RAWvolution - Santa Monica, CA.

[eachpeachpearplum]

Reporting back from my trip to So. Cal. I chose Rawvolution this trip as it was the closest and I really needed a kid friendly casual place. . .did NOT want a repeat of the two kid massive meltdown like in last years Juliano's Raw :eek: !

I was prepared to bring back The Box but forgot to investigate and I arrived on a non-Box day (Sat). So I decided to splurge on $100 worth of raw snacks as they had a great selection!

I did order food to go. The Big Matt w/Cheese, a green drink and a green soup. All were excellent with lots of flavour. I am so pleased I have the book and can recreat at home:) ! Also all was served in great compostable packaging. The staff were very friendly and laid back.

The environment was very casual; a bit like a hippy/new age fast food restaurant as you order at the counter. I could only dream for a place like this where I live that you can just run in and grab a quick raw snack or meal.

The prices for the menu items are great, no having to save up to eat there. The prepackaged snacks on the otherhand were $$$$. When i arrived back at my hotel room I found I had spent $13 on one bar of chocolate (Fortina).

The only issue I had with this otherwise perfect eatery was that I purchased a bag of chocolate chip cookies(therawbakery.com) and a Fortina bar that were kept in a fridge with a large qty of Durian fruit. I kept all my snack purchases including said cookies & chocolate in the bag they gave me and when I flew home two days later every single item (including the contents of my suitcase) had the very strong oder of the oniony Durian fruit. Some had even taken on the taste, so I now have $100 of oniony smelling and tasting chocolate, bars & flat breads. . .:(

I would very much recommend eating there & the book is great. I have tried several recipes with great results!

They kindly allowed my to take pictures too.:)

[eachpeachpearplum]

The Big Matt w/ Cheese!

[eachpeachpearplum]

These are the snacks I bought!

The chocolate chip cookies by therawbakery are devine. The large apple cookies on the plate are made at Rawvolution and were inedible due to the above mentioned Durian contamination.

I have also tried the Herble Enzyme Elixir and that was very nice although way way to sweet, too bad.

I unfortunatly did not like the Fortina chocolate bar although that may be because it too tasted of onions! . . . .OK I have let it sit out w/o the tainted wrapper and this bar really is not edible. I would strongly not recommend it.

I am looking forward to trying all the other goodies and will let you know!

I would like to add that the neagtive comments about the snack DO NOT REFLECT THE RESTAURANT as the food I had there was GREAT!

[CaliRaw]

The Big Matt w/ Cheese!


My Big Matt w/ Cheese that I received in "the box" certainly didn't look like that!

[eachpeachpearplum]

My Big Matt w/ Cheese that I received in "the box" certainly didn't look like that!

Really, what is better or worse:o ? I'm sure they dont have the portion regulations that we have become used to with commercial chains.

[CaliRaw]

WORSE! All mushy and old veggies. It tasted ok, but I was disappointed in the quality of it. There was travel time (I live in southern ca), so it's somewhat understandable. I plan to make it one day, but haven't gotten around to it. I also had the pizza Italiano and that survived a little better and was very good. I did make that a few days after eating it from The Box. It was very good when I made it too. I didn't have the mock tuna in The Box, but I had it at the restaurant. I later made it and it was quite nice! The recipes in his book are outstanding!

[eachpeachpearplum]

WORSE! All mushy and old veggies. It tasted ok, but I was disappointed in the quality of it. There was travel time (I live in southern ca), so it's somewhat understandable. I plan to make it one day, but haven't gotten around to it. I also had the pizza Italiano and that survived a little better and was very good. I did make that a few days after eating it from The Box. It was very good when I made it too. I didn't have the mock tuna in The Box, but I had it at the restaurant. I later made it and it was quite nice! The recipes in his book are outstanding!

OH NO!:eek:

I must confess I did not actually get to the burger until dinner and the patty had become one with the sauce. But the flavor was very good.

I really think anything dehydrated needs to be completly separate from its wet friends or it just turns to mush if you are not going to eat it right away!

I would hope that when shipped in The Box the pizza crusts/breads/cookie compnents of the meals are kept separate until you put it together.:rolleyes:

[CaliRaw]

Yes, they kept the onion bread and other dry food away from the wet food. However, the veggies for the sandwich were limp and old-looking. They didn't look like they were only a day old from having shipped overnight. I guess the limpness was from the dry ice.

[Dimond]

The Fortina chocolate bars are the worst. I can't believe anyone would carry them or like them & they're ridiculously expensive.

Love The Big Matt w/Cheese!

[PATH301]

Did you by chance get to try their onion bread pizza while you were there?
I went there one time with RawTruth and it was awesome. Best tasting pizza so far!

[Conscious Midwife]

Hmmm hope to make it there this weekend

is Santa Monica
near LAx or Westwood?

[eachpeachpearplum]

Hmmm hope to make it there this weekend

is Santa Monica
near LAx or Westwood?

Sort of in between but closer to LAX Just off the 10 FWY. on the LAX side. Just before it becomes PCH (Pacific Coast HWY)

Enjoy!

[piallda76]

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[Revvell]

Did you by chance get to try their onion bread pizza while you were there?
I went there one time with RawTruth and it was awesome. Best tasting pizza so far!

Just made the onion bread and am going to get pizza ingredients this very morn!

Revvell

[Revvell]

I live in Northern CA and ordered the "box" via fed ex. I just didnt understand why they would sell this if they couldnt ensure that the veggies wouldnt be soo mushy and gross. I was only able to eat the pizza and strawberrys and cream as all the other stuff went bad and made me gag. $100 down the drain:(


Have you contacted Matt and told him that? I'm sure, if I were doing delivery, I'd want to know that. One bad word on a forum like this...

It doesn't really help to tell us as much as it would help to tell him.

Revvell

[Dimond]

I live in Florida & the food is always good when I get it. Mushy doesn't actually mean it tastes bad. Quite the opposite as they're being marinated in the spices & sauces. Since I'm much further away from either of their locations, it would be hard to believe that my order was fresher than one that came from the same state as their main location. Just don't think you gave it much of a chance & based it being bad on appearance rather than taste. Or maybe you are unuse to many of the raw meals? :confused: I'm VERY picky too.

[eachpeachpearplum]

I have emailed the "contact us" section of thier website suggesting they have a look at this thread and perhaps take our comments under advisement. :o

They are a great place and I hope we get like them around the country! :p

Cheers,

EPPP

[piallda76]

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[piallda76]

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[Revvell]

No, I have not contacted Matt. I think everyone has less than perfect experiences but it is not necessary to call the business each time. That can be annoying. (I have experienced this before)

Well Jazzy, if this is your idea of a "less than perfect" experience, I'd had to read what you say about a terrible on. :p




Was I that harsh?

Nahhhh... this isn't harsh. I'd LOVE to receive this: "I live in Northern CA and ordered the "box" via fed ex. I just didnt understand why they would sell this if they couldnt ensure that the veggies wouldnt be soo mushy and gross. I was only able to eat the pizza and strawberrys and cream as all the other stuff went bad and made me gag. $100 down the drain".

Harsh or not must be in one's perception. :cool:

[Revvell]

This happened too long ago and I have since been to their store and forgotten about it.

No, you haven't or you would not have posted it here.

What I'm saying is, it's still in your mind AND you are posting that Matt's food is "mushy and gross". For me, if I felt that way about something, I'd certainly contact the owner and see what s/he would say/do for me instead of telling people on a public forum how bad the food was. It COULD have been a FedEx problem which is something Matt could have checked out; it COULD have been a packing problem (new employee). What I'm saying is, putting it here, unless Matt reads it, how would he know that something needs to change?

Revvell

[shine72]

I have to say, I agree with Revvell.

I think by NOT contacting Matt, you are doing him and his company a HUGE disservice. A company cannot correct "mistakes" if they are not brought to the company's attention.

It's like that saying "be a part of the solution". If you only complain to us, then you are not being a part of the solution. If you explain to the company, you are, because then they can correct the situation, and prevent it from happening in the future.

And I also agree about the veggies being a bit on the soft side, but tasting exquisite because they had been marinating in the sauces and spices. If I had went on looks alone (soft veggies), I wouldn't have taken a bite. But I decided to be adventurous and try it anyway. SO glad I did!

And please try to remember, when ordering something that is delivered to you, it's NOT going to be as fresh and perfect as if you made it yourself. Especially not when working with fresh, organic ingredients. Matt and his staff have done a HUGE service to the raw community by providing this. So instead of bad-mouthing it on a public forum, please, contact the company, and become "part of the solution".

Stepping off of soap box now.:)

[eachpeachpearplum]

shine72: Love it. . . . "part of the solution"!!!!

[shine72]

shine72: Love it. . . . "part of the solution"!!!!


Why thank ya! I take that as quite a compliment coming from you Miss Erin!:D

[piallda76]

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[Revvell]

Revell,
If you feel so passionately about my review and really feel that I am putting him out of business then maybe you should call him for me because I am done with trying to explain myself.

I didn't say you were "putting him out of business". My posts as I originally wrote them are still here for anyone to peruse. I just suggested you call. As I said, it would do more good telling him than us. As others have said, they've gotten The Box and found the "mushy" (marinated) food delightful. I did as well.

Oh! Hmmm. A bit tired of explaining myself too.

Oh! I did notify him of this thread as did others. :)

ReVvell

[kaleidoscopeeyes]

Trying to pull this thread back to a positive note...

I've eaten there twice and loved it! My favourites so far are the Big Matt with Cheese, the cucumber soup, yogi's curried vegetables, and the guacamole.

[rawkchicster]

why's there gotta be all this hatin? :D love, yo!

[Revvell]

why's there gotta be all this hatin? :D love, yo!

You see hatin'? Hmmm. Interesting perception. But then, I'm a squirrel. What do I know?


Revvell

[rawkchicster]

You see hatin'? Hmmm. Interesting perception. But then, I'm a squirrel. What do I know?


Revvell

cute, revvell :)

I listen to your podcasts every day... I swear I've heard each one (except for the author ones) at least 10X each.... :) Thanks for the pertinent info and awesome attitude

[Revvell]

cute, revvell :)

I listen to your podcasts every day... I swear I've heard each one (except for the author ones) at least 10X each.... :) Thanks for the pertinent info and awesome attitude

Thank you for listening. Much appreciate it. :)

[piallda76]

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[eachpeachpearplum]

Trying to pull this thread back to a positive note...

I've eaten there twice and loved it! My favourites so far are the Big Matt with Cheese, the cucumber soup, yogi's curried vegetables, and the guacamole.

OMG! I adore the cucumber soup I make it every week, I'd have it more often but it does tend to result in a "windy" day!:rolleyes:

This soup is fab and so bloody easy to make. I use spinach.

EPPP

[kaleidoscopeeyes]

Seriously?! May I have the recipe please? Oh my gosh it was so amazing :o I'm really craving it now! And the yogi's curried vegetables...yum!

[eachpeachpearplum]

Seriously?! May I have the recipe please? Oh my gosh it was so amazing :o I'm really craving it now! And the yogi's curried vegetables...yum!

Send me an email :) - I thought you had the book!

[Revvell]

No problem Revell. I just got a little confused with all the back and forth regarding my experience. Sometimes when communicating on forums, people can take things the wrong way as opposed to if we were speaking in person if you know what I mean. :o

I just hope we can just be freinds and respect eachothers opinions:) I cant find the hug smiley so here is a wink;)

Yeah! Where IS the hug smiley and the kissy face? :D

[eachpeachpearplum]

I cannot believe how much attention this thread has generated! So given all the posts I sent RawVolution a mail. Below is my mail and their reply. For those of you who do mot know Janabai is Matt partner and wife. :)

The mail I sent:

"I just wanted to hightlight to you a thread on Rawfoodtalk.com about your
restaurant. You have a great place and book and I thought you might find
some of the comment helpful.

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?p=342469#post342469

All the best,

Erin Jones (eachpeachpearplum)"

REPLY

"Erin, thanks for the insights. I really appreciated your comments. I always find blogs about the cafe provide with me with a unique perspective.
Please visit again!
Peace and Thanks,
Janabai"

[bobati]

I am looking at the site and it looks like they are no longer a restaurant but only provide boxes to pick up or deliver? Is the food supposed to last all week? Wouldn't it spoil fast?

[Revvell]

The cafe is still up and running: http://www.rawvolution.com/?q=rawvolution_store.

[Dimond]

I am looking at the site and it looks like they are no longer a restaurant but only provide boxes to pick up or deliver? Is the food supposed to last all week? Wouldn't it spoil fast? I've had it last all week, with no spoilage. I've ordered many times in the past couple of yrs. I usually get anywhere from 19-25 meals out of it. I do freeze the 2 soups so I can use them at my leisure.

[rawbutterfly]

After reading this thread I am very interested in getting the box! Maybe I missed it on the site, but how many people does this feed? It says 4 entrees, 2 desserts etc. Does that mean, four single serve entrees, 2 servings of desert?

[Dimond]

It really depends on how long you want the food to last. As I mentioned I get about 19-25 servings out of it. But those are small portions. For a week, it's really for one person. Most items are about 1-2 servings each.