By Adrian Dang
Staff Writer
As I entered Loving Hut, a vegan restaurant located at 621 W. Main Street in Alhambra, I immediately noticed a fresh, light scent of pan fried vegetables. The waitress kindly greeted me and allowed me to pick my own table. Once I was seated, I noticed how the entire restaurant had a fresh, clean feeling. The tables, chairs and ceilings were a clean white, while the walls were painted a creamy, light green. The floor was a dark, maple wood brown, and classical music softly played in the background.
A vegan restaurant does not use any animal products such as milk, cheese or meat in its cooking; vegan foods revolve around plants and are easier on the environment, meaning a “greener” diet.
The waitress waited patiently until I finally decided to order the Bliss Chow Mein, Green Bean Delight and a Classic Vegan Burger, which I had to order simply because this was the first time I had ever seen an Asian restaurant offer a burger of any sort. When I asked my waitress what was substituted for the meat, she politely informed me that all the patty was made from soy protein, which is isolated from a soybean.
The Green Bean Delight came first and I could not wait to completely devour it. I didn’t notice any sort of oily or thick aromas coming from the dish that I usually found in other restaurants’ variations of the beans. The green beans were coated with a special, sesame sauce and sprinkled with bits of sautéed soy and onions. Each bean tasted perfectly salted, amazingly fresh and had a satisfying crunch as I bit into each one. The dish also comes with a bowl of either white or brown rice at the additional cost of one dollar.
The Bliss Chow Mein arrived shortly after the beans, and I was eager to try the noodles since I was so satisfied with the beans. I wasn’t disappointed. The dish consisted of noodles, cilantro, bok choy, shredded carrot, broccoli and thin slices of soy protein. The noodles were soft, but not slimy, and tasted of a sweet and salty soy sauce. I was amazed at how the soy protein had the identical texture and taste of sliced beef, and all the fresh vegetables were well cooked and had a satisfying crunch and crisp taste.from the dish that I usually found in other restaurants’ variations of the beans. The green beans were coated with a special, sesame sauce and sprinkled with bits of sautéed soy and onions. Each bean tasted perfectly salted, amazingly fresh and had a satisfying crunch as I bit into each one. The dish also comes with a bowl of either white or brown rice at the additional cost of one dollar.
I was delighted when my vegan burger arrived as my nose was filled with the amazing aroma of the soy protein patty, which smelled quite similar to meat, and my mouth watered as I stared at the burger and fries. The burger contained a soy protein patty flavored with soy sauce, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, mushrooms and onions. All the vegetables were fresh and crisp. The dish also came with a generous serving of fries. Each fry was lightly salted and golden brown. The quality of the fries left me with high expectations for the burger, but I was slightly disappointed when I took my first bite and discovered the patty to be far too salty for my taste. Overall, I enjoyed the Classic Vegan Burger, but the saltiness of the patty kept it from being my favorite dish.
My experience at Loving Hut was pleasant, and I discovered that vegan food is just as good, if not better, than my regular animal-product filled meals. The food runs a bit pricy at around seven dollars per dish for the serving size, but the quality and taste of the food is money well spent. I plan on returning to Loving Hut and strongly recommend the restaurant to those who are on vegan diets, and also to individuals who are genuinely curious as to what a vegan meal tastes like.