10/17/08

Best Raw Food in LA Area

by josephgut

I just ate lunch at Juliano's Raw and was absolutely blown away. I am a somewhat new raw foodist and have frequented several of the other raw restaurants in Los Angeles, but nothing compares to Juliano's. The food is absolutely delicious! I had the chocolate shake to start and the Pesto Pizza for the entree. Everything was absolutely scrumcious. If you are on a raw food diet either by choice or by need and you feel that you are in any way missing out on "regular" food then this is the place to go. The service could not have been better - very friendly waitress willing to help us with her recommendations. I took a friend of mine there who is a burgers and fries guy and who is not "into raw food." He had the Tijuana Taco and a Macha Iced Coffee smoothie. He couldn't stop saying how wonderful everything was. He, nor I, felt deprived in any way with our raw meal. It couldn't have been tastier, fresher, more beautifully prepared than it was. We will both be frequenting Juliano's as often as possible. It's not a cheap place, but it's definitely worth the price considering the value of what you are eating and how amazingly it tastes and is prepared. I wish all raw restaurants could at least mimic some of the creations from Juliano.

• Pros: Amazing and deliciously prepared one-of-a kind raw dishes.
• Cons: A bit expensive, but Santa Monica restaurants are expensive. You get what you pay for.

08/31/08

great service, great food, great time!

by lovestoeast

We recently went to julianos on a recommendation. I read the other reviews, which are mixed, but this place is great! We were definently not disappointed. The menu is huge, and we had no idea what to order until our waitress, ashley, gave us recommendations, and we loved them all. She was really sweet, patient and very knowlegable of the menu (a rarity it seems in many restaurants) and was able to answer all of our questions (we had a lot!). We had the best raw plate of nachos ever, curry zuchinni pasta and some really really good "cheese" pocket things. My friends had never eaten raw before but were loving it! The portions are on the smaller side and its kind of expensive, but worth the money. Every dish was a piece of art and everything tasted so good! We also had the chocolate mousse and apple pie, our waitress' favorites, and they were some of the best desserts I have ever had! You definently feel like your eating gourmet here, much more than some other raw/vegan places around. The staff was really friendly and it was great having a waitress you felt really cared about your meal. we will definently be going back!

• Pros: service, food YUM!
• Cons: kind of expensive

07/24/08

First time trying raw.

by eddiew82

My girlfriend dragged me kicking and screaming. It wasn't the greatest but if she wanted to go again, I wouldn't mind going back.

• Pros: DESSERTS!!

03/22/08

pretty flowers pretty food

by dthstar

you have to try this place, if you already haven't. you have to try it especially if you're NOT vegan. just like RFD, this place REALLY plays w/ your taste buds. if you don't cook anything, heat anything, or serve meat or dairy or wheats, and you STILL manage to pull off great-tasting foods, i'd say you're doing something rite! everything is sooooo colorful & served with edible flowers (which aren't gross or weird, by the way) to match the colorful organic decor indoors and out. but most of all, it all just tastes sooooooo FRESH & you definitely feel more alive & rejuvenated after eating here. you feel detoxed & way healthier than when you came in. i recommend taking visitors from out of town, die-hard meat eaters, to try something completely 'organic' for yourself, or bring a date- cuz it IS really pretty & nice-smelling inside! park either on the street (metered) or further down in 1 of the structures. it used to be really pricey, but i think the owner took heed of what the public was saying & lowered the price some.

• Pros: all great
• Cons: limited metered/street parking

03/13/08

L.A.'s renowned raw food guru feeds trendy health buffs at this cozy corner cafe.

by Randi Schmelzer

The Scene
Wildflowers and techno-pop music add atmosphere to the open space filled with henna-haired, hemp-clad diners. From the bike rack on the patio to the edible flowers garnishing every dish, this upscale yet down-to-earth eatery is perfectly suited to Santa Monica's funky-chic vibe. Neo-hippie servers are luxuriously carefree.

The Food
Flamboyant Chef Juliano Brotman is an ace with organic, dairy- and animal-free ingredients that are never heated above 120F degrees. Gourmet entrees maintain rich flavor and color with vegan substitutions, like zesty tacos with crunchy purple cabbage instead of tortillas. In savory lasagna, translucent zucchini strips replace the need for pasta, and ground pine nuts make a creamy stand-in for ricotta. Condiments and creams are creative masterpieces, from scrumptious guacamole to nut-based tartar and marinara sauces. Hearty faux meatloaf, made from a dehydrated walnut-veggie mix, is served with strained cauliflower "mashed potatoes" and date-miso gravy--a delicious raw version of the comfort-food classic.

02/15/08

AMAZING, DELICIOUS RAW Organic Vegan Restraunt.... I feel soooo good now! and the food is the best!

by RawKatie

Wow, this restaurant is more amazing then ever and SO CHEAP now! it is definitely Not "over priced".. it's actually very reasonable and the food is fit for a King and Queen! Appetizers start at only $3 - $7 and Entrees are only $9 - $15 and fill you up.. as well as all the amazing enzymes, nutrients, & minerals that get directly absorbed into your brain and bloood stream. Your body will be thanking you... I know mine is. I have been raw for 8 days now.. and I feel absolutely AMAZING. Their guac and cheese burrito is bomb and delicious.. and their new strawberry parfait is mind blowing to say the least. Their Thai pasta is so tangy and out of this world.. you won't believe your taste buds! If you want the best raw, vegan, organic amazing food EVER... then come eat at Juliano's RAW!

• Pros: Everything from the amazing food to the cheap prices!
• Cons: You might become addicted!

02/03/08

true gourmet, great for the planet, great for every cell in your body

by 4apes

Check the dates on the negative reviews. They are from years ago. Last night was my first time to eat there & it was the first thing on my mind when I woke up today. I was blown away at how delicious this food was.

I've been thinking about my experience there all morning. So I decided to log on today & create an account specifically to put my 2 cents in about Juliano's. I spent 20 minutes writing my first review & it was deleted, but I'm passionate enough about sharing the truth on Juliano's that I'm willing to write it all over.

Perhaps Juliano's was not as good prior to this year? I have no idea. But try it in 2008. The taste and presentation blew me away. Everything here is also: alive, alkaline, anti-aging, vitalizing, disease fighting, whole, and organic... Nothing dead, acidic, aging, de-vitalizing, disease causing, processed, chemical or raised with pesticides & hormones like the Standard American Diet (SAD). Those who are accustomed to eating like that, may find this cuisine to be an acquired taste. I don't know, I've lost my taste for fast food & junk food.

The benefit of eating raw vegan whole organic foods is obvious in the waistaff here. Every server I saw had an awesome physique, glowing skin & hair, bright eyes, and an energetic spring in their step. I saw a long haired man walk in the back that must have been Juliano himself. He had more youth and vitality than most healthy teenagers and is probably in his 30s. Eating like this is a major factor in the slender youthful appearance & energy of many celebrities.

Love the quote from Albert Einstein at the back of their menu:

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."

Try the following items:

- "Ariel's Salad," (blend of seaweeds, algae, chlorophyll, medicinal greens, avocado, and a superfood dressing) ...So gratifying.

-"Harem in The Raw" in a collard green.

-raw chocolate desserts!

• Pros: everything
• Cons: only one location

02/03/08

if you're used to raw vegan this will be your favorite restaurant

by viernesnoche

OUTSTANDING. I wish Juliano had more locations around LA

try Ariel's Salad. Best thing I've ever put in my body.

• Pros: healing food, delicious

01/21/08

try raw food elsewhere!

by mrgmeistr

I was excited to try Juliano's because I was eager to try raw food. I heard good things about this place, and decided to go with my boyfriend. But it was HORRIBLE.

(1) Juliano's emphasizes dessert first, for health reasons. We ordered the Cheezcake - a pumpkin strawberry cheesecake. It was good, but it came AFTER our entrees.

(2) We ordered the zucchini fries and the miso soother (one of the warmed soups). Zucchini fries - interesting, tasted more like dried fruitcake, but intriguing nonetheless. Miso soother was INCREDIBLY SALTY.

(3) We then ordered the lasagna (also warmed) and a ginger dressing salad. Both, ridiculously, incredibly salty.

Small portions, incredibly salty, did not lend itself to exploring the natural flavors. I've never had a salty salad in my life until this place. I'm not sure if it was bad seasoning by the chef on my night, but the portions were small, not filling, not tasty. For example - I expected slices of ripe, organic tomatoes in the salad but instead the salad came with small, diced pieces that would amount to one of those small take-home cups at Baja Fresh. I can't believe there are good reviews for this place, unless the chefs were different one night.

I would try raw again, but not at this place.

• Pros: Close to Third Street Promenade
• Cons: Bad ambience, small servings, disappointing food

11/21/07

Hit-or-miss, but you must try at least once

by marpop

My fiance & I eat out A LOT and lean toward vegetarianism, so it was a no-brainer that eventually we'd have to give Juliano's a try. We've passed by a hundred times and it always looks so cute outside with the table and chairs decorated w/ fresh flowers in cobalt blue bottles. After walking in, we were greeted by a very nice waitress who made mostly good suggestions -- it really helps to ask questions cos the menu is extensive and meals are described with "normal" dish names like pasta, lasagna, hamburger, sushi, etc.. But remember, NOTHING IS COOKED here -- most dishes are cold and if they're warm, that's b/c they're put in a dehydrator - -my fiance ordered the lasagna (a pasta-less dish made of zucchini, julienned veggies, tomatoes & nuts) which is served warm and was actually quite delicious - -very flavorful but very SMALL. i made the mistake of getting the special of the day -- the mushroom "pasta" which was a gloppy gop of heavy sauce and julienned veggies (warning: except for the special mushrooms, the pasta fettucine is the same menu item, so think twice before ordering). other than the lasagna, the special "bruschetta" appetizer was absolutely DELICIOUS! it was made w/nut hummus, sun dried tomatoes and sprouted crackers -- it was by far the most garlicky food i've ever eaten in my life and it was incredible. I also recommend the Italian Vanilla steamer which is like a cappuccino, only it's made w/vanilla nut milk - really yummy. After the meal, we both had a bit of a stomach ache, but it was still worth a try. Chances are we'll be back, but we really have to be in the mood.

• Pros: Unique experience, cruelty-free food, artful presentation
• Cons: Most food is cold cos it's uncooked!