Happy Veggie screams freshness, from the smiling tomato on its sign to the paintings of green foliage that surround the restaurant's casual dining room. The chefs here specialize in Asian cuisine, just without certain ingredients. No meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or MSG finds its way into the Happy Veggie kitchen. Instead, the chefs use tofu and soy meats to put vegetarian spins on classic dishes, including what LA Weekly dubs a "pretty damn good animal-less pho."

Local vegetables are indispensable to this menu. Chefs use market-fresh produce to make salads, stir-fries, and curry-vegetable masala. They finish meals with coconut cheesecake or veggie flan, which they make with soy whipped cream and maple syrup that's as pure as the day it was wrung from a tree like a sponge.

Tip for first-time diners: don't come on Tuesdays, when the restaurant is closed.