Under $10: Chango’s New Vegan Sandwiches

In the mood for a huge, hearty, warm, melty, fake-meaty Vegan sandwich for under $10? Look no further than Chango Coffee House in Echo Park. The hipster coffee shop/art gallery is located at Echo Park Avenue and Delta Street, a spot that locals have dubbed “Chicken Corner,” and has recently added two unbelievably tasty vegan sandwiches to its menu. I had the chance to try both over the weekend, steak & cheese as well as chicken pesto, and each one brought a kind of sandwich satisfaction that isn’t available anywhere else in town.

The vegan steak and cheese sandwich is basically a vegan version of your typical “Philly cheesesteak,” with thick soy steak strips and dairy-free mozzarella, along with sauteed onions and mushrooms. Chango toasted the sandwich when I ordered it, so the bread was warm and crispy and the soy cheese was perfectly melty. For the steak Chango uses gardein, and for the cheese they use Teese from Chicago Soydairy…each being the best replacement out there for its animal-product counterpart. I can tell you, this steak and cheese sandwich was so amazing, even a meat-eater would fall in love with it. Not since Doomie’s or The Vegan Spot (both are closed down now) have I had such a great vegan sandwich.

The vegan chicken pesto sandwich was equally impressive, with thick chunks of gardein protein, creamy cheese-less pesto sauce, fresh basil, crisp lettuce and juicy tomatoes. The pesto was really garlicky, just the way I like it, and the bread heated up to be perfectly toasty and crunchy. Where else can you buy a big chunky chicken pesto sandwich that’s vegan in Los Angeles?!? …That’s right. Nowhere.

The thing I love about Chango’s new sandwiches, are they are unlike the normal “vegan” sandwich options you can get just about anywhere. Rather than just some grilled vegetables and maybe tofu on a bread roll, Chango take its vegan sandwiches to the next level with fake meats, soy cheeses, and incredible homemade pesto sauce. Plus, they are really well prepared, perfectly assembled with just the right amount of ingredients, and toasted to absolute perfection. You aren’t gonna get any other sandwich this good for well under 10 dollars, I guarantee you.

The atmosphere is also great at Chango, it reminds me of a hip Seattle coffee shop with its bohemian customers, shelves full of books to peruse, and bright art adorning the wall. Seriously, it’s the perfect place to sit back and relax with a cup of caffeine and a huge vegan sandwich. Get your ass over to Chango asap and see what this food is all about. The vegan items are listed right now on the “specials” chalkboard to the left of the counter, not on the main board.

Chango Coffee House
1559 Echo Park Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Originally published at Quarrygirl.com. Hey! Speaking of…

Music, please! The Losanjealous “Under $10 Posse” is pleased to announce the addition of the ever-reliable Quarrygirl to the fold. Quarrygirl: Staunch vegan, beer lover, fiscal advisor, Hamilton holder until that next sub-$10 meal comes along. The family grows; we’re excited to have her on board. Huzzah! Find more Quarrygirl over at her blog.