Vromage

I am so excited to return to Vromage today to buy some incredible cheeses. I recently hosted a group of people for a meeting and everyone loved the cheeses, even non-​vegans. Youssef is a genius with his making of these cheeses & is such a delightful presence there, always warm & generous with our tasting the various cheeses. Do yourself a favor & enjoy the flavors @ Vromage! NYC– be very jealous!

Immediate confession: I am not a vegan. In fact, my family is from Europe, has a French culinary background, and I’ve been eating fancy, funky gourmet cheese since I’ve been out of a high chair.
I came in with my vegan sister, and politely accepted samples, as we were there to shop for her. After Youssef offered us our 3^rd cheese (a «brie» with white truffles shaved in, yes, actual white truffle flakes), I was hooked and started ordering wheels. In fact, I ordered more than my vegan sister.
Youssef takes great pride in the quality of his work, and all his «cheeses» are made from cultured nuts and seeds. No soy, no oils, no processed stuff.
I am so happy I have found this place. The only thing that makes me sad is I don’t live near West Hollywood and I fear I’ll need to make weekly trips to refill my supply. Until today, I didn’t think I could go vegan, but the stuff Youssef makes is better than most real cheese.

I was in the area and had been wanting to stop by for some time. It was a few days before NYE and I thought a (vegan) cheese plate would be a nice way to ring in the new year. I didn’t realize it prior to arrival, but they’re by appointment only Monday and Tuesday since they’re in the back making cheese. Youssef was kind enough to still let my mom and I sample a few of the cheeses that he had ready.
Ohmygosh are the cheeses good. There weren’t a ton ready, but we did end up buying 2 goats with chives and another 2 with white truffles. If I lived closer, it’d be a problem since I’d be there all the time. Youssef really has changed the vegan cheese game.

Agree with Jessica W. (check her posting for more detailed info). I’ve walked past this small neighborhood strip mall shop numerous times, and finally stopped in for a look. Mostly because I finally realized it was vegan! Yousseff, the owner, is knowledgeable, enthusiastic and very helpful in describing his numerous types of vegan cheese masterpieces. It’s obvious he takes a great deal of care in their making, as they are all (taste after taste he proudly provided) absolutely delicious and fresh-​tasting. I especially like the tangy flavor of the feta with ash, and the freshness of creamy mozzarella, but all are great. Happy to see more and more people finding this spot. Well-​deserved popularity!

Sure this place is a vegan haven, but you definitely don’t have to be one to enjoy this gem of a place. The cheeses are incredibly flavorful and varied. Any foodie would be impressed. As a vegan I’m simply grateful a place like this exists. Delicious is an understatement.

Ordered the Caprese Sandwich and a «little bit of every cheese» with a baguette. It was so nice — Youssef asked how many people the cheese was for and portioned the perfect amount of every cheese — and let me sample each type as he cut them off.
The cheeses were just beyond amazing. The ricotta was so special because it had the sour-​ness of cheese that I haven’t had in other vegan cheeses before. I also thought the smoky gouda and pepper jack were particularly amazing (but honestly everything is).
It also was just such a fun experience to order the cheese at a deli counter and have it weighed — something I haven’t done in a very long time, since becoming vegan.

Excellent vegan «cheeses». Yes, several of them were superior to regular cheese. Nice ambiance for the shop, nice proprietor. There was a grilled cheese on the menu. I’ve had vegan grilled cheeses from all over the country and make a killer one myself, but this was the best I’ve ever had. Recommend the goat cheese in particular but all are great. Will be going back.

Great place for vegan cheese!
The owner is very kind, the cheese is unbelievably authentic.
We tried the cheese platter with four different cheeses, crackers and bread and I loved all of it!
Would be there every day, if I lived in LA.

Stopped in to meet Yousseff and pick up a few special vegan cheeses.
Yousseff let us try about seven varieties of cheeses, and told us that earlier the day he sent some to the White House.
Also, I asked Yousseff if he was interested in staying small and he adamantly replied «No».
Cheese, IMHO, is an area of vegan diet that could use more variety and better quality. More power to him!
Vromage also has a short menu of salads and sandwiches. No restroom. Parking is a little tricky, as the lot looks to be entirely served by a valet

I don’t know what to say that hasn’t already been said. AMAZING soy-​free vegan cheeses that will blow your socks off! Seriously. We had to buy new socks.
I think the $$ sign thing needs to be updated on Unilocal.I did spend only $$, but the cheese itself is $$$$/​ounce (and it should be). Expensive, but very worth it. Creamy, flavorful, great texture… damn it’s good.
Youseff is amazing and extremely warm. He lets you sample everything! Terrific spot! Also, don’t be afraid of the valet. It’s free to park for to-​go. And if you tip the valet just because, he’ll help you out. Great stuff!

Not only the best vegan cheese you will ever try, but the best cheese period you will ever try. The owner is amazing and it’s always such an awesome experiencing visiting his shop. If you haven’t been, you don’t know what you’re missing.

What’s the first excuse you hear when someone gives a reason they can’t be vegan? It’s one word: «bacon.» But the next thing you hear 99.9% of the time is «I could never give up cheese!» Newsflash: Now you don’t have to. This place is legit. (Newsflash #2: Actual dairy cheese is gross. Factoid: We are the *only* species who drinks another species milk and has an entire food category based on it.)
Youssef Fakhouri has been passionately crafting a vegan cheese for a number of years and the result is truly revolutionary. This is all the deliciousness of cheese without the artery clogging and animal cruelty. What could possibly taste better than that? (Nothing.)
The cheeses are made from nuts and seeds (cashews, macadamias, pine nuts, pistachios, almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and poppy seeds) and *magic.* Sandwiches are made on ridiculously good gluten-​free sourdough bread. People who suffer from Celiac Disease rejoice!
Menu changes often but quality does not. They have their own parking lot in a little strip mall off Sunset but the location is small so don’t bring 50 of your closest friends, as much as you’ll want to.
Note the hours: Weds-​Sat 11:30 AM — 7:30 PM and Sunday 11:30 AM — 6:30 PM (That’s NO Monday and Tuesday for the slow class) Wouldn’t want you to rush over when he wasn’t open. But I do want you to rush over because this man is a genius and lucky you gets to reap the rewards of his brilliance.

Probably the best cheese you will have in your life.
Vegan or not, if you are a cheese fan like my significant other, than you MUST try this place. (Plus it will make you feel less guilty because everything is nut and seed based– healthyish stuff!) It is located inside a small outdoor shopping center in West Hollywood. We were greeted by the friendly owner when we entered the shop. Then our mouths were greeted by the flavorful cheese samples Mr. Youssef had to offer. We got to try nearly all of the cheeses of the day. Each one kept tasting better and better. Until, we sampled the Brie with Truffle… mmMmm heaven! Soft and melt-​y cheese infused with truffle; well my soul was sold. My SO on the other hand would have wanted them all but (we were traveling a long distance and coughbudgetcough) decided on the Smokey Gouda; thicker and chewier consistency with a smokey flavor– it was perfect for a savory snack. Ofcourse we could have just taken a spoon and ate them by itself… but we purchased the house made crackers. The crackers were plain but absolutely perfect for you to spread your cheese on!
I believe we came near closing hours so we did not get to try their full menu. Alas the hundred of miles will not keep us apart for long. We shall meet again and try your other delicious cheeses!

The future of cheese!
Doesn’t matter if you are vegan or not. If you are a cheese lover, you will appreciate and enjoy the delicious selection Youssef has created. There’s such a variety and he’s really got the cheeses down. Brie, Camembert, Gorgonzola (or Veganzola, as I believe he calls it) … he uses truffles and other specialty ingredients, puts a lot of time and care into the yummy products. I’m excited that we’ve entered a time where there are so many tasty cruelty-​free gourmet cheese options. Part of this cheese-​o-​lution is happening here.

Now I love cheese. But it’s really not good for you. Where it comes from and
how it’s made we don’t need to get into that. I needed a miracle. Youssef, the
creator of «VREMAGE» on sunset is the miracle. And it’s all made from NUTS.
Believe it. Dozens of different types. And you can taste them all before any
purchase. I am not a vegetarian but I do like to stay conscious about health
issues. Nuts are good for you, commercial cheese is not. I can say no more.

Vegan cheese has come a long way to finding a home in the ‘artisan’ realm! Vromage holds its own, more literally than figuratively, when it comes to ‘artisan’ vegan cheese. Literally, it is the only vegan cheese shop in a driveable vicinity of Southern California. Figuratively, it is the best cold vegan cheese I’ve tasted, but it still tastes like vegan cheese.
Vegan cheese kind of tastes more like its texture than its taste. The brie, cheddar, and gouda at Vromage all have a good creamy texture (gouda was a bit harder) with the essence of each of their respective types of cheese. The cheese offers a very pleasing, hummus-​like quality to a sandwich by acting like a yummy spread to a sandwich than the not-​cow cheese that I had anticipated and imagined.
Maybe it’s problematic thinking to believe vegan cheese has to taste like ‘the real deal.’ With two of my Unilocal friend’s five star raving reviews, I was expecting to taste a hard cheese from the swollen teat of a poor factory farm cow, however the reminiscent essence and very soft texture won me over.
Baguette sandwich was $ 12.50, and like the nice owner, the size of the portions are very French. Don’t come here famished!

This place is so great!
For someone who loves vegan food, and has trouble finding vegan cheese, this place is perfect. They allowed us to try some samples which was great.
The menu fluctuates but everything looks so good.
Delicious-​ness!
It is a very small place and there are only about 6 – 8 chairs, so if you go when busy it can be kind of crowded.
Only problem I found was that it was not very filling.

We sampled all five of their cheeses and purchased four of them. I liked two of them, The Sweetie liked three of them. Neither of us cared for #5, the goat cheese.
Of the four we purchased, all were very very soft. Three were creamy, almost mousse-​like, but one was a bit rubbery, like a silken tofu. Our homemade «cheese», a la Miyoko Schinner, is usually the consistency of peanut butter, or perhaps a bit thicker.
When we did a cheese tasting at home, none of their cheeses had enough flavor to stand up to The Sweetie’s homemade bread, so we ended up just eating the cheese straight and discovered that the flavors, although somewhat mild, were very interesting and thoroughly enjoyed. In comparison, this same bread was dwarfed by the flavors of our homemade «gruyère» and «cheddar».
We asked if they make a blue cheese (the holy grail of vegan cheeses) and the answer was «Yes, but we’re sold out. We always sell out right after we finish making it.» It upsets me when places do this — they should make MORE of it. I’m not an economist by trade, but I suspect they would be more successful if Supply = Demand.
Prices? Around $ 45 /​pound. Not much more than the high-​quality real cheese we used to buy.
Would I go back? Gladly.
Would I stop making our own cheese at home? No.

Cheese is amazing. Dairy is not. You see my problem.
When people would ask me, «Do you miss cheese?» I’d say, «Well, I can still eat grilled cheese, paninis, manicotti, pizza, mac & cheese, nachos, so no… but I kind of miss having wine and cheese with crackers.» NO MORE, my friends, no more. We live in a whole new world. Since I started eating vegan over 3 years ago, we’ve had a cheese revolution! Kite Hill and Treeline came on the scene, we have Miyoko selling her brilliant cheeses online, and now in LA, we have an entire cheese shop to call our own!
I had a surprise Friday off and decided to treat myself with a visit to Vromage. I went in with a plan — two 3oz of cheese to bring home, and a sandwich. One who loves cheese and doesn’t get nice cheese often needs to set boundaries for herself. The cheesemonger made this very difficult, as he supplied me with multiple cheese samples, each one better than the last. There was feta, brie, goat cheese, camembert, cheddar, spicy jack… so much delicious cheese!!! I felt overwhelmed but ordered two cheeses I used to love in my past life, brie and chive goat cheese.
For the sandwich, I asked him to surprise me with what cheese he used, saying to him, «Whatever you think is best, I am game!» He made me an amazing sandwich with spicy cheddar on one half, and ash goat cheese on the other. Oh my goodness, it was the best sandwich. The goat cheese covered in ash was easily my favorite cheese of the day, as the smoky ash adds so much complexity and flavor.
The two cheeses barely lasted the weekend. I kept sneaking into the kitchen for «just a taste,» and before I knew it, half of it was gone! These are craveable, artisan cheeses that need no footnote or apology to omnivores. They’re different, but they stand alone in how delicious they are. I am dreaming of going back as soon as possible!

Oh. My. God… Consider my mind officially BLOWN.
To really understand the value of an artisanal cheese shop that is 100% vegan you really need to ponder just how awful vegan cheese used to be. When I dropped dairy from my world around 2001 vegan cheese was pretty damn awful. I imagine back in the 80s and 90s it was probably far worse. But even in 2001 there were only a few options and I can tell you right now they sucked, and they sucked hard.
If I recall you really had to choose between taste or melting. Either it tasted kind of OK but would never melt, or it could kind of melt OK but tasted horrible. Sweet options, am I right? No, not sweet. I was kidding, it’s called sarcasm. But anyway, that was the decision for the 2001 vegan.
Then about 4 years ago Daiya vegan cheese came on the scene and I considered the world a better place. It tasted better than OK, we’ll call it a 6.5 out of 10, and that bastard could melt. Pizza became a thing again, lasagna and grilled cheeses became a thing again, I was happy. Today if you call Z Pizza, Blaze, Fresh Brothers or any number of pizza chains, they have Daiya.
But I wasn’t satisfied. Would I ever see a vegan brie? What about something close to goat cheese? Or a sharp cheddar? I could dream, and dream I did. At least it *was* merely a dream, until VROMAGE opened.
I can’t really say enough about this place. I can’t. Run by a gentleman from France who wanted to up that vegan cheese life I’ll tell you that everything I’ve tasted here has been phenomenal. I’ve had maybe a dozen types and I can’t stop shoving it in my face. Mozzarella, pepper jack, herbed brie, gorgonzola, white cheese with truffle, it goes on and on.
Fantastic with crackers or fresh bread, fruit and wine, spread on a sandwich. What the hell, just eat it with a spoon. They have a menu too, house made salads and sandwiches showcasing these fine vegan goods. The prices can get up there but realize this is a craft, made with fine nuts and seeds which certainly ain’t cheap. Well worth it, in my opinion. Lucky for me I don’t live very close or I’d probably be begging for change on the street by now to feed my Vromage addiction.
Even if you’re on the fence, just top by. What harm could it do? They sample all of their cheeses so you can get a little taste and see what’s up. Like I said, MIND BLOWN. 2001 vegan Justin never thought a place this crazy delicious could exist but I’m absolutely glad he turned out to be wrong.