To celebrate my dear friend Gina’s birthday, we do lunch, and she suggested a restaurant called LEAF. Organic, vegan, raw food. Grains, seeds, and nuts are soaked and sprouted. The food is not heated to above 110 degrees F. I love my dear friend, and happy to go anywhere she likes, but I must admit I was a bit skeptical about this choice.
Cracklin’ Corn Chips with Hummus
Flying Falafel Salad: Sprouted chickpea falafel croquettes with creamy tahini sauce, mixed greens, marinated onions, tomatoes and sprouts.
This food is very colorful and photogenic…
Veggie Sunburger Wrap: Veggie seed croquettes topped with sweet tangy tomato sauce, mixed greens and sprouts rolled up in a collard green with house dressing.
We were pleasantly surprised, the food was tasty and interesting. I was especially intrigued with the marinated onions. Chef Patrick shared that the thinly sliced onions are left to marinate in a raw organic unpasteurized soy sauce, then are served atop the salad. I will be stealing this technique for some future salads, thanks Patrick.
Here in Southern California, my roses are still blooming. I brought along this bouquet for my long-time friend. The arrangement is a mix of Tahitian Sunset Rose (far left), Secret Rose (light pink middle) Tournament of Roses (front pink), Julia Child Rose (far right). Happy Birthday, My Friend! Glad to explore Organic, Vegan, Raw with you anytime…
28 comments • Filed in: Restaurants
am forever in bliss looking at this LIVELY food! thanks for posting as I haven’t heard of LEAF will check out the next time n soCal to visit the mums! your making me homesick looking at the *forever year~long blooms* of southern Cal…what a fun day out with a dear friend
That looks REALLY, really really good. I’m a sucker for anything kale related, so that wrap is something I would have been all over. And the falafel salad!! Oh, it looks gorgeous, all of it. I think it’s great that you guys tried something new!
It does look intersting and yes photogenic. I would be open to try it, but would be hard to amke it a lifestyle choice. We have a place here called Karens thats similar.
Roses are still blooming?
We are knee deep in leaves in NJ.
I do have one odd lonely rosebud on my vine, though.
This lunch restaurant looks great.
Very creative salads, and I love falafel!
I would have been just as skeptical. The food you show looks in deed interesting and appetizing. Your roses are gorgeous!
Looks very good and healthy!
The food DOES look really good. I’d love to have a taste.
Paz
No better way to try out new cuisines than to let someone else do the cooking (or in this case, the raw preparation).
Everything looks wonderful, Lori Lynn. Adore all your roses; I want to stretch my arm three thousand miles to pluck that two-toned Tournament of Roses bloom. Exquisite.
Beautiful roses!
I think the food sounds very good. I love my vegetables though.
You right the food looks delicious and photgenic. I love this kinda restaurant.
Your roses are beautiful too
The falafel, I love. Very pretty roses, Lori Lynn! How lucky you are to still have them in bloom
the food looks beautiful…an those roses…magnificent. There is a restaurant in NYC called Pure Food and Wine, which i raw and vegan and is supposed to be quite good.
I’ve never eaten at a vegan raw restaurant before. The photos of the food made it all look so amazing. I will definitely give it a try some time.
Your roses are beautiful – I am jealous that yours are still blooming.
that photo with all the ingredients make me feel wonderful here on the onset of winter…so fresh and colourful and healthy and light! I looks delicious and filling, a great idea, glad you posted this
ronell
What a great way to celebrate! that place looks fantastic! All of the food looks so fresh and healthy!
Yeah, I always think that it is important to experience different things. And you’re right, the food is very photogenic
My sis-in-law is a vegan. She used to eat mostly raw vegetables. Two years ago she encouraged me to sprout my own mung beans, azuki, and other beans. I was only able to sprout mung beans. They are very cute, tender, and really good for salads but I didn’t have the patience and also was not willing to give up meat.:)
The marinated onion sounds interesting. And your roses are lovely!
Yup, I would’ve been a tad skeptical too. The marinated onion technique sounds quite interesting I think I’ll give it a try
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Wow, that looks SO good. And your pictures are just beautiful. I can almost reach over into the screen and take a huge chomp!
I couldn’t live as vegan alone.. but I love all these wraps and sprouted grains, they look so good! And your pics are beautiful Lori Lynn!
I love all your roses Lori Lynn. so pretty! I love veggies and would enjoy a lunch like this, how could you not with all that vibrant color! Your photos look awesome!
That is stunning food! I’ve always been interested in trying “raw cooking” but havnen’t attempted yet (besides typical everyday things like salad).
You are such a good friend! I love trying new things…. Being originally from Texas, vegan & raw count as new. This looks really tasty, but tell me, didn't you have a desperate craving for steak for dinner?!?!
xoxox Amy
Hi Taste Memory – and I do cut the roses back in early January, and they are back again in late March early April, looking pretty as ever!
Hi Mike – it was definitely better than I thought it would be. And a really like those marinated onions.
Hi Courtney – no no not a lifestyle, just good for lunch, once in a while!
Hi Stacey – well they would bloom all year but I do cut them back in January. They are actually looking gorgeous right now. Most of the bushes go in phases. I just added a new one called “April in Paris.”
Hi Simona – and I would go back, the salad was really tasty, and different, which was a nice change.
Hi Candy and Paz – ’twas good!
Hi Susan – Tournament of Roses is one of my best. Lots of beautiful blooms and the color goes from an orangey pink and fades to pale pink.
HI Emily – and it is interesting to think about not heating above 110. Salads are easy but how do they make crackers?
Hi Sylvia – yep, tastes good and LOTS of fun to photograph!
HI Maryann – Love falafel in pita too.
HI MLV – the raw food restaurant definitely takes some creativity.
HI Pam – my expectations were kinda low, but it sure surprised me.
HI Ronell – the food definitely feels more like Spring or Summer than Fall…
Hi Maria – my friend and I always “do lunch” to celebrate our birthdays. It’s a tradition.
Hi Cynthia – I’ll try anything!
HI Oggi and Lore – Let me know if you try those onions.
Hi Jesse – you can take a HUGE chomp, the portions were humongous.
Thanks Laurie – me neither.
Thanks Marie – and I just added 10 more rose bushes to my garden, I’m calling it the Valentine’s garden as it is all pink and red.
HI Diana – I’m not so sure I’ll be cooking it a home, with the exception of those marinated onions. Let me know if you do.
HI Amy – now I don’t remember, but, probably!!
Hi Lori Lynn!
You asked how they made the crackers … they use a dehydrator!
This will give you an idea of how it is done …. Fiesta Crackers! Very yummy and a real crowd pleaser!
Kiwi Kisses!
Raw Diva Keely
The wrap looks really good! I like it even more than roses
Thanks Keely, I’ll check it out!
Hi Sandra – welcome !