Shredded Tofu Roll from Au Lac
This week found me with a new food obsession: Vietnamese Spring Rolls, or as I learned, gỏi cuốn. Finding myself again in Southern California and surrounded by a good number of vegan restaurants (most of which were Vietnamese or similarly natured fusion cuisine), I made an unintentional tour of the food.
My last trip I fell absolutely in love with Au Lac Humanese, which is Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines. A good portion of the menu is also raw foods, which I didn’t get into much this time around (not because I don’t like raw, but I was cold and wanted something warmer). This trip back, I had dinner there on two occasions… the first night getting the shredded tofu roll and making a mess with my chopsticks. The second night, I also got these (and did better with the chopsticks) and that was the end of the story. I was on a quest for shredded tofu rolls! I tried them out at two other places, one was so-so, the other was quite good and a close second to Au Lac (Bodhi Vegetarian Cafe in Huntington Beach).
Au Lac Donut Holes
Back in Philly for a week (before I return to Southern Cali), I’m already scoping out the potential to feed my latest craving. The other foodie joy I happened upon (also at Au Lac) were the donut holes. These warm confections (topped with a grape) had hints of macadamia nut and chocolate, and were filled with palm sugar. I’m glad I ordered these on the last evening I dined there or I’d have had to run an extra hour just to make up for the decadence! To be honest, I wouldn’t have even ordered them at all had it not been that I didn’t really get lunch that day… but they were so very worth it.
