Dan Modern Chinese

Dan Modern Chinese
146 S Lake Ave Ste 105
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-817-9799

Dan Modern Chinese is located in the same complex as Lemonade and Green Street Restaurant.  Dan Modern Chinese is trying to become a better Ding Tai Fung.

Vegetable dumpling, steamed. $9.  This wasn't good.  Just filled with chives, with very little flavor.  You needed to dunk it into some soy sauce to add flavor.

Service is good.  Expect a 20 minute wait after ordering dumplings.

I'm not a big fan of Din Tai Fung, it's not the holy grail for dumplings.  But Dan Modern Chinese has a ways to go before coming close to Din Tai Fung.

Lucky Boy Drive-In

Lucky Boy Drive-In
640 S Arroyo Pkwy
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-793-0120

Lucky Boy was listed by LA Eater as one of the best places to get a breakfast burrito.  Lucky Boy serves their breakfast burrito the entire day.

It's one of those greasy spoon type restaurants.  It's not really a diner, but then again it's not fast food.  There are some hidden gems in these types of restaurants.  Lucky Boy is cross the street from My Vegan. They have some outdoor seating on their covered patio.  There is the dining room inside.  You can order at the window outside or inside. 

Breakfast burrito-hash browns, eggs, cheese and choice of ham, bacon, sausage or chorizo, $7.58.  There is a ton of unseasoned hash browns, eggs, and cheese.  I know most people order with meat, and a salty bacon or sausage, may make up for the lack of seasoning on the hashbrowns, but they need to add seasoning!!  A very bland dish.  Another thing, I got this within a few minutes of ordering.  But, it wasn't hot!  As if the ingredients were sitting in a warmer and put together.  Maybe, they are cooked to order during breakfast hours. 

Service was good.

I wouldn't go back to Lucky Boy for their breakfast sandwiches.  Yes, the portion is huge, but very bland, and I doubt it was cooked to order.

The Pizza Plant-Closed

The Pizza Plant
55 S Madison Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101
424-341-1969

The Pizza Plant is located in a space called Kitchen United.  It's like a food court, where are a bunch of restaurants that share the back of the house-the kitchen space, and the front of the house is a common dining area.  I noticed Canter's Deli, a Cuban restaurant, and Mama Musubi, sharing this space.  They do not accept cash, it's all plastic.  You order at a kiosk.  Then somebody calls out your order.  It takes some getting used to.

The Pizza Plant is a vegan pizza place- just like Cruzer Pizza, it seems like pizzas come in three sizes- a 10 in round, a 14 in thin pan, and a 24in that you can share.

The 36% • Everything But The Hog Classic House-made Pepperoni, Plant Craft Cashew Mozzarella, San Marzano Marinara, Oregano-Thin crust pan style-$14.  This was terrible!  A complete waste of money and calories.  The crust was too crispy, had no flavor, and was .  The sauce was too bland, no flavor.  The pepperoni was like eating rubbery, chewy, pieces of flavorless gum.  The cheese was the only thing that was half way good.

Service- The only service is some person calling your name, when your order is ready.  He was nice and he did answer some questions about what other restaurants were part of this Kitchen share.

No reason for me to go back to The Pizza Plant.

Orean’s the Health Express-Closed

Orean’s the Health Express
817 N Lake Ave
Pasadena, CA 91104
626-765-9638

Orean’s the Health Express is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant set in a fast food setting.  There are no tables at Oreans, only a drive-thru and a walk up window.  They are not vegan since they do offer regular cheese.  I've read reviews from both sides, it used to be great until the new owner came aboard.

Interesting that on this intersection of Lake Ave, all four corners have a fast food restaurant! Northeast corner has a KFC, and just north of the KFC, is Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles.  Northwest corner is Orean's.  Southeast corner is a Carl's Jr. and Southwest corner is a McDonald's that is currently undergoing a renovation.

Filet of soul burger, with vegan cheese-$3.98 + $1 for vegan cheese.  I knew they had regular cheese when the guy asked me if I wanted regular or vegan cheese.  He didn't tell me vegan cheese was $1 extra, but I did see the hand written sign on the window. This is like a filet o'fish sandwich.  Tasted pretty close to the original.  There is a soy fish pattie, pickles, tartar sauce, on a wheat bun.  This was good, not outstanding.  Maybe a bit pricey for what you get. 

Service was good.  Many reviews complained about the service. But, the guy who helped me did his job.  It wasn't rude, but then again it wasn't the friendliest service ever.

I won't go back to Orean's.  It's not bad, but nothing outstanding about it.

Rounds Premium Burgers-Closed

Rounds Premium Burgers
46 N Lake Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-304-9810

Rounds Premium Burgers came onto the burger scene back in 2013, with locations in Claremont, which I went to but didn't do a review, and West Hollywood.  Soon after Pasadena and Sherman Oaks got a Rounds location.  Fast forward to 2017, and now only the Pasadena location is open.  David Allen made the Claremont Rounds a regular stop, so much so that he did a farwell story when the Claremont location closed back in May, 2017!

The Pasadena Rounds is located just south of the now close Avanti Cafe, which I loved!  It's a large restaurant with the counter to the right, and seating at the left in the front part of the room.  Then a huge back room with two TV's and then outdoor patio seating!

When I went to the Rounds in Claremont, you marked your order on paper slips, just like The Counter.  I guess they don't do that anymore.  Anyways. the basic burger, your choice of beef, turkey or a veggie patty, is $5.95.  They you add toppings including sauces, veggies and cheese.  You used to be able to choose what type of bun, regular, whole wheat, pretzel or lettuce; but other than the lettuce, I don't think you're able to choose your buns.

Or you can order a Premium Rounds burgers, which are burgers with topping combinations picked by Rounds.  The only thing with the premium burgers is they do not allow substitutions but you can take off any toppings you don't like.  Which makes no sense, because you can get the basic burger and add all the topping, except for the toppings you don't like, of the premium burger. For the consumer, ordering al carte would be more expensive. 

 Mucho Mushroom burger, $7.05-mushrooms, swiss cheese, and garlic aioli.  This veggie burger was very good.  A huge patty, with corn, red peppers, some kind of grain and very well seasoned.  The mushrooms were great and the swiss cheese added a creamy flavorful texture to the burger.  The bun is a nice brioche bun.  Using this burger as an example, if I ordered this al carte, it would be $5.95 + $1 for the mushrooms + 75 cents for cheese for a total of $7.70 before tax!

Service was good.  The young lady working was very nice and friendly!  More restaurants could use somebody like this young lady!  She was quick, yet efficient, and very friendly.  I seemed as though she was working with a newbie or somebody who had only been there for a short time, and that cashier was also very nice and friendly.  I didn't have any direct interaction with the other cashier, I just notice how friendly she was.

Rounds is so much better than The Counter.  But, Rounds clearly hasn't had success in the LA area with the other four locations now closed.  I would go back to Rounds and I hope they stay open!

Avanti Italian Bistro & Bar-Closed

Avanti Italian Bistro & Bar
187 N Sierra Madre Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91107
626-817-9180

Avanti Italian Bistro & Bar is owned by the same owners as the now closed Avanti Cafe.  The story is that running two restaurants was just getting too much for the owners. Luckily they brought all the pizza over, but not the wood fire oven!

I went to Avanti Italian Bistro & Bar about 2-3 years ago, had the lasagna and thought it was pretty good.  Of course I didn't do a review.  So, I drove by the other day and figured I should do a review.

Avanti Italian Bistro & Bar is a huge restaurant on a corner lot.  As you enter there is a small bar area.  Then the huge dining room.  They also have a small patio.  At night the lighting is low and it makes for a nice quiet evening.

Calamari, $8 happy hour price at the bar, $12 regular menu price.  This was terrible!  Frozen calamari that was chewy as hell, bland, and just not worth even the happy hour price! 

Spaghetti marinara, $11.  Any Italian restaurant better do a good job of making sauce!  Avanti does a good job!  The marinara was well balance and full of flavor.  The pasta was angel hair and cooked perfectly! A good price for the quality and portion!

I sat at the bar and when the bartender finally came by, I got good service.  It just took awhile for the bartender, or anybody to get there.  Ok, I know it's a slow period.  But, this was an hour or so after the happy hour times had started.  Somebody should be at the bar. 

I may go back and try their pizza.  But, I love the wood fire pizza, and they didn't bring the wood fire ovens! 

The Luggage Room Pizzeria-Closed

The Luggage Room Pizzeria
260 S Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-356-4440

Luggage Room Pizzeria is next door to La Grande Orange Cafe, and the space was actually the luggage room for the train station!  It's been on my list of places to try for almost three years! 

It's a fairly small area, with the bar being the center focus.  The kitchen, with a pizza oven, is to the left as you walk into the restaurant.  There have an outdoor dining area out front.  It's very dark inside, as there isn't much natural lighting. 

Our margherita- $13. roasted tomatoes, housemade mozzarella & basil.  The crust is very good, a good solid texture and cooked perfectly.  The toppings were fresh, but the tomatoes were too tangy!  Not a fan of the sauce.  Of the eight slices on this pizza, two had no or very little sauce and cheese!  Spread out the topping better!

Service was good.

Frankly, I was expecting more from The Luggage Room Pizzeria.  The pizza overall was good, but their prices are high.  If I wanted to build my own pizza, spinach would be $2, but mushrooms would be $3 plus the $11 base price. This pizza isn't worth $16!  I waited almost three years to try this place and was disappointed.  I won't go back.

Pacific Seafood Grill-Closed

Pacific Seafood Grill
230 S Lake Ave Ste 3
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-583-9000

Pacific Seafood Grill is just a few doors down from Dupar's which used to be Hamburger Hamlet and Veggie Grill.  Pacific Seafood Grill is very much like Pacific Fish Grill, hell even their names are almost the same, fresh seafood served in a fast casual setting.  Doing a quick search and I find that Fish Dish was the last restaurant here, and it was also the same concept. 

Pacific Seafood Grill has a few tables at the front of the restaurant and some tables outside on the porch.  Since the porch is along Lake Ave, a very busy street, I would sit inside.

Ahi tuna with white rice and sauteed vegetables, $13.99.  I asked for the ahi tuna to be cooked medium rare, it came out rare.  It was a good sized portion and well cooked, even if not cooked to the doneness I asked for.  The rice was lukewarm and the veggies-cauliflower, zucchini, carrots and squash were sauteed in oil-this would be better if it was steamed.  Overall a pretty good dish worth the price.

Service is good.  But I find the restaurant a bit dingy and not a pleasant place to enjoy a meal.

I wouldn't go back to Pacific Seafood Grill.  I think Pacific Fish Grill is much better.

Brü Grill & Bar-Closed

Brü Grill & Bar
336 S Lake Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-787-1444

Brü Grill & Bar, which opened about a six months ago, replaced Trattoria Neapolis that closed in 2015.  It's a very nice bar and grill, with tasteful decorations and beautiful exposed brick.

It's a long narrow restaurant with an upper section with more tables, the middle bar area, and the front seating area.  Their happy hour starts at 2pm Mon-Fri.  Mon-Thrs happy hour ends at 7pm, Friday ends at 6pm.

 Happy Hour fried green beas, $4.  Regular price, $6.  This was great!  Who knew something so simple could taste so great!  I doubt the green beans were frozen, since they tasted great!  Very light and crisp outside, a better french fries!

Happy Hour fries, $2.  Regular price, $4.  I asked for the fries to be well done.  They came out normal.  They were good, but would be better well done!

Service is good.

I would go back to Bru again for happy hour.  I think some of their regular menu prices are high, but maybe the food is worth the price. 

True Food Kitchen

True Food Kitchen
168 W Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-639-6818

True Food Kitchen is located in Old Town Pasadena, at a location where there is a revolving door for restaurants.  A quick search food three other restaurants at this location.  True Food Kitchen is a healthy chain restaurant.  They have vegan/vegetarian fare along with meat items.  Very much like Tender Greens. This is a huge location with seating in in the patio, a bar area, and a dining area.

We at inside the bar area, which was a bit noisy with music and a group of four couple celebrating a woman's birthday. 

Inside Out Quinoa Burger hummus, tzatziki, tomato, cucumber, red onion, avocado, feta- $14 with a side of kale salad.  This was an interesting take on a veggie burger.  The quinoa pattie was mushing and just not appetizing.  The other ingredients were very fresh.  But overall this quinoa burger just didn't mix well together!

Service was pretty good.  The server was nice and friendly.  But, he didn't ask if we needed refills on drinks and he didn't come around that often.

I would not go back to True Food Kitchen!  Tender Greens beats them by a country mile!

Sandwiches by Connal’s

Sandwiches by Connal’s
1505 E Washington Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91104
626-794-5018

Sandwiches by Connal’s has been in Pasadena since 1958!  I'm not sure if this is the original location.  1958 is the same year that that bastard water o'malley STOLE the BROOKLYN DODGERS from their rightful home and they played their first season in LA.  Connal's opened up a location in Upland in late 2007, that David Allen reviewed.  The Upland location is across the street from San Biagio's Pizza, maybe the best New York style pizza in the Inland Empire!

It looks like a take out place but there is a dining area on the east side of the building.  It was very busy with walk up and people calling in their orders!

2 piece fish and chips, $4.34 with tax, on the mini meal menu.  They use pollock and it's just frozen fish that is deep fried.  The batter is very tough and hard.  I would say it is about 75% fish and 25% batter.  I know this is a burgers/sandwich place but I wanted to try the fish and chips.  The fries are frozen but much better than the fish. This isn't a good example but a good meal for a good price.

Service is good.  This is cash only, and I wish they had a sign for any newcomers.  But, the food comes out quickly.  There is one confusing thing.  There is a window along the sidewalk where people can order and pick up their food.  But, if you go inside to their dining area, there is also a place to order, when I was there the same cashier was taking orders outside and inside.

I would go back to Connal’s to try their sandwiches, but not the fish and chips!

My Vegan

My Vegan
633 S Arroyo Pkwy
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-578-9017

While searching for a vegetarian friendly restaurant in Pasadena I found My Vegan!  I don't know if My Vegan has anything to do with My Vegan Gold in Silver Lake, but the names are too close.  Located in a small, but busy shopping center My Vegan is a small restaurant with about 10 tables and booths. 

Small fries, $3 with nacho cheese $2.  Well cooked fries that came out of the freezer.  The nacho cheese was flavorless and didn't taste good at all.  My Vegan Gold's version is so much better!

Buffalo wings- $8.50.  Not as good as the chicken wings at Bulan Thai-which is my standard for vegan chicken wings!  A crispy outer texture, but the inside was pretty bland.  I wasn't wish they would cover the wings in the buffalo sauce.  Instead the buffalo sauce is used as a dipping sauce. 

Chow mein with tofu-bean sprouts, cabbage, carrots, garlic, snow peas, and soy sauce.  They could cut the cabbage into small pieces!  They gave me chopsticks with this dish and there was a fork on the table, but you needed a knife to cut the huge pieces of cabbage!  Otherwise, this was a good flavorful dish!  On par with My Vegan Gold.

Service is good.

Overall I liked My Vegan, but no question it's a couple notches below My Vegan Gold.  But, I would go back if I'm in the area!

Hook Burger

Hook Burger
3453 E Foothill Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91107
626-351-0011

I've passed by Hook Burger a ton of times, but I never stopped in.  But, then I found out they had a veggie burger, and decided to give them a try.  Located near the Sierra Madre Gold Line Station, and next to a Pizza Rev, it is a medium sized restaurant.  You order and pick up your food at the counter.

Grilled black bean veggie patty, melted jack, avocado, tomato, green leaf, hot house cucumber and red onion, chipotle mayo, fresh baked whole wheat bun. $6.95.  This was a damn good burger!  Fresh toppings and the black bean patty was moist and flavorful!  Sometimes veggie patties crumble after one bite, but this one held firm!  A damn good example of a veggie patty, and a very good price too!

Fries- $2.50.  Lightly salted, with skin still on, these fries were plentiful and worth the price!  Crispy on the outside, light and fluffy inside. 

Service was good, but it took longer than I expected for my order to come up.  Now I didn't have a timer set, but it must have been at least 7 minutes and even then, my fries weren't ready.  A minute later my fries came.  It wasn't that busy.  Not sure why the long wait. 

I liked my first time eating at Hook Burger.  I would go back anytime, even if it is a chain!

Pie Life Pizza

Pie Life Pizza
691 S Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-720-7095

Last week LA Eater listed 16 places to get a killer slice of pizza in Los Angeles.  Now, I'm not a big fan of ordering slices!  I much prefer to order freshly made pies.  You just don't know how long the slices have been sitting out.  But, most places, if they serve slices, they will serve whole pies!!

I have been to seven of the places listed, a few places a different location than the one on the list; Village Pizzeria, Tomato Pie, Vito's, La Rocco's Pizzeria, Town Pizza, Lamonica's New York Pizza, and Mulberry Street Pizzeria.

I have been to two places Barone's Famous Italian Restaurant and Joe's Pizza on Broadway in Santa Monica, but the Barone's and Joe's Pizza listed in the LA Eater apparently aren't related to the ones I went to.

I would have added Garage Pizza to this list and taken out Mulberry Street.

So, I decided to try one of the places on the list.  Since I was in Chinatown that morning, I wanted to try Pellicola Pizzeria or Pizzanista which were close by, but they don't open until 3pm.  A few weeks later, I stopped in at Pizzanista!

So, I went to Pie Life Pizza in Pasadena.  Pie Life has been open for about three months.  It's a very small place, next to a crossfit gym and a very popular coffee shop.  It's basically take out but there are a couple high top tables and one table that can fit four to six people. 

18 in. veggie with mushrooms, red onions, bell peppers, garlic and jalapenos instead of olives, $20.71.  The crust was great!!  Firm, yet chewy and held up to the toppings.  Very good cheese and while the veggies weren't plentiful, they were fresh.  A very good pizza.

Service is good.  The owner is very nice and helpful.  He substituted jalapenos instead of olives without charging!  Which is something I never understood about pizza places.  If they charge a set amount of toppings, what difference does it make if you substituted one veggie for another?

I would go back to Pie Life Pizza anytime!  A very good addition to the pizza scene in the Los Angeles area!!

Saladang

Saladang
363 S Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
626) 793-8123

Saladang is a very popular Thai restaurant in Pasadena.  It's located on an industrial area, a good ways from the hustle and bustle of Old Town Pasadena!

The restaurant itself has a very industrial feel, with exposed duct work and ceilings.  They were doing renovation on the men's bathroom, when I was there!  A very open restaurant with lots of seating.  There is another Saladang that shares that same parking lot.  I understand that location is more upscale. 

Spinach with black bean sauce, $9.  The spinach was perfectly cooked and fresh.  The black bean sauce was very salty.  I did like the dish, but they need to cut down the salt.

Shrimp Chow Mein, $12, egg noodles and assorted vegetables- carrots, celery, green onions, bean sprouts, and snap peas.  A very good dish with six large shrimp that were perfectly cooked.  The noodles were also cooked perfectly.  The veggies were fresh.  There was a sweet taste to the dish but nothing overwhelming.

Service was good.  We were greeted and seated quickly.  Our server would come by on a regular basis and refill drinks and made sure everything was good. 

I like Saladang, but it is very Americanized.  Not that it's a bad thing, but if you're after authentic Thai food, you're better off going to Thai Town.

Real Food Daily

Real Food Daily
899 E Del Mar Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91106
626-844-8900

What a change for this location!  This used to be a Bob's Big Bob that I reviewed back in 2010.  I was told that Bob's didn't make it into 2011.  Real Food Daily then opened up and has been serving up vegan fare to Pasadena.

At night was you walk to the restaurant, it is very dark and unwelcoming. But, once inside, a tastefully decorated room with lots of seating and a counter for diners. 

THANKSGIVING TEASER Our famous faux turkey, corn-sage stuffing, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, roasted vegetables, cranberry sauce $18.

There was some very good items in this entree and there were some real bad items.  First, the good stuff.  Roasted garlic mashed potatoes- very creamy, smooth and full of flavor the mushroom gravy is awesome.  Stuffing-again good flavor, maybe a little too much sage, but overall a good dish.

The bad- faux turkey- dry, lacked texture and flavor.  Not a good dish.  Roasted vegetables were bitter, burnt, and not good at all.

Overall the dish wasn't worth the price.

Service was below average.  While the server was nice, she wasn't around that often.  Right after my friend and I got seated, I went to use the restroom.  During that time no server came to our table and took a drink order.  We waited at least another five minutes after I came back from the restaurant for a server to come by.  The place wasn't busy and there is no reason for that delay.

I wouldn't go back to Real Food Daily again.  High prices, poor food and poor service do not make a good combination!

Green Street Restaurant

Green Street Restaurant
146 Shoppers Ln
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-577-7170

Behind Lemonade is Green Street Restaurant, a long time Pasadena restaurant that was actually on Green Street, but later moved to it's current location.  Which is the ground level of a parking structure! 

A large restaurant that is next to The Counter, it has both indoor seating and patio seating.  The two restaurants are so close together and sort of blend in that I saw two groups of people enter Green Street thinking it was The Counter.  Green Street was very busy on a Sunday night. 

Ahi Tuna Burger – Ahi tuna filet, charbroiled medium rare, with Wasabi ginger aioli and Asian slaw.  $16.50.  The ahi tuna was cooked perfectly, nice and moist with lots of flavor.  Portion size was good.  The Wasabi ginger aioli was a pleasant surprise, not as spicy as I thought it would be.  Or maybe the Asian slaw helped reduced the heat?  The but was toasted and held up very well.  A good dish, maybe a bit overpriced.  I got fresh fruit and it was fine.

Service is good.  Nice and friendly.

I did enjoy Green Street, but I think the prices are a bit high.  The quality of the food is good.  Debatable if I would go back!

Lemonade

Lemonade
146 S Lake Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-304-7700

A few doors north of Veggie Grill is Lemonade-a fast casual, healthy food restaurant.  I first found out about Lemonade, after seeing their Larchmont Blvd. location across from Cafe Gratitude!  People have said Lemonade is better than Veggie Grill and Tender Greens.

Lemonade is cafeteria style setting.  Paper plates and plastic silverware.  You start at the first section which is called Market Place- You can get your salads by portions, $2.75 per portion.  As you move along there is Hot Market Veggies-mashed potatoes, roasted veggies etc.  Land/Sea- fish, chicken, and beef options.  Braises-meat options like BBQ brisket and lemongrass chicken , sandwiches, and hot portions-soups, mac and cheese, and chili including a vegetarian option.  Finally at the end of the line you can order drinks and of course pay. 

Edamame, Snap Pea, Carrots, Breakfast Radish, $2.75.  I really liked this salad-very fresh and refreshing.

Israeli Couscous, Wild Mushroom, Parmesan, Lemon Truffle, $2.75. A very good dish with flavorful mushrooms and perfectly cooked and seasoned couscous!

Spicy Crab and Avocado Salad Stuffed Vine Ripe Tomato- $6.50.  Not a fan.  The crab was mushy and very bland-not spicy at all.  The tomato wasn't ripe, a very sour taste.  I should have stuck with my first choice a citrus salmon. 

Mac and cheese, $3.75. This mac and cheese was horrible!  So dry and bland!  There wasn't enough cheese sauce and the little sauce was flavorless!  Good thing the macaroni was cooked right.

Service is good.  All workers on the line were nice and friendly.

I liked my salads but the proteins and mac and cheese were not good at all.  I would go back and give Lemonade another chance, but I was disappointed with the food in my first visit.

Veggie Grill-Updated Review

Veggie Grill
200 S Lake
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-535-9561

A couple doors down from Dupar's Restaurant, which used to be Hamburger Hamlet, is Veggie Grill.  Veggie Grill is a chain plant based restaurant.  There is no meat products in their food.  You can enter Veggie Grill from the back parking lot or from Lake Ave.  It's a good sized restaurant with a long section of tables for two, as you enter from the back and tables that can seat larger groups in the front.  You order at the counter and your food is brought to you.

Crab cake sandwich, $9.95, Crispy ''crab'' cake, spiced tartar sauce, pickles, tomato, lettuce, red onion on a whole wheat bun, with a a choice of side, I got the tomato basil soup, which was more appealing than Yukon gold fries or cole slaw.

The crab cake is made with a soy protein and was indeed very crispy, with good flavor.  Of course, it didn't have the same texture as a crab cake made with real crab, but this was good.  But, they could have put more tartar sauce on the sandwich, it was fairly dry.

The tomato basil soup was seasoned perfectly and creamy. 

Mac and cheese, $4.45.  The macaroni was cooked perfectly.  But, the "cheese" sauce was so chalky and dry.  Not good at all.  Portion size was very small and not worth the high price.

Service was good.  I got my order quickly.

Veggie Grill is pretty good in my book.  I won't rush back, but I wouldn't rule out going there if in the area.  Though, I would not order the mac and cheese again.

Update August 22, 2017:

Beyond Burger, $12.95. Burger by Beyond Meat, American "cheese", grilled onions, house made sauce, tomato, iceberg lettuce, sesame buns.  Beyond Meat is a 100% plant based, non GMO, veggie patty.  In other words it's a better veggie burger than that genetically modified Impossible Burger from Umami!  Veggie Grill has carried the Beyond Burger for about six months and is such a great seller, it now has a permanent place on their menu!!

This was very tasty, full of flavor, well seasoned veggie burger.  The toppings were fresh.  I really liked the thousand island house made sauce.   It was so good, I almost ordered another burger!!  It's a steal at $12.95 with your choice of fries or the soup.

Service was good.  But, for whatever after I ordered they suddenly got a rush of people.  They didn't handle it well, as some people were waiting a long time for their orders.  Maybe somebody called in sick, but it seemed as though they were understaffed.

I loved the Beyond Meat burger and I like Veggie Grill, so I'll return soon!