Urban Botanic Garden: Café Gratitude, Art District

Oliver Wong
Aug 25, 2017 · 4 min read

Who says oasis can’t co-exist with trains and skyscrapers? A vibrant splash of hearts sprinkles the wall mural next to its center-hinged double glass door, Café Gratitude smartly blends itself in LA downtown’s art district. Light, accepting, hippie, and with soul-cleaning qualities: an urban botanic garden. It solely provides raw, organic, 100% planted-based gourmet. If you want to detox, the L.A.-based chain Café Gratitude has invented the medicine.

The moment I walked in, I was greeted by air of the absolute aliveness that floated around in this 4,200-square-foot space. Although tempted to dine in the outside terrace, the indoor stoneware pendant lights grabbed me. I chose the table next to a window, enjoying its handmade interior design by local artisans. To balance the white palette, it had few drops of hanging green plants and mustard-colored chairs. I felt noble and royal.

The menu presents bizarre names of each cuisine — Brilliant, Mucho, Committed — which respectively referred to Coconut Ceviche, Mexican Bowl, and Falafel Wrap. Oddity of the title only increases its attractiveness. The included ingredients are considerately listed for those who feel confused. But, it is easy to understand that meat and dairy has no place here.

After a few times of calling for attention, our waitress finally came.

“Do you have any food allergy or intolerance?” The waitress asked my friend, Rachel, who became a vegan in March. The waitress went on to spoke of the differences between allergy and intolerance. Indeed, Café Gratitude tries their best to be honest and transparent.

As the “Humble” found its way on our table, I was delighted at the sight of it rich color. A bowl of veggie with brown rice and quinoa, the “Humble” played around my palate with yellow Indian curry, mildly spicy and milky. The full scoop of avocado was heaven. India meets Mexico: a brilliant cultural exchange program. After halfway through, I tossed everything together — roasted yams, spinach, scallions — and it created a whole new sense of taste. The roasted yams enriched it with crispy texture. The scallions were fresh and fine. Overall, salty, spicy, and sweet: Good with rice. Though, at times the tomato jams gave me a jolt of extreme sweetness that did not well fit with other ingredients.

A glass of “Activated” was a refreshing herbal tonic. With its energetic title, it was a charcoal Latté. Gray and slightly dark, the slurry could have been more pleasant, only if with a lessened taste of lavender. Undeniably, when the raw honey paired up with almond milk, this drink “Activated” me.

There are more to explore in Café Gratitude. For a fully organic vegetarian restaurant, $20 for one meal is a modest price. Desire for healthful style but have little time? It should not take you forty minutes to enjoy a plate of salad at Gratitude. Lunch break is too short? The To-Go section awaits you in the back of the restaurant. No lunch break? Delivery is always an option.

Address: 300 S Santa Fe Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90013

Hours: 8AM — 10PM Everyday

Number: (213) 929–5580

Find the nearest Café Gratitude? They locate in Los Angeles, Arts District, Venice, San Diego, Newport Beach, and Beverly Hills.

Published August 25, 2017August 25, 2017


Originally published at cyameiwangblog.wordpress.com on August 25, 2017.

)
Oliver Wong

Written by

My birth name is Chia-Yao Wang, as 王嘉耀 in Mandarin. I write. I act. I like making people laugh. I live in Los Angeles. hellooliverwong@gmail.com

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade