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• Tasty Vegan Mexican Food

I met a couple of friends for an early lunch at the new Los Angeles location of this famous San Francisco-based vegan Mexican restaurant. The restaurant is quite spacious, and the high ceilings give you a feeling of openness. The outdoor seating is large with heaters for that chilly evening, and the outdoor fireplace is a classy touch. We were one of the first groups seated at the restaurant. We ordered Topas Con Chile as an appetizer, which consisted of corn chips with a chile sauce and a cashew cream topping. This dish came out cold, and when we mentioned that the dish was cold, they took the dish back and brought back a warmer version. For an entree, I had the Chiliquiles which was recommended by the waitress. Had I know that the Chiliquiles would be almost identical to the Topas Con Chile appetizer, I would have chosen a different entree, but at least both corn chip-based dishes were tasty. This dish also came out cold, which we were told was due to the cashew cream having to be refrigerated. I imagine they could bring the dish up to room temperature before serving it with a heater. The Tamale and and Sopas Con Pina that the others' ordered looked much more exciting than the dish I chose. For dessert, we ordered the Pumpkin Cake and the Mocha Cheesecake. These desserts were excellent, and I felt they were the best part of my meal. The was my first time I had eaten at Gracias Madre. I had very high expectations based upon what friends had told me about the San Francisco location. I cannot say that my experience here lived up to my expectations, but perhaps that was because it was just the second day the restaurant was open. I think there is better Mexican food out there, but we are lucky to have a classy vegan Mexican restaurant in LA. Overall, I enjoyed my meal.