A modern Mexican restaurant that wants to unite vegans and meat eaters alike has opened its doors in Long Beach at 2nd & PCH.
Tocaya Modern Mexican, a Venice-born organic Mexican food chain, offers a vegan and mostly gluten-free menu of salads, bowls, tacos, burritos, quesadillas and soups.
But don’t run off to hunt down your own game meat lovers, because there’s an option to add proteins such as chicken tinga, beef chorizo or mahi mahi to the vegan items.
Some of the customizable menu items include a street corn bowl with jalapeño cabbage and cilantro lime rice and the Baja, which is a shaved cabbage taco with sweet chipotle sauce, cilantro and vegan chipotle crema.
There’s also the Guiltless Burrito, made with Spanish cauliflower rice, black beans, peppers, jalapeño cabbage and vegan chipotle. Although you can add a little delicious guilt by following the chef’s recommendation for non-vegans and adding achiote chicken and Oaxacan queso.
The new 3,010-square-foot restaurant joins others at 2nd & PCH such as Bungalow Kitchen, Hungry Angelina and Caffe Luxxe.
The fast-growing Tocaya chain was founded in Venice in 2016 and now includes more than 20 locations including other spots in Westwood, Santa Monica, Toluca Lake, El Segundo and Century City.
Tocaya Modern Mexican
When: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
Where: 2nd & PCH, 6480 E. Pacific Coast Highway.
Information: 562-393-6500 or tocaya.com