Damn Good Food: Krimsey's Cajun Vegan Restaurant
As anyone who's been vegan for very long—and anyone who's been around vegans for very long—we tend to talk about vegan food a lot. Like, a lot, a lot. Too much, some might say, but what do those people know, right?
One of our favorite more recent additions to the vegan restaurant scene here in Los Angeles is Krimsey's, an all-vegan cajun cafe in North Hollywood. They serve some of the best vegan cajun and creole fare we ever tasted and Baton Rouge native, owner, and the namesake of the restaurant is genuinely one of the nicest people we've ever been lucky enough to know.
"I opened this restaurant to show people what it really means to be Cajun," Krimsey told us on a recent visit. "It's about treating everyone like family, taking the time to enjoy a meal and the company that comes with it, appreciating the bold and unique flavors of the south, and slowing down long enough to say 'DAMN this food is good!'"
For anyone not familiar with traditional cajun food, Krimsey's represents the culinary traditions of the bayou areas of southern Louisiana pretty thoroughly for such a modest + new restaurant, with a menu featuring an amazing fried heart of palm po boy (below), a hearty roux-based okra gumbo, veggie etouffee—a creamy, spicy stew of bell peppers, onions, garlic, and heart of palm on parboiled rice—and the traditional mainstay, jambalaya (above), in addition to a variety of mouth-watering house-made deserts. They also recently tested out house-made hushpuppies one weekend which—we're happy to report—have now found a permanent home on the Krimsey's menu.
"We really wanted to get across the communal, welcoming aspect of Cajun culture," Krimsey told us, "putting this into practice by providing shared seating and cozy vibes, elevating it by leaving animals off the menu, and by pouring our souls into the creation of each dish so that it bursts with flavor and heart."
In our minds (and mouths), they've succeeded and then some.
LA local or planning to visit soon? See for yourself—Krimsey's is located at 12906 Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood, CA and is open every day except Monday (note that they open early Saturday so you can enjoy coffee and house-made vegan beignets).
Krimsey also recently published her first cookbook, which you can buy at MooShoes LA, where she'll also be holding a book party Saturday, July 29th with free tastes of some of the treats from her book.
Photos of Krimsey by Jessica Ramsey; food and interior photos by raven + crow studio.
