Golden Lotus Vegetarian Rest

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oylin

Joined 8 years ago

dying for pho. i had the hugest craving for pho and walked all around chinatown looking for veggie pho. but after at least two other places we stumbled upon this place. right off the bat i ordered the pho, which was seriously so good that i continued to eat it even after my boyfriend left to answer his phone. the service was a little slow and they didn't bring the basil leaves i had asked for, but the pho more than made up for it.

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fairdathm

Joined 8 years ago

One of my FAVORITE vegetarian restaurants!!!. I've eaten at this restaurant ~16 times in 3 years, so I've tried many dishes. Most have unique flavors, with a nice depth of seasoning and not too salty. I often go with a friend whose tastes are different from mine, and he usually prefers the dishes I don't like as much--so if you don't like something you order, that doesn't mean you won't like others! Here are some things the two of us (and other friends) always agree on: The soup with several 'meat analogs' and vegetables (the best!!), veggie pancakes, lotus salad, black bean sauce dishes, the eggplant-tofu claypot, and vegan flan. Personally, I think the 'beef' analogs are oddly textured, and the mongolian 'beef' is a little sweet.

The additional booth space in the back is very comfortable.

I STRONGLY recommend this restaurant, as well as nearby New World Vegetarian.

Doesn't Recommend

luxtron

Joined 8 years ago

sugary food all tastes the same. the first time i went there, i got "mongolian chicken" lunch special for $5.50. the menu denoted spicy, but it wasn't at all. it also seemed they put cinnamon (!) in the overly-sweet brown gravy-like sauce. the lunch special however automatically came with brown rice instead of white, which was a nice surprise.

the second time there we ordered thai soup for $8.95. it tasted like someone accidently dumped half a cup of sugar into the broth. we could not eat it and ordered lemongrass chicken, which was also overly sweet even after we requested no sugar. they didn't seem care that we couldn't eat the soup.

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tiannamulan

Joined 8 years ago

Veggie Lovers Unite!. Food was absolutely great! The menu was like a full Chinese Restaurant menu but w/ no meat! It's a vegetarian's dream come true. It's not as cheap as some reviews suggest, but it's worth the price. Dinner for two, including appetizer, tip and no drinks was about $30. Service was fairly slow to get started but the food came out relatively quickly. It's a definite must!

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snugglington

Joined 9 years ago

So lovely and fresh!. What a great find this is! The food tastes so fresh and it's beautifully prepared. My faves are:

Carmelized Chicken

Broccoli Beef and Shitake Mushroom

Sweet & Sour Chicken (although I'd love them to use a sweet and sour sauce without the crazy red dye - they're out there!)

The neighborhood is a little dodgy, but parking isn't hard (especially in the evening.) There's also a covered parking garage across the street.)

Run, don't walk! You'll be in veggie heaven!

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voluptuousveggies

Joined 9 years ago

Vegetarians Have to Try!. I first went to Golden Lotus about a month ago and I continue to go every week. The food is amazing for vegetarians.. warm, wholesome and delicious meals with taste! I've tried different dishes but my faves are:

1) Spicy Shrimp

2) Lemon Chicken [sweet]

3) Spicy Noodle Soup

4) Pho

5) Garlic Sauteed Beef

The service is spotty and the atmosphere is debatable... but hands down one of the best spots for vegetarians or vietnamese/chinese food lovers in the bay area. A real gem!

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

This inexpensive Asian restaurant draws both veteran veggie lovers and adventuresome newcomers.. In Short
This homey restaurant offers a variety of dishes that skillfully utilizes soy protein, wheat gluten, vegetables and nuts to mimic the meaty tastes and textures of regular Vietnamese and Chinese favorites. The fried fish in tomato sauce is properly flaky and covered in a spicy red-chili and raw cilantro sauce. Another hot number is the pineapple salmon, bathed in a zesty sweet-and-sour sauce. Also try the vermicelli with chewy roast pork and the tangy tamarind beef.

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technotofu

Joined 10 years ago

BEst Faux meat dishes anywhere!. I signed up just to refute the horribly inaccurate account of the previous reviewer. There is nothing bland about Golden Lotus. I have been eating there since 1995 and have found each menu item to be incredibly tasty. True, the service can be a bit dicey at times, but that's only due to its high-volume business.

My recipe for a great meal there is this:

#1 Fried Imperial Rolls

Special #2 Sauteed Garlic Beef

Special #5 Carmelized Chicken

Dessert: Mocha Cake (which likely from Black China Bakery and not overly sweet!)

Enjoy!

Doesn't Recommend

serenas

Joined 11 years ago

tasteless, bright colored vegetables. the idea behind this restaurant is pretty cool but everything is a rather tasteless blend of bright colored, fancily cut vegetables. service can be poor. the only dishes worth trying are the eggplant with sesame sauce and the vermicelli noodles with fried imperial rolls. the vegan cake is ok, but overly sweet.

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smradio2000

Joined 11 years ago

Best in the West. The food and service was great! I had a fun time dinning at Golden Lotus.