Some time ago I caught wind of some very exciting news: Veggie Grill was going to open in Santa Monica! I was thrilled because it not only meant that one of my favorite vegan restaurants would be closer to my apartment, but all of my friends in the area would be able to experience it. Veggie Grill is always on the top of my list to recommend to people who want to try vegan food, and having another location makes it that much easier to suggest. Therefore, when I was invited to preview the new location last night I jumped at the opportunity, and it was wonderful.

Last week I got a taste of the offerings of Salad Bowl Cafe, a franchise that recently opened their doors in the heart of Beverly Hills. I got the Big Create Your Own salad and was allowed to choose 8 out of the 50+ toppings; I asked for mixed greens, spinach, olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, walnuts, jalepeno peppers, chickpeas, cucumber, and avocado. I opted for the suggested raspberry vinaigrette, but made the mistake of not asking for it on the side - it was way too much and made the entire salad too heavy. There were also too many jalepenos, which made the salad too acidic. Yet, I really enjoyed it and was impressed at the massive portion and value - salads range from $7.95 - $12.95, which is inexpensive for the quantity.