Au Lac

I haven’t even been served yet and I love that this place exists. Stumbled upon it accidentally. Service is fantastic and the food, well, it’s fantastic for you, as well as undoubtably delicious.

The Chocoholic is absolutely amazing. Pricy but so good! A very nice looking Bar too! Very friendly staff!

Visiting LA and tried this place. I’m not vegan and usually repulsed by vegan food as its highly processed.
This place was amazing. Sat at the bar, Edwin was an awesome host. Draft kombucha was lovely. All the food I tried was carefully prepared and deliciously fresh and energizing.
I was craving it the whole next day and then went back the following day with a friend.
High five!

Excited about Vietnamese Plant Based Lunch. I ordered the Lemon — Grass Fish off the secret menu. Then Garlic Noodles, and hubby ordered the Phó with the soy meat. The noodles are yummy, but I predicament lime more garlic. The Phó broth is absolutely amazing, the best vegan/​vegetarian broth anywhere! Thank God, I was afraid my hubby that’s Vietnamese would be disappointed and angry if it was dissapointing. .considering Vietnamese food is normally inexpensive. The Lemon –grass Fish if to di6e for! the best! Yup of my list now. The broth that chimes with it is Delish! the rice is Yummm.

I have been here a few times. I love this place. Their Phở is amazing and service is always friendly. The Ito burrito is fabulous and they also have the best orange juice I have ever had. The salt and pepper yam shrimp tasted so much like shrimp that it was a little creepy for me. Not really a dish for me cause I never liked shrimp before being vegan but seriously for people who like or liked shrimp this is on point. I will definitely come here again.

It’s a shame I think they should be in a better location in LA.
The food is awesome… seriously come here and try some Vegan food and you may fall in love with some dishes…
I’ve been to the original location… but I made it here finally took my friend here for her birthday she chose 2 dishes and a dessert that we shared…
Octopus (actually mushrooms)
Shrimp (I forgot what it is made out of)
Everything was perfectly made…
The texture of the shrimp was almost like real shrimp and they shaped it that way as well… Each bite of it had great taste and texture.
The Octopus as well had a crunchy texture on the outside and not overly chewy inside like real octopus which made it great to eat… the flavoring was spot on.
I would definitely order both of these again.
The dessert was okay I’m not a big fan of coconut so I took it in but I had to let the bday girl choose what to eat!

Salt and pepper shrimp are insanely good. They are voodoo magic. No idea how yam+kelp turns into incredibly tasty phony shrimp. Have to be eaten to be believed!
I’m generally not a fan of vegan and vegetarian… but this food is really tasty! Only drawback… we were hungry an hour later! (Where’s my protein?)
Nice to have food options by the Music Center. This place is literally behind Disney Hall!

As a former vegetarian, I really appreciate and crave solid veggie meals, which led me to try out Au Lac. While the food was okay, I wouldn’t say it was delicious. We started with the tofu/​shrimp, which was the best thing we had. Then I ate the lettuce rolls, which were covered in too much sauce that at the bottom was very mustardy and watery, the veggies within were not cut into small enough pieces to easily make or eat the lettuce wraps… Would not order again. Other friends ordered the Garlic and Sausage noodles, which they enjoyed more but overall a 2 – 3 in my books.
Note: The live piano playing on Friday and Saturdays is very classy and nice! We had the pleasure of sitting next to the piano and chatting with the pianist, which made the meal!

Quick lunch service for a person with discerning taste. Many healthful yet tasty options in a classy environment. Great for business lunches or lunch dates.
I hope to return soon. Thanks!
Loved the Chinoise (vegan Chinese Chikn salad) and the presentation of the yam
shrimp but because I don’t like the flavor or fried foods I wouldn’t order it again. (I preferred the bed of cabbage & cilantro it was served on). I suggest offering the same dish steamed and not fried.
Both dishes paired better with the Sauvignon v the Chardonnay.

Really nice employees! They made our experience very welcoming. Our waiter talked over the menu with us and gave us recommendations. Everything on the menu is vegetarian, even the shrimp. The inside environment of the restaurant is pretty fancy. The food was very tasteful, especially for being vegetarian. My only complaint is that for the portion size, it was a little pricy, but you’re also paying for the service and atmosphere of the place. Also, it was like one of the only places near us that was open on Sunday. Very family friendly and date night worthy.

This is the fanciest little vegan restaurant I’ve ever been to! The inside décor is very «LA» and the atmosphere is classy & chic inside. Very nice ambiance~
For appetizer, my girlfriends & I shared the salt & peppered yam shrimp. I was surprised at how good this was! The shrimp was served on top of purple cabbage, and even that was good. Love the way they seasoned the shrimp & cabbage. I was not expecting it to be this yummy. I would say ⁵⁄₅ for this appetizer.
For main course, I had the Bun 33, which is a bowl of kelp noodles with pickled vegetables, avocado tempura, and lemongrass plum sauce. Mix it all together in the bowl, and it is pure deliciousness. Loved the kick that the plum sauce added. It was super filling too! ⁵⁄₅ for this dish.
Skipped dessert because one of my girlfriends is allergic to nuts, and ALL the dessert options are made with some type of nuts (pecan, macadamia, walnut, etc). Will def have to come back to try their desserts next time.
Overall, one of the best vegan restaurants I’ve ever dined at.

Amazing vegan restaurant in DTLA!
They are only 3 mins walk away from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, so look no further for pre or post-​concert eats!
Their service is great. Especially the door man is the warmest soul, friendlier than any others I’ve encountered in 5 star hotels.
Décor is elegant and provides spacious seatings, which tells you that this is a Vietnamese fusion restaurant. Also, I especially enjoy the live jazz music on Saturday night.
I tried Crimini Pesto and Bun 33 — both were excellent. The Crimini pesto is stuffed mushroom decorated like an art piece, and the burst of basil makes every bite rewarding.
Bun 33 is a bowl of kelp noodles with pickled vegetables and lemongrass plum sauce. Mix it realllly well and be delighted.
This restaurant exceeds my love for Café Gratitude. Absolutely want to come back whenever I’m in LA.

First time trying a VEGAN vietnamese restaurant. Who would of thought to combine the two~
I’ve been wanting to try this place ever since it opened in downtown. Finally got to go with my girls for my belated birthday!
Since it was Superbowl sunday, the restaurant was quite empty, which I didn’t mind!
Parking: There is a parking lot in the back but you do have to pay. I believe they said 1^st hour is free (validated, of course). then after that, there is a fee. My gf covered my parking so I am not sure how much parking cost. If you are lucky, there is street parking available.
Ambiance: I’d say this place is a great date place. The restaurant is modern and has this upscale vibe to it. They also have a piano inside the restaurant! I assume they have a pianist come and perform on the weekends or something, right? Or why would they even bother having piano inside a restaurant!
Party of 4, this is what we ordered
*Salt and Pepper Yam Shrimp: The texture reminded me of tempura/​fish balls. Comes with 5 pieces, served on a bed of purple cabbage. I wish they added more flavoring with the cabbage to go with the shrimp.
*Egg rolls: Comes with 3 egg rolls. Taste like any other egg rolls; nothing out of the ordinary.
*Garlic basil noodles: I enjoyed the garlic noodles. It’s added with soy sauce and garlic~ The taste of garlic is subtle; not overwhelming!
*Curry: came in a shape of a heart with a bottom layer of avocado. I imagined something totally different when I ordered this dish. Overall, felt quite refreshing.
*Ito burrito: was very different. I liked it though, inside is a nut paste that they created, with lettuce and avocado.

I’m not a fan of vegetarian food, but this place really surprised me! Especially the vegetarian shrimp, it actually taste and has the texture of shrimp (how do they do it?!). I recommend the Phở here.
They have a parking lot around the corner where the restaurant will validate for the parking cost.

4 star food and 1 star service. Au Lac is a vegan restaurant that is caddy corner from the Music Center. It is an attractive restaurant — there is a bar surrounded by bar height tables, a large dining room with regular tables and a few tables in front. The restaurant is elegant — white linen napkins, taupe fabrics, orchids, etc.
We made a reservation for dinner before going to an event at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Our table was ready right away, but no one (NO ONE) came to our table unless we flagged them down. A few times, we had to get up to get some help from someone. Tables seated after us had a dedicated server — we did not — and it showed when our food came substantially later and poorly timed (entrees before apps, etc.). It was also 25 minutes before there was a single dish on the table.
Generally, this would mean that I am not coming back to a restaurant, because flagrantly inattentive service infuriates me. But, the food is so good. Seriously. We had (in no particular order, much like the service here):
Cremini Pesto ($ 8): the one dish that I would not order again because it was okay but it was not remarkable. 6 mushroom caps had a little basil pesto and a pine nut «cheese» filling and finished with a bit of bell pepper and fresh herbs. They were tasty but they were not very flavorful. 3 stars.
Yam Shrimp ($ 10): yam flour batter is shaped like shrimp and then poached in a oceany broth before being deep fried and served on top of pickled red cabbage and sliced jalapenos. OMG. You won’t believe that these aren’t shrimp — they have the taste and texture of shrimp with none of the guilt. 6 pieces on a plate — this is one of the best values and best tastes of the night. 5 stars.
Cheezy Lime Popcorn ($ 5): popcorn popped in coconut oil and tossed with nutritional yeast for a cheese flavor and topped with lime zest. Tasty, but very expensive for 1.5 cups of popcorn that was «freshly made» according to our waitress but served cold. For the poor execution, this should be the Au Lac bread basket and delivered on the house. 3 stars.
Tostada ($ 18): an outstanding crunchy corn shell is topped with marinated mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, chopped avocado and shredded cabbage and topped with a cheezy dill-​ranch sauce. OMG. This was delicious. The raw shell is crunchy, the mushrooms are meaty and the veggies are super fresh. The sauce is so flavorful. It is served with spring mix drizzled with a wonderful balsamic vinaigrette. My only criticism: the mushrooms tasted old. Hence, 4 stars.
Tara Sparkling Rose ($ 12): a rosy effervescent wine that was dry and refreshing. It was not the rose that I ordered from the menu, but the service is awful here. Fortunately, when you screw up an order on a menu that has lots of good things, you end up with something good.
Choconut Xtasy Cake ($ 9): four triangles of a cake layered with a chocolate-​nut crust and two layers of custard made from walnut and macadamia nuts, one of which has lots of cocoa. It has a light texture and rich flavors with great mouth appeal.
After chasing down some one to take our credit card, we retired to the music center for the evening. We were full but still felt surprisingly light. It was a delicious meal. You should check it out, so long as you don’t care what order your food comes in and whether your food is as ordered. It probably won’t be.

A wonderful vegan spot with many raw options in downtown LA! The menu is a unique mix of cooked Vietnamese vegan food with raw food as well.
I only tried the cooked food so my review will be for that. The salt and pepper yam shrimp is a MUST try. Completely vegan and looks so much like real shrimp. It was light and crunchy and the salt and pepper seasoning was amazing. The bed of red cabbage it was sitting on was delicious and gingery. The whole dish was devoured immediately.
For entrees I tried the specials– mushroom wonton noodle soup, vegan lemongrass fish and also the sweet and sour tempeh. My favorite was the lemongrass fish. I think the main body was made of beancurd skin and wrapped in crispy nori. The nori imparted a slight seafood like taste but the magic for me was the texture. Perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Extremely unique dish that I highly recommend. My friend who I went with isn’t vegan and she was impressed and loved the food!
They also serve some beers, kombucha and coconut juice too!
We ended dinner with the raw baklava. It was okay because I personally prefer the real flaky baklava. In general raw desserts are too nut-​heavy for me. Still, this has the pistachio flavor and paired very well with the maple syrup. I would have loved them to have more Asian style desserts and maybe Vietnamese iced coffee!
The waiter was extremely friendly and helpful. Service was great and food came out fast! I loved the décor and seating. Big restaurant with lots of seats. Prices were reasonable for dinner. For 1 appetizer, 3 entrees, 1 dessert and 2 beers we paid about $ 80 or 85 total not including tip.
Overall a great vegan experience and I would come back for the vegan shrimp and fish alone! If you are in the downtown LA area be sure to check out Au Lac!

A friend and I were walking her dog and passed by this place. Their sign read: plant-​based food and drink. Not the usual words that grab at my heart. But I took a look at their cocktail, yes cocktail menu and saw the AVATAR made with vodka, lime, blood orange, blueberry liqueur and kombucha and I was sold! I love anything blueberry.
The inside is very classy looking, but since we had a dog with us we sat outside.
The menu is a mixture of raw and cooked Vietnamese dishes and other vegan cuisine. I went with one of the specials, the YELLOW NOODLE SOUP WITH WONTONS. It’s a bowl of wheat noodles in a shiitake mushroom broth, with baby bok choy, soy chicken, bean curd, jicama and mushroom wontons, Chinese chive and cilantro. I liked the broth and wontons the most and overall, I was pretty pleased.
We also shared the BAKLAVA, which was so beautifully plated and more importantly was a great dessert. I didn’t find it to be too sweet either even with the maple syrup.
As for that cocktail, sadly I could not have it that first night. Au Lac doesn’t have a license to serve alcohol outside, only inside the restaurant. But I returned a few days later just to have that cocktail. I subbed gin for the vodka and it was so good! Great service both times.

Vegan Vietnamese food? What?! My Vietnamese bestie would laugh at me while at the same, raise an eyebrow from curiosity at what that may even taste and look like. Well, the next time she’s in LA, I’m going to have to remember to take her here because even I was shocked at what that would even taste or look like.
For starters, I had the salt and pepper «shrimp» which was recommended to me by my waiter. I could not believe I was eating vegan shrimp! It was SO good. I did not understand how I could be eating something that looked and tasted like shrimp but wasn’t shrimp at all. Whoa!
I could have stopped here, but I moved on to the main course which was a yellow noodle soup with soy chicken wontons but instead of wheat noodles, I substituted for kelp noodles. This was also extremely yummy and filling. It reminded me of phở but the entire dish was vegan! I was knocked outta my seat with this dish. It was their soup special of the day and I was glad it was my option for that particular day =)
Parking is convenient since there is a lot beneath the restaurant and they validate. Free parking with validation and the restaurant receipt for the first hour. Oh and the venue itself is quite romantic. Perfect for your vegan date or friend!

Went here after a day of exploring LA with my GF. It is tucked away in a little eatery plaza. Parking was fairly easy, there is a small lot/​structure right behind the restaurant. The parking there is vallet only. Typically I do not use vallet service because I do not like others in my car or having access to my car if I dont know them; however, the guy here was very kind and it seemed to be a little «nicer» of an area so I went for it. I also felt fine since I really had nothing of value in my car at that time.
NOTE: Au Lac does validate the parking so you dont have to pay, aside from tip.
As far as the restaurant goes, the décor and setting is very nice and on the romantic side more so than casual. I went in the evening with my GF and there was only one other couple in the restaurant. The staff was extremely friendly and seated us in a booth tucked away in the corner which was very nice and more intimate setting for me and my GF. The waitress then brought us our water (with lemon as request) and also a candle for our table.
The menu has a very nice selection and the waitress was patient and knowledgeable with us asking questions about the dishes. The food came to our table very quickly and the presentation of the food was great. We ordered both Spring rolls and Phở. Both dishes tasted great and it was a good amount of food for the money that I paid.
The waitress we had was very attentive to details and extremely kind, which made the experience fantastic. I will definitely be returning to this restaurant!

Vegan food is okay. but I still don’t think I could ever go vegan.
Eggrolls
eggless wrap, mushroom, carrot, jicama, taro, almond. served with lettuce, mint and dipping sauce
Tasted like typical egg rolls. Crunchy and light, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Salt & Peppered Yam Shrimp or Tofu
lightly battered and sautéed with jalapeño and cilantro
I was pretty surprised that this was vegan, because it actually tasted like real shrimp. Texture and taste!
Garlic Basil
rice noodles, apple sage soy sausage, baked garlic cloves, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, spiced olive oil. Option to sub soy with veggies
The noodles were cooked way too long that the noodles came out in bits instead of long strands. We asked the waiter if the noodles were supposed to be this short, but she said they’re normally like this which makes me think they always overcook their noodles. But the flavors were pretty good.
Clay Pot Fish or Tofu & Eggplant
Soy fish or tofu and eggplant simmered in peppery shiitake sauce. With brown rice.
The tofu was good.
Crimini Pesto
stuffed mushrooms with Thai basil, pine nuts, bell peppers, sprouts
Raw option
The flavors reminded me of Chinese sweet short rib. Packed full of flavors, but gets a bit heavy after a few mushrooms.
Tirawmisu
fluffed macadamia cheese, cinnamon, espresso, dark cacao, maple syrup
Raw
Don’t order this. The flavors are weird and the texture is off-​putting.
Also, I dislike when waiters push orders onto me just because I’m taking my time to decide. The girl waiter said the eggrolls and shrimp was good, but I just decided to order the shrimp. However, she brought out both the eggrolls and the shrimp and we just decided to keep it because I rarely ever return food unless I have to.