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Au Lac
Categories: Restaurants Vegan Restaurants Live/Raw Food Vegan, Live/Raw Food [Edit]
16563 Brookhurst StFountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 418-0658
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 11:30 am - 3:30 pm
Tue-Sun 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
408 reviews for Au Lac
Review Highlights
"Chef Ito has created one a very special place."
(in 53 reviews)
"Spirulina Donut holes are amazing."
(in 31 reviews)
"I highly recommend the spring rolls and the pho."
(in 73 reviews)
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408 reviews in English
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Review from Teresa G.
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA
2/7/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Au Lac is by far my favorite vegan restaurant. Unfortunately it is a little far for me, so i am only able to enjoy their food on special occasions. The hours are unique so make sure you check them before going. Besides the hours you may meet Chef Ito upon your meal. He is extremely friendly even with his vow of silence.
I have yet to try a cooked dish from here, I have only experienced their living foods options. To start i usually order: Chimi Churi or there chips and salsa, as a entree i order the fryed chicks or the de la mama. The downfall i have with the Fryed Chicks is i usually eat up all the Chicks right away.
For dessert I ALWAYS order the Donut-holes, they melt in your mouth, LITERALLY.
another favorite is the Chocolate X-Tasy Cake. -
Review from Angie D.
Lake Forest, CA
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I remember when Au Lac first opened, it was our go-to spot whenever we dined out with my mom (who's been a vegetarian for almost 20 yrs). It was one of the first in the area to serve vegetarian Vietnamese food, but we stopped going over time since more places popped up.
We revisited our old family fave over this past weekend and I believe has changed ownership again. Completely different ambiance, new menu items, concept, and service. Ordered the Spring Rolls, Nem Nuong Rolls, Duck Noodle Soup, and the Royal Noodle Soup.
--Spring Rolls - 3. Great dipping sauce, but the rolls themselves used to be better and had more flavor than they do now.
--Nem Nuong Rolls - 4. Delicious!
--Duck Noodle Soup (Mi Vit Tim) - 2.5. Au Lac's Duck Noodle Soup used to be my FAVORITE dish and I've ordered it every time I've eaten here, but the vege duck meat was different and the new one isn't as flavorful. The broth is also much lighter and doesn't have the 'duck noodle' taste, rather, it almost tastes like pho. It was still good, just a huge disappointment to me considering it used to be one of my favorite foods.
--Royal Noodle Soup (Bun Bo Hue) - 3. The broth tastes just like bun bo he. The vege meat in here also wasn't that great, but it was pretty good.
Ambiance and environment is nice, a bit dark for me personally, but it's okay. Service was great! The servers really are paying attention so it was nice not having to flag them down. And it's nice knowing prices are still cheap, total was ~$28. -
Review from Catherine N.
Long Beach, CA
What an enlightening experience, so forgive the long review. I would come here again just to see Chef Ito when I feel I need some peace in my life (which might make me a stalker actually, since I have a stressful job). He's quite an admirable, inspiring human being. More on him later.
Place was almost completely packed on a Wednesday for lunch with constant traffic during the 2.5 hours I was there. I was so surprised when I entered. The setting is more modern, clean, dark and warm than most other restaurants in the Fountain Valley/Westminster area. Immediately greeted and seated. Service was attentive. The menu is pretty intimidating for newbies to vegetarian and raw cuisine. Double whammy for people unfamiliar with Vietnamese food. Luckily I'm no stranger to the latter, BUT I'm a big skeptic when it comes to vegetarian and healthy food. Give me my meats and fries! :) We had to be walked through the raw menu a bit and some appetizers but decided on the Nori Roll (reg app menu) and Cali Roll (raw) based on our server's recommendations.
Nori Roll - can't believe I'm giving a salad 5 stars, but I am. I'm not a big salad eater and given the choice, I'll always pick french fries over salad. Anyway, it's a messy and intimidating presentation but the flavor combo of the crisp veg (shaved jicama, cabbage, carrots, cilantro, tomato, red bell pepper, avocado, green leaf lettuce), the uber flavorful Thai-inspired tamarind dressing, and the nori was a flavor party in my mouth. When I first looked at it, I actually said (out loud) "I don't know if I can do this" - meaning, I don't think I want to eat this mound of raw vegetables. It took some mental coaxing to get past the thought of eating what I thought would be a big bland salad. Once I was finally able to make a monster wrap out of it and took a bite, I felt a wave of relief. The more bites I took, the more I loved it and wanted to keep eating. Granted, it was extremely messy and completely fell apart (don't order on a first date). I wound up eating it with chopsticks straight off of the plate. So refreshing.
Cali Roll - Not my favorite. It was a sushi roll with cucumber, avocado, seaweed, fresh coconut, and tomato with a soy ginger dipping sauce. I'm not a fan of avo or coconut, so it's a pass for me.
My friend ordered an entree off of the raw menu that was like a huge bento platter of seaweed, kimchi, pickled radish, and a huge mound of something that looked like spinach and water chestnut dip with flax seed chips. I didn't try it, but I heard it was good. The seaweed mound was really good though - nice room temperature. My first taste of a 'raw' dish.
I ordered the "Ca kho to" since the actual fish version of that dish is one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes ever. Their version used soy fish instead but the flavor was great! It was the complete opposite of the salad - salty, sweet, really strong flavor. Great main entree. The dish came out in a metal pot rather than a clay one but consisted of shiitake mushrooms, fried tofu, soy fish (which looked like giant slices of mushrooms) stewed in a dark brown sauce. The whole table (even kids) enjoyed this dish. Came with a side of brown rice, but you can get white rice if you want more traditional. I would definitely get this again and am happy that he kept the flavors true to the Vietnamese dish.
I'm still tripping out that this Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant has a Japanese chef/Zen master who has taken a vow of silence yet still emits so much energy and peace. I'm not a peaceful, meditative person at all, but he made me feel really positive and content. He also has a large elixir menu, but per my friend's suggestion, I had him come over so that I could describe my stomach problems to him. He brought over a special tea and a couple bottles of stomach enzyme (I think/hope) supplements. He mouthed the instructions to me and had me take them before my meal. I felt just fine. I hear that he can come up with some impressive concoctions to help any ailment. It's an interesting experience. Left there with such a wonderful impression of this restaurant and can't believe I waited so long to try it. Upon exiting, he gave my friend and me a big warm therapeutic hug and a card each stating "Certified Awesome by Chef Ito". Oh yeah. -
Review from Patrice R.
Los Angeles, CA
2/6/2012
This place has it all, great ambiance, expansive cooked and raw vegan menu. Delicious food, donut holes that will melt in your mouth.
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Review from Rick S.
Huntington Beach, CA
2/2/2012
This is one amazing vegan restaurant! Perhaps one of the top in the country, though I'm sure there are some other good ones out there. Many amazing options on the menu. Raw food and cooked as well. Amazing desserts too. A must try for any vegetarian or vegan.
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Review from Natalia C.
Westminster, CA
Updated - 1/17/2012
Can I eat here every day?
Not sure if my husband will be up for it since he actually enjoys animal meat (and, well, ok, ok, I do too!) However, this place is * B O M B *
I've eaten there twice, first time had the eggplant with tofu clay pot with brown rice and shared a raw soup with my friend. The soup was interesting, warm, not hot to preserve the "raw" quality. It was made of coconut milk and seaweed and other interesting little veggies.
The second time I had their Traditional Eggplant Hot Pot (see a theme, I kinda love eggplant) - now THIS is worth going there for. It was warm and delicious. They bring you a big bowl of soupy eggplant and tofu in this amazing "fish" broth, plus a separate plate with vermicelli noodles and fresh cabbage and greens that you add to the eggplant. Omg, my mouth waters at the thought.
Can I go now please?!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/21/2011
My friend Christelle and I went there last night for dinner. Wow - So good! We had their Au Lac Raw… Read more »
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Review from David B.
Huntington Beach, CA
2/9/2012
We have been going here for a long time but this time was worthy of a review. My other half was not feeling perfect and does not like going to traditional medicine for a solution so after our meal we spoke with Ito the owner about an elixer for them to take. He made something that was not on the menu at all and it appears to be working, they feel better. The food as always was very good and very flavorful. If you are looking for something boring, this is not the place, if you want good and you want it to be good for you this place rocks.
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Review from Gigi M.
Aiea, HI
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wasn't too impressed. Egg rolls and jicama spring rolls are good and I'd probably stop by for take-out on those items. I may try a few other items even though I was not wow'ed by the Pasta di Amore. Overpriced for what tasted like shirataki noodles in different oils.
Didn't care for the donuts, tiramusu took a little getting used to, and didn't care for the raw garlic bread.
The whole staff was very friendly and accommodating as I waited for my to-go order. Total wana-be yuppie crowd, seeking purity and enlightenment in all aspects of life ... from the air we breathe, to the the dirt between our toes ... aaaah, NAMASTE ... -
Review from Aris M.
Costa Mesa, CA
1/16/2012 7 Check-ins Here
This is a special place.
None of the other vegan/raw restaurants I have been to have been able to achieve what Au Lac has. I am convinced this is because they don't have chef Ito. All of his dishes are gold. I've had nearly all of the raw selections - all amazing.
It's a bit pricey but worth every penny. Staff is great as is the atmosphere. Nothing negative to say. Five stars all the way. -
Review from Jon K.
Anaheim, CA
1/6/2012
Probably the best vegan restaurant in the world! Being a pescatarian but a wannabe vegan, I can always count on Au Lac to quench my hunger for a carnivore like meal but completely vegan. One of the dishes that I crave once in awhile is a Vietnamese vermecilli combination bowl (the one with spring roll, shrimp, chicken, pork, and beef). Well, they have a vegan version that is absolutely delicious! Plus there is no "mystery" meat, just vegan things that look like and taste like the animal stuff.
They also have other traditional Chinese and Vietnamese dishes, all very good. If you are into raw, they have an extensive raw menu as well.
If you are Vegan and love Asian food, it is worth -
Review from Gian C.
Carson, CA
This is THE place to come for exquisite gourmet RAW vegan food (and cooked, as well). I've been coming here for the past year and a half, and my experience has always been the same: simply healing and often times magical.
Many of us come to connect with like-minded and like-spirited people at Chef Ito's bar, and it's simply a blessing to have that kind of space. The atmosphere is very relaxing and Ito does whatever it takes to make sure everyone's accomodated, satisfied and beyond...
Perfection in the form of a restaurant, absolutely!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/18/2010
Perfection in the form of a restaurant! There's something about the energy of this place that draws… Read more »
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Review from jean m.
Anaheim, CA
1/13/2012
I've eaten here a lot in the past few years... hadn't been back for a while as I ventured back into my cooked (SAD) food. Now that I am doing the RAW vegan food I came back last night... and... again... LOVED everything we ordered. My dinner partner ordered the vegetarian food, bbq pork rolls and a soft noodle seafood dish which he loved both. I had a bite of the rolls and they were delicious.
I definintely recommend the raw soft taco and the pistachio bread... both are soooo good. I do think the prices are a little high, but most people will pay them for these works of art. Last night I ordered the Ani T. fried rice and OMG I am eating the leftovers now (on a small order even) and it's sooo good. The sauce that comes with it is delicious, I wish I knew how to make it myself! Every time I have eaten here the food has been fantastic. The seating and ambiance of the place is a little "wannabe" elegant, the red chairs LOOK nice but they aren't the greatest when you are trying to enjoy a nice meal with your loved one... IMO I'd rather have something more comfy so I can sit and talk over the meal and dessert. Oh, desserts here have always been good too... yum! -
Review from Monica S.
Saratoga, CA
2/7/2012
I love, love, love this restaurant. Recently, I was introduced to the raw food movement through a documentary called Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days. Although I'm not a diabetic I was fascinated by their concept that "Food is your medicine and medicine your food." What a concept! No more doctor appointments and fighting with insurance companies. When a friend suggested eating at Au Lac before I had to get on a plane to go home, I jumped at the opportunity. Needless to say, after eating here, my socks were blown clear out of the water. My eyes have been opened. I tried the Humanese Soup - beautiful - and the Winter Rolls - amazing. The prices are reasonable and I know if they were in New York or Beverly Hills, the prices would be astronomical because of the labor of love that goes into making the food. Upon returning home, I scoured the internet to see if Chef Ito taught any cooking classes, but I didn't see any. As a compromise, I've checked out a couple cookbooks from the library by Ani Phyo. Until my next trip to Orange County, I'll be savoring and dreaming of Au Lac.
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Review from Leah W.
Aliso Viejo, CA
1/9/2012
Raw food mecca.
I have been here several times, mostly with my dad, who is raw vegan. He introduced me to this place. You probably wouldn't know it was there unless someone takes you, or tells you about it. Vegans, vegetarians and omni pals have all been extremely pleased with the menu, and will sometimes brag they came here without me, apparently to piss me off, traitors.
There are plenty of cooked vegetarian and raw vegan items to choose, but here are some favorite raw items to try:
Bread with chimichurri
Guacamole, I order it with the flax crackers
Living Rice
Au Lac Soup!!!!
Donut holes! Mm! -
Review from Ronit G.
Novato, CA
1/2/2012
We drove long and far to eat here on a recent trip to L.A.
My cousin who is also raw vegan suggested we try the chimichurri garlic bread and to finish the meal with the donut holes. Both of those were great suggestions.
The garlic bread was soft and spongy on the inside and had a wonderful crust! The chimichurri sauce was ok; needed salt; but we enjoyed it.
Then we ordered the Au Lac raw soup - it had lots of avocado and mung bean sprouts and felt healthy. I think the broth needed more blending to marry the flavors but it was delicious anyway.
Our favorite item was the "mashed potatoes" made from cauliflower and macadamia nuts (I think). It was scooped over a bed of blended broccoli and carrots and topped off with a sweet tasty gravy that made the dish super good! We ate it up.
The donut holes - green from spirulina, oozed sweet warm goodness and were a delightful treat.
Highly recommend eating here and trying some of these or other dishes, it's worth the trek. -
Review from garbanzo b.
Newport Beach, CA
Updated - 12/20/2011
I went for my birthday dinner with family this weekend.
Wow. The service was horrible. Seriously below substandard. They need to do something with the waitstaff where you don't have to wait eons before getting water to simple requests like forks, etc....
Not impressed. Will I go back? I don't know.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/6/2009
So, I had heard a ton about this place from a huge Yelper who wanted me to eat here since I am… Read more »
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Review from Howie C.
12/21/2011
I knew I was in trouble from the start. It took three and a half minutes before anyone acknowledged me standing in the front. It's not like there was a crowd... I was the only person waiting for a table. During this three to four minutes, an employee gave a person at the bar a hug six inches from me. Four other servers walked by. Not one said, "I'll be right with you."
3.5 minutes isn't that long, until I realized I could've had a lap dance in that time.
I knew I was in trouble when I looked up and noticed only two other Asians in a room of about 30 people, in a Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant one mile removed from the heart of Little Saigon. A good Asian restaurant in a strong Asian community usually has a number of Asians dining there.
The restaurant was full, it felt like I was in a shi-shi Ten-Newport lounge, with the red tables, dim lighting, grey tile floors and that OC lounge music playing in the back. You know, that music that they play here in OC at places that strive to be cool. It's not hip-hop. It's not pop. It's not dance. It's not rock. It's not indie. It's not singer songwriter. It's Moby gone bad. But it's not a shi-shi crowd. It's more like UC Berkeley meets Dali Lama meets Baby Boomer.
I ordered the Bun #35, which is a $10 vermicelli dish. The veggies were fresh, but the dish tasted blander than I thought it would. The most flavorful things were the fresh fried onions. The whole dish was a little dry.
I don't know. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing. Maybe I shouldn't have come in 30 minutes before closing. Or maybe this just isn't the place to me.
One and half minutes is how long it took for me to get change back from paying my bill. At least I didn't have to wait long for them to take my money. -
Review from Champ M.
An amazing gem of Fountain Valley. A place so hidden, I passed by it for 8 years never realizing this would be one of the best restaurants I've ever found in OC.
From the food, to the highly sophisticated elixirs, to the well-hearted owner, this place should be the model for all other fine vegan restaurants to follow.
Spirit, body, mind, love, light.Listed in: Top Eats
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Review from Brian N.
Santa Ana, CA
1/25/2012
What a refreshing experience! Because it was over a month ago, I don't quite remember what I ate here. (Epic Fail) So I'll just write about the atmosphere and the service, which was amazing.
I was served by a really cute Vietnamese girl with glasses and she had her hair tied up. She checked on me and my friend a few times throughout our dinner to make sure everything was fine. A lot of waiters never check up at all. If she serves you, make sure you leave her a good tip.
The actual restaurant is very cozy. It's definitely a good place to take a date. The bathroom signs cracked me up. Instead of a picture of a guy, there was a picture of a banana on the guy's bathroom door. And for the girl's bathroom, there was a picture of two melons. LMAO
It's unfortunate I didn't get to speak with Chef Ito, since I heard he took a vow of silence. But he smiled at me a lot and for some reason, it made me feel really peaceful inside. Au Lac is lucky to have a guy like him working there as a chef.
I definitely recommend this place! -
Review from Orchid t.
Los Angeles, CA
12/5/2011
The food is excellent, the service is friendly, and whatever place I'm on in the raw vegan to cooked vegan spectrum, they accommodate.
Vegans don't have to eat here alone. They have fun traditional Chinese dishes they make vegan, as well as Vietnamese. And their raw food is off the charts. There is something for everyone, whether vegan or not.
I am always warmly greeted and recognized when I enter, even though I've only come here once a year since I've moved to Los Angeles several years ago.
It's worth the commute if you have the time:) -
Review from Fernando A.
Long Beach, CA
Updated - 1/17/2012 1 photo
I forgot how good this place is. Just went here with my intern who's vegetarian and got the eggplant hotpot and beef (vegetarian) and watercress. The hot pot was excellent, and I think I could get that one again and again. I really liked the "beef" too, but started getting tired of the watercress. It's gets bitter after a while. I think spinach, broccoli, or asparagus would have been better. The little slices of beef were really tastey though. All in all, I'd glady come back. There's so many things on the menu that I would like to try.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/1/2008
I'm not a vegetarian, but this food was excellent! We had the bbq pork spring rolls, tofu and… Read more »
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Review from David F.
Orange, CA
I've been to Au Lac many times and the food is always fresh and super good!
The salt and peppered tofu is a great appetizer to start off with. A nice crunchy outside to balance the soft tofu texture. The wonton soup was awesome along with the sweet and sour chickn. Very filling, and super healthy for you. -
Review from Coleen C.
Orange County, CA
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Oh no... I feel like a hater for not loving this place, but the "chicken" curry was just plain bad. It was super-bland, had precious few ingredients (except lots of potatoes) and took FOR-ever to reach our table. My husband received his meal first and just waited for me. The curry wasn't worth the wait, and the best advice I can give you is: please don't order it. I would rather have eaten the slowly rotating hotdogs at 7-Eleven than this meal. Yes... I went there. :( Don't force me to drive to LA to visit a standout Vegan restaurant when I get tired of quickie places Native Foods and Veggie Grill.
My husband tried the Bun #35 and truly enjoyed it. It looks just like a bowl of bun: vermicelli, egg roll, shredded tofu, soy beef, salad, etc. I sampled some of it and it was decent. He also ordered the Chef's Handroll, which we both agreed was good and looks the part. It's not as delicious as fish, but for a vegan option, it's surprisingly good and worth trying.
Some Yelpers mention the decor, but it's not worth mulling over -- it's basically a nicer-than-normal Vietnamese restaurant. You'll see pink, you'll see mirrored surfaces, etc. It doesn't offend; it doesn't impress. The drink menu is worth perusing, with its dozens of magical concoctions that promise to aid everything from fatigue and female problems to virility issues (heehee)!
At best, I had mixed feelings about eating at Au Lac. Maybe I'll return if someone can recommend a dish that's absolutely worth ordering. If you know of one, I'll try it. Send me a message. Until then -- meh! -
Review from Debbie P.
Orange County, CA
The food has fabulous flavors and they don't try to make the tofu look like meat, like most vegan places which is refreshing but sadly I woke up the next day deathly dehydrated and figured out why the food had such amazing flavors - msg.
The veggie eggrolls were piping hot and crispy, the duck noodles had the perfect chewy texture and the tofu and eggplant hot pot were wonderful. Sadly I just cannot suffer from dying of thirst the next morning. -
Review from Nancy O.
Costa Mesa, CA
11/28/2011 2 photos
Wow! I can't believe I'm finally sitting down and writing a review for Au Lac. I have been a fan of Au Lac since New Year's Day of 1999. This was way before all the vegan and raw hype. I had been a vegetarian for only 2 years and was tired of eating beans and rice. So on New Year's, I noticed this was one of the few places that was open and was vegetarian. Fast forward a dozen years and these dishes remain to be some of my favorites:
BBQ Pork Spring Roll
Wonton Soup
BBQ Vermicelli
Chow Fun Noodle
... and most recently... the curried rice (from the raw menu)
It took me a while to venture into the raw menu (about 9 years). Now, the curried rice is my favorite dish.
So, if you've got the time and money to enjoy a delicious meal. Come here! -
Review from Nancy T.
Anaheim, CA
1/10/2012
I love vegetarian food, came here only knowing it was vegetarian food, but it's all vegan. Food here is great, very creative and innovative. A bit pricey though, but all worth it.
Ambiance:
Dark, really dark. Hollister dark.
Service:
Pretty good, the waiters and waitresses are really young and friendly.
Food:
-Pistachio Bread- Tasted like a savory trail mix, but good. I enjoyed it. The plate gives you four small servings of this "bread" Definitely something different.
-PopEye- Enjoyed this salad, basically spinach, red onion, nice flavored crusted pecans. MMM. Great.
-Goi Coun aka Spring Rolls- presentation was nice, basically one roll cut up into about 6 pieces. Served with a peanut sauce. Over all it tasted like any vegan roll except the price was a bit revolting for ONE roll.
-Pineapple Fried Rice- GOOOD, I really enjoyed this, so simple yet so good. Flavor was nice.
-Sweet and Sour "Chicken"- One bite and I almost forgot it was vegan. SO good, obviously have it with white rice.
-Salt and Peppered Shrimp- DELICIOUS, a friend told me to try this, and man so glad we ordered it. Tasted like the real thing.
-Beef with Broccoli- Once again, almost forgot that it was vegan. This was delicious. So much flavor.
-Stirfryed Seafood Noodles- Had many pieces of "seafood", pretty good. Nothing out of this world though.
Presentation of food:
Really nice, I honestly think this is also where all the prices go into...
In general a really good experience with your taste buds, but like I said, hits your wallet prettyy hard in my opinion. Considering I go to places like Bo De in Westminster or Bo De Tinh Tam Chay in Westminster as well. However keep in mind these places are solely Vietnamese styled items and a bit shabbier compared to Au Lac. Plus it's cheaper. Oh and Orange Loving Hut. -
Review from Beth E.
Reseda, CA
1/1/2012
The absolute best raw vegan restaurant in LA! The Humanese soup and curried rice are my favorite. And the raw chocolates are beyond! Chef Ito is a genius! Thank you thank you thank you!
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Review from Andrea S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/2/2012
It's more like 'i'm not impressed, but it's ok' than 'A-ok' as the three stars suggest.
We went there last night, and from the get go, I was not very happy with the experience.
I called ahead to put my name on the list, i was told 'ok, see you in 20 mins' and when we get there, my name was not added to the list. We were told 'it's ok - as in not acknowledging the mistake they made but more like 'you messed up but we can still try to help' - and were seated at a very busy intersection, because no other tables for two were available. I understand you're busy, and they were, but perhaps hire more people and a dedicated hostess to avoid this. They charge plenty for the food... There was another couple next to us who looked quite uncomfortable and didn't seem to getting any service at all.
They have no regular veggie juices, just fruit + very expensive elixirs. I assume they already have a juicer to make all that, why not offer veggie juices? Just curious, it's not my decision to make, but I was disappointed, and went with water (not the $19 kind).
They apologized for the service, so that's cool. I asked for chilis with my dinner, ahead of time, and they brought me whole thai chilis. Now, I enjoy chewing on a chili from time to time, but I asked for it for my food, and as I had no knife on the table, I was just sitting there not able to eat my food. They finally came, I explained that I would like it chopped (silly me, I assumed they would bring it like every other restaurant, already chopped up), she took it and forgot to bring it back. I'm still sitting there waiting to eat my soup. Good thing I ordered a raw one, so there was no problem letting it sit without worrying about its temperature. The Au Lac Raw soup was fine - my non-raw boyfriend liked it more than I. The chilis did help :)
I also ordered the chimichurry dip: very nice flavor, but heavy on the garlic and not enough green to dip, but the bread kinda grossed me out. It's a raw bread, so I didn't expect anything else but raw bread, but this felt like they forgot to dehydrate it or after it was dehydrated, it was soaked in water. Ugh. Again, boyfriend cared for it, he had it all.
He ordered chicken satay - disappointment, slightly better cold. The peanut sauce and texture was strange and sans cucumber salad. If you want to serve your variation on something, perhaps indicate it's not like the usual vegan satay. He also ordered the steamed fish: usual vegan fish-like things with OK flavor and 5 steamed asparagus. Nothing to write home about.
There were two redeeming factors: the raw curry rice was very nice and so was the raw chocolate candy - which was a bargain for 6 for $7, unlike the rest of the meal.
I don't mind paying for food that's good for me and was prepared nicely, but I would like to also enjoy the experience and, umm, like the food :/ I don't live near, so I likely won't be giving them another try. We have vegan (asian-inspired and otherwise) places around us where we usually have a good meal for half the price, and raw food places too. Sorry, it looks like I'm one of the exceptions, but I wanted to share my not-so-impressive experience. -
Review from Cindy L.
Garden Grove, CA
I love this place! Wanted to check it out and when I went, I wasn't disappointed one bit! When I walked in, I thought, "Wow, this is a beautiful restaurant!". Although it's a casual setting, I feel that it's romantic and intimate.
The curried living rice was my favorite! I wasn't familiar with living rice at all and when I tried it, my taste buds fell in love! I will definitely be back for some more! The guacamole dip was delicious as well, and it had a hint of curry in it. I couldn't finish it, so I brought it home and had it with whole grain tortilla scoops and it tasted awesome! The spring rolls here were kind of hard to eat but everything was presented nicely. The chef went around asking if everything was good, and it was! Everyone in the restaurant received complimentary chocolate and it was savory!
I feel extremely healthy eating at this restaurant and I love it! I'm not a vegan or vegetarian or anything, but I love this place! -
Review from Lily B.
Cypress, CA
10/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
As a newfound herbivore, I've often found that veggie options in Orange County are scarce. To my pleasant surprise, I discovered Au Lac. I love the Vietnamese-fusion style menu. Growing up in a traditional Vietnamese family with a mom who loves to cook Vietnamese food, I've had my fair share of traditional dishes. At Au Lac, I experienced my favorites with a slight twist. Like the sweet and sour soup (canh chua) with veggie fish patty or tofu noodles. My mom took me here on my birthday and we had the vegan tiramisu. I've never felt better about what I ate!
I'd say prices are a little more than what I like to spend but it's worth it for the quality of food they offer! -
Review from Dawn J.
Laguna Woods, CA
10/25/2011
A wonderful place to eat that is completely outside the box for Orange County. Vegan, Raw, and some cooked foods all with wonderful and unique flavors.
This resturant is definately worth finding and experiencing!!! -
Review from Natalia C.
Los Angeles, CA
12/21/2011
Incredible! Went there for lunch a few weeks ago. I am not even a vegetarian. My girlfriend who is a meat and potatoes gal even loved it. It was filling, flavorful, and the crowd was really cool!
Definitely will come back -
Review from Irene L.
Long Beach, CA
10/11/2011
My friend found out about this place because her cousin works here so she brought me, knowing how I am always on the look out for new veggie eateries.
This place is pretty amazing. Very classy, yet the price is not bad at all.
I got the orange 'chicken' entree, and it seriously tasted like orange chicken. Usually, mock meat tastes nothing like the real thing, but this place had me fooled. And the flavors create quite an explosion. (:
Can't wait to come back! -
Review from desiree d.
Fullerton, CA
10/4/2011 6 Check-ins Here
I have tried quite a variety of vegan restaurants over the years and Au Lac continues to be my all time favorite. The friendliness of their staff and quality of their food has always been consistent. The only time I have ever had a bad experience at Au Lac was because I was on a lousy date. ;)
I came here for my birthday last Friday evening. We made reservations ahead of time, which proved to make the experience all the more pleasant as we did not have to wait. The five of us ordered:
Gou Cuon (sp?!) Spring Rolls
Lemongrass Chicken
Beef with Broccoli
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Yellow Curry
and some kind of flat noodle with brown gravy....
Order any of the above at another restaurant and it will come out of the kitchen a little too greasy and have you laying in bed late at night, holding your tummy and wishing you had just picked up a salad from Whole Foods instead. Not here, not at Au Lac. ALL of it tasted SOOOOOO friggin AMAZING. Very very very fresh. This is the only place I go where I can't get enough of the bok choy.
I should note that there were only 2 vegetarians at the table that night. The rest of my dinner companions normally order lamb kabobs or bacon cheeseburgers when we go out to eat. Everyone kept filling their plate, and filling their plate, and filling their plate. Seeing them all feasting on faux meats made me really happy.
...And seriously, God bless our waiter. He was such a sweetheart and put up with all our jokes. Lots and lots and lots of jokes! :)
Next time I go back here, I gotta try their elixir bar. Anything that promises to totally flush me out is always on my to-do list. HAHA
Thank you, Au Lac, for the consistently fresh and tasty edibles and for being one of the many highlights of my birthday celebration! -
Review from Reza R.
Fountain Valley, CA
10/5/2011
If you're a fan of restaurants such as Native Foods or Veggie Grill then you must come to Au Lac because it is quite possibly the master of the vegan restaurant universe.
Even if you're not a big fan of vegan food you ought to give Au Lac a try. The menu has so much variety that I'm certain you will find something appealing to you.
The spring rolls are very fresh and tasty and I'd even go as far as saying they are better than the famous spring rolls of Brodard's. The accompanying peanut sauce itself is delicious and I wanted to clean it out with my fingers after we had finished our spring rolls.
Most the food items I've had here have some form of fake meat, but Au Lac does fake meat better than any other Vegan establishment I've been to. I'd recommend most of the menu. The only thing I wouldn't recommend is the chicken curry. It's not bad, it's more that there's sooo many better things to try that it'd be a waste of time to have a dish that you could have at almost any other Asian restaurant.
Also, it is the only Vietnamese restaurant I've been to with not just good service, but great service.
Prices are reasonable for the quality of food -
Review from Daniel C.
Santa Ana, CA
7/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dear Au Lac Bistro,
This is my apology letter to your establishment and workers.
I, Daniel, am an avid meat eater. If it wasn't once alive and moving, I probably won't eat it. I like my steaks bloody, my bacon crispy, and my chicken fried.
I was forcefully dragged in kicking and screaming for dinner. I was sure that your employees could still smell the burger digesting in my stomach from my lunch hours ago. I took a step into your establishment, and with almost near certainty I was expecting to receive glares from your employees, evil scowls that said, "HE'S A MEAT EATER!" with their eyes. I was sure the food would taste like garbage, because no meal is complete without some sort of good ol' animal as its protein staple.
My apologies.
Hestitantly, I ordered the Bo Luc Lac and brown rice. The dish consists of "beef" served with watercress, garlic, tomatoes, onions, and a light vinegar dressing. It came out promptly--steam was rising from its contents; its sweet aroma filled my nostrils. With a shaky hand and nervous mouth, I slowly grabbed my chopsticks and lifted the food into my mouth. It smelled like beef, it tasted like beef, but I knew IT WAS NOT BEEF. It felt like a scene straight out of the Matrix. My mind was telling me I was consuming beef, but I knew otherwise.
The only giveaway was its texture. Although the taste was spot on, it's nearly impossible to duplicate the texture of meat without actually using meat products. I also sampled their Cha Gio (egg rolls) and Salt and Pepper Fried Tofu appetizers. The egg-less eggrolls had a peanuty taste to them, but the tofu was utterly delicious. It was lightly battered and fried, topped off with salt & pepper, cilantro, and some spicy jalapenos.
Now don't get me wrong, I am in no way, shape, or form a converted vegan now, but Au Lac has shown me the light. You don't need to devour an animal's soul for a tasty, fulfilling meal.
Sincerely,
Daniel C. -
Review from Julie D.
Rosemead, CA
8/30/2011
This is the only place that I've given 5 stars to so far that is not a breakfast place!
After wanting to come here for years and my original plans to go there pretty much snuffed, my boyfriend finally took me here.
We ordered a salad called Tha Sea, the Chimichurri bread, a bun bowl, and curry living rice.
- The Sea: This was a salad of pickled veggies and some nut-based creamy dressing with some seaweedish stuff. I liked this, but I found the dressing to be too rich.
- Chimichurri bread: This raw bread was SO good. It looked like bread but was heavier, but it came out warm and amazing dipped in the garlic and oil dip that came with it.
- Bun: Not raw but a Viet dish that came with fake beef and a spring roll. Besides the texture, the flavors were pretty much spot-on to the real (meat) version.
- Curry living rice: It was served beautifully and was FULL of flavor. I was getting full by the time this came out, but I thought it was amazing.
For dessert, we got a sample of the raw chocolates (OMG) and ordered the Chocolate X-Tasy, which was like a raw mint-chocolate torte. Another OMG. Seriously, this was one of the best desserts I've ever had, and I eat a LOT of them.
The prices here are a little high, but I felt SO good after coming out of there that I managed to eat healthfully in the days afterward because the food was so... energizing and clean. They also sell some weird and expensive drink concoctions that seemed interesting.
I definitely want to come back. Sure, I don't live anywhere near here, but man. Cute ambience inside, too. -
Review from Brad P.
Westminster, CA
8/4/2011 24 Check-ins Here
Its kind of funny how this is a Vietnamese restaurant that Vietnamese people do not go to. Why? Because if you want Vegetarian / Vegan food you go to your local Buddhist temple. Most Vietnamese people have no concept of Vegetarian or Vegan in the US and if you can get it for free or make it at home for cheap why go to a restaurant and pay for it. Fun facts set aside...
My first time here I ordered the BUN BO HUE. It completely amazed me for the simple reason that it was Vegan. I have no idea how you make one of the BEST Vietnamese dishes without BEEF broth. It was full of flavor and the tofu (fake meat) was tasty too!
My Fiance ordered the BO LUC LAC. Here again I was amazed with the amount of flavor that this dish had. Who would have thought tofu could taste that amazing!
The wait staff was friendly. They were always quick to refill waters and make sure we had everything we needed.
This place is kind of a whole in the wall, but there is a nice (small) banquet room on the left as you walk-in.
All in all, great place for Vegetarian and Vegan food. I would definitely come back. -
Review from Thu-Trang T.
Garden Grove, CA
10/13/2011
My gf Joan, just back from the Peace Corps in Paraguay, had her heart set on going here with me. The resto's changed so much since the last time either of us had been, we're talking years. It's gotten...regal. The servers are spiffy with their black slacks, shiny vests, ties. Along with the jeans and polos of yesteryear went white rice. Au Lac is a brown rice only zone, folks.
Against Joan's impulse to order a feast fit for Greeks, we exercised self-control and ordered the:
"FISH" CLAY POT SENSATION. The soy fish, firm tofu and juicy black mushrooms used to be served in a clay pot and used to be really flavorful. I think the sauce packs less oomph than before. Still, awesome texture for total comfort food. Better than the same dish at Bo De Tinh Tam Chay #2 (beach/mcfadden) by hundredfold.
"BEEF" WITH WATERCRESS. Soy beef was good. More watercress than I cared to eat, though.
FRIED PINEAPPLE BROWN RICE. Shrimp, fish, pork--all soy--shallot, fresh tomato, and many, many green peas. The brown rice was cooked just right and I almost believed I was eating white rice stained by soy sauce.
RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE PIE. Zukeets! So good I was bummed watching the last morsel disappear. Hit the sweet spot before allowing ourselves a farewell ciggy.
Total with tip for a decent vegan meal = $50.10. May be back but only with Joan or my pescatarian sister. Otherwise, not a diehard. -
Review from Vy P.
Santa Ana, CA
7/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been to Au Lac before, but settled for the spring rolls in the past. They're good, but aren't anything to necessarily rave about. I came back a week ago to try out some of their more complicated Vietnamese noodle dishes and was thrilled by the amount of flavor they were able to put into a typically-beef/pork-fused broth and how delicious and traditional the meal was despite any meat ingredients.
My boyfriend and I ordered the Bun Bo Hue and the Mi Kho Hai San to share. As a Vietnamese gal, I've had my fair share of BBH (a lifetime's worth) and it's one of those soup dishes that a lot of restaurants, more often than not, miss the mark on. And, like a soul mate, once you've found the right one, you hold on to it, and revisit often!
I'm pleased to announce that we were thoroughly impressed! We kept pausing after each spoonful to discuss how yummy the BBH broth was and how you'd never guess that it was vegan! The flavors were spot on and the Mi Kho Hai San was equally yum!
THE SERVICE ... was great. The waiters visited our table often to check if we needed anything else and to refill our waters.
THE PRICE ... is above the norm for Vietnamese cuisine. It's hard to spend some extra cash on Vietnamese food, which is generally affordable elsewhere. But, as a vegan alternative, I suppose you pay for what you're getting -- fresh ingredients and "humanese" alternatives.
THE DECOR ... could use some work. It definitely looks a bit hodge podge in style and somewhat kitschy where they intended otherwise.
I'd like to return here sometime to try the raw dishes!
