Love it or hate it, there are times when you end up at the Mall of America if you live in the Twin Cities (and even if you don't). I recently was there because, in my personal situation, it is a good place for me to go bra shopping -- the one time the internet does not cut it for me, as I wear an unusual size range.

It can be a long day. A trying affair. It's crowded, bright, and loud (and you can take hours trying things on that don't fit right). And if you think you can't eat anything but french fries when everyone else is eating a full meal, it can make the day even longer.

Things have come a long way in vegan food eating. And it even shows in the suburbs of the Twin Cities. The Mall of America even has its own Smart Dining Guide(though it does have a couple of things on here that are no longer, like my love... Disco Fries R.I.P). The phone app is also pretty handy for such things.

There are some obvious places such as Chipotle with vegan options like the Sofritas dish and Noodles and Co. which has a separate vegan menu you can request.

Other places I have tried and like for fast food are Pita Pit and Naf Naf Grill- which has a clearly labeled menu of what is vegan or what is not, including a baklava.

If you want something a bit nicer I would suggest two places that I like. My most recent discovery on Friday was a great surprise.

First up would be Masu. A Japanese place that has a vegan menu with some good stuff on it such as this "caterpillar"

The surprisingly great place, and not just great for mall food-actually good food, was Cantina Laredo.

Our server, Alexis, was all about helping out. She didn't hesitate for a second and listed entrees that could be made vegan and checked on tortillas without my asking. The restaurant offers "Modern Mexican Food" and well, it's yummy.

There are three entrees that can be made vegan and I tried two: Portobello Fajitas and Avocado Enchiladas (the third is Stuffed Poblano Peppers). They prepare guacamole fresh at your table and serve house made, spicy (not too hot) and more importantly-flavorful salsa.

It is a place that is a bit more expensive than your average sit down place, but if you want a good meal while out at the mall you won't regret paying for it. I had plenty of leftovers that reheated nicely with some avocado mashed on top with salsa. The chimchurri sauce on the fajitas was aces and they made their own flour tortillas. The rice does have milk in it, so she doubled up on our black bean servings which was fine by me.

If you still have room for dessert afterwards there are two surprises that I adore at the MOA.

Cupcake offers at least two vegan flavors a day (sometimes more). I've had a fair number of them and like them all but I love anything with the strawberry frosting. And you can get them to go if you had too much to eat already.