Nickel Diner

Saturday night I had a few hours without any ties, no kids, no husband, no direction.  I called a friend of mine who is great with last minute outings.  I cruised by picked her up and we started heading east on the 10 freeway.  She suggested the Nickel Diner and that became the destination.  Nickel Diner is located near 5th and Main in Downtown Los Angeles.  Once I got close to the restaurant, I realized I was super close to Babycakes.  I knew what I was doing after the meal was done at the Nickel.

As soon as we entered we were greeted by friendly faces and a super cool atmosphere.  When the folks at the Nickel were fixing the joint up, they found these fantastic, original paintings.  They were smart to leave them up.  Really adds to the coziness and authenticity.

There are a few vegan options to choose from on the dinner menu:  vegan chili, pasta puttanesca, and root vegetable casselout.  I chose the pasta puttanesca.  It had loads of capers and olives, just the way I like it.  I nearly cleaned the bowl.  My pal, not a vegan but open when it comes to food, chose a bowl of vegan chili and a side of fries.  I don't know if the fries are fried in a separate fryer,  so I stayed clear of them. Her fries were delivered cold, but the staff was quick to fix the problem.   I finished my meal with the only vegan dessert on the menu.  Vegan coconut tapioca pudding.  Creamy and sweetened with agave.  I ate so much of it, I didn't have room for a Babycakes treat.  But I did buy some for the next day.  You can always use a Babycakes pick me up in the morning.

(All photos were borrowed from the Nickel Diner website.  I do not take credit for any of these images.)