I Eat Vegan: Lila

No, I am most definitely NOT VEGAN. I like meat. I love meat. I'm pretty sure if I met a tall, ginger man named Meat (who smelled like meat), I would marry him.

However, above all, I appreciate good flavor and texture, so if food has those two things, I don't care if it came from an animal or not.

In this ever changing culinary climate, more restaurants are starting to understand the need to accommodate the vegan and vegetarian demographics. However, most only offer one or two options on their mostly not-vegan-friendly menus.

At Lila, there is something for everyone. Here, vegans can find real options, and meat lovers can be just as satisfied. On the Lunch Menu alone, there are no less than twelve vegan friendly dishes. Any dish can have meat added to it, and the meat choices I've tried have been fantastic.

For my meal, I chose the Grilled Avocado Bowl, which was great all by itself. However, by adding the house made crispy bacon to it, it just took the dish to a whole 'nother level of LOVE.


This delightful bowl is made up of grilled avocado over a bed of farro, nuts & seeds, greens, and a small block of feta. It is served with a light, citrusy yogurt sauce. The flavors were very light, tangy, and refreshing, so the bold, smoky, salty flavor of the crispy bacon really kicked it up a notch, but in a harmonious fashion.

Madi got the black lentil soup, which was decent, the pistachio falafel, which was fantastic, and the bean tostadas, which slayed, especially when she added chorizo.


Interestingly enough, the pistachio falafel had more Asian flavors going on than it did Mediterranean flavors. But they were still a big hit with everyone at the table. As Leah so aptly pointed out, "The sweet tahini and the salty pistachio falafel were the perfect marriage of flavors." I couldn't agree more.


The bean tostadas, like my avocado bowl, would have been delicious on their own, but with the blast of flavor from the chorizo, they were unstoppable. They had Yucatan style Red Cabbage Slaw, Salsa, Avocado, and Cilantro. Everything was incredibly fresh.


The hash, made with Potatoes, Creamy Horseradish, Onions, House Made Corned Beef Brisket,  and two Eggs Sunnyside Up, was one of the few meat dishes. At first glance, I wasn't too terribly impressed with the corned beef brisket. I half expected it to be dry, but I was dead wrong. It was incredibly flavorful and very tender. The downside to this dish is that it is one of the pricier ones for being such a small portion. WARNING: If you are a man, growing boy, or person weighing over 130 lbs, this dish by itself will probably not fill you up.


Everyone loves a Buddha Bowl. For something with zero meat in it, this is as hearty as it gets. With Squash, Yam, Kale, Quinoa, Pistachio Falafel, Tahini Sauce, and Pumpkin Seeds, it's packed with flavor and protein. In the words of my gorgeous, goofy friend, Christine, "Even if you're Buddha yourself, the Buddha Bowl will fill you up."

The man sitting next to us ordered his Buddha Bowl with fish cake, and he said it was fantastic. I'd love to try that sometime in the future. Because YES, there will be future trips to Lila. And because "Everything is flavorful, but even better when you add meat," according to Madi.

You can add Chorizo, House Made Bacon, Colemans Organic Chicken Breast, Falafel with Tahini Sauce, Tofu, Baked Fish Cake with Cilantro, Mint and JalapeƱo, or Grilled Gulf Shrimp with Garlic Vegan Butter to any entree.

Overall, I would have to say that I have never had a bad experience at Lila. You will leave Lila feeling very accomplished knowing that you did something sorta healthy for your body that day. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, Lila will be your happy place. If you are a meat lover who has a vegan or vegetarian friend that's always having to find creative ways to eat with everybody else, bring them here, because they will love you for it, but you don't have to feel like you are sacrificing yourself on the altar of meatless cuisine. But give it a try. You just might find that you don't even need it.


NOTE: All these items are from the Breakfast/Lunch Menu. The dinner menu looks completely different and has more meat offerings.

Ambience: 10/10 (Has a really cute and clean feel to it.)
Service: 7/10 (Not bad, but on the slow side.)
Food: 9/10
Good for: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner for people with dietary restrictions.

Falafel (3) with Tahini Sauce:  $5
Grilled Avocado Farro Bowl: $14
add House Made Crispy Bacon: $4
Bean Tostadas: $13
add Chorizo: $4.50
Corned Beef Brisket Hash: $13
Buddha Bowl: $15


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