Day Eleven - RFD = Really Freaking Delicious

So I just got back from dinner. My good friend, Liesel, told me about this place in Santa Monica that was completely vegan and organic. After several lackluster experiences with vegan options at other restaurants, I was interested to see how an actual vegan restaurant would compare. Thus, we spent our Friday night at Real Food Daily (www.realfood.com). I had seen it before and never realized it was a vegan place. They are committed to serving quality food sans animal product. They also have a bakery connected to the restaurant. Holy uneaten cow! Some of the best food I've ever had! The entire menu is organic, vegan (duh, and yay!) and frequently gluten free. Even the baked goods don't use animal fats or white sugar.  I had a hard time choosing from the lengthy menu. It all sounded so good. We finally decided to get two dishes and a salad and split them.

Caesar Salad

Fettuccine Alfredo

Supreme Burrito

I should probably note that it all looked so good, I forgot to take pictures until we were half way through. The portions were generous and the presentation was colorful. A feast for the eyes! The caesar salad dressing was rich, but not over heavy. It came with croutons that were sweet and tasted like they were made from pumpkin bread or something. Unexpected and it totally worked. The alfredo with spinach fettuccine and veggies was rich and creamy and dairy free! It came with a few slices of divine garlic bread. The burrito was HUGE! There were bean, rice, and avocado inside, as well as tempeh bacon (it actually tasted like bacon).  And it came with a big salad that we didn't even touch because we were so full! We also got some "milk" shakes, that tasted like my mom's homemade milkshakes. Mmmmm.

Vanilla and Chocolate Shakes

All of it was just really good food. Yes it's vegan and organic, but it was flavorful, rich, complex, and AWESOME! Liesel and I liked it so much we both bought the Real Food Daily Cookbook. Even though we were stuffed, it didn't make us feel that "I really shouldn't have eaten that last bite" blahness that can happen after a big meal. Even if I don't stay vegan after this month, I'm definitely going back to RFD. Four billion stars!