Happy September, you filthy animals! Step outside into the sweet autumn … 100 degree heat?! So you’re Pumpkin Spice-ing up your whole life while still sporting jorts and a tank top and life is a bit confusing. Let’s drop some clarity, oh sweet sweaty one … it’s Potato Month! To celebrate thirty days of spudliness along with the dropping of the hottest documentary to hit vegans since Cowspiracy—The Game Changers—we are introducing your tempeh-loving taste buds to LA’s best tater d
Superfood Style Sweet Potato Pancakes – Sage
The Game Changer Who Would Order It: Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1 Driver
Navigating the twists and turns of those sweet tracks is no easy feat. It takes algebra level concentration and the instincts of a cougar! That’s why speedy mcspeederson Lewis would order a macro-balanced breakfast featuring his favorite dish, pancakes. The sweet potato base, hemp seeds, and cacao nibs give him the needed protein for maximum strength wheel gripping, while the fruit and goji berries fuel his brain for quick turn radius thinking. And well, the maple syrup and Earth Balance butter add those good flavors to get that dopamine going, to fuel the natural adrenaline high of going a bazillion miles per hour!
Misir + Yatakilt – Azla Vegan
The Game Changer Who Would Order It: Tia Blanco, Surfer
Wave-riding badass lady surf champion Tia Blanco stated in an interview that her number 1 craving when training is her mom’s lentil soup—awwww. That’s why she would order up Azla’s Misir (red lentils + spicy berbere) paired with Yatakilt (curry potatoes + carrots + cabbage). The curry potatoes add a spicy kick to keep her metabolism revving while the potates, carrots, and cabbage give her the needed nutrients to hang ten. The lentils add good carbs to keep her stamina going, and the nostalgia of mom’s lentil soup.
Cali Burger Bowl – Real Food Daily
The Game Changer Who Would Order It: Patrik Baboumian, Strongman
World log lift champion Patrik Baboumian will laugh in the face of any man, woman, or child who asks him “But, like, where do vegans get their protein?” He is living proof that plants have power! And when you’re lifting 418 pounds, or as we at VegOut like to use as a standard of measurement, 4 Great Danes, you need a ton of protein and fuel. This is why Mr. Vegan Strongman himself would power up with the Cali Burger Bowl at Real Food Daily. Stacked with protein from the Impossible Patty (19g), black beans (10g), brown rice (5g), guacamole (5g), sweet potato fries (3g) and ranchero (1g), the dish totals a whopping 43g of plant-powered protein! So when that bro at Equinox asks you how you get your protein, direct him to our 250lb vegan daddy, Patrik.
Breakfast Burrito – Counterpart Deli
The Game Changer Who Would Order It: Dotsie Bausch, Cyclist
Cyclists wake up early. Like, hella early to chase the sunrise or their future or wind or— something. We aren’t sure what they are chasing, but we know they are speedy and always on the go. This is true for Olympic silver medalist, Dotsie Bausch. That woman is always going places and going there fast. A lady on the go needs something quick and healthy in the morning. This is why little miss Dostie would reach for the breakfast burrito at Counterpart Deli. Loaded with hefty fingerling potatoes, Just Egg, seitan bacon, and chimichurri, the queen of cycling will have a balanced breakfast in the palm of her hand as she pumps those legs to infinity and beyond!
The Killer Latke! – The Stalking Horse Pub
The Game Changer Who Would Order It: James Wilks, MMA Fighter
Let’s face it, MMA fighters are crazy, they take a lot of hits to the head, and well, everywhere. They don’t stray away from a challenge, and they can take the heat. James, being the bloody good Englishman he is, would fancy The Stalking Horse and not shy away from The Killer Latke! Challenge and all it entails. If you are a frequent watcher of the VegOut instagram stories (#ShamelessPlug follow us @VegOutLA #ShameOnYouIfYouAren’tFollowingUs), you would know that our team underwent Satan’s latke challenge and came out quite defeated. But we think ‘ol James could withstand this potato latke covered in murderous three chili sauce and Carolina Reaper pepper dust. Reaper, because we assume, it reaps all feeling left in on your tongue, in your body, and in your soul. But totally try the challenge and tag us, Stalking Horse will give you your latke free! All you have to pay for is your taste buds and your soul. We TOTALLY believe in you hehehe…
Rainbow Au Gratin – SunCafe
The Game Changer Who Would Order It: James Cameron, Director
You know James Cameron has to be a fancy boy. He’s worked with heavy hitters like our boy Leo, Zoe Saldana, and Jon Landau. You know he eats clean and fresh, and never sacrifices flavor, having traveled to the most incredible places to film. This is why the director of Titanic would order SunCafe’s Rainbow Au Gratin. With 25 magical layers of thin potatoes, beets, carrots and Suncafe’s house-made cheese sauce, this masterpiece is baked into golden rainbow triangles among a symphony of king oyster trumpet mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and watermelon radishes. The result is an Oscar-worthy creation only to be elevated with a satisfying topping of pools of rich red wine sauce. A dish fit for Hollywood’s most talented and most environmentally woke director.
Garlic Potato Wedges + Baked Ricotta – Pura Vita
The Game Changer Who Would Order It: Scott Jurek, Ultramarathoner
Everyone thinks runner Scott Jurek is living off of LA girl pressed juices and overpriced Erewhon green smoothies, but nay young animal lover, this is not the case! Scott has been interviewed hundreds of times saying that fat content + carbs are key when it comes to tackling the Appalachian Trail. He said he would literally have his wife bring him olive oil soaked pieces of bread at the end of his run. Umm, Scott you great and all, but we think the real hero of this story is his wife? Now that’s a good woman. And when we think good carbs + healthy fat, we naturally think of everyone’s favorite, Italian. This is why Scott would be asking Mrs. Jurek to bring him Pura Vita’s Garlic Parmigiano Potato Wedges and Baked Ricotta. The creamy garlic aioli adds brain fueling fat, while the radiantly roasted potatoes are a necessary good carb. The decadent baked ricotta in the same way adds clean flavorful omegas while the ciabatta sends that carbolicious energy to keep Scott moving those feet! If this a runner’s diet, we are seriously considering taking up competitive running.
Sweet Potato Falafel Fala Plate – Fala Bar
The Game Changer Who Would Order It: Rip Esselstyn, Firefighter & Triathlete
Creator of the Engine 2 Diet, a meal plan that he used to convert a Texas bbq-loving firestation into a plant papa power squad, Rip would order a macro-balanced meal like the Sweet Potato Falafel Plate. The sweet potato and chickpea falafel balls provide well-balanced slow release protein to firefighters working long hours, while the Israeli salad, quinoa tabouli, white and purple cabbage provide needed vitamins and nutrients to keep their heads clear. The hummus and tahini add good fats to keep their life-saving hearts pumping crimson health as they save babies, kitties, and puppies all day long! Keeps them looking nice and fit for those firefighter calendars which we (ahem) only buy because the proceeds go to our favorite animal charity, of course.
The Dog Pile – Monty’s Good Burger
The Game Changer Who Would Order It: Kendrick Farris, Weightlifter
94kg weightlifting record holder, Kendrick Farris “eats when he’s hungry,” a foreign concept to most of us, as we sit mindlessly shoving potato chips in our mouths while we binge watch Stranger Things for the billionth time. But his “cheat days” consist of epic calories, where he eats a ton of food, and devours it all. That’s why we know that Kendrick would reach for the king of all kings when it comes to a TON of food … Monty’s Dog Pile. A tower of Impossible Patties, crispy fries, crunchy tots, grilled-to-perfection onions, tangy pickles and ALLLLLL da sauces, this big daddy is enough to keep Mr. Farris fully loaded, carbed up, and ready to PUMP SOME IRON.
Wienerschnitzel + Potato Pancakes – Hinterhof
The Game Changer Who Would Order It: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Action Star, Politician, Bodybuilder
Vegan daddy and original action star bae Arnie would do it up big. And he would do it up Austrian style. We imagine him, muscles pulsing, hanging on to the side of a helicopter while a building explodes behind him as he yells, “Get me to the Schniztel!”. Which is why we know Cali’s former governor would get down with Hinterhof’s wiener schnitzel AND potato pancakes. Arnie would chuckle with the HP locals and spin tantalizing tales as he devoured the house-made golden brown seitan cutlet, fried potatoes, red onion and creamy herb yoghurt sauce and red cabbage. The Terminator would terminate an ice-cold beer as he gobbled the traditional potato pancakes served with sweet apple sauce and tangy sour cream.