Restaurant Review: Organix in Los Angeles, CA

Organix is a small specialty (and mostly vegan) grocery store tucked away in a small strip mall in the Eagle Rock area of Los Angeles. It also happens to have a tiny deli slinging some of the most delicious sandwich and burger creations in Southern California! While I've enjoyed many of their dishes at various vegan festivals and events, this was my first time visiting their actual location. Their deli has a pretty extensive selection of vegan sandwiches, burgers, tacos, burritos, and so on to choose from. Some of their creations include the mouthwatering Puerco sandwich ("marinated, slow-cooked and baked shredded jack fruit, homemade BBQ sauce, homemade slaw, vegan mayo and pickle on ciabatta bread"), the Mac Daddy burger (or vegan Big Mac, with "two vegan housemade beef patties, three sesame buns, vegan cheddar cheese, housemade Thousand Island dressing, grilled onions, lettuce, and pickle"), the Bacon Western Cheeseburger ("housemade vegan beef patty, battered and panko-encrusted onion ring, homemade coconut bacon, vegan mayo and housemade BBQ sauce on a sesame bun"), and many more! This time, though, I only had eyes for their Southern Belle, which is a sandwich with a battered and panko fried vegan chicken patty, mashed potatoes and gravy served on a bun.

Organix's Southern Belles!

The day I visited Organix I had already visited two other vegan eateries beforehand (Ramen Hood and Donut Friend), but that certainly didn't stop me from tackling their Southern Belle. I would have also ordered their Bacon Western, but they sold the last one while my companions and I were planning what to order. Sob. Anywho, we settled on two orders of the Southern Belle (damned if I'd be sharing) as well as their Spicy Crispy Chicken sandwich ("fried vegan spicy chicken patty served with vegan mayo, lettuce and tomato on choice of available bun").

As soon as I took a bite of the Southern Belle, I was smitten. First, the vegan fried chicken was INCREDIBLE! I dare say it was better than Doomie's and Vegan Cuisine's vegan fried chicken! That panko crust gets me, you know? Second, the mashed potatoes and gravy were so smooth, silky, and damn good! The potatoes were a perfect creamy consistency with just the right amount of buttery richness. And the gravy added that extra little flavor. It may sound weird, but it reminded me of the KFC family dinners my parents would (on a rare occasion) pick up. Thankfully, Organix's Southern Belle is without all the nasty cruelty that KFC is guilty of.

I had a few bites of the Spicy Crispy Chicken sandwich (when I could pry it from Mister Spooky's grip), and that one was excellent as well. It had the right amount of spicy kick and I would have been pleased to eat that whole sandwich as well. It reminded me of a spicy chicken sandwich from one of those fast food places, too, only better (and, again, minus the cruelty)!

The aisles of Organix! So many vegan goodies!

I really enjoyed eating at Organix and can't wait to return to try more of their offerings! The parking was easy - you just park in the lot of the strip mall (and it's free!!), or there is neighborhood parking if the lot is full. Then you order your food at their little check-out station. While you wait for your food, you can wander around the store and maybe pick up a few hard-to-find vegan items (note: not all products are vegan, but I'd say 99% are!). They don't have much seating - when we were there they had two picnic tables inside and a few small tables outside, but we managed to share a table with some other folks and it worked out okay. You actually pay after your meal (at least we did), back at the check-out counter.

I am already dreaming about their other burgers and sandwiches I want to try, and they also have seasonal specials that are drool-worthy, like their Thanksgiving "Leftovers" sandwich, which unfortunately I missed this year (however, they will be bringing it back soon - I gotta keep an eye out for this!).

It may be a drive for me, but Organix is definitely worth it.

You can find more info, including their hours and full menu, on Organix's site!