Tag Archive for: vegetarian

As we reported last June, Elf Cafe is expanding its footprint and applying for a beer/wine license. Just recently, the nearly six-year-old vegetarian restaurant broke ground and is well on its way to getting that license!

Thankfully, the restaurant will not have to close down for any of the renovations as it takes over the next door space formerly known as Branche Boutique, so you can still get your amazing vegetarian food. For those fans of Elf Cafe, or those who are general fans of cool locals who have cool businesses, you can support the restaurant’s new endeavors with a limited time deal. Almost like a Groupon or Gift Certificate, Elf Futures allows you to purchase a gift certificate that is worth twice as much when you spend it. So, for instance, $50 gift certificate will actually gets you $100 worth of food and drinks… in the future. Get it?

Elf Futures will only be available through October 31, 2012, and redeemable from January 1, 2013 through January 1, 2014. They can be purchased at the restaurant during business hours.

Elf Café is located at 2135 W Sunset Blvd and is open Wednesday through Sunday, 6-11:00 pm.

 

It’s been almost a year since Echo 1030 opened its doors for leasing its 20 loft-style, LEED Certified units, and now it looks like the retail/commercial space on the first floor is getting a new resident.

According to Eater LA, the eco-friendly building located at 1030 Alvarado is the future home of an unnamed vegetarian restaurant run by DJ Goura Chandra and Raffi Roumdikian of Seven Bar. Opening hopefully early next year, the restaurant joins nearby vegan restaurant Elf Cafe and newly opened Mohawk Bend. The Eater LA article describes what the new restaurant will have to offer:

Chandra, who has been a lifelong vegetarian, says that dishes served at the unnamed restaurant are based on “all my crazy and tasty food creations,” and while he will definitely oversee foodstuffs, he will most likely not serve as the day to day chef. In addition to a conventional dining room and lounge, the restaurant will also encompass a to-go counter selling wraps, sandwiches, and salads “in our mini Whole Foods-type convinience store which will be a part of the restraunt (no dividing walls).”

And because vegetarians do like to drink, expect plenty of booze. For the most part, the alcohol program centers around micro-brews and boutique wines, but cocktails will be available as well. Chandra says that he’s a big fan of craft beers and has a big hop craving 🙂 (his smiley face, not ours). For both food and drink, he plans to source locally and seasonally. Right now the space is raw and a full build-out is to come. Oh, and because Chandra hails from a music background, he intends on lining up DJs to play “cutting edge alternative music” in the restaurant’s lounge area.

The question is… can we have this many craft beer joints in Echo Park? Between Sunset Beer, Mohawk Bend, Red Hill (upcoming), El Prado, and the many restaurants with their own great beers on tap – my wallet might suffer. Echo Park is certainly becoming a hub for craft beers and restaurants!