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Sante La Brea - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Middle Eastern Restaurants Vegetarian Restaurants Vegan Middle Eastern, Vegetarian, Vegan [Edit]
345 N La Brea AveLos Angeles, CA 90036
Neighborhoods: Mid-City West, West Hollywood
(323) 857-0412
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
102 reviews for Sante La Brea
Review Highlights
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"Served with our brown rice-quinoa mix & slaw." In 3 reviews -
"...their Peanut Butter Vegan Gluten Free cheesecake next time." In 7 reviews -
"And the green-aid is beyond delicious." In 3 reviews
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102 reviews in English
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Review from Elizabeth H.
Los Angeles, CA
2/8/2012
Unfortunately i wasn't one as lucky as the previous reviewer who wandered into this restaurant on its last weekend. I made the trek, one i rarely make to get a pick me up at my favorite old school restaurant, only to discover it was gone. I'll miss those desserts, too. Dean, I don't know if you are your sons check this site, but i really wanted to say thank you for so many wonderful meals. You paid such good attention to your customers and your food. it's a shame you are gone, but rest assured you gave so much to so many of us over the years. Best, EH (always with a KCRW card)
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Review from Danny K.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 7/2/2011
On June 1st, Santa La Brea closed its doors permanently. There are so many memories that were forged in this place, and Dean and Arthur always treated my friends and my family with real generosity. It was quite a surprise when Arthur told me that they were closing down. I was fortunate to wander in the last weekend they were open without any idea they were about to close.
I will miss the Santa Ranchero, Turkey Chili Omelet, the baked Samosas, the Blue Corn and Oatmeal Pancakes. Most of all, I will miss seeing the familiar faces and the generous service that was always provided to me and those in my company. It was my favorite place to go and detox after a weekend of debauchery. Thanks for all the memories and best of luck to you in your future endeavors.Listed in: My Neighborhood
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/25/2008
I've been going to Sante La Brea for years. While the remodeling has given the place a nice look,… Read more »
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Review from James M.
Los Angeles, CA
2/3/2011
If I could give negative stars, I would.
I had a terrible experience ordering food from Sante La Brea. Now, I've never been to the restaurant - so the experience may be completely different when you're actually there in person. But, ordering food for delivery was a nightmare. Out of 12 lunches ordered only one person had their order correct, felt the food was as described, and liked it. The other 11 either had issues like 'There's no steak in my sizzling steak fajitas' or things like 'this ahi tuna is overcooked (and it was, cooked solidly through so there was no pink at all, not seared as expected), and smells like cat food'.
They also took an hour and a half to deliver. This wouldn't be so bad if they had simply said so- but they estimated the time as 45-60 minutes. Look, at least give me some options- just tell me that it's going to take 90 minutes so I can plan accordingly, or choose to order from somewhere else.
The verdict on set: NEVER ORDER FROM THEM AGAIN!!!
I really wanted it to be good, as we have vegetarian, vegan and gluten allergic folks here, and I love to offer them good, healthy options when we order food in. But, Sante La Brea utterly failed to deliver- at least via delivery.Comment from Dawn S. of Sante La Brea 2/10/2011
We're sorry to read that you were dissatisfied with your… More » -
Review from Ray K.
Los Angeles, CA
4/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Vegan/vegetarian cuisine is like a whole different world to me. I always get a kick out of things that are created to taste like other things (meat candy for example.)
So a couple years back this place was known for being on Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen nightmares. He came in, reinvented all the dishes and the rest is history. I wish I had eaten here when he was in town as I have no idea what was kept and what was changed from back then.
Came on a weekday, walked in and it was pretty empty. Sat near the window and the waiter brought me water infused with orange or some sort of fruit. Not bad.
Ordered some sort of ravioli thing, gf ordered a salad. Both were very good! For appetizers we got the Spinach quesadilla with cashew cheese, which was a bit runny but I keep forgetting to not compare vegan food with traditional cuisine, it's all very experimental I know.
Service was decent, waiter was nice, ambience was dark but cozy.
No complaints, ill totally be back. -
Review from Sean B.
3/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
A colleague, who happens to be a vegetarian, suggested this place as an option that was geographically equidistant to each of us. Sounded like a fair compromise, and I was excited to see that there was meat on the menu (quite considerate of him), so I agreed and we met up on a Friday night for dinner.
Surprisingly slow for a weekend evening - I suppose it's more of a lunch place for local businesses. A smaller venue, decorated in a cute quaint way, with slight Mediterranean touches and a vaguely hippie feel reminiscent of little Berkeley venues. Our waitress, who was pulling double duty as a bartender, was pleasant enough and attentive... and we ordered a few dishes, a beer for me, and off she went.
Everyone seemed to like what they'd ordered. I got the nachos, since appetizers were $2 off and it was only a $6 plate. Winner... The beer was also $2 off of $2, so realistically I got a bargain basement dinner, for the cost of fast food I got real food. Happy about that.
Everyone liked it, there were lots of vegetarian and even vegan options, yet it wasn't over-the-top about it... so I was happy with that too.
Cute little place, food was good if not amazing... parking wasn't fun but at least it was easy tonight, I got lucky though.
I'd go back, but I wouldn't rush back. -
Review from Steve G.
Los Angeles, CA
5/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stopped here for a late lunch one afternoon while walking along LaBrea. We're not vegans. We didn't realize this place served vegan food until we saw "Chick-Un" on the menu. The orange water was also different, as it was served warm with no ice. The falafel wrap was much bigger than expected and not bad. However, the slaw that it came with was not what I expected because it was more so pickled cabbage than a traditional cole slaw with mayo. The Southwestern salad was decent but was served warm, which was odd.
Anyway, if you want to try this place out, you better hurry. They are set to close on June 1st and will become a German restaurant. -
Review from Mirai B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/20/2011 8 Check-ins Here
My new favorite restaurant!!
So excited to have discovered this hidden gem on Yelp. A FANTASTIC choice if you are dining with anyone who has food allergies or other diet restrictions. You can find here vegan, gluten free, nut free, and the best part is there is still actual fish and meat products for your non-veg friends.
The green juice is AMAZING, as is the free flow lemonade. I've only managed to try the Tempeh BLT so far, and it's the first time in 10 years of being vegetarian that I liked tempeh. So much, in fact, that I cam back the very next day to get it again.
Also a very nice atmosphere. You can sit outside at the long picnic tables and feel like you're in some resort, or sit inside at the little cafe tables.
Service was awesome, one of the nicest, most on-the-ball staff I've ever encountered in Los Angeles. Clearly knowledgable and enthusiastic about the food.
Cannot wait to try the rest of the menu. Will be back often! -
Review from J B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/15/2011
Just spent almost $200 on a work lunch, and the food was pretty blah.
Really disappointing for a vegan who orders a "patty melt" from a place that prides itself in vegan/veggie options, and it's nothing but a boca burger on some soggy bread with mustard. Got charged for vegan cheese, but definitely no cheese. Unless that WAS the cheese, but it was more like mustard. With so many places in Hollywood that offer amazing vegetarian options, it's going to be a long time before I give this place another shot. I remember a long time ago, they had really great baked tofu, but it's not on the menu anymore. Try the waffle if you're looking for something with both veg options and meat options.
The verdict is out for the rest of the staff, some people enjoyed their lunch, others said it was bad. Comments from the staff were: "The pasta dish had way too much garlic, nearly inedible", "The burger was really dry", and the "Curry wrap was good." -
Review from Lili C.
Los Angeles, CA
4/16/2011
Sante La Brea, I heart you. My friend took me here for dinner - a place that I never would've picked myself because I generally don't go to vegetarian/vegan/"healthy" restaurants.
Then food here was incredible. I had a salmon on rice with an amazing tamari-ginger-cream sauce. And let me tell you about the vegan chocolate cake. Absolutely delicious. Sweet dark chocolatey, gooey, moist goodness. And it's freakin' vegan! We couldn't believe it.
MUST GO BACK. -
Review from Dr D.
Los Angeles, CA
10/2/2010
To Our Health - And Our Happy
http://www.allabouthap...
Santé! Life! à votre santé in French means "to life or to your health!" The creators of Santé La Brea most assuredly had our health in mind when they crafted their wonderful happy hour menu.
Santé La Brea has much to brag about, starting with the generous portion sizes and delightfully eclectic selection on their happy hour. We were enraptured by the Top Notchos! A basic nacho appetizer but with fiesta corn chips topped with black beans & black bean sauce, melted cheddar-jack cheese, fresh cilantro, scallions, and pico de gallo.
Now the real genius to their menu is that anyone can sub real cheese for vegan cheese as well as add chicken, turkey, salmon, ahi, tofu, tempuh, and chick-un on almost every dish on the menu making this restaurant Mecca for husbands like Dr. Drinks who still enjoy meat while wife, the Veggie Vixen, is a true pescatarian! Vegan foodies should flock to this establishment for happy hour and for dinner.
Another dish we thoroughly enjoyed, and just to be clear we devoured everything we ate, was the Baked Samosa at $7 regularly, but on happy hour it was only $5. It comes with two samosa's (cut into four pieces), and is made with grilled whole wheat chapatti stuffed with potatoes, red peppers, peas & cheddar-jack cheese. Topped with their vegan curry cream sauce and big enough to fill us full and feel especially healthy.
The drinks are standard happy hour fare with a decent wine and beer selection. Be sure to ask what organic beer doesn't appear on the menu. Dr. Drinks enjoyed a wonderful wheat beer infused with Acai Berry. The cocktails aren't much to write home about, but at least they have the option. Similar to our review of The Studio Cafe in Studio City, Santé La Brea doesn't have a full liquor license, so they make their "cocktails" with Soju which lacks the punch of a good strong Bombay Martini. Real cocktail aficionados will want to start their happy hour crawl at Luna Park down La Brea where Wilshire crosses for a few cocktails then migrate north to Santé La Brea for some of the best happy hour food this happy hour crew has had the pleasure to enjoy.
Here's to your life! May it include a stop into Santé La Brea. For pictures and more happy hour goodness go here: http://www.allabouthap... -
Review from Arielle R.
Los Angeles, CA
3/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Bahhh I LURV IT HERE!!!!!
Best place for vegans, vegetarians, and meat eaters to eat together in harmony!!! The curry is always a must order, and you can choose proteins like temeph, tofu, fake chicken, real chicken etc etc etc. Its just the best. Also their Macro Lover Plate is fabooooosh, so satifying and filling and HEALTHY! I have been less impressed with the falafel plate and tofu steak dinner, and disliked the edamame.
THEIR RAW CAROB DESERT IS AMAMAMAMAMAMAMAZING. I am obsessed with eating raw and the fact that they have a raw food option in their desert menu is already a huge win. I can't wait to try their Peanut Butter Vegan Gluten Free cheesecake next time :) -
Review from Joie de vivre S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/28/2011
So, I don't eat gluten, corn, dairy, soy or nuts and there are PLENTY of options for me at Sante La Brea. Really, those of you with food-allergies should get your buns down there. The food is delicious, diverse and the service is incredible. One of the waiters, Adrian, is delightful. He knew the ingredients in each dish well which made ordering (for me) unusually easy.
The one thing I will say, is that I have always wanted the restaurant's decor to get a make-over. I think business would boom if a talented interior designer got his or her hands on it. -
Review from Sasha D.
San Mateo, CA
9/27/2010
Mediocre is a word that comes to mind.
I've been here twice so far and the first time was pretty good. I ordered the cheapest thing which was the $5 vegan chilli. It was great! Just took a little while to make (which was kind of important to me because I was on my lunch break).
The second time I decided , god knows why, to splurge on something decadent and expensive and ordered the salmon over cous cous (it was a daily special). I was a little anxious for paying $12 for that, which is usually way to much for me for lunch, but excited.
First of all, the food took a pretty long time to get to my table (it was a suuper hot day and I was just writhing in my seat from sweatiness and boredom). The only plus side to this situation was that the whole time I was trying to covertly stare at some people next to me cuz i thought they were famous...and then later I went online and found out they were pretty famous actors...heheh...ok back to my review, celebrities go here I guess!!
So the salmon: Was oook at most. Not dry but not great flavour. The cous cous was terrible!! Completely bland. I was just stuffing it in my face cuz I paid for it. The plate also came with steamed broccoli and some green beans. The beans had a garlic sauce and were pretty good, but the broccoli was completely flavorless and dry...and this is coming from some one who LOVES BROCCOLI!...nuff said
I took the rest of that crappy meal with me and promptly forgot in the office fridge...oh well, i dont miss it. -
Review from Angela G.
Los Angeles, CA
3/5/2011
Been coming here for years...but just getting around to posting a review.
So...we went for dinner last night and it is still excellent!
Hubby had BBQ chicken pizza-excellent flavor...crust is very wholesome tasting.
I had Salmon-excellent.
Friends had the patty melt and pancakes-they loved both!
Try the green drink....yummy! -
Review from Sarah C.
Burbank, CA
12/1/2010
I love this place! I come here often and the food and service is always amazing! I generally try to get something different each time I come, but regardless of what I order I always have to have their "topnachos". I highly recommend the nachos, the banana and blue berry pancakes, turkey burger, and the awesome asparagus! And the green-aid is beyond delicious! But make sure its icey, when it's not at the right consistency it can taste gross.
All in all I love the place :] -
Review from Corey N.
Toluca Lake, CA
3/5/2011
Here is the deal....I am not a vegan guy by any means. I am not someone who gets excited about vegan meals and gluten free things. Typically I see this as a sign of food not tasting at its fullest potential. Sort of like how I view non-fat items. Do not be fooled by Santé La Brea! If you are going to eat health and don't want to sacrifice flavor, this is the place to do it.
I ate here last night for the first time and I had a combination of the oatmeal and the yellow corn with blueberries pancakes. Hands down the best pancakes I have ever had! I was shocked! I was even more shocked to find out that besides me putting butter on the pancakes...they were vegan! We later had their orgasmic orange cake as well as the chocolate penut butter cheesecake. The orgasmic orange cake was pretty good. It is SUPER orange tasting. It was pretty good....but I recommend only getting it if you really like orange tasting things. It is really bold in it's taste. The Penut butter cheesecake was pretty epic though....and it was gluten free! Awesome!
I guess I can't vouch for the rest of the menu but from what I experienced....this restaurant is pretty fantastic! -
Review from Ani P.
12/4/2008
I'm an idiot. I thought Sante was some sort of holiday cuisine? I dunno what I was thinking. Sometimes I'm a serous fool. I maybe the dumbest smart person ever.
I had a doctor's appointment today. I was feeling pretty awful. Puke-a-licious. Yet, I was starving. That's what happens when you spend the morning hurling to the point all you taste is green bile. Lovely. I needed a dose of healthy, tasty health.
My friend suggested Sante after my doc's appointment. The restaurant is adorable. There's 2 tiny tables in front surrounded by greenery. On the left side there's comfy woody seats with lime green pillows. Insanely adorable. Green is my color yo.
The waiter (may have been the owner) greeted us. He was so jovial and upbeat. I felt good already giving him my business. I needed positivity, seeing as I was feeling like crap. We chose to sit outside in front of the restaurant. That way I could run and puke if necessary on La Brea. Better than puking in the restaurant!
We ordered the spelt pizza and macro plate. I asked for hot sauce, b/c I like things crazy spicy. The waiter brought me 2 different varieties. One was for the weak and the other was for hardy chicks like me.
Spelt pizza: We got the veggie crumble b/c my friend is veg. But meat is an option. We chose provolone cheese versus soy. I respect vegans and all, but seriously I'll take real cheese any day. Perhaps I'm a bastard. The pizza had fresh basil and grilled peppers/onions. It looked amazing. I took one bite and I was done. I have strong food aversions right now, the basil did me in. My friend absolutely adored the dish. I know I would too if it weren't for my crazy aversions/cravings.
Macro Plate: The plate had tofu (in a zesty creamy sauce), hijiki, tahini, black beans, mixed vegetables and came with brown rice w/ quinoa. Now this is what my body was craving. Yum, yum good. I sprinkled some hot sauce and was ready to go. I felt nourished and light. My tummy is delighted. And I didn't puke any of it up! Good stuff. Pregnant ladies, check it out!
The entire meal cost $21. We had a coupon! The evening menu is prepared by Gordon Ramsay. Oooh la la. And they deliver!! If you live close it's about $2 and $5 if ya live far. F*ck Yeah!!!
Cheers to health!
P.S. THEY HAVE MEAT TOO!!! This place is not straight up veg. So there's something for everyone. My meat eater husband would be pleased. -
Review from bernice c.
Los Angeles, CA
I came here after watching Kitchen Nightmares. Hoping I'd see the family team that ran the place. It seems that they've changed owners. The decor is still the same from the show though. The menus however are not, this place has a huge menu and was distracting to sort through all of it.
I'm not a Vegetarian, but the Baja Tostada was really good and did not make me miss meat at all. I also ordered the Sante Curry, but didn't think much of this. I thought the food would've had some Ramsey magic, but it didn't. Very kind service and clean decor.
If I could I would give it a 3.5Comment from Dawn S. of Sante La Brea 3/13/2010
Hi Bernice! Actually, the same family is still running Sante… More » -
Review from Melody S.
Pasadena, CA
11/6/2007
Any restaurant in which I can eat as much as I did and not feel like puking is pretty damn cool in my book.
A mostly vegan restaurant with meat options, Sante La Brea is great to take your meat-eating friends to; there's something for everyone. There is interesting artwork on the walls, and the upstairs loft is full of very intriguing things that I think might be there solely for conversation-starters. More art, a bizarre pink light, and, hey-- is that a karaoke machine?
Sante La Brea doesn't deep fry-- the samosas are a hearty potato-and-veg filling wrapped inside whole grain tortillas, and the felafel is-- what? Baked? I'm not sure, but it works. They make a point of not adding fat to their dishes, but somehow everything is very rich and definitely filling. I had the macro plate. My 5 (very carnivorous) friends all ordered different dishes-- ma po tofu, a felafel plate, the South of the Border plate, and some other dishes I don't remember. We got blue corn nachos and samosas. Everything looked yummy, and everyone really liked their food. At least I assume so, due to the amount of face-stuffing that was going on.
After dinner, our waiter surprised us with a free plateful of Mystery Cookies. I'm not sure why we got to have them, but who am I to pass up a free cookie? But then I figured out why they were free-- I believe the mystery flavours were sponge with essence of banana. Maybe a hint of rubber cement. My friend actually tried to mop up a spill with a piece of her cookie. It worked. Scary.
But hell, they were free cookies, so I really can't complain.
In any case, spongy cookies aside, Sante La Brea is a great place to fill up-- and I do mean fill up, as I'm still full from last night-- on extremely healthy food for a fairly decent price (with a good tip, we all rolled ourselves out of there for $20/pp). I will definitely be back.
**Note: Doggies happily allowed outside. Sweetie-approved.**Listed in: My Four-Star List, Melody's List O' Bitchin' Veg…, For The Dogs
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Review from Li J.
Los Angeles, CA
10/24/2009
HA!
With this review I have 77 reviews AND 77 friends - I am just a bit OCD and I have a thing about symmetry. You can call me Monk....
So this joint is down the street from my crib and I swear I haven't been in years. In the past they've always had a B rating and y'all know I don't go nowhere that has a B rating.
A while ago they hung a giant poster indicating that they were on Kitchen Nightmares and that Chef Gordon Ramsey completely reworked the restaurant and the menu. I've been meaning to get over there since they hung the sign to see the changes first hand.
I was pleasantly surprised - looks like the place has been remodeled and they even have a super cute outside patio area. They also seem to have added a few new items to menu. Most importantly, they had an A rating from the LA County Health Department.
I ordered breakfast - the Trainer's Special Breakfast made VEGAN. So instead of eggs, they gave me scrambled tofu, instead of sausage they gave me tempeh bacon and they made me some lovely yellow cornmeal VEGAN pancakes with blueberries. All was delicious!
They still have a few operational kinks to work out. For example, there was one person both waiting tables and handling take out orders - not a good idea. In addition, in my to go bag they put a fork only (no knife to cut my pancakes) - and my pancakes were a little darker than I normally like them. Not too much to complain about, but at the mid-level price range - they need to step up their service a bit.
In all, I will be back. -
Review from jericha s.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 1/20/2011
Had a pleasantly lonely little lunch here the other day and it seems they have stepped it up with the food and timely service.
my vegan BLT(w complimentary A) was maybe the best i've ever had next to my own. i wanted soup too and lucky me, they have a half sandwich/cup of soup lunch combo...but i also wanted just a little salad for some crunchy and my waiter brought me a wee bit of their "seven wonders" lemon vinaigrette slaw for free!!! thanks, man.
so i got a delicious soup/sandwich combo, a little slaw, and an iced tea for $10...and was in and out of there in under 30 minutes. this place made it back into my happy places :)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/17/2009
the food here is like, well...cafeteria vegan.
definitely not the best (or 2nd or 3rd...) but not… Read more »
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Review from Eva V.
6/23/2009
On principle, I have a problem with giving a restaurant four stars if that fourth star is earned solely by the ambiance, but I'm willing to make an exception for Santé La Brea. This past weekend my boyfriend and I tried this place out before heading on to the Griffith Observatory (see upcoming review). It's main selling points were its heavily vegan menu that still offered options for my omnivorous sweetie (who, incidentally, ordered vegan anyway. I guess you just can't predict these things).
The look of this place is fantastic. It's something of a mix between an earthy zen spa and a Mediterranean cafe. The spa atmosphere is accentuated by the meditation music playing in the background, the trickling water sounds emanating from the fountains, candles flickering around the tables, and the tasty cucumber water they serve. A great date location if you're looking for a quieter evening out, as we were nearly the only people there at 7pm on a Friday night.
Edamame to start (one vote for overcooked, another for "just fine"). I ordered the Baja in tostada form with grilled faux-chicken strips. The chicken strips were probably the most outstanding part of this tostada as they were nicely grilled and with a lovely charbroiled taste. Aside from the ones I make at home, this was the best vegan tostada I've ever had. Nothing missing from this flavorful dish! Who would have thought tahini sauce and quinoa would taste so good in a tostada? My boyfriend had the macro which he enjoyed but he wasn't exactly licking the plate clean.
I was disappointed that they only offered two choices for beer, one being some lame domestic and Corona. At a place like this, I would expect something a little tastier and classier (don't get me wrong, though, given the right time and place, a Corona makes my heart sing). Also, I hate to be *this* kind of reviewer, but the prices here are really the deal-breaker. I enjoyed my meal but I'm not sure how likely I am to return for an $11 (albeit delicious) tostada.Listed in: Veg-friendly LA
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Review from Stephy S.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2007
I LOVE FOOD.
And sadly, sometimes it shows
SO
When I want to slim down or trim the bod a bit I like to come here as it meets two important foodie needs. Tasty and healthy. The macrobiwhateverthehell menu is actually pretty interesting and if you aren't into that there is "regular" food too.
Some of my faves include:
GARLIC BITS
MEDITERRANEAN PLATTER
HUMUS Quesadillaaar topped with Bravada Sauce
and the BLACK BEAN CHILI
So give it a go, your booty will thank you for it :) -
Review from Eric M.
Los Angeles, CA
8/27/2008
I dunno what happened!
I have been to Sante La Brea several times in the past and it's always been good-- flavorful, interesting, etc.
But I took my pal Barry M. there the other night and I hate to say it, his review here on Yelp is spot-on: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The pate was pretty flavorless and the texture was odd (it's mushroom and walnuts-- why would they grind it into a homogeneous spread, instead of keeping some of the nubbyness of the mushrooms and gentle crunch of the walnuts?).
The stir-fry was fine (a large portion and generous with the chicken breast, which I liked), but also very light on the flavor-- super bland. I added a ton of salt and pepper to try to spice it up. The chef must have been asleep on that one.
But the capper was the BIZARRE oily, spongey "oatmeal chocolate chip" cookie. I was going to get an order and the waitress offered to bring one out for us to try-- did she know they were weird? The cookie had no oatmeal that I could detect, just a ton of chocolate chips and this bizarre sponge-like texture... plus it left a huge oil slick on my fingertips after eating it... SO weird. It reminded me of those early creepy franken-foods made with Olestra (remember that, the fake fat?) that were oily and odd.
(There was also a whole thing where our server explained that sometimes she makes the cookies, and sometimes the other guy makes the cookies-- he had made this spongey batch-- and that when she makes them, they're better and crunchy. Ok, so why exactly are there two totally different recipes for the same dish? And why is one of those recipes SO crappy as to produce food that is simply inedible?!!)
Anyhow. The meal was a total 1-star; the service was good and I've had good meals in the past at Sante La Brea but this time the food was the pits. Barry will never go there again (which sucks, since now I'm the guy who introduced him to the crappy restaurant) and I'm not sure what it would take me to get there again.
What happened?! :-( Sante, are you out there? Feel free to email me and make it all better... I really want to like you again... -
Review from Anh T.
Pasadena, CA
9/30/2008
Bernie S. and I decided that it was finally time to catch up, since I'm a terrible friend who will flake on you to throw puppies down the stairwell. Being the snooty health foodie, I allowed him to pick our venue as long as the general Yelp consensus provided at least 4 stars.
Sante La Brea is a modern tree-hugger's dream, with stylish decor and handmade wooden tables that seemed wobbly for a purpose I haven't figured out. It was a very relaxed environment, especially with our waitress, who, though friendly, took her merry ass time taking the correct order. As Cartman would say, "fucking hippies!"
Although they have a very vegan friendly menu, I am far from a salad shooter, thus ordered a chicken spinach zucchini wrap with a side of slaw. The wrap was decent, though way heavy on the spinach...I'm not Popeye. The Bernster was quite excited about the Macro plate, and so it was a done deal...except that his food looked like different colors of raw poop (which I think is pretty normal for many Macro meals). I don't think it was terrible tasting but we agreed it could have been better. Moreover, I'd comment on the hummus appetizer we ordered, but the waitress was too busy making out with a tree to pay sufficient attention.
The one shining star was their passionfruit iced tea. Being a regular unsweetened iced tea drinker, it was by far the BEST ICED TEA I've ever had. Unfortunately, although they portray the lax vibe, I doubt they'd be very happy if I reserved one of their popular rickety tables to enjoy a mere glass of $2 iced tea. I mean, hippies gotta make money too, right? -
Review from Natalie A.
Los Angeles, CA
9/1/2008
I can't believe I haven't written a review for Sante yet! This place is def one of my default weekend lunch spots.
Sante La Brea serves healthy, high quality food with a variety of vegan options - and room for substitutions. They aim to accommodate every patron's specific dietary needs by working with you to create your perfect meal. This is key for a girl like me because I am "that girl" who asks the waiter to substitute my order to the point that it's practically a new menu item. It's great for me, but stressful for the waiter, given that the probability of him screwing up my custom order reaches a whole new level. But I digress...
So, they never screw up at Sante. In fact, the best thing about their service is that once you customize your order and you love it, they can fill out a card for you with the details of your order. A record is kept with your name and the order so every time you come in just say "My name is _ _ _ and I'll have my Special." Brilliant!
"Natalie's Special" is an ahi tuna wrap with grilled veggies, no cheese, no onions, and a small salad with their lemon house dressing on the side. I dip the wrap in the delicious dressing and just like that, I'm in heaven. Oh and their desserts are the bomb as well - and its all vegan! Try their carrot cake and you will never eat the dairy, buttery, fake crap version again.
An extension of the La Brea location is A Votre Sante, located in Brentwood. The menu is slightly different, but just as great. I'd say go to Sante La Brea for breakfast/ brunch/ lunch and go to A Votre Sante for dinner/ dessert.Listed in: Healthy Deliciousness
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Review from Jessica L.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 5/31/2009
THEY'RE BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! Man, it's been a long tumultuous road with this place. We started off on a high note, it was love at first sight. We had a torrid weekly love affair.
Then things got predictable, but I hung in there. Then one day, like with most relationships, it just went sour. And I didn't come around anymore. I needed some space.
Then after a prolonged break, I popped in to see how things were doing. They had made some changes, things looked promising. And now? Well it's better than ever! And their Baja Tostada Salad is like falling in love all over again.
Sante, it's so good to have you back!Listed in: Veggie Friendly Eateries
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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4/21/2009
The last time I came here with my fiance, like 4/5 months ago, right after Gordon Ramsay's show had… Read more »
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Review from Allison M.
Culver City, CA
7/24/2008
I've been twice in the last month for brunch. Love love love a brunch menu with veggie sausage. The french toast is really good too-- they are heavy handed with the cinnamon on it, which is what I want when I want french toast. The potato pancake is also really good and ungreasy.
It was nice going here once with a vegetarian and a non veg and having both have no problem with the menu.
Maybe I need to stop talking about them because it's making me hungry. -
Review from C G.
Los Angeles, CA
9/16/2006
Update (1/16/2008):
After many months of experimentation with its funkified decor, the interior appointments of the Sante have finally come together into a coherent blend. There is still enough residual funkiness (e.g., the loft with two human-sized amphora-shaped paper lamps) to make things interesting, but the flagrant violations of feng shui, such as the display counter in the dining area, and the plug-in fountain in the middle of the floor, have been thoroughly expunged, and a new, more polished look has replaced them.
On the down side, as of this writing Sante no longer has the wild Alaskan salmon. But the new vegan chocolate chip cookies are spectacular, airy, and light, which makes them even better than the (nonetheless very tasty) flat and dense cookies of yore.
The food remains otherwise unchanged; that is, it is still healthful, delicious and reasonably priced (although prices are slightly higher than their former rock-bottom levels).
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Old review (from 9/162006)
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This is one of my three favorite restaurants, the other two being the Newsroom Cafe and Real Food Daily.
For comparison with the Newsroom, I would say that Sante is somewhat less expensive, somewhat more health-oriented, but not quite as fancy in the preparation of the food (which is nonetheless very good), although the desserts, in my opinion, are better than the Newsroom's. Also, Sante is free of refined sugar and dairy, while Newsroom is not (although it has many sugar and dairy-free items).
For comparison with Real Food Daily, the differences would be once again that Sante is less expensive, and also that RFD is exclusively vegan, while Sante offers both vegetarian (e.g., tofu or tempeh) and non-vegetarian (e.g., chicken, turkey or fish) options (but its faire, like RFD's, is completely dairy-free). RFD's desserts may also have a slight edge in terms of taste, and certainly in terms of variety,
Sante has a very diverse regular menu of health-oriented foods, plus (normally) two daily specials. Most of the produce is organic as available (just ask your server). It is one of the few places in L.A. that commonly uses wild-caught Alaskan salmon (not as part of the regular menu, but as a frequent special, so call ahead, and ask whether it is Alaskan, because sometimes it is not). Alaska is the only state in the U.S. that has never had a fish advisory, so I'm gambling that it might still be safe to eat salmon if it comes from there and is wild. The best is the salmon cous cous, although the salmon fajitas are also very good. Another frequent special is the turkey loaf, which comes with the rice blend and vegetables, and is excellent.
The emphasis, as the name suggests, is on health. The meals are reasonably priced, with good-sized entrees that normally include a side vegetable and brown rice (not just plain old dull brown rice but a nice mix of rice, onions and other vegetables) from about $8-$15 . From the regular menu, my personal favorite is the Rosemary Chicken Wrap, which is filled with brown rice, chicken breast, vegetables and a special sauce, with some cole slaw and roasted potatoes on the side (under $10). There are about ten different kinds of wraps, plus various salads, risottos, pasta dishes, etc. Most dishes can be ordered vegetarian or with chicken.
The preparation, while not fancy, is tasty and nicely presented. The ambience is casual, tables on painted concrete, some artwork, some interesting lighting and ironwork, friendly staff, good service. In terms of people, a nice mix of artsy/entertainment-looking folks, with the occasional recognizable celebrity (maybe three times in the dozens of times I've eaten there - mostly they like more upscale venues, which is fine with me).
Drinks include a very nice bottomless glass of Bancha iced tea, various other specialty teas, fresh-squeezed carrot-ginger juice, and a number of other items.
Each day there are two soups, typically broccoli, cauliflower, yellow split pea, or lentil, with a small piece of corn bread on the side. These are wholesome and palatable, although, once again, not fancy.
All meals can be prepared to go. I often order ahead from work and pick up a meal to go on the way home. The desserts are also quite good, and are entirely made without refined sugar or dairy. The chocolate chip cookies are large and tasty, and reasonably priced. The blueberry tofu cheesecake (also entirely non-dairy) while a bit pricey, is excellent.
Sante La Brea is located at 345 N. La Brea Ave. (just north of Beverly on the west side of the street) in a small complex that also includes the East India Grill and the newly-opened Zee Cafe. Their phone number is (323) 857-0412.
Per Yelp's review guidelines, I have no relationship with this restaurant other than being a frequent and satisfied customer. -
Review from Bowe K.
Burbank, CA
4/16/2009
This is actually my first review. I research a ton, but rarely feel inclined to write. However, the experience was so exceptional I felt actually obligated! I take my wife out every week to new restaurants, and we have just started this no gluten, no processed sugar, no dairy diet, which... Up to this point, It's been difficult because everything tastes bland and boring and tedious.
Walking in to the restaurant...it's not a big spot, and just has some small two-seat tables scattered around the interior with an open patio on the side. It's not really much to look at in the way of decor...very innocuous and unobtrusive. It actually felt homley and inviting. The music was also a great choice at a perfect level so it didn't interfere with talking across the table, but it drowned out other people's discussions, and the type of music was good. It was some kind of new age type thing with a strong beat, but not club...much more relaxed... kind of Enigma...ish.
The waiter (Sam) was superb and attentive. He was friendly and helpful making great recommendations, but still gave us space and time. My water glass was never empty.
The food was outstanding. I'm not a nut's and twig and vegetable type of guy. If I had my druthers, I would eat steak, bread, and cheese all day every day, but obviously I would probably die of a heart attack in 5 years... I started with the nachos, my wife with the hummus. The hummus was okay, but I thought the nachos were above average for not having real cheese. For dinner, I chose the curry chicken dish, and my wife chose the spinach burrito. Both were surprisingly delicious, and the servings were VERY generous. I was so full from the nachos and hummus that I couldn't eat much of the curry even though I wanted to, nor could my wife, so we each piled our meals into take out containers, which were both full to the brim.
My wife is a dessert fan, and we ordered the cheeseless cheescake, and the peanut butter cheescake. Both were surprisingly good. I didn't think this type of food could taste this good.
So we had two appetizers, two drinks a piece (Tea and some green-aid slushy which was mm-mm good) two HUGE meals and two desserts for under $60.
Not to mention the chef actually came out and introduced himself... George. Great guy and gave some very insightful advice about nutrition once I told him what I was trying to do with my diet.
I couldn't ask more of my dining experience, and I will add this restaurant to the short list of restaurants we frequent. -
Review from Don C.
Los Angeles, CA
1/8/2011
We loved this place!
GETTING THERE: It's an easy to find and hip little bistro/dinner-espue spot on LaBrea. It's best to come after 7pm in order to find easy parking on LaBrea, we came to dinner at 6pm so had to find a meter on an off street due to rush hour parking restrictions.
DECOR: This place has both indoor and outdoor seating. Inside seating is limited but we were early so had no problems getting a table on a Friday night at 6pm.
SERVICE: Really friendly and laid back staff, not too bubbley but very polite and helpful.
TIP: Their happy hour goes until 7pm so we got $2 off each drink and each appitizer.
FOOD: Absolutley amazing. My GF is a vegitarian and they had tons of options. It's a mostly mexican menu but many dishes are served with Tahini sauce so it's not straight rice and beans. I ordered the Tostata - very fresh greens, good rice, they didn't pile on the black beans, came with gauac and sour cream, again...not your typical mexican flavor but it was almost more of taco salad. My GF had the Ole Plater and I liked it even better then my dish. It was kind of like a Chicken Marsala....great flavor, well cooked and very fresh.
OVERALL: Will make this a regular eating spot. We are actually going back there on Sunday for Brunch since the breakfast menu looked really good. Nice date spot or a low key place to have dinner on the weekend or a week night. -
Review from Roxy S.
Los Angeles, CA
5/16/2009
What I like most about Sante La Brea is that it is a healthy place for meat eaters and veggies alike. I myself don't eat meat, but most of my friends and boyfriend do, so I like to eat at places where everyone can be happy.
I have mainly eaten here for dinner, so I highly recommend the Falafel entree if you're into that kind of thing. They give you a LOT of food and I especially like that the falafel is grilled, not fried. Their hummus is pretty yummy, too. Their menu covers different types of food so even if you're not that into "health food" you will still find something you like.
I also like their drink menu and desserts. The only downer is that sometimes it can be a bit tricky finding free parking in the neighborhood (I hate valet!). But if you live nearby it's easy to find, so I like to walk there.Listed in: Top of the Chops
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Review from Shulie L.
Claremont, CA
1/14/2009
Was brought to this adorable little haven by a good friend of mine. The ambiance and decor is really something else.. loved it. They have a really cute and comfy outdoor patio. Maybe I'll bring my pup next time..
Started off with the hummus.. which was real hummus. I ordered the Chix and Artichoke (brown, almost-curry-ish sauce with mushrooms, peas and ginger wild rice), and my friend ordered Chix and Asparagus (a very very light creamy sauce). I secretly liked my friend's dish a tiny bit more, but my entree was delicious as well. I would highly recommend the Chix and Asparagus to anyone who eats food to sustain life! We ended with "Chai-Lattes". I'm still not sure what it is we had, but we told them we wanted some Vanilla-ish Latte Chai thing. I don't think it had Chai in it because I just had a Vanilla Chai Latte from Starbucks in an attempt to get the same drink, and it was like drinking a hot horchata. Unpleasant, to say the least. Anyway, the "Vanilla Latte" we had at Sante was something that made me feel like I was bundled up in a warm blanket, at home sitting by the fire.
The food is delicious, the people are so nice and so funny. You can't not have a good time here. This resturaunt is AWESOME! It was great, it made me happy, it was healthy, and it left me with enough left overs for Monday's lunch. Yay! I can't wait to go back!Listed in: Eating Times, Veggie Tales, Yummy & Healthy.. all at the…
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Review from James S.
7/23/2007
Tasty, healthful stuff that doesn't cost a lot, or take too much time.
Before catching a flick at the New Beverly Cinema, my pal and I finally got a chance to check Sante La Brea out. A nice option in an area that has much to choose from.
We had a perfectly fine server, not the one guy/owner thing mentioned. She was all by herself on the floor, but managed to cover the tables inside and on the patio without breaking a sweat.
Went with the Mediterranean Platter, which totally satisified.
Fun al fresco, low key, good. -
Review from Antonio A.
Los Angeles, CA
8/30/2006
Remember when it was A Votre Sante!
Well its still Sante and its still fantastic. Even if you arent a vegetarian, I guarantee you will find something you like here. Try the Turkey Melt...I mean, it has real turkey so no worries....but soy cheese (you wont be able to tell the difference). I'm not vegetarian and I still love this place and it doesnt hurt to put something good in your body for once....especially the way I eat.
They also have extended their menu to include a HUGE breakfast selection. Be careful of the Yerba Mate Tea....I have been up for days after I drank that stuff but boy do I love it. No need for drugs anymore! Not that I ever did that kind of stuff.... -
Review from Ricardo M.
Los Angeles, CA
12/21/2010
Really good food, the samosas are AMAZING! Split a vegan BLT and was really good, nice thick slices of tempeh bacon and crisp greens with a just right toast (the kind that is not so dry it cuts up the roof of your mouth) I also had the curried tempeh wrap which was very flavorful, veggies were crisp and not soggy, the curry was spicy and well balanced.
I'll be back here working through the menu again.
OH! all of their desserts are vegan, and they look amazing, next time i will leave some room. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Berkeley, CA
10/9/2007
Drove by here on my way home and I was starving, so I decided to stop in, remembering the great reviews written by fellow yelpettes.
I am so glad I did. I ordered the garlic bits, ooh were they amazing. It is a garlicky soup with your choice of chicken or extra firm tofu and garlic, onions and other yummies. I went the tofu route and loved it. I loved it so much that I hardly had room for the main course.
For the main entree I ordered the seiten fillet platter. the seiten was in strips in a thin sauce similar to Alfredo. It was served with steamed vegetables and ginger-veggie rice. It was all oh so good. And the portions are so large it easily makes two meals. -
Review from Kelly G.
Los Angeles, CA
10/11/2009
One thing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth is bad service from a full service restaurant.
The food was, "meh." It was under spiced and bland. A better version of what this place is trying to do is, "Stuff I Eat" in Inglewood. Where the veggies are piled high, the flavor is amazing, and the service is so warm and friendly.
It took 5 minutes to be greeted, 10 to get a dinky glass of water and 20-25 minutes to get food. There were 4 tables total. I never got a refill, the waiter never came back to update us or get refills, and he was completely unapologetic about how long the food took. We only had 3 wraps. He never said thank you or smiled. Mistakes happen and we are all human. I know the service industry very well but I've had better customer service at Chipotle.Comment from Dawn S. of Sante La Brea 10/13/2009
We couldn't agree more with your first statement & we're… More » -
Review from Travis M.
Los Angeles, CA
3/3/2010
This is the place we go to when we're entertaining people who don't like vegetarian/vegan food. As people have been saying here, they have enough of a menu to make anyone satisfied.
The service is warm. The menu items are made fresh and the one breakfast I love to order - The Sante Ranchero - takes a long time to make, so order some coffee and chlorophyll water and enjoy conversation with your friends while waiting for high-end, creative food to come. -
Review from Mariah M.
Los Angeles, CA
2/20/2008
I think you either like this place or you don't. It isn't for me. I'm off animal products these days, so in theory it should be a good fit-- what with the vegan options galore and all-- but it just isn't. I had the Mexican Lasagna, which tasted kind of funny--sort of sweet-- and seemed like something I could have easily made myself. The hummus tasted weirdly un-hummus-like-- kind of tangy?
As noted in almost every other review, the services is slow. If the meal is worth waiting for, that's fine. For me, it wasn't.
