Report Abuse

good solid choice

4 Posted on 03 / 31 / 2013

We finally made it to their newest location as we were in Pasadena for the day. Easy parking and the restaurant is definitely the nicest and most spacious of the 3 locations. Service was a bit slow and forgetful though and the menu looked shorter than the other locations. We started with a strawberry milkshake and ordered the reuben sandwich and a basic 4 bowl for entrees. Our bowl had the seitan cutlet, garlicy greens, soba noodles and Spanish rice. We also shared a lemon poppyseed cheesecake for dessert and it was good, but it had a slight tofu aftertaste which seems the case each time we've tried them. RFD is a good solid choice and is the granddaddy of vegan restaurants, but it seems a bit pricey considering the many excellent vegan restaurants in LA now.

Report Abuse

Vegan with the Best in Pasadena

5 Posted on 08 / 15 / 2012

Having eaten at their Santa Monica Restaurant and had great meals, when visiting Pasadena their newly opened branch was on our radar. We were not disappointed in our light evening dinner, quite the contrary; in fact we went back for lunch a couple of days later! If you want to impress your guests on the excellence that vegan food can achieve, take them to 'Fresh Food Daily' in Pasadena.
The first evening, after driving all day from Sacramento, a large bowl of fresh Curried Carrot Soup (special of the day) was fantastic, relaxing and filling. I think ALL of the curry ingredients had to be fresh including the curry - what great flavors! For the lunch a couple of days later I had a vegetable wrap (Collard Greens wrapping freshly grilled vegetables with seasonings). Wow was it good!
If gluten free is a requirement, be sure to mention it to your waiter/waitress and you will be surprised at their knowledge of the menu ingredients. FDR's menu is extensive and exciting for vegan and GF patrons.

Pros: Excellent Food, Fresh, Great Menu

Report Abuse

DeeeLish!!!

5 Posted on 07 / 29 / 2012

This was our first visit to a Vegan Restaurant. We absolutely loved it and will definitely go back! My husband ordered the Stir It Up and it tasted as great as it looked. I ordered the Fettucini Alfredo and it was very tasty as well (first time trying green fettucini). We shared a house salad which was ok, not as fabulous as the food but that's ok. We will try a different salad next time. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Before we left, the manager stopped by to see how our dining experience was and even gave us a free entree for our next visit! Can't wait to go back:)

Updated from previous review on Saturday July 28, 2012

Pros: excellent food, friendly & knowledgeable staff, convient parking
Cons: some items a little pricey

Report Abuse

So many yummy choices!

5 Posted on 06 / 23 / 2012

I visited my brother in LA and he took me to this location. It had just opened so we were a bit disappointed they didn't have their liquor license yet, but the food was amazing and the service very friendly. I highly recommend the nachos.

Pros: Wide selection, friendly staff, good environment

Report Abuse

los angeles vegan staple

5 Posted on 05 / 27 / 2012

This new location is different compared to the santa monica and west hollywood ones. I would not recommend making the treck out here if those are closer. The interior is a littlelittle cave like in the back try to sit towards the door, with sound bouncing off the concrete floors making conversation and peace difficult. The vibe is hurried, but lively in a good way. The menu has hemp milk shakes, four kinds of lemonade and other subtle additions from the other RFDs. There is an outdoor seating area for those who wannt to bring their dogs. While not destination worthy as the other RFDs, the food is top notch and the service seems well trained. I'd still be a regular if I lived nearby. Suggestion: add carpets and lower music volume add artwork. Fabulous addition to Pasadena, combine with a trip to Huntington Garden for a fantastic Sunday
Updated from previous review on Sunday May 27, 2012

Pros: excellent food, lemonade / beer & wine, free parking (2hr) in back
Cons: noisey

Report Abuse

Good Atmosphere and Food

5 Posted on 05 / 21 / 2012

Had heard about this RFD location opening on HappyCow and drove here over the weekend for lunch. It's a nice space, larger than their locations in Santa Monica and West Hollywood. Casual nice. Parking is just behind the restaurant.

The menu is the same as their other locations -- a mix of American, fusion, and some California-Mexican using fresh veggies, grains, tofu, tempeh, and seitan.

My friend and I shared:
- BLT tartine, that was yummy. Savory cripsy tempeh strip, slice of tomato, slice of avocado over veganaise and toasted bread.
- Caesar salad topped with BBQ tempeh cubes, salad was tasty, tempeh cubes ok.
- El Bandito Rojo, that was delicious. Tempeh filled enchilada with side of beans and Spanish style rice.

We didn't realize everything we tried had some tempeh involved until all the food had arrived!

For dessert we got the oatmeal raisin cookie and the cheesecake (vegan); the cake was delicious with a really interesting whipped cream top.

Overall a very pleasant dining experience. A great place to eat healthy, tasty food when in Pasadena.

Pros: nice space, good food selection, friendly service

Report Abuse

Mmmmm

5 Posted on 05 / 20 / 2012

Went to the opening for this last night and absolutely loved it! You can sit either inside or outside. The ambiance is very earthy, and the counter displays various desserts which all looked so tempting. Ann Gentry's cookbooks are for sale and include many recipes of the items they serve in the restaurant. At our table we shared the BLT Tartine appetizer which has perfect tempeh bacon and a little salad in the middle, and the Nori Maki with delicious ginger and wasabi. We also had the corn grain bread which was mixed with tempeh and had spreads that came with it, which was good and very filling. The RFD burger is not your typical veggie burger. The patty was soft and was more like a pulled-pork type of mock meat on a sourdough bun. The Fettuccine Alfredo was a spinach fettuccine with broccoli, red bell peppers and just a touch of pine nuts and the sauce was flawless! The other person at our table had the TV Dinner which was a meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy with vegetables. The meatloaf was ok, but then again I wasn't really a meatloaf fan back when I ate meat. The gravy and mashed potatoes were very good though. The Very Berry Cheesecake was the best vegan cheesecake I have tasted. My table absolutely loved it and they also served a chocolate cupcake which was a little dry for the others at my table, but I thought it was delicious. Staff was friendly and accommodating and atmosphere was relaxed despite the amount of people they were hosting. Appetizers average around $10, salads and entrees are about $13-$15, Burgers/Wraps are $11-15, Desserts range from $3-7. They have a large beverage selection, but its $4 for either iced or hot tea, which are the cheapest drinks on the menu and it just seems a little much for me. Overall it may seem pricey, but the portions are huge and we ended up taking a lot of food home. Parking is right around the corner on Shopper's Lane, just east of the restaurant. I hate going to Pasadena because of the parking, but this lot allows you to park free for two hours. There are so many options on the menu and everything we tried was made with such detail. They also have a catering menu and serve breakfast! Not too many places around here are open for breakfast, so that's unique. I will definitely come back here again.

Pros: excellent food, large portions, friendly staff
Cons: drinks expensive