Way over in Reseda, miles away from the joints I usually frequent and deep in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, Vinh Loi Tofu is serving up some of the best sandwiches in town for well under 10 bucks. The modest vegan Vietnamese eatery is definitely off the beaten path, but redeems itself by offering several different banh mi subs stuffed with animal-free versions of chicken, beef, tuna, ham and curry meatballs…all of which are reasonably priced and insanely delicious.

Curry Meatball Chicken Sub. $6.50

»continue reading Under $10: Huge Banh Mi Subs at Vinh Loi Tofu

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.

»continue reading Under $10: Chango’s New Vegan Sandwiches