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.

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Not too long ago, Hollywood got an eco-friendly pizza joint — a family-owned Pizza Fusion franchise serving delicious pizzas with organic crusts, organic and natural meats, and lots of vegan and gluten-free options. Pizza Fusion Hollywood is no more — but the family behind the spot’s still serving delicious eco-friendly eats at the same spot under a new name and with an expanded menu.

The new spot: EVO Kitchen. The remade restaurant still boasts organic crust pizzas and retains its eco-creds — but the menu now includes more upscale entrees and unique menu items crafted by Michele Orlando, one of the co-owners of EVO (her brother and mother are the other co-owners).

Among those one-of-a-kind dishes is the Fig Tapenade — served with house-made hummus and raw veggies. Get this appetizer and you’ll be treated to a healthy tapenade treat that combines the sweet jamminess of figs with the smooth rich taste of kalamata olives.

Pescatarians won’t want to miss the Salmon Filet — a generous portion of sustainably farmed fish served with a delicious mushroom and zucchini sautee and roasted potatoes.

EVO offers many of the popular desserts — like the vegan gluten-free brownie — that were on the old Pizza Fusion menu. But for my last visit, I tried something new: the Black Cherry Float with vegan coconut sorbet, a creamilicious sweet drink that comes with an extra sidecar of natural black cherry soda.

Next time I visit, I plan to try the Breakfast Pizza — topped with breakfast favorites like organic eggs, natural bacon or sausage, and potato!

Best of all, EVO Kitchen still offers something for everyone. Vegan and gluten-free menu choices are plentiful. And picky eaters can always substitute the cheeses for the vegan Daiya cheese or the organic crust for the gluten-free crust.

EVO Kitchen. 7950 W. Sunset Blvd. #104, Los Angeles. 323.375.3390

Photo of Raw Veggies with Hummus and Fig Tapenade by Zach Behrens; all other photos by Siel

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Image via Seafood for the Future

>> Come learn the secrets of experienced gardeners to grow your best garden yet! David King, with about 50 years of experience, will take you through the things you need to do to get your home vegetable garden started this year. Dress warm – and bring a cup if you want hot coffee or hot tea! The class takes place this Sat., Jan. 7 from 10 am – noon at the Venice Learning Garden (at Venice High School), located on Walgrove Avenue and Venice Blvd., Los Angeles. Park and enter on Walgrove Ave. Cost: $25.

>> The US Green Building Council-LA Chapter (USGBC-LA) and A Sustainable Kitchen present Everything You Want to Know about Sustainable Seafood but Did Not Know Who to Ask. This class will provide cooking lessons, Q&A and sustainability issues, and expert panel on environmental impacts of land and sea seafood farming practices and more. Class takes place this Sat., Jan. 7 from 3-5 pm at Surfas Test Kitchen, 8777 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City. Cost: $25 for USGBC-LA members, $40 for the general public. Cost of the class goes to support USGBC-LA.

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>> Come join Women of the Green Generation  for a special Women of the Green Generation Holiday Event. Large Marge Sustainables will provide organic foods and GQ Eco Bartending will serve up organic drinks. The event takes place this Thu. Dec. 15 from 7:00- 10:00 pm at a private home in Santa Monica. The address will be disclosed to registered guests. Cost: $10; visit their website to register.

>>  Heal the Bay is coordinating its fifth annual A Day Without a Bag, which urges consumers to forego environmentally harmful single-use plastic or paper grocery bags in favor of reusable totes. Visit one of the more than 60 Giveaway Locations this Thu., Dec. 15 for a free reusable bag. Cost: free.

>> The Los Angeles Bioneers will be screening the film The Big Fix, the newest documentary from the creators of Fuel. The Big Fix will be screened this Fri., Dec. 16 at 7 pm at the G2 Gallery at 1503 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice. Cost: free. If you want to attend, RSVP to srnichols@mac.com.

>> Cruise into the holiday spirit with C.I.C.L.E.’s 4th annual Holiday Toys and Mittens Ride, which will gather toys and warm articles of clothing for Burbank’s Salvation Army, to be given to local families and children through their Giving Tree. The relaxed-paced, 7.5 mile ride will stop at various sites in Burbank. Join the ride this Sat., Dec. 17 at 10 am at Burbank City Hall, 275 East Olive Ave., Burbank for a fun-filled and family friendly day. Cost: the ride is free, but please bring a toy or article of clothing to donate.

>> Freedom and Fashion, an organization dedicated to educating society about the global issues of modern day slavery, sex trafficking, child labor and human rights violation, is holding a fashion show featuring seven fair-trade lines. The event takes place this Sat., Dec. 17 from 6-10 pm at the Cooper Design Space Penthouse, 860 South Los Angeles Street, 11th Floor Penthouse, Los Angeles. Cost: Ticket prices range from $25-100 and are available online.

>> Join GOOD LA in creating a giant human infographic to attack L.A.’s traffic problem. Currently, 81 percent of Angelenos drive to work. On average, they spend 72 hours of that drive stuck in traffic every year. It’s time to take action. Come out this Sat, Dec. 17 at noon at the intersection of West 4th Street and South Figueroa Street in downtown LA. Cost: free. Be sure to RSVP if you would like to attend.

>> Genetically modified food is in the majority of our food items today. The FDA is allowing these foods to go untested and unlabeled. Culture Club 101 is hosting a GMO Labeling Signature Gathering Training to train people in how to gather signatures in order to put a proposition on next year’s ballot to label foods containing GMOs. The training takes place on Sun., Dec. 18 at 7 pm at Culture Club 101, 30 S. Wilson Avenue Pasadena. Cost: free. Reserve your space on their website.

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Miss those care packages that mama stopped sending once you became an adult? Get a little surprise in the mailbox once a month by signing up for Conscious Box — a delivery of greener products from eco-friendly companies.

Sign up, and each month, you’ll get a recycled and recyclable package in the mail — with a neat, beribboned gift box inside it.

Open it up, and you’ll find a new-to-you boxful of goodies — from nibbles to drinks to beauty aids to household products.

In my November box, I found snacks to last me a couple days, including organic Honest Kids juice, an organic vegan chocolate cookie from Mary’s Gone Crackers, and — my favorite part — an ounce of Bodacious Banana Bread Walnutz — organic, raw treats from Living Nutz that tasted more delicious than a banana nut muffin. (more…)

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Looking to learn from the bigwigs in sustainable business?  If so, join them November 10 and 11 at the 5th Annual Opportunity Green Conference.  With this year’s lineup of speakers, there is guaranteed to be a discussion that piques your interest and catapults your business to the next level.

For the past five years, Opportunity Green has provided a platform for business leaders to expand the envelope in sustainable corporate responsibility, ingenuity, and profitability through a host of speakers, open forums, panel discussions, and networking.  This year, we’ll hear from Starbuck’s VP of Global Responsibility, Ben Packard, on how Starbucks is continuing to chip away at their carbon footprint (let’s hope he’s convincing).  Yves Behar, Conde Nast’s 2011 Designer of the Year, will discuss the future of green product design and improved customer experience.  

Plus, local food pioneers, Mary Sue Milliken of Border Grill Restaurants and Peter Van Stock of Spud.com, will discuss the business of organics, food systems, and sustainable agriculture.  Looking to launch a green tech startup?  Learn from experts on how to attract alternative means of financing.  Don’t leave yet! After a full day of breakout sessions, mingle with the best of them at the Thursday evening after party — with an open bar and taste of LA local/organic restaurant showcase.

Come back on Friday for another great lineup including a panel discussion on the future of Southern California’s Water with the former Governor of California, Gray Davis, and the Director of UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Glen Macdonald.  Hear from the President of Dwell Media on “what” and “why” the modern affluent consumer is purchasing.  Have room for more eco-entrepreneurial trade tips?  Finish off the day with a workshop on green Guerilla Marketing with Daniel Schutzsmith of Mark & Phil or Rethinking Innovation with Irwin Miller of Gensler.

Still not convinced you want to attend?  Perhaps close encounters with forward-thinking eco-conscious celebs Vincent Kartheiser of Mad Men, Don Cheadle of Crash, and Adrian Grenier of Entourage will get you out for Opportunity Green.

Register here for the two-day conference held November 10 and 11 at Los Angeles Center Studios in downtown LA.  Use discount code GreenLAGirl35 for 35% off the ticket price.

Earlier:
>> Tour de OG: 12 eco-preneurs bike 450 miles for L.A.’s Opportunity Green
>> Opportunity Green: A Very eco-conference, except the getting there

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>>  If you’re starting a business related to the “green” marketplace, including urban farming, or if you have a business idea that addresses other environmental or social justice issues, come out for a green and social business entrepreneur orientation today, Tue., Nov. 1 from 3-5:30 pm at the USC Credit Union Community Room, 3720 S. Flower Street, 1st Floor, Los Angeles.  Cost: Free. Space is limited, RSVP to info@lending4change.com.

>>  Join the Sierra Club, along with the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy to hear about a program through the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power that aims to create jobs, reduce LA’s dependence on coal and save residents and businesses money on their utility bills.  This happens Thu., Nov. 3 from 6 – 8 pm at the Iman Center, 3376 Motor Ave, Los Angeles.  Cost: free.

>>  Siptea, Living by Lynne Leventen & Unatti Foundation are hosting a hot tea and tea cocktail sampling party and clothing drive to benefit the local Planet Aid, so bring clothes to donate!  This is an LA Green Drinks event. There will be a gift basket raffle, with proceeds going to the Unatti Foundation.  Come out on Thu., Nov. 3 from 7-10 pm to 1627 Montana Ave, Santa Monica.  Cost: free.

>>  Folk Art Bike Rides is riding through Historic South Central LA to celebrate CicLAvia’s extension into South LA.  The ride will conclude by feeding into the Free the Streets fundraiser party.  Come ride on Sat., Nov. 5 at 10:45 am at Mercado La Paloma, 3655 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.  Cost: the ride is free and the fundraiser is $10.  RSVP for the ride to rsvp@cafam.org.

>>  Hold Up Art presents TRASH, a group exhibition featuring the work of nine emerging artists.  With an emphasis on art that’s been created on repurposed and found materials, TRASH is as much about the environment as it is about the free-to-own vibe of contemporary street art.  The opening reception takes place on Sat., Nov. 5 from 7 – 11 pm at Hold Up Art, 358 E. 2nd Street, Los Angeles.  Cost: free.

>>  Cornerstone Theater Company presents the first annual “Creative Seeds: An Exploration of Hunger.” This two-week event has some of LA’s most innovative artists, food activists, farmers, chefs, food critics and thought leaders address the issue of hunger through an artistic lens.  The first day of events is on Nov. 7.  Cost: some events are free and some have suggested donations.  See website for details.

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>> BREATHE LA’s Green Salon considers the latest advances in diesel use and examines new policies that mandate a shift to cleaner practices.  Event includes a drawing for four free pairs of Metrolink Weekend Passes.  BREATHE LA will be hosting events throughout the day, so check their website for more details.  The Green Salon takes place Thu., Oct. 27 from 9-10:30 a.m. at The California Endowment, 1000 N. Alameda Street, Los Angeles. Cost: free. Email info@breathela.org to register.

>> EarthFlow Design Works, Fais Do Do and The Los Angeles Permaculture Guild present Harvest the Rain, a book signing and talk with Nate Downey, author of Harvest the Rain. “Every drop of rain is an opportunity, every storm a resource.”  Come out on Fri., Oct. 28 from 7-9:30 pm at Café Club Fais Do-Do, 5257 West Adams Blvd., Los Angeles. Cost: Free.

>> Come out this weekend for the first Green Festival in Los Angeles.  Listen to experts talk, check out eco-friendly products, taste delicious organic foods and beverages, try out yoga and movement classes, and mix and mingle with other forward thinking minds!  Event takes places Sat., Oct. 29 from 10 am – 7 pm and Sun., Oct. 30 from 11 am – 6 pm at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles.  Cost: free for minors and folks that cycle to the event, or $15 at the door.  See website for more details.

Image via Green Festival

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>> The Santa Monica Museum of Art is hosting the Pacific Standard Time West Bike Tour, which will take participants to four Pacific Standard Time exhibitions in Santa Monica — with a brief stop at the brand new public Bike Center in Santa Monica, where riders can get refreshments and bike tune-ups. The ride happens Sat., Oct. 22, from 1 – 4:30 pm, starting at SMMoA, located in Bergamot Station G-1, 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica.

>> “The Revenge of the Electric Car,” a documentary film “on the charisma and sheer audacity it takes to invent both the technology and the business models needed to jumpstart the electric car in the world market,” will premier in Santa Monica! Chris Paine, the writer and director of “Who Killed the Electric Car?” will be there to answer questions after the show on Sun., Oct. 23 at 5:30 pm at NuArt Theater, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. Cost: $10.50 per ticket.

>> Catch a special screening of “Vanishing of the Bees,” an eco-docu about the sudden die-off of honeybees narrated by Ellen Page. Part of Food Day LA, the event will kick off with refreshments on Mon., Oct. 24 at 5:45 pm, followed by the screening at The Ricardo Montalban Theater, 1615 Vine St., Los Angeles. Cost: $25. Tickets available at tix.com, keyword: montalban.

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Getting local produce is easy — except when it’s not. Farmers markets happen all over the city and community supported agriculture programs have popped up in many areas — but not everyone have the flexibility to pick up the box of produce at a set time every week — and lugging home a week’s worth of produce can be a real challenge for car-free environmentalists. Plus, until now, organic produce delivery services have been either expensive — or not quite that local.

But all that’s changing, thanks to CSA California. This local company’s been offering organic, local produce for pick up at locations all over L.A. for a few years now, selling each big bag of produce for just $25. Now, CSA California’s added a delivery service. For just $5 on top of that bargain $25 price, you can get that load of organic goodness delivered right to your doorstep.

As soon as I got an email letting me know about CSA California’s new delivery service, I cancelled my subscription to Farm Fresh to You, because their produce comes mostly from Northern California and is more expensive to boot. Earlier this week, I finally got my first box of CSA California produce delivered!

I got the “Full” box, the smallest option, which cost just $30 including delivery (bigger “Family” and “Large” options are also available) — and got home from a long day of teaching Wednesday to find a small but very tightly packed box in front of my door!

Inside I found tiny apples, strangely dirty oranges, a small melon, an eggplant, little squashes, broccoli, and lots and lots of greens. I’m slowly eating through it now — and it’s all delicious.

The one not-so-great aspect of this service. When I signed up online, I opted to have my produce box delivered on Tuesday — only to get a random form email a day before that delivery date with this note: “subscription being switched to wednesdays.” Um, why? Sure enough, the box arrived on a Wednesday — a bad day for me, since I teach all day — so I’m not sure how long it had been sitting on my front step when I got home mid-afternoon. The produce looks fine — but I’m concerned that the stuff won’t keep as long after having sweated it out for hours outside….

So be warned: Your delivery date choice may not be honored by this company. Aside from that, so far, I love the CSA California service. Where are you getting your produce these days?

Earlier: Locavoring in a box: Organic CSAs in Los Angeles

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