Rainbow Salad at Loving Hut — kyu's Review (Jan 10, 2024)

The lighting in the restaurant was a bit dim, but the food was stellar! It’s been pretty cold recently, and I was so sure that I was going to order 紅燒麵 (translated as “Formosa Noodle Soup.”) But perhaps someone knows what I’m talking about: you haven’t had #fresh #vegetables in a while, and suddenly they’re all you want?

Though there were also a number of vegetable stir-fries on the menu, I was drawn to this #eattherainbow #salad. It was in the “Western” section of their menu, which… I guess? The flavors read as Asian to me. It’s made with “cabbage, carrots, soy protein, tofu, onion, and fresh herbs tossed in light vinaigrette and topped with crushed peanuts and shallot.” For my fellow cilantro-haters: you are safe. “Fresh herbs” thankfully means mint. The thinly sliced cabbage was crispy and fresh, and the tofu and soy protein helped to give it a bit more bulk — thought it was already a very large, filling portion. The vinaigrette was sweet, tangy, and savory, sort of like Vietnamese nước chấm (minus the fish sauce.) I didn’t realize the salad was already dressed and started pouring from the provided cup, so it ended up more soggy than I would have liked.

$12.95 is just the price of salad these days… so I would at least prefer to patronize a vegan restaurant, where I can feel confident about the establishment’s morals and the ingredients used. I didn’t get the weird vibes that I’ve occasionally felt at other Loving Huts — the 24-hour programming was on in the background, but the folks running the restaurant were friendly and unobtrusive, like a kindly auntie and uncle. I enjoyed my meal and hope to return soon! #veganrestaurant