Take a little more transit and eat a little less meat — two things you can do to reduce your environmental impact. In this installment of Meatless Mondays with Metro, let’s talk about Veggie Grill, a place I was merely a casual fan of until I tried their VG Beyond Burger.

I’ve eaten a lot of veggie burgers — made of black bean, mushroom, brown rice, seitan — and most of them are great as long as you don’t insist that they feel and taste exactly like meat. I mean, veggie burgers are not going to be just like hamburgers, and that’s okay! They have their own merits.

But then I went to Veggie Grill and tried the VG Beyond Burger. Upon the first bite, I did a double take. I was certain the burger had to have meat in there somewhere because it didn’t taste anything like usual veggie burgers. It tasted like a meat patty. And it felt like I was eating a regular hamburger, too. Or cheeseburger, as it were, since they include a slice of “cheese” on it (and this was also the first time I’ve come across a decent cheese substitute). The texture of the patty is the closest match to ground beef I’ve encountered so far. I’d read somewhere that the Beyond Meat patties also “bleed” beet juice but I didn’t notice anything like that. Quite frankly, I don’t need my veggie burgers to bleed anything. They just have to taste good, and this one did.

The VG Beyond Burger. Looks pretty much like a normal burger!

Chill Out Wings. Which look more like chicken fingers but hey, they’re tasty.

Of course, the VG Beyond Burger is completely plant based. While it probably wouldn’t pass for a regular burger to the most hardcore, meat-eating burger connoisseurs out there, it’s great for those of us who just want another meat-free option. The VG Beyond Burger is listed as a seasonal menu item, so make sure to try it while it’s available! And if burgers in general aren’t your thing, Veggie Grill also has plenty of other items to explore.

To get to Veggie Grill by the L.A. Farmer’s Market, take Metro Bus 217 or 218, or DASH Fairfax to Fairfax/1st.

Have other recommendations for vegan/veggie restaurants? Let me know in the comments!

@metrolosangeles There’s also one by the Arclight Hollywood on Sunset so just a short jaunt down from the Red Line’s Hollywood/Vine stop. ??

— Mr. Reynolds (@ihadahifi) January 18, 2017