.
Doomie's Home Cookin', in a little strip mall on Fountain and Vine (tucked way back in the corner!), is one of the most incredible vegetarian restaurants I have ever been to. It's all vegetarian, and most menu options are vegan or can be made vegan. I'm vegetarian and Mathew is vegan, so when I found a post on QuarryGirl about it, I knew we had to try it. We picked up sandwiches from them on the way to a Dodgers game this summer and they were amazing. But when the hot food arrived at our table last night, I knew it would be even better.
My grandmother used to whip up the most incredible fried chicken known to man whenever my parents and I visited her in Oklahoma City. Having been a vegetarian for 10 years, it's been a long time since I've tasted that greasy, crispy, fried glory. But I miss it. A LOT. Obviously I ordered the vegan fried chicken without hesitation and I swear I almost cried when it arrived at the table! It came with mashed potatoes (red, with some skin on-my favorite!), corn on the cob, a dinner roll, and a small side of AWESOME coleslaw. The chicken itself was tender and-I know it sounds crazy-incredibly juicy. And the fried bit was totally Colonel-worthy: salt-and-peppery with a hint of sweetness, light, crispy, and just the right amount of greasy. I know it's been a full decade since I've eaten meat, but let me tell you: not even my Oklahoma-born meat-and-potatoes eatin' father would be able to tell the difference between it and real chicken. I was blown away! All of the sides were awesome, except the corn--it was a little overcooked. But I didn't miss it with all the rest of the food we ordered!
Mathew ordered the chicken parmesan sandwich--again, because it was just that good!--and it, of course, did not disappoint. It's big, it's sloppy, it's cheesy (he ordered vegan cheese but they have several real cheese options too)--everything chicken parm should be! Of course he got fries on the side. Before all of this, though, we ordered one of the most amazing menu options for an appetizer: vegan mac n' cheese! It sounds terrible, but this is serious stuff. They make the cheese sauce themselves, from scratch, every day in the kitchen. It's a super secret, super awesome recipe. One of vegan cheese's (many) problems stems from the difficulty it has solidifying. They usually have to add a bunch of stuff to it to make it a "block" capable of being shredded, and all that stuff makes it taste "off." The stuff they put on the mac n' cheese is strictly a sauce, though, so it thankfully doesn't have this problem. And it is AWESOME. I swear it's (almost) better than the real thing! And the noodles are cooked al dente to perfection. It's a definite must-try.
After Doomie's, Mathew went out to the Valley to test his pet allergies and I went off to Café Stella, a little French brasserie in the Sunset Junction. If you've never been here, GO. No vegan food here! But no worries, we were there for a glass of wine.
The restaurant has three spaces: an enclosed seating area and a covered patio, where lunch and dinner are served, and a small bar off to the side of the entrance. The patio stays warm when its cold outside thanks to heat lamps suspended from the ceiling. The water glasses tucked in the French armoire, the terracotta-colored walls, and the specks of greenery also add to the space's warmth. It glistens with candle light and fairy lights strung from the ceiling. We sat at the bar, which has only about 15 seats but a handful of 4-person booths are in the same space. Dinner may be ordered here as well. The bar, backed with an antique mirror, is cluttered (in an elegant, French way) with old, probably found oil paintings and French knick-knacks. It's beautiful and welcoming.
We ordered two glasses of a newly arrived white wine. For the life of me I cannot remember the name of it, but it was delicious. At seven or eight bucks a pop, it happened to be the least expensive white on the by-the-glass menu. A little steep, but it was worth every crisp, refreshing sip. Stella is not an inexpensive place to eat or drink, but it is delicious. The wines (white, red, rose, and sparkling) are all fantastic, and the food is insane (get the artichoke!) I suggest going there for special occasions or, if you really want to impress him/her, a first date. It's festive and gorgeous--in every way!
Doomie's Home Cookin' is located at 1253 N. Vine St. Suite 9 in Hollywood, CA 90038
Café Stella is located at 3932 W. Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles, CA 90029