Whole Life Magazine

October / November 2018

Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1047374

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 11 of 31

I f you've been hankering for an In-N-Out burger – but wish- ing it was vegan; remembering thick and creamy childhood ice cream shop shakes; or craving a crispy tater tot or two – then Monty's Good Burger, a hip, hole-in-the-wall burger stand in Koreatown, is the place to make all these foodie dreams come true. Cheerful staff members keep the line – there will be a line – smiling as diners queue up along Western Ave. Once allowed into the inner sanctum of the actual restaurant, equally friendly staff members take your order, and after a much shorter wait, de- liver it. You can order to go, or eat in; because of the outside line, the small seating availability usually matches the pace of din- ers who've placed orders. There are two counters with bright red stools, a cute mural/logo of Monty, the dog belonging to one of the dining spot's owners, and pale blue and white walls. You may be less interested in the décor than in the delicious scents emanating from the grill. The all-vegan burger is the star here. It is 100% plant-based, and 200% delicious. Crafted from the Impossible patty brand, the thick, perfectly grilled faux meat is topped with fresh, crisp lettuce, tomatoes, sweet grilled onions, thin-sliced pickled cu- cumbers, and vegan Thousand Island dressing. There's also a generous slice of precisely melted gooey Follow Your Heart cheese, which tastes like lovely, light cheddar. The bun: Bosch Baking potato. Along with my surprise that I could devour every bite of the burger itself, was the equally surprising choice to eat every last bit of that bun. I'm used to leaving off the top half or stopping before I consume the last section of bread on a sand- wich. Not here. The bun is fresh and fl uffy, and what an accent to that burger! But let's not forget the accompanying shake. Chocolate, va- nilla, coffee, or strawberry are the choices, but for us, the choice was already made by our own biology: chocolate all the way. Thick and creamy enough to eat with a spoon, but entirely veg- an, darker chocolate swirls embedded like a fi ne-art rendering of a milkshake – and, it's topped with a chunk of vegan white chocolate fl oating like the ultimate blissful island. If for some reason — (why?) — you don't want a shake, there's lemonade, strawberry lemonade, iced tea, boxed water, or an Arnold Palmer of half tea/half lemonade. Monty's organic, house-craft- ed sodas are admittedly a good choice, too, made with cane sugar in fl avors that include root beer, Dr. Monty, ginger beer, and cola, among others. The tater tots are also pretty much perfection, golden brown crunchy on the outside, tender inside. They come with house ketchup, and you can order one additional sauce at no extra charge. There are several to choose from, including ranch, "house spread" – the same tangy Thousand Island-like sauce on your burger, onion aioli, and my partner's choice, the spicy Sriracha aioli. He liked that; I stuck with the ketchup. We did not try the julienne-style fries, but they looked nice and crisp, too. There's also a chopped kale Caesar salad that appeared fresh and bright – but you know you want the burger, don't you? Dessert – assuming you have any room left – means a se- lection of cookies, which we will also have to try another time. Still, something named Middle of the Brownie can't help but be good. Kids in tow? Grilled cheese, tater tots or fries, and one dipping sauce makes a fi ne meal for the small fry. Monty's Good Burger is open from 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Sun- day-Wednesday and 11 a.m.–1 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. Bring your appetite but be prepared to wait. The restaurant is located at 516 S. Western Ave. and rumor has it a second location is coming to the mid-city area soon. Visit montysgoodburger.com. Vegan Fast Food Feast MONTY'S GOOD BURGER eat here now By Genie Davis ketchup, and you can order one additional sauce at no extra Photos: Courtesy of Monty's Good Burger F O U N D E D 1 9 2 0 B Y P A R A M A H A N S A Y O G A N A N D A F O U N D E D 1 9 2 0 B Y P A R A M A H A N S A Y O G A N A N D A S e l f - R e a l i z a t i o n F e l l o w s h i p F O U N D E D 1 9 2 0 B Y P A R A M A H A N S A Y O G A N A N D A F O U N D E D 1 9 2 0 B Y P A R A M A H A N S A Y O G A N A N D A S e l f - R e a l i z a t i o n F e l l o w s h i p Inner Reflections 2019 Eng a g ement Ca lendar A Daily Retreat IRcalendar.org Spiralbound, 54 color photos, $13.95 Inspiration from Paramahansa Yogananda Visit our gallery at Inner Reflections 12 wholelifetimes.com

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Whole Life Magazine - October / November 2018