Real Food in L.A.

I was in L.A. last weekend for an uber-fun bachelorette party, but I managed to meet up with a guy friend of mine for dinner at one of my favorite places before the girl-fest began. It's a restaurant with a huge menu that has never disappointed me no matter what I've chosen, and I look forward to dining there again and trying even more dishes when I go back down for the wedding in a few weeks. Real Food Daily has got me hooked!

The nachos are one of my favorite things to order, and I hadn't had them in so long. I had forgotten just how creamy and delicious the combination of RFD's cashew cheese and sour cream is, and the guacamole and salsa are the perfect toppers to this mound of chips and black beans. I seriously heart these nachos, right down to the last bite of (inevitably) soggy chip at the bottom.

For my main, I had the "Basic 4" in which I chose 2 sides of kale, a side of mashed potatoes and a side of blackened tempeh. This comes with 2 sauces, and I chose the perfectly sweet BBQ sauce and the rich gravy. The Basic can be done as a 3 or a 5 also. I would have gone 5, but I had spotted my dessert in the bakery case on the way to my seat and knew I needed to save room.

It's a "fauxstess" cupcake! I used to LOVE the original as a kid, and I loved this one too. It's definitely more dense and rich than the non-vegan version, but that's how I prefer my sweets these days. The chocolate ice cream on the side is hemp-based and was the perfect partner to my cupcake. What a way to end the meal!

When I'm in L.A. for the wedding I'm hoping to make it back to RFD for their Sunday brunch since I've never tried it. If I do, I'll be sure to document. :) Meanwhile, stay tuned for more SF eats. Enjoy the long weekend, everyone. Eat well!