Foodies: Native Foods cooks up delicious vegan, vegetarian entrées
Submitted by Steven on 21 August, 2009 - 2:10pm
Aislinn and I got hungry for studying for the USMLE Step 1 boards exam, and we thought, "Why not get some good food for once?" We had been living off of frozen TV dinners for several months. It's time we dined!
So we found a place near OCTA lines 55 and 57 in Costa Mesa in the CAMP complex. Native Foods, the fruit of Chef Tanya Petrovna, sits beneath an unusually large plexiglass dome, encircling centrally-placed glass cases containing tantalizing vegan chocolate fudge desserts and baked goodness.
The dishes cost in the $8-$12 range, and for $1.50 extra, you get some delicious seasoned fries to boot. Aislinn got a veggie wrap with a side of sweet potato fries and downed a cold one. I got a Scorpion Burger, with blackened tempeh, chipotle sauce, lettuce, carrots, and onions. It was flavorful, delicious, not too salty, and had just the right crispness and freshness. The restaurant, overall, strongly reminded me of the Veggie Grill at the University Town Center in Irvine (near OCTA lines 59, 79, 175, and 178).
Unfortunately, I felt like the air inside the dome was a little stuffy, and, of course, I wouldn't come every day because of the price tag alone. Still, I'd gladly come back to try some of their other dishes. Vegetarian and vegan food, gourmet done right.
Native Foods, 2937 Bristol St # E100, Costa Mesa, CA - (714) 751-2151
