Why I haven’t written about Hugo’s restaurant before, I don’t know. I like this healthy, organic-friendly dining spot so much I had my birthday dinner there a couple years ago. In fact, when I lived in West Hollywood, I dined at Hugo’s once every couple weeks — the KCRW discount the restaurant offers being an extra incentive.
If you haven’t been there yet, here’s one big reason why you should stop by the West Hollywood spot — Hugo’s has something for everyone, from a green juice concoction for those on a cleanse to Chimichurri Steak with mashed potatoes for the really hungry people.
My recommendation for eco-pescatarians: The Barramundi Nicoise Salad. Sadly, this delicious eco-friendly twist on the nicoise — the delicious barramundi the restaurant serves is sustainable — is only occasionally offered as a special. However, last I checked, the restaurant lets you add on seared barramundi to any salad — which is what I liked to order (below) when the nicoise wasn’t available.
For the raw-gans, there’s the Kelp Noodle Salad (below) — a cool healthy lunch with a tangy-sweet mango sesame dressing. If you haven’t tried the super low-cal, light kelp noodles before, get them here!
That said, Hugo’s isn’t just about light, salad-y fare. You can get some delicious organic comfort food here too. One of my favorites is a special available around the holidays: the Portabella Potato Pancake Sandwich (below)! The crispy potato pancakes — stacked with grilled portabella mushrooms, grilled onions, roasted red bell peppers, goat cheese, and fresh basil pesto — aren’t exactly low-calorie, but they are a rich and delicious treat.
The rest of the year, there’s the flavorful Tika Masala Vegetable Patties (below), made with organic sprouted mung beans and other yummies then covered in a savory Indian sauce. I also like the filling Moroccan-Style Stew and the Tres Tacos!
Green diners love that almost everything at Hugo’s is organic and local, while picky eaters love the precise labeling system of Hugo’s menu. Little symbols mark vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and organic items — and many dishes are veganizable with organic tofu or veggie patties. Of course, carnivores can rest assured that their meals are sustainable too, since Hugo’s gets Chino Valley Ranch organic veg-fed eggs, free range turkey, and other better-for-the-planet proteins.
Not all of Hugo’s dishes are wins, however. I’ve had some very bland dishes there — where taste really seemed to have been sacrificed for nutrition’s sake — and was bitterly disappointed by the restaurant’s Scharffen Berger Hot Chocolate, the description for which sounded like a rare treat (“from rare Venezuelan criollo beans and whole Tahitian vanilla”) but ended up just being a so-so hot beverage. The restaurant’s especially weak on desserts. I’m not too taken with the blandish vegan New York Style Blueberry Cheesecake — and I once tried a quinoa cake special that tasted like a big, bland, brick.
But what Hugo’s does well, it does really well. My favorite dessert at Hugo’s is the vegan Pumpkin Pie — a deliciously spicy smooth treat in a coconut and pecan crust and topped with pumpkin seed brittle (above)! And the healthier pecan-stuffed Brownie Tort (below) isn’t bad either
What’s your favorite dish at Hugo’s?
Hugo’s Restaurant. 8401 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. 323.654.3993. Locations also in Studio City and Agoura Hills.
>> Routed from Hardisty, Alberta to the Texas Gulf Coast, the 
