M Café de Chaya

Sushi was stale, veg burger was good not great, quinoa and beats was a bad idea, out of cole slaw and almost everything else. Do not come for late night eats. I may come back earlier when they have more food options available.

M in «M Café» is for Macrobiology and if you don’t know what that has to do with your food, there’s a Chipotle almost directly across the street.

So depressed that this place closed!!! I used to go here at least once a month and even bought some cookbooks from here because I loved their healthy spin on popular classics so much! I guess I’ll have to head on over to Beverly Hills to get my fix now… goodbye M Café, Culver City. You will surely be missed — you were the best of all the M Café’s!!!

RIP Culver City M Café. You will be missed.
Native Foods has some mighty big shoes to fill.

M Café, I’ll miss you.
I’ll miss your seasonal and regular deli salads on display. I’ll miss your overpriced fresh juice drinks. I’ll miss that strange tart-​y but good dipping sauce that came with the sweet potato fries. I’ll miss your Curried Tempeh Salad and your crazy-​good BBQ Seitan Sandwich. I’ll miss those sweet sesame seaweed dessert-​cracker thingy’s.
I kinda regret not ordering the chocolatey treats from the BabyCakes display the last time I stopped by for a juice. I eyeballed the goodies for a good 5 minutes before resisting temptation.
And although there were times I’ve experienced slow service or had moments when I was overlooked and you guys took a customer that arrived after me, I still came back because… well, you had lots of vegan options and you’re yummy. But that’s not to say that I’ve had times of wonderful customer service too.
A part of me thinks this is for the best because my last dine in experience was followed by a very sad, heartbreaking break up and this place still holds an anchor to that memory. So I guess I should be thanking you for closing so I can get over my heartache and move on.
But what’s this I see? This location is going to be a Native Foods? AWESOME!!! I love Native Foods! :)
…M Café who!?!

After having KBBQ the night before, I felt like I should balance it with a meal at M Café de Chaya! So for my birthday, I asked my friends to meet me here for brunch. It was raining, so no sidewalk patio this time! :o (Fortunately, the long communal table inside was still available. Other people kept trying to sit there while we were all gathering, but my friends would just tell them that it was my birthday and they calmly left for other tables. There were 11 of us and places like M Café de Chaya are great for large groups because you order and pay at the counter so there’s no bill to split!
This time, I tried some different things and pretty much loved it all:
* TERIYAKI BROWN RICE BOWL — With steamed vegetables and seared tofu. Delicious and filling.
* SHIITAKE — AVOCADO ROLL (2 pieces) — Sweet soy-​glazed shiitake, cucumber, avocado and toasted sesame seed. Their sushi is good!
* SWEET POTATO FRIES — Chili, sea salt and lime. Fries were cooked perfectly crisp and have a unique taste with the lime.
* CURRIED TEMPEH SALAD — One of my friends ordered this and I took the rest home. I think it tasted even better the next day!
Of course I also had a slice of their awesome CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE! Still amazing!!!

Second visit in two months, and man I wish I lived closer to this spot.
LOVE that they emphasize macrobiotic diet methods, and LOVE LOVE LOVE that all their to-​go gear is compostable. Major kudos, M!

I like this location so much better than the La Brea one. The outdoor seating is much more desirable and pleasant. The heat lamps are nice as well.
I finally had the Teriaki Bowl my bf raves about. He gets it with salmon. I got it with tofu. Definitely get the vegetables battered. Other than needing a little salt, it was really good. It’s half way like eating fair food since the vegetables are battered and half way like eating health food since it’s vegetables, brown rice in a bit of sweet sauce and tofu. I think they should batter and fry the tofu too instead of baking it, but it was good nonetheless. The portion size of mine was plenty, but my bf thought his piece of salmon was on the small side. I also had two slices of their shitake mushroom and avocado rolls, which were really good. I do think $ 3.25 for a small carafe of lemonade is a bit ridiculous, but whatever.
If you can’t find a metered space, you can park two hours for free across the street in the Trader Joe’s parking lot without having to validate.

This review can only vouch for their signature salads, but based on the signature salads, M Café de Chaya has won me over with 4 stars!
Much like Lemonade, there’s a display of various signature salads that one may choose from. And much like Lemonade, the workers are very patient and kind about letting you pretty much sample a little of everything if you want, which is what I ended up doing. I finally found my fit with the Curried Cauliflower Salad and the Green Papaya, Mango and Sea Palm Salad. However I highly recommend the Sesame Soba Noodle Salad and the Kale with Spicy Peanut Dressing as well. There’s bound to be something for everyone, you just need to find which salad is right for you.
Along with my 2 signature salads, I also got an order of lemonade and a chocolate cupcake. The lemonade was refreshing and tart, not overly sugared but not under sugared too. The cupcake was moist and delicious but I did not care for the frosting that was slightly on the greasy side.
I look forward to coming back to excellent service and excellent food in the future!

I came here a while back on a subpar date, I couldn’t write this review until now (for whatever the reason). My memory is faded (and probably jaded) from the experience. I had to give this vegan restaurant some credit. Originally we were supposed to go to lunch at Lunch, but it didn’t transpire since it was closed.
To waste no time we got inside M Café and my date ordered something that had to do with a teriyaki flavored caramelized onion sandwich with quinoa pasta. She munched on hers quite happily making a wise decision.
I, on the other hand ordered the vegetarian version of «eggs benedict.» My fantasy savory dish on a plate turned into a Picasso nightmare. The spinach drenched into the substitute hollandaise made me feel like vomiting, it was strong in a particular spice that didn’t settle with my stomach. After two bites, I didn’t even finish the rest of it. The food might be better now, so I’m giving it a benefit of improvement over time.
Overall, I spent about $ 25.00 plus tax (no tip since we picked it up from the counter once the order was placed out). The place was clean and had a vibrant atmosphere. Too bad it didn’t carry over to my dating experience. My current rating is at 2.5 (3 for sake of cleanliness and being open on a sunday for lunch).
Perhaps this is why, attractive vegan/​vegetarian chicks and I don’t get along. Seitan is no substitute for Steak, whatsoever. I guess the lack of meat, makes fo a lack of dating chemistry as well.

I didn’t hate it!
I like red meat. I don’t like vegetarian restaurants (why can a steak house sell me a salad, but rabbit food places can’t sell me a steak?)
I had some sort of Wild Salmon wrap the other day and actually tasted good. The California wrap sounded good but I was told that it was not real bacon. I was expecting some sort of salmon fillet, presumably with a sugary glaze but got ground up fish. I was turned off by the idea and was hesitant if I wanted to ruin my night, especially with a Brazilian place around the corner. Once I actually tasted it, I was pleasantly surprised. Since when is ground fish good? I did attack the pizza we split as an appetizer, so at the end I was full. I did not expect that. If they had a reasonably priced version of this place in the South Bay and if I had the will-​power to keep a reasonable diet I would eat this more often, as oppose to my four Double Quarter Pounders with Cheese and Large Fries I eat a week currently.
Price: Not for everyday. cut it in half and it would be do-​able.
Parking. Horrible. I got lucky (due to my unwillingness to stay in the ridiculous line to enter the parking structure) and only parked two blocks away. Was nice to be able to walk off my food and Mango Margarita I had from next door.
WHAT IS MACROBIOTICS?

I hesitated going here for the longest time. ONLY because I’m anti-​macro-​healthy anything kind of food. I’ve tried tempeh and it tasted like cardboard. LOL! And also because I find this place a bit intimidating.
When I saw that they had sweet potato fries, they won me. Except I didn’t order the sweet potato fries, I ended up with the spicy shrimp rolls. Two piece rolls for $ 2.75 so I got 4. I wanted to eat something good but not too heavy. 4 was perfect! You can get 6 rolls for $ 8.
This place also had desserts and the cupcake ($ 3.25) looked appetizing. I believe it was made flour-​free and dairy free? It was tasty, but not as super great as other cupcakes I’ve had. Probably won’t get it again.
They had a breakfast menu above, something to think about if I’m ever in the mood for eating healthy.
Service was so-​so. The woman that helped me was nice, but I don’t recall anyone ever (in any restaurant) implying that I should leave tip in the tip jar the way she had. BTW the tip jar was already overflowing with bills. I was a bit baffled when she did that. I’ve been to many establishments with tip jars, and every now & then I’ll drop loose change — if I feel like it. I know we live in a tough economy right now, but that jar looked pretty full enough to me. She made me feel obligated to, so I left her loose change. And when I did that, I heard her whisper «sweet.» Hope that made her day.
I’d probably go back, but only do take-​out next time.

Glass display of PRETTY DESSERTS and colorful array of side orders… what to order?! and then you look up at the menu boards, and there are so many MORE choices!
I’ve come here for a couple of take-​outs, and besides the GOOD LOOKIN (and always really helpful/​friendly) staff, the thing that brings me back is the quick and YUMMY food.
my usuals:
Seared Ahi Tuna Burger (which is really ahi tuna patty)
Panino Margarita
Madras Tempes Wrap
Kale with Peanut Sauce (yUUMM!)
It’s been pretty consistent until my visit last night.
Their panini bread got SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER!
I used to like that for the price of two sandwiches, it was at least big enough to last two meals (even though i lack inhibition and eat it all in one o’,‘o) but now, it’s so tiny! look:
Desserts:
Tiramisu has a lot of espresso in it, and even though there’s no dairy, it’s very creamy… quite tasty for a vegan version
Fudgey Chocolate Cake is fudgey INDEED :] if it’s vegan, it’s the best vegan chocolate cake i’ve had! (and i’ve tried many a dry and bland ones)
PARKING’s never fun in LA, and the setup here may make you miss a turn and go in a big circle, but here’s the tip:
there’s a metered parking lot on the right, before the restaurant, if you’re going west.
There’s also a free parking lot if you turn into the alley way between mcafe and the mexican cantina.
if you’re REALLY lucky. and lazy (i mean, can’t spare another moment to get into mCafe! ;p) there’s metered parking right in front of the café!
good luck with the parking and enjoy the yummy shrunken food! :]

I have been to many places in Culver City, but this one has alluded me. I had heard the name, but I had no idea how close it was to me until I read a review by Taryn B.
M Café is located in the east part of Culver City’s downtown near the Trader Joe’s. The setup is pretty nice. They have a long, nice counter that showcases some baked goods and sweets as well as cold selections like sushi and high-​end deli-​type salads like kale and lentils. The inside is casual and comforting but also slightly upscale. Black chalkboard announces the daily specials. There are weathered hardwood floors and overhead rafters. There are tables outside and inside as well as one inside communal table. M Café has a nice energetic vibe to it.
The menu is mostly vegetarian. They do have fish (some consider that vegetarian, some do not). The veggie macro burger looked really good on the poster above the counter, but I opted for the tuna burger instead. It came with a side and I went with the lentils. I also ordered a side of organic fries.
The grilled tuna burger was very tasty. It was served on a whole wheat bun and came with sliced avocado, pickled red onions, some sprouts, and a very tasty sauce. The menu said the sauce was a spicy yuzu (citrus) mayo. There was also a sweetness to it – the tuna (seared rare) was glazed in a teriyaki sauce.
The tuna burger was very flavorful. Really good sauce and all the garnishes – sprouts, avocado and pickled onions were very tasty. The soft whole wheat bun was also very good. It was a big sandwich, but (for the most part) the ingredients were pretty compact (and the sandwich could be eaten as a sandwich). Still, it was quite messy with a little bit of the ingredients spilling out of the burger on some bites.
The only real negative with the burger was the tuna. It was properly cooked and flavorful, but it was definitely not the best quality nor the freshest tuna I’ve had. It was still okay and serviceable. Unilocaler Margaret R. says that Tender Greens (nearby) has a better tuna burger. I will have to try that one.
The fries were good. Hot, crisp and flavorful. They also came with a good ketchup. Unfortunately, the fries went soggy and lukewarm really quick.
They messed up my side and served me kale instead. I tried it. It was just not for me. Next time, I may opt for the cole slaw.
Service was pretty quick (as is to be expected at a counter place).
M Café is a nice little casual spot. It is also a good place for Culver City. I’ve seen these types of places a lot in West Hollywood but not that often in Culver City.
It was a late Saturday afternoon and they were doing pretty good business. The food was good and definitely worth another visit. Nearby Tender Greens’ menu runs $ 10.50 or less for all items while M Café’s tuna burger was nearly $ 15. Other sandwiches were around $ 11-​$ 12. Therefore, while the food was good, M Café may not be the best value in the area.
Parking is available for free (for a few hours) in one of the many nearby parking structures.

I thought I’d never say yummy and macrobiotic in the same sentence, but this place offers really yummy macrobiotic food! Now I’m not one bit of vegetarian, and stumbled upon this place while walking downtown Culver City. I walked up to the counter and looked at all the food behind the glass walls — everything was made with seitan, brown rice, veggies, tofu, and fish — so I asked if this was a vegan restaurant, but they said their focus was actually on the macrobiotic diet. I stared for awhile debating what to order — the brown rice sushi rolls looked intriguing, the various stuffed inaris looked good too. But I wasn’t willing to pay the $ 4 price tag for 2 pieces of cut rolls.
That’s when I saw the special. They had a version of it on display and it looked heavenly for the rainy weather we were having that night. It was called the Roasted Vegetables and Kabocha Squash Stew. A myriad of vegetables were stuffed in an actual hallowed out Kabocha, and surrounding the exterior shell of the Kabocha was the squash stew. For $ 8.95 this was worth it — it was huge and soo delicious! I love kabocha and I love butternut squash soup — this was a better version of an old favorite. It was just what I needed on a cold night. It warmed my belly and left me more than satisfied.

Deep conversations about haves, never was, would be’s. ifs…
Paths of where we are headed.
Paths of where we once were.
I arrived to the Café M early afternoon.
She needed to vent.
I wanted to…
well…
I listened to her tale.
She was a mess.
Broken down girl who really just wanted that happily ever after.
Rich. Well to do. Lots of potential.
Unrealized.
Broken.
Talented.
Amazing heart.
Sweet and sincere.
But he had a hand in things.
For all intents and purposes, sadly she could have been anyone. And for this, you can imagine her to be anyone you like. The tale would still be…
It was the day after the day after my purse went missing.
It was the day after yet another dream blur of a… with Mr Shrader.
I brought 3 notebooks.
A pen.
A pencil.
Some pieces of loose canvas.
Everything she would tell me would be a secret.
I was there to listen and be her friend.
I was there also to not just be a steady temperament but a bit of a dose of reality.
This wasn’t just for her. This was for me too.
The Café M has a certain resonance about it. It’s wonderfully clean, open, simple…
The sun shined in the floor to ceiling windows.
The wooden tables were comfortably worn but not aged.
I was inspired by her. By everything around her.
She eats her pancakes from the middle out.
She doesn’t care for the crust.
I noticed and mentioned it to her.
She told me a story as to why.
As she spoke her tales i took notice of the little things around me…
the rice soy chai was remarkably fresh and clean to the palate.
Oh how I’ve missed this place.
Oh how I’d forgotten how divine the chai is.
There was a smiley face dripped in syrup near her plate.
I wished I’d had my camcorder.
Not because I would have put her story on it… but the little things.
I told her as I sat there fully complacent despite not knowing what was going to happen with Mr Shrader or… well…
I’ve missed the M Café.
It’s quiet and cozy.
It’s…
A nice stop for a Sunday morning chat.

Yummers.
Have been to Culver City & the Bev Hills M Café– both are delish. both times went with the salad combos– everything I tried was amazing, but the kale w/​spicy peanut sauce is insanely good. desserts are only so-​so… you can tell they are «healthy.» my sister is a slave to the chopped salad. love the inaris with the extras– shitake, eggplant, etc– on top.
it goes without saying (but I will say it), parking is a pain.
Bev Hills location is pretty small & busy @ lunch.

I thought I’d tried it all when it came to vegan grub living in good ol’ San Fran, but after perusing this place and a few others down south I’m not so convinced. If I actually entertain the notion that LA may be competitive in the market of gourmet vegan cuisine the SF secret police will descend with their vegan assassin squads and eject me out of their fair city so I best tread lightly.
The Madras Tempeh Wrap was so good I almost jumped up and kicked a passerby in the face with excitement. It came with a curried soy yogurt dipping sauce which was on point and the tempeh was baked to perfection. So many world cuisines use yogurts sauces but I rarely see soy yogurt alternatives. Well played. Plus the side dishes? Man, so many, but surely my German DNA made me zoom in on the potato salad, oh so creamy and rich. If only my super German great grandma could see it I’m sure she’d be beyond confused at the lack of dairy and meat, she’d probably wander around swearing at me in German about how it made no sense. She loved swearing.
But German traditions be damned, this place shows you don’t need no stinking dairy to make some tasty potato salad. If it were a tad cheaper I’d eat here all the time. Oh wait, I don’t live here so that’s not really true, but if I DID live here this place would be on my weekly stops.
Stop it LA, you’re making me doubt my vegan SF solidarity and it makes me feel a bit traitorous.

BINGO.
Finally, a GOOD vegetarian eatery near me.
All the foods here is exactly what I would love to eat on a daily basis if I had the time to make it myself.
We did try the one non-​vegetarian item on the menu — ahi tuna burger, grilled veggies, red quinoa (from the beets), broccolini.
One thing to note about this place is that they do use a lot of oil in their food.
I’m a sucker for display cases, and they do a good job visually communicating what I want. Though, one thing I didn’t really like is that the paninis are pre-​made. Also, they have an array of fresh breads. Except for the bread that I prefer (a nut/​raisin bread which was $ 8), the other breads are fairly priced.
People say it is pricey, but honestly I don’t think it’s that bad. Maybe because I get the same amount or less of the mango chicken salad and other salads from Gelsons display case… and MUCH more here than at Whole Foods salad bar — that I feel it’s semi-​reasonably priced.
Will probably earn its 5^th star after this turns into my regular spot… and they *will* know me by name.

Did you know that there are more than 1 or 2 types of vegetarian sushi? At least 7 types of vegan sushi are artfully displayed here in a glass case. If Oprah were in town, she might want to swing by & pick up a few. Did you see on TV or YouTube, she is on a 21 day vegan cleanse, which started this week!
I didn’t get to try 21 items here, but I did try at least 13 of them, thanks to the staff «M», who gave me exceptional service. I found out I liked their vegan sushi & plain greens types of dishes best so far. I would skip their curried dishes. If you have a hankering for spicy curry flavor I suggest you head to an Indian or Thai restaurant instead.
My tastebuds pranced about the display case as much as my eyes darted about looking at the variety of vegan cuisine available in their deli case. «M» carefully listened to the samples I wanted to taste. No medicine cup samples here. He arranged them all on a ceramic plate. From the red beet colored coucous, to the seaweed salad (I prefer my own homemade), I had a field day. The curried cauliflower had a medley in it, the cashews were spicy, however I prefer my cauliflower a tad more well done.
Unfortunately one of the staff stopped me just as I was going to snap more pictures inside of the beautifully displayed dishes & desserts. Alas, the asphalt became the new impromptu backdrop instead of the lustrous glass case.
As far as the 6 vegan sushi ($ 2 apiece) pictured, I took 1 bite of the edamame, didn’t like it. Tried another bite. My tongue’s reflexes reacted fast «get that off of me, STAT!» Which in hospital lingo means immediately. I couldn’t tolerate the hotness of the spiced edamame which tasted like wasabi + something even hotter, the red specks, some kind of foreign pepper. Owww, I like most hot & spicy food, just not along the lines of horseradish. Fortunately, I didn’t swallow any of it. Uh-​huh, I spit it out. I doubt there would have been any yogurt or dairy around here to give my tongue some relief, given that this is a macrobiotic café that supposedly frowns on dairy.
The rest of the inari sushi I appreciated. The hijiki, the kimpira, the shitake (liked), lotus root & eggplant (liked even better). Visually they appealed to me. The lotus root refreshed me more than the others. I am inclined to think that they marinated it in perhaps ginger juice? I then munched into the green pickes which were tasteful.
Just as my palate regained its equilibrium, my high hopes for the dinner special were dashed. I took a bite of the curried tempeh katsu bowl. The curry was too salty for my taste buds. I liked the green veggie beside it, plain, but tasty. I think it was kale.
I was fond of the expertly cooked to perfection, few veggies that were inside the curry bowl. I am puzzled as to why they used white rice in the dinner special. I thought M Café specialized in a macrobiotic diet, which emphasizes whole grains?
As far as the soups, I remembered at M Café on Melrose I liked them so I ordered 2. One of them pleased my palate more than the other.
Their pea & barley soup, was not what I expected. Perhaps I’m too jaded by California Pizza Kitchen’s Smashed Pea & Barley soup which I like very much. In M Café’s version, the veggies or something inside made it crunchy. That’s another first, a crunchy veggie soup? I suppose it’s nourishing, but it doesn’t make me want more.
I was pleased by the cream of broccolini soup. I would order it again, it was comfort food. It looked unappetizing in the pic. although I think with the right garnish it could take it up a notch.
The best dish I had there was the plain broccolini, which tasted perfect & its appearance matched its top-​notch taste. I would order that every week if I could. The stems & florettes were cooked & flavored flawlessly.
What was dearest to me, if you want to know, was the service @ M Café. The staff were friendly & smiley, «M», in particular, was extraordinary. When he heard that I preferred to eat vegan, he told me about a vegan café that is scheduled to open in the ‘hood & gave me the business card he had stashed away in his wallet. So the 4^th star is for the service, more than the food.
Very sweet. Next time I’ll have to try their dramatically displayed desserts in that gleaming glass case.