YEE: Elite Tasting at Veggie Grill in Laguna Niguel

What a great event! I’ve been to Veggie Grill locations in the past so I kinda knew what I was in for, but it was pretty cool to have a place close down just for us foodies!
Brooke J and I arrived (sans toy this time) and were immediately treated to delicious drinks and nosh. I didn’t love all the food that was offered this time around, except for the tomato basil soup, sweet potato fries and the fish tacos. So I’d order those in a heartbeat. Everything tasted fresh and portions were plentiful (in fact, you could have had seconds or thirds if desired)
The desserts were the winners for me (though how could you go bad with chocolate chip cookies and carrot cake?). I usually am not a fan of carrot cake but this was the best I’ve ever had. That alone gives it a 5 star rating. The carrot cake held together well even a day later when I scarfed it down. I’ll certainly be back for more good food at this Veggie Grill.

Thank you Ryan C. and Veggie Grill of Laguna Niguel for hosting a wonderful tasting event. On that evening us Elites got to enjoy some of Veggie Grill’s biggest hits, they were: Santa Fe Chicken sandwich, Cheeseburger, tomato basil soup, chicken tacos, fish tacos, kale salad, and a salad with faux bacon (my favorite). My favorites of the night were the chicken tacos, chicken sandwich, the salad with the faux bacon n avocado, and also the desserts: carrot cake and a cookie. My friend and I got to taste their soft serve. And its not because we were anything special its because we asked. A closed mouth doesn’t get fed! My Wednesday night concluded with great food and great conversation, I couldn’t ask for more!

Yay i was finally able to make it to another event (since I usually can’t make it to most events)!
I was excited for this event since I am a huge fan of Veggie Grill! So glad I got to bring a plus one too.
As usual we got to sample so much yummy food and the staff was super friendly and helpful. I got to try some different items that I usually don’t get at Veggie Grill, which was delish!
Thanks for putting together the event Ryan!

Coming into the tasting as a newbie to any such Unilocal event, I took everything in with little criticism. I came, I enjoyed, and I left quite happy. Outside of all the goodies provided, I found the samplings by Veggie Grill to be moderate and quite quick, but I didn’t hesitate to load up on the delicious kale salad. As a new fan to kale, I felt that the dressing was the highlight. While it etched itself onto the leaves, it didn’t linger long enough to take over the taste of kale and other ingredients. The sweet potato fries were also a great item, as they were served fresh, lightly salted, and melted in your mouth. Yum.
I also found the raffle, toy drive, and general demeanor to be of a low-​key nature. Overall, the event and food was more than I expected as a first-​timer. I’ll be sure to try one of these as soon as I can!

I have been to the veggie grill several times thanks to my old roommate who was a vegetarian. I Love they’re fake meat! It’s so tasty, the texture is just right. Thanks to this tasting I got to try a full array of their menu items. My friend and I showed up super early and all the employees were so nice they let us sit down and served us some soup and wine before anyone else got there. That was pretty cool. The tomato basil soup and crisp were absolutely delicious. One of my favorite appetizers I tried were the buffalo ‘chicken’. Spicy and perfect with the creamy sauce to dip in. Other favorites that I’d never had but would go back for are the salads. The all hail kale was super tasty It had so much stuff in it! Quinoa, carrots, etc. I was delighted by the Caesar salad as well! I think by far my favorite thing I ate though all night was the Baja fish tacos. So crunchy with the cabbage and a squeeze of lime it was like I was at the beach. The burger was super god too I love the cheese it seemed very creamy. The carrot cake was also very good although by that time I was stuffed! Thanks to the friendly staff who were always checking up to see if we liked everything and informing us more food was on the way. Thanks for a great event everybody!

Thanks to Ryan C., Unilocal,and Veggie Grill for hosting an intimate Elite Tasting. I’m not a stranger to Veggie Grill and I absolutely love their ‘chickin’ which is delicious. You wouldn’t even know it wasn’t real chicken unless someone told you. We tried some of their salads and I’m a huge fan of the kale caesar. It’s really good and I like the avocado in it which gives it a creamy taste. The tomato basil soup was also pretty tasty. The tacos were ok too but very messy. I didn’t care for the ‘fish’ taco which had an overly fishy taste which gives me a gag reflex. Sorry guys, that’s not a win for me. But I do like their carrot cake and cookies. The sweet potato fries, Santa Fe chickin sandwich, strawberry lemonade, and buffalo chickin wings are always a hit. Thanks to Unilocal for collecting toys for the Ronald McDonald charity this holiday season. If you’re heading into an event this month, pick up a toy for an extra raffle ticket. Great event and I was so happy to see so many south OC events for once. Thanks, Ryan!

’tis the season of Unilocal elite event and this is yet another amazing event hosted by ryan & veggie grill!
i have a problem with ordering the SAME THING at veggie grill every time (thai chickin’ salad) and i’m so glad i got the opportunity to taste different options vg has to offer on the menu!
some notables:
1) kale: veggie grill took kale salads to a whole new level. i’m going to start ditching the thai chicken salad for the all hail kale and savory kale caesar from now on. move over romaine, make room for the greener, healthier kale!
2) vg-​cheeseburger: wait, what do you mean this is vegan? no way is the cheese and patty vegan. the cheeseburger was too good to be vegan!
3) crispy chicken: we got to sample chicken in tacos, individually dipped in bbq/​ranch, and in the santa fe crispy chickin’ sandwich. all of which i really can’t tell it’s not chicken! all were de-​licious.
4) beverage selection: tons of beverages at the drink station AND beer (fat tire) and wine. plenty of beverage options to pair with the amazing food.
5) desserts: who knew vegan cookies and carrot cakes can be so dang delicious and addicting?! thank goodness i made sure i brought my second stomach along for the desserts. some people even got some to go, jeal!
great service from the vg laguna niguel team. great presentation as well, i really enjoyed them preparing a full size dish to showcase what we would eat a la carte. this location is much bigger than the vg next to my house, with plenty of tables/​booth seating and an sizable outdoor patio to bring our 4-​legged friends for a no-​kill animal friendly meal :)
seriously, i might just have to go vegan after this event…

Thanks Everyone at Veggie Grill and Ryan for planning this event!!!
It was my first time at Veggie Grill and I’m glad I got to try a couple of different entrees so that I know what to order next time. This was especially helpful since there are so many things to choose from on the menu!
I honestly couldn’t even tell that the «chicken» avocado sandwich wasn’t chicken! I’m definitely getting the kale salad on my next visit. Staff was super friendly. All-​in-​all, a great time yet again! See you soon, Veggie Grill.

My first time at Veggie Grill and it really knocked my socks off! If I ever become a vegetarian (a really big IF there…) I would not miss my carnivorous tendencies as much if I dined at Veggie Grill. Honestly, if you served the food to anyone and didn’t tell them it was vegetarian, they probably wouldnt notice the difference!
The best «fake» meat dish we tried was the Santa Fe Chickin Sandwhich and the cheeseburger. I really liked the All Hail Kale Salad. This was my first time having kale and I was surprised how much I liked it. It’s a really healthy leafy veggie packed full of vitamins and nutrients so I’m glad there’s a tasty salad I can order with it.
We tried both the Strawberry Lemonade and the Basil Green Tea. I love that it’s a self serve drink station which means you can mix and match the drinks. $ 2.25 for AYCD FTW!!!
We finished the night off with their carrot cake and the chocolate chip cookie. Their carrot cake is really good… NOM NOM NOM!
They are located in a plaza that has lots of really good stores such as Sprouts and tons of other restaurants.

Who would have known that faux meat could be so tasty. This was my second Unilocal Elite event but the first time I have tried dabbling into the world of meatless… well meats. I was assured from numerous people in person and through their reviews that the food looks and taste good despite being plant based.
On this night we enjoyed a plethora of various samples of salads, sandwiches, soups and drinks. The event started with them passing around small savory bites of buffalo chickin as well as another breaded type chickin, both were delicious in their own right and accompanied by both BBQ and ranch dipping sauces. After the initial bites we were given a small bowl of the tomato basil soup. I am typically not a fan of tomato but was absolutely astonished at the flavor coming from this soup. The soup was hearty, thick and rich in flavor and was for sure one of the highlights of the night for me… i’m a fan.
After the soup the rest of the night was a self serve buffet style sampling of salads, sandwiches and dessert. We began with two different types of Kale salad and both were also good. The kale caesar was my favorite of the two as it brought out a bit more flavor to me than the other (All Hail Kale? salad). The All Hail Kale was topped with a vinaigrette that was very good. After the salad portion of the night we were treated to samples of both their cheeseburger as well as the Santa Fe Chickin Sandwich (a must try at this place). Although I did not try the cheeseburger the Santa Fe Chickin was the highlight for me and really stole the show. This sandwich had all the toppings from lettuce, tomato, avocado, red onion and vegan mayo. This sandwich really packs a punch in flavor and you wouldn’t believe it’s not actually chicken.
The evening concluded with carrot cake (one of the best I have ever had) and cookies both of which were amazing as well. It was great to get back out there and reconnect with Rob L. and meet Rodney S. and so many other amazing Unilocal peeps. A personal thanks to Ryan C. & the amazing staff at the Veggie Grill for putting on this amazing event and opening our eyes to the culinary craft of meatless cooking. We will definitely be back to this or another Veggie Grill to try more of the delicious food.

Great event!
I was happy to be able to join my husband at the Veggie Grill for an Elite event. I had been wanting to try this place as I have been looking for more healthy options and places to eat at. This is one of the smallest/​more intimate events that I have been to and I really enjoyed it. When we first checked in, we were given a free pair of gloves (Yay Unilocal Life!) and we were told to sit where we wanted.
People were offered beer. (I’m not sure if it was free as I am not a beer drinker) but we were directed to the nice set of assorted drinks: Organic unsweetened tea, organic pomegranate green tea, organic ginger and hibiscus green tea, fresh lemonade, and strawberry lemonade. Next to those they had organic ketchup and organic mustard to grab as condiments if you desired. Members of the staff walked around and let us sample pieces of their buffalo chicken as well as their crispy chicken with a side of ranch or bbq/​buffalo sauce. Both tasted just like chicken in my opinion and they were delicious. Products are plant based.
The first item that they brought out was a sample of their tomato basil soup. Yummy! Next we were instructed to line up and try their salad. Everything was buffet style. I tried both of their kale salads, one was a kale ceasar salad. After that came out sandwiches, which were cut in fourths. We tried the santa fe chicken sandwich topped with tomatoes, guacamole, and onions. There was also a cheeseburger topped with similar stuff. I am a huge hamburger lover, and the cheeseburger was my least enjoyed piece that night, but it was still good and the other items were delicious.
Next they brought out sample bowls of their sweet potato fries. I am not a sweet potato fan but these were still good.
After that they brought out the tacos. Chicken and baja fish. Both were good. I really liked the baja fish tacos.
Then came the dessert. Carrot cake and a piece of their cookies. Cookie was okay, carrot cake was so delicious. That was one of the most delicious slices of carrot cake that I ever had, and I want more already!
After that Ryan held his raffle and I won some of his random cliff bars. (lol). I hope to land a t-​shirt or some of those Unilocal socks some time! As always Ryan held an amazing event. Wonderful staff, so organized, delicious food, and great times! It was also nice meeting Rodney S. and Rob L. in person for the first time. Great guys.
This location also has a dairy free soft serve that I didn’t get a chance to try but may have to make a trip down here sometime to try it as currently this is the only location that serves it.
Great food, organic, GMO free. We need more places like this!

Sorry Rodney I couldnt resist, saw an empty page and just had to be the first to review the event. Woohoo for a Unilocal elite event in the south county. Best part about it was that I got introduced to a new place to eat only 5 minutes away from my house. What really suprised me about all the delicious food was that it was completely meatless and I didnt feel like i was eating rabbit food. I think my favorite dish was the chicken tacos, it had a really good sauce, only bad part was that it was a little messy to eat. Thanks Ryan for hosting another great elite event. Cliff bars for breakfast for the next week!

The thoughts of a vegetarian meal have never been exciting or appealing. That is, until I discovered Veggie Grill.
A BIG thanks to our awesome Community Manager Ryan C for organizing, and The Veggie Grill for hosting, this amazing YEE that opened my eyes to the world of vegetarian food.
We were pampered with samplers for a full course meal: soup, salads, burgers and sandwiches, fries, tacos, and of course dessert. We were served so many different items that I could not remember many of them, but a few were impressive and memorable.
First off, the sweet potato fries were really good and is definitely something that I’ll order when I visit this restaurant again. The fish taco was absolutely delicious. The salsa was perfect for my taste — spicy enough to give me a kick but not too hot. The burgers didn’t taste like the usual burgers and they had a nice flavoring that was quite unique. I especially liked the chicken burger. And of course, the carrot cake for dessert was YUM!
Not only the food was good, the presentations of each dish was artfully done (see pictures). For each item, they had a large tray of samplers as well as a dish showing how the actual entrée is served at the restaurant. All the dishes were so beautiful and I hope you’ll enjoy the pictures.
Service has been wonderful and KUDOS to the staff for making this event so enjoyable.
After all the food was the raffle, and yours truly won 2 blue ray DVD’s back to back. Maybe today is my lucky day! Yay!
The best part of the event is that I got introduced to all the great vegetarian dishes at Veggie Grill, and having a vegetarian meal is no longer boring, but could actually be exciting. I can’t wait to visit this restaurant again to try the other entrees on their menu.

«Like a vegan,
juicing for the very first time.
Like a vee-​ee-​eeee-​gan,
I feel your smoothie blend,
next to mine.»
My first Elite event since Endless Summer, Veggie Grill Laguna Niguel welcomed us to some complimentary bites.
John, one of the co-​managers
While waiting for the festivities to kick off, I was graciously offered a sample of their dairy-​free softserve. Laguna Niguel is the only location to offer softserve, and it won’t be offered at other Veggie Grills. Tasting it and seeing how good it is, I don’t see why they don’t offer it company-​wide.
For starters, we began our feast with kale — All Hail Kale & Kale Caesar
Caesar is my favorite salad dressing & the Kale Caesar didn’t disappoint. It was fresh, creamy and had that oh so delicious tanginess. The All Hail Kale was refreshing, too.
Soup du jour, tomato basil soup
Thick, warm & hearty. A great accompaniment to our dishes
Santa Fe Chicken sandwich and cheeseburger
The Santa Fe Chicken was my winner for tonight’s entrees. It really does taste like chicken. I’ve had the cheeseburger before, and it reminds me of salisbury steak.
Sweet potato fries
Piping hot from the fryer, these were deep fried fun in a bowl. Wellington hogged all the fries ;p
Tacos, chicken & fish
Have your eyes closed & you couldn’t tell these were faux meat. I imagine I could eat about twenty of these.
For dessert, we had chocolate chip cookies & carrotcake
I’m a carrotcake fan & this has to be one of the best I’ve ever had. Moist & sweet, with a sinfully delicious dairyfree cream cheese frosting. The cookie was tasty, too.
Always a pleasure hanging out with my fellow Unilocal peeps–
Sidney & Charlie
Wellington (thanks for the CLIF bars)
Shawna & Steven (nice meeting you two!)
Lucy & sis
I scored 2 free comp food cards. Yes!
Thanks, Ryan & Veggie Grill Laguna Niguel, for hosting us for a fun evening, eating healthy vegetarian food and hanging out with fellow Elites & their +1’s.
Unilocal Life!