There’s something quite glorious about the “Hey” in this place’s name, isn’t there? The Sunshine Kitchen would be a fairly typical, nature-adjacent name for a vegan joint. But add the “hey” and it becomes Hey, Sunshine Kitchen, and suddenly it takes on a whole other vibe. It feels bright and breezy, conversational and friendly. We were happy to wander into Hey, Sunshine Kitchen on a Sunday afternoon.
“Hey, Sunshine Kitchen is a realization of all of our knowledge, love, and passion for plant-based food, delivered to our guests,” they say online. “We want to help every guest shine from the inside out, through deliciously vibrant and healthy meals. The brighter you shine, the more your inner gifts will enhance the whole planet.”
Truthfully, and this is meant sincerely, this writer had no idea that he even had inner gifts, never mind inner gifts that could enhance the whole planet. That’s the difference when you eat vegan – your inners are considered gifts.
We opted for the Heart Beef Crumble bowl – “seasoned plant-based beef crumble, caramelized onions, diced tomato, sautéed cauliflower, red onion, shredded carrots, shoestring onions, massaged kale, house pickles, lime wedge, tangy carrot vinaigrette.”
The key is the detail; the sautéed cauliflower is cooked to perfection – seasoned and browned, and full of flavor. The caramelized onions, red onions and shoestring onions (that’s three varieties of onion!) are tangy and sweet, enhancing the other flavors in the bowl.
The massaged kale isn’t at all bitter (always a risk with that leaf), while the diced tomato and shredded carrot is crisp, fresh and vibrant.
But we have to talk about the plant-based beef crumble. It’s incredible how close this is in both taste and texture to actual beef, which is either good or bad depending on your personal preferences. It’s beautifully seasoned and tastes really tender, which is an odd thing to say about a plant-based food. But the trick-of-the-mind is so convincing that it feels appropriate. The house pickles and tangy carrot vinaigrette finish the dish off perfectly.
We opted to add sesame seed-crusted avocado, and sweet potato, and both were wonderful. The avocado in particular, with black seeds dotted in, but rich and delicious.
We also had a side of Carrot Soup, which proved to be hearty and comforting, even on a warm afternoon. The spiced carrot soup offered a treat with every mouthful.
These really were gifts that enhanced our week.
Hey, Sunshine Kitchen is located at 3863 Overland Ave., Culver City 90232. Contact 310-360-3620 and visit heysunshinekitchen.com.