Los Angeles welcomes all vegan, organic, and kosher fast food joint, Fala Bar.
Fala Me to Heaven, Fala Me To Runyon, Fala Me To KALEifornia. These are just some of the evocative names of the dishes at Fala Bar. This “always vegan, always fresh, always organic” and kosher fast food joint is located in an unassuming cafe in West Hollywood on Melrose near Fairfax. Perfect for takeout, the location also features a few sidewalk tables complete with spicy house made condiments to satisfy a casual diner’s desire for instant gratification in this innovative and delicious entry in LA’s healthy food revolution.
Gina Ragnone, Fala Bar team member and holistic health coach, curated the menu to carefully craft healthy, vegan, nut-free, mostly gluten-free (aside from pita which can be substituted with cabbage) dishes based on falafel. Before you underestimate the magic in what appears to be a simple the menu, you must taste Fala Bar. The five different varieties of falafel are made to order and also available as baked options. The original garbanzo-based recipe is spiced with cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin, onion, and jalapenos. The spicy option adds red peppers and the crunchy variety is a simple mix with cumin, coriander, and salt. The unique sweet potato and kale falafels offer a surprising twist on a favorite high-protein plant-based comfort food.
The aforementioned Fala Me to….are the salad dishes, that feature your choice of falafel mixed with veggies such as mixed greens, mixed cabbages, Israeli salad, and humus (Heaven); or quinoa tabouli, Brussels sprouts, hummus, Israeli salad, and white cabbage (Runyon); or shredded carrots, sunflower sprouts, micro greens, humous, lemony kale, and quinoa (for KALEifornia). Don’t stop at the salads. The three falafel-based burgers are some of the best vegan options around. I’m already planning my next order and hoping to share some falafel with Gina.
Fala Bar, 7751 1/2 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
323-424-7131, falabar.com
By Felicia Tomasko, RN, Editor-in-Chief of LA YOGA and President of the Bliss Network.
Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.