Au Lac
Hours
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Profile
Neighborhood
- Fountain Valley
Smoke-free?
- Yes
Reservations?
- Accepted
Wheelchair Accessible?
- Yes
Accepts
$$ - average
Chinese, Vietnamese, Raw Food
Vegetarian Vietnamese & Chinese cuisine, and a vegan raw menu
Au Lac is functionally two restaurants within one. One menu and kitchen offers vegetarian versions of traditional Vietnamese fare In addition to a few vegetable-only dishes, they use mock meat to create authentic dishes without the use of meat, eggs or alcohol.
The other menu is raw vegan (prepared in a separate kitchen) that is composed of highly-unusual raw vegan dishes including appetizers, soups, salads, entrees and desserts.
Immediately across from Mile Square Park, on the west side, N. of 405 fwy, S. of 22 fwy. Cross street is Heil Ave.
- (Mostly) Organic
- Kid-Friendly
- Large Group-Friendly
- Private Rooms
- Wireless (free)
Added by sam neko on May 18 04 (updated Aug 21)
Reviews
I use to love this place 2 years ago, but it has changed. My order has been wrong several times, they did correct it and gave me something extra and apologized. The food is not as good, was informed that Vietnamese food is very salty, I do not like salt. Menue has changed. Will not go there again. Took a friend there when she came to town, she hated it.
Au Lac is the most amazing raw vegan restaurant I've been to. Originally starting as a Vietnamese restaurant there is also a cooked menu still available. Au Lac has been recently remodeled and has a lovely contemporary ambiance. It is managed by a Zen Buddhist who has taken a vow of silence yet he communicates with staff and customers. The raw menu is out of this world. The presentation is beautiful. The entrees and deserts are amazingly delicious. This place can inspire a person to "go raw." The dishes are incredibly tasty. Anyone, not just veggies and vegans, will love Au Lac so bring a friend to inspire!. Try the house special dessert "chocolate ecstasy", it boggles the mind how something so tasty can still be good for you.
He is NOT a Zen Buddhist. He's a Christian who's taken a self-imposed vow of silence because he believes that when we talk, we don't listen, and our ego gets in the way of love toward humanity. He challenges our dividing language by calling us Humanese. And he sincerely hugs every person who enters and leaves. He has the gift of making every person feel special and that they are his favorite person. The food reflects his love and peaceful life.
Yes, the service is spotty at times. But the staff, mostly young Vietnamese immigrant students who are also going to school full-time, are trained (or not trained) minimally by the owner who doesn't even assign them to sections. Thus, with random servers stopping by to take orders and deliver food, the service suffers.
However, it is the BEST raw restaurant ever. I have been to ALL of them in California. All the raw food chefs/owners/personalities gravitate there when they're in town for a reason.
The Vietnamese cooked food may not be up to par; I have no idea. But the raw menu is thorough, tasty and highly unusual. You'll find no faux pizza here!