At the junction of 8th and La Brea sits the swoopy Firestone building, a Miracle Mile art deco landmark that had fallen into disuse before becoming minted as an historical monument in 2012. After its sale in 2016 and a subsequent restoration, All Season Brewery opened in 2021. It’s now a hip indoor/outdoor experience, with an array of artifacts from the former auto service space lovingly repainted and oozing retro cool. Whitewall tires and tin signs line the walls, frozen in time not unlike the direwolf skulls ensconced at the Page Museum up the street. The clientele skews young and, like said fossilized wolves, even a 30-something might feel like a bit of a relic in this crowd.
At the far end of All Season’s long bar, Chica’s Tacos is a colorful splash of tile and neon against the industrial surroundings. One of two locations, they offer a medley of options for vegans and omnivores that should please both incidental diners and those who have sought them out. Orders can be placed with a friendly human or a touchscreen; rather than signaling techno-cynicism, in this case I think it makes for a scalable solution to a very human problem. While a lineup of sloshed barflies might test the cashiers’ patience during peak hours, the more sober and savvy diners can skirt around them to one of these kiosks and get their orders in the queue.
Chica’s Plant-Based Nachos, preferably with Abbot’s beef added, are bold and spicy. Their chips are drenched in an unimpeachably funky house-made vegan queso, then topped with a splash of chile morita salsa, a full sprig of cilantro, a charred scallion and a roasted jalapeno. It pairs nicely with a cold pilsner, or with a friend who will spare you the shame and eat your untouched jalapeno.
If you’ve committed to an open tab and you’re looking for something more robust, Chica’s Bowl and Chica’s Burrito require no substitutions when ordered with either Abbott’s beef or jackfruit as the protein1. I’m keen on the Market Burrito with jackfruit, sans (dairy) cheese, with a splash of salsa verde in each bite. This one is well-constructed in ratio and form, balanced in each bite and easily aces the all-important upright test2.
The Crispy Taco is one of the better examples I’ve had in the genre. In the trough of the crackly corn shell the Abbot’s beef is rich and citrusy. Shredded iceberg lettuce, radish and vegan cheddar rest on top with salsa roja or verde available on the side. These stellar tacos are plant-based by default, elevating them far above the typical token dish, and consequently Chica’s conversion quotient soars3. I generally prefer to support fully vegan restaurants, but I can get down with omnivore spots that present their plant-based dishes on equal footing with the rest.
Eateries like this play a vital role in the vegan dining ecosystem; I’m fortunate to have one that performs the role with such panache in my own backyard, and I bring friends and family whenever the opportunity presents itself. Whether it remains a compromise spot or someone in your party finds themselves moved to take a walk on the plant-based side, you and your company can bank on a wonderful meal. A watering hole is nature’s great equalizer, and Chica’s Tacos at All Season Brewery is up there with the best of them.
- The fact that even vegan-friendly places are not above listing a plant as a ‘protein option’ really gets my goat. I’m still waiting for the first fully vegan spot that passive-aggressively offers ‘fiber options’. ↩︎
- This is a test wherein, in an effort to ensure that one’s partially-eaten burrito doesn’t spill its contents and juices when placed down, the burrito is placed upright on the plate on its hind wrappings. If it can hold this position through a 2-minute napkin-and-beverage intermission it passes the test. Burritos that are well-wrapped and girthy tend to perform the best. This test becomes more integral to the dining experience at a bar, when one is trying to avoid creating a slurry with the condensation on their frosty drink. ↩︎
- Conversion Quotient ™ = (likelihood that a vegan meal will lead an omnivore to questioning their life choices) x (likelihood that an omnivore will try said meal of their own accord) ↩︎
