Vegan MoFo Day 18:

Jyoti Bihanga is a restaurant run by the followers of Sri Chinmoy.  It is totally vegetarian with some vegan options and happens to be one of my favorite places to eat when I’m in San Diego.  I will always get the same thing here, because I just love it.  What is it?  Keep on reading, because I first have to tell you it comes with a salad.  You get your choice of dressing (vegan ones are clearly marked).  I got mine with the Lemon Tahini.  Simple and basic.  Now onto the entree…

Salad with Tahini Dressing

The Neatloaf ($12.95) is the most amazing vegan meatloaf I have ever had.  The first time I had this, I was with my mom and she just about flipped.  She said it reminded her of her childhood.  I’ve never had real meatloaf, but I can see where she’s coming from.  This stuff is good.  And it comes with some delicious mashed potatoes and gravy.  Yum.

Neatloaf

I also got something to-go for dinner.  I’ve had the Mock Duck Sandwich ($8.25) before and thought it was great.  Of course nothing on the menu will ever beat the Neatloaf, but this is a close runner up.  It’s made with their homemade BBQ sauce and served with those delicious mashed potatoes and gravy.

Mock Duck Sandwich

And since I was all the way down in San Diego – a place I frequent rarely – I thought I might as well get some dessert (you know – for blogging’s sake).  The Chocolate Mousse Pie ($5.95) is one of those vegan desserts made with tofu and natural sweeteners.  I thought it was a nice little sweet something, but not something phenomenal.  It was very chocolate-y and satisfying.

Chocolate Mousse Pie

If you are ever in San Diego, you have to go and get the Neatloaf!  Even if you can’t eat it at that moment, get it to-go (it’ll taste just as good the next day).  Seriously.  You’ll thank me later.

3351 Adams Avenue
San Diego, CA 92116
(619) 282-4116

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 11 am to 9 pm
Saturday noon to 9 pm
Wednesday 11 am to 3 pm

I grew up on a lot of fast food.  McDonald’s was a regular after school snack in my junior high days – which is actually kind of funny since I don’t eat at many fast food joints anymore.  The exception is of course for vegan fast food joints!!  I could eat at those everyday!! (well, not really- everyone has their grease capacity).

Evolution Fast Food is in the heart of San Diego.  Eat your meal and then burn it off by roaming the nearby Balboa Park.  Everything you could possibly want in the typical American fast food menu is there – sans animal products.  I don’t go to San Diego much, but I’ve tried enough to know that Evolution is my number 1 place to eat.  I think it might be the fact that they have vegan milkshakes!  I love milkshakes.  This trip I even got two milkshakes ($3.95) – a Chocolate Shake and a Strawberry Shake (strawberry shake picture came out blurry).   Oh man, these are good.

Chocolate Shake

Another “Holy Cow!!” moment was tasting their Chick’n Tenders ($3.50 small/$5.50 large).  These are how I remember chicken tenders.  The spices in the batter are perfect!  I got it with ranch to dip and I wish I had more – that little serving of ranch was barely enough for half these beauties.

Chick’n Tenders

One dish I wouldn’t get again was the Chili Cheese Fries ($3.95).  I thought they were just ok.  The chili wasn’t my favorite and it was a juicy kind of chili that made the fries soggy pretty fast.

Chili Cheese Fries

My friend got the Pesto Burger ($6.95) which he said he enjoyed.  It was just a burger with pesto slathered on it.  Mmm, vegan pesto.  I’m sure I would have enjoyed it, too.

Pesto Burger

And I got the Bacon Cheeseburger ($7.75) (sorry the gigantic piece of lettuce is getting in the way!). I was getting so full from my shake and the appetizers, that I could barely eat this burger.  It was really good, though – although I might just want to come back and get 10 orders of the chick’n tenders.

Bacon Cheeseburger

They also have a bunch of desserts packaged up ready for you to grab-and-go, which is exactly what I did.  I took a Boston Creme Cupcake ($3.50) home to enjoy a week later when all this food digested.  No really, I did eat it soon after and thought it was all right.  I’ve had better cupcakes up in LA, so I probably wouldn’t get this one again (and instead opt for a shake!!).

Boston Creme Cupcake

They even have a drive-thru for that classic “lazy-American” experience!!

2965 5th Ave
San Diego, CA 92103
619-550-1818

Daily 11 am – 9 pm