A Lovely Meal At Leaf Organics

I recently dined at one of my favorite raw fusion restaurants, Leaf Organics in Culver City with a close friend. While I've had mixed experiences at this cafe, the establishment has done a complete one eighty through revamping both the decor and menu. The once stuffy and claustrophobic cafe is now sophisticated and vibrant, yet still retains a sense of coziness with the casual booth seating. The menu which previously consisted of boring uninspired dishes is now full of an eclectic mix of delicious ingredients.

I began the meal with the Mudslide Slim smoothie ($7).

This smoothie was fantastic. It was so creamy and decadent and had a wonderful banana flavor with a hint of dates. It was frothy and reminded me a lot of a milk shake. The drink was very refreshing and washed the meal down well.

My friend ordered a juice, which she really enjoyed and said complimented the food.

Next, I had the Vegan Lasagna ($11).

The lasagna was wonderful. There were layers of cooked vegetables coated in Italian seasonings. The tofu ricotta was very rich and had a wonderful nutty taste. The marinara was sweet with a subtle tangy flavor. There was a lovely topping of gooey Daiya cheese, which took the dish over the top.

Lastly, I had the Sloppy Jose in a baked sweet potato ($11).

This dish was amazing and the highlight of the meal. The perfectly cooked, succulent sweet potato was loaded with toppings. There was a magnificent cream sauce with had a slightly sour taste and chunks of buttery guacamole. The chili was very savory and meaty. The onions added a lovely bitterness that contrasted the sweet, juicy tomatoes.

Overall, the meal was phenomenal. Everything was so flavorful and the tastes lingered in my mouth hours later. The food was also very light and my body felt fantastic all night. We used a $25 restaurant.com gift certificate, so the meal only cost about $10 a person (with tax and tip). I will definitely return to Leaf again soon!