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Whoa

2 Posted on 03 / 16 / 2013

This place is something else. I ordered the vegetable fried rice which on the menu said it broccoli, cauliflower,carrots, celery and cabbage. When it was brought out to there seemed to be wild rice, green onions and bean sprouts in there as well. But since I am not one to complain I just ate it anyway. Also I do not think the waitress would have understood me anyway if I had. Then I order a chocolate chip cookie and get a slice of chocolate pie instead. Then with my drink I wanted the bottled Snapple kiwi strawberry and asked the waitress if it was the same price as the iced tea. She said it was then brings me the Snapple and an ice tea. I do not understand who you call yourself a restaurant of any kind with service like that. Since just getting the simplest of things from this waitress seemed to be an ordeal I did not even ask about just how vegan this place was. I am guessing not much. I just know I will not be going back.

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Best choice of this type in the area

5 Posted on 02 / 17 / 2013

Nice atmosphere, good price, and and good food with extensive choices on the menu, plus easy free parking, as well as delivery; Good Choice!

Pros: Excellent food/good value, Friendly staff, Nice Vibe

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Restaurant's NOT Vegan, I'm Convinced!

2 Posted on 02 / 05 / 2013

I'm a strict vegan for 37 years for moral reasons so even a little bit of egg, whey, or animal stomach in the food is enough for me to boycott Lotus Vegan. To me, they're just another one of those "Fake Vegan" thai places that have sprung up all over Los Angeles county. They got caught dead to rights by testing equipment by Quarry Girl testing "High" for eggs in their pancakes, so I know they don't have a conscience and can't be trusted. When I visited the restaurant in February 2012, the first thing I asked the waitress was how genuinely vegan their food was. She was clueless, didn't know how to answer me. I asked her about their fake meats, did they have whey or other animal products in them. Again, she was clueless, excused herself to ask the chefs, and came back and reported that they didn't know what I was talking about; she couldn't even pronounce "whey" even when I spelled it out and explained it to her. Experienced as I am with these type of irresponsible restaurants, I made the easy conclusion that if they didn't know what "whey" is, then they'd have no idea if their fake meats were truly vegan as many of the "vegetarian" food manufacturers coming out of Asia have been found to be intentionally mislabeling their products and hiding their animal-based ingredients. Remember folks, whey almost always has a HUGE amount of animal stomach (rennet) in from the cheese-making process. When they talk about "Whey Protein", most of that protein is the stomach flesh! The Milk protein goes into the cheese, the rennet stays behiind in the whey! There is very little "vegetarian" cheese out there, and subsequently almost all whey is full of animal stomach. Anyway, regarding Lotus Restaurant, as it was a slow night, it would have been very appropriate for the chef to come out and personally discuss this with me IF they had any real genuine concern about true veganism. I'm not the type to make a fuss or drama, so I simply ordered three basic thai vegetable dishes, stayed away from the fake meats, and have opted to never return. I found the three entrees to be very average at best and the portions a slight bit on the small size, and therefore kind of overpriced: I'm not a big man, and I was with my 75-year old vegetarian mother who doesn't eat much, and yet we easily consumed all three entrees completely. The small restaurant has no real atmosphere, just Kind of "Blah". conclusion: if you're a genuine vegan or vegetarian, STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!

Pros: Close to home
Cons: NOT a Vegan Restaurant, NOT a Vegetarian Restaurant, Food is average at best.

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The food was excellent

5 Posted on 10 / 05 / 2012

First time that I am plased with everything with this restaurants. The servers were friendly. They gave us anything we wanted without saying no. The food was served hot and fresh. I love this place. Would I come back to this place certainly. Especailly when they moved they need all the people they can get. Good luck with your new company I am kind of glad you moved out of the old place. PS no MSG in there food. Love it first time I didn't get sick from this or any other restaurants that don't have no MSG. So glad because I am allergic to MSG.

Pros: awesome, awesome , awesome no improvements

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Okay

3 Posted on 01 / 30 / 2012

I had read about this place on happycow, and here's my Lotus Vegan review.

Came here with 2 friends for dinner some time back. We opted to sit outside because the inside felt cramped and kinda dark. The ladies working were both Thai and friendly, and service was prompt.

We shared an order of fresh spring rolls, a red curry with soy fish, a flat rice noodle dish with tofu, a tom kah kai soup, and the sticky rice with mango dessert. Everything was nicely presented.

My friends enjoyed their meal. I thought the food was okay. The dressing that came with the spring rolls was sugary and watery for my liking. The curry was heavy on sugar and salt as well (typical Thai, I guess), and it also tasted thick. The noodles were simple and tasted fine. But I did not like the tom kah kai soup. Although it was salted and seasoned, it tasted flat and boring.

Overall, I think this place has potential to become even better, and I hope to see it do well. If I'm in the area again, I will return and try more dishes.

Pros: friendly & prompt service, extensive menu, all vegan

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Hidden Jewell

5 Posted on 09 / 11 / 2011

This location might be in a area that might not look all that great however, when you enter the restaurant you get that welcome home feeling. The food is great tasting, great looking and everything is made with care and love. The portions are great and the price is just right.

Pros: Mom and pop feel, Great prices , great tasting food

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Great Neighborhood Place

5 Posted on 05 / 02 / 2011

My fiance and I just found out about this place and we've eaten there once together and he brought a carnivore co-worker there within a week. So far we recommend everything we've eaten: "fish" wrap (best with the Asian sauce), red curry with "pork", spicy eggplant with pepper "steak"; and, most of all, the "chicken" and pancakes. The pancakes are gluten-free and made with kalmut flour. They melt in your mouth. Probably the best pancakes I have ever tasted. The fried "chicken" was crispy and juicy without being too greasy. No reason to ever go back to Roscoe's! Super friendly staff; clean, nicely decorated restroom; open late, which makes it even better. Oh, they also sell Gorilla Life juice. Gotta get your greens in after eating your pancakes!
UPDATE: Been going here for a while now and have to recommend their Tom Ka Kai soup and their Pad Thai with "chicken." Seriously, their Pad Thai is the best around!

Pros: lot of food choices, great prices, friendly staff

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Great Casual Dining

4 Posted on 06 / 29 / 2010

Lotus Vegan is a great place for casual vegan-thai (with the requisite breakfast food). It's small, but has a little bit of sidewalk seating if you need more open space. The food was tasty and they easily accommodated my wife's peanut allergy. We were there with three kids under three in the middle of the afternoon and they were very flexible with arranging seating, providing high chairs and booster seats, and not minding the occasional scream from a teething toddler.

Pros: low prices, casual
Cons: slightly cramped

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Terrific vegan eatery in N Hollywood

5 Posted on 03 / 28 / 2010

During my recent three-day visit to Hollywood my companion and I ate dinner here every single night. The food was impressive, esp. the entrees (green curry and spicy eggplant were two favorites; curries in general seem like a good choice)--side salad and spring rolls somewhat less interesting , but still good. Staff was ultra friendly & helpful as well: by our last evening, eating here felt like visiting w. good friends. Highly recommended.

Pros: tasty food, great staff
Cons: limited ambiance

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i love lotus

4 Posted on 11 / 16 / 2009

lotus is a great place to eat. I would definitely recommend going here. I used to live a few blocks away from lotus so ive spent a lot of time familiarizing myself with the menu. I never really had a bad dish there. I really like the faux fish sandwich. The lunch specials are all great as well. They come with a salad, spring role and an entree. Definitely find some time to come here.

Pros: great food, excellent selection, speedy service
Cons: could use better inside decorating

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LOTUS VEGAN Restaurant 5038 Vineland Ave. in NoHo

5 Posted on 03 / 11 / 2009

FABULOUS. ORGANIC. 100% VEGAN. NO MSG. NO WHITE SUGAR. TASTY!!! My carnivore mom loved the "pepper steak" Pad Thai and Tom Kah Kai soup. We went one late night and it looks closed due to tinted windows. I'm glad we went inside and enjoyed good food, good friendly service and they have a variety of other delicious vegan protein "meats/chick/fish" besides just tofu. It was inexpensive and they have other non-Thai food like burgers, wraps, breakfast burritos, pancakes and deserts. They take credit cards. Worth the trip. Worth supporting them. www.lotusvegan.com

Pros: Daily specials, Cheap, Good Service

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Great Food,

5 Posted on 03 / 08 / 2009

I've driven passed this this restaurant a few times until i decided to one day to stop by with some friends who were vegetarians for dinner. i Have never tried vegan food before i have to admit i was skeptical at fist. I asked the waitress for some recommendation for a first timer like me so she recommended chicken satay for appatizer and orange chicken for the meal... let me tell you WOW the chicken satay was awesomely delicious, miso soup made to perfection and the orange chicken was mind blowing it was not too sweet not too greasy, the soy chicken was cripy and the whole grain rice that it came with was DELICIOUS!!! my friends love thier food as well, pad thai was awesome, Red Curry is to die for. i fell inlove with this restaurant and i try to go there once a week. The food is fresh and they have purified water! what else can i say i love this place and i highly highly recomment this place for everyone! awesome food, great great friendly customer service.

Pros: friendly staff, Excellent Food, Healthy cuisine

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Owners are the Chefs = best food

5 Posted on 01 / 20 / 2009

Lotus's food is fresh and wonderful. Its easy to fall into the mindset of "yet another vegan thai restaurant" in Los Angeles, but Lotus is top notch in execution and friendliness. If you're in the North Hollywood area Lotus is a key weapon in your vegan eating arsenal! Open until 10:30pm! Steamed Dumplings are fantastic!

Pros: friendly, chef's are owner, will customize your dish

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Good Food!!

3 Posted on 12 / 28 / 2008

Overall, is a good place to go in, friendly, good food, not expensive. That's one of the few places in the san Fernando valley and I tell you, it's good.

Pros: FOOD, FRIENDLY STAFF
Cons: PARKING

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The Truth

4 Posted on 12 / 03 / 2008

I have eaten at Lotus Vegan since it first opened. The owner and his family are great people. They are also very friendly, accommodating and always willing to help with recommendations. The menu has many options, the portions are good, food is fresh and every item I've ordered has been good. The place is small but I've never had to wait for a table. You can't go wrong here.

Pros: Staff, Options, Food Quality

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Good Choice among few

4 Posted on 07 / 17 / 2008

Vegan restaurants are few and far between in LA, especially in the Valley. So it's great to have Lotus Vegan as a choice. They take their job seriously, and I have had very good experiences here. I'm not sure if the chefs change around, as the food is sometimes inconsistent. I've ordered the pancakes and tofu scramble a couple of times. The first time the scramble was greasy and the pancakes were not fully cooked (I had the "tropical" ones w/ bananas and blueberries). Second time (I love my pancakes!), the whole dish was perfect!

I've had the same problem with the High Protein Salad (which is a mix of lettuce, garbanzo beans, edamame, tomatoes, avocados w/peanut dressing). First time it was perfection. The next time the edamame had the "almost turning rotten" tang to them. Had the salad tonight, and it was very good, but light on the toppings.

The most consistent dish I've had was the See You; it was always perfect. My husband enjoys the lentil loaf, and I've enjoyed the Breakfast Burrito #4, which is a lentil and sweet potato wrap.

Overall, you really can't go wrong here. Decor is the usual neighborhood Thai...slightly tacky, but forgiveable. The service is always helpful and friendly.

Pros: Healthy cuisine, Good value , Friendly staff
Cons: Some inconsistency, Tacky decor

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Nice presentation, food was ok

4 Posted on 07 / 13 / 2008

The presentation of the food was almost like a 5 star restaurant. The service was exceptional and friendly. Our waitress, Taya, was actually a vegan. In 100% of my reviews of other Thai restaurants, I've always been irritated by the level of service and non friendliness. To receive this type of service from a Thai restaurant is actually amazing.
As for the food itself, the statement at the table was: "they didn't do anything wrong." The fresh spring rolls were a bit flat, yet the red curry was rather tasty.

If you are in the area, you can't go wrong by eating here.

Pros: Presentation, Extraordinary Service, Patio
Cons: Inside Decour

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wonderful

4 Posted on 06 / 22 / 2008

the food is great and the service is too. the orange chicken is a new favorite of mine. the dessert cakes and peanut clusters from No Udder Bakery are to die for.

Pros: service, location , price
Cons: nothing, zilch, nada

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New Excellent Vegan

5 Posted on 06 / 16 / 2008

We are thrilled to have this new place in our neighborhood. The food is excellent and elegantly presented. Prices are reasonable and the service is friendly. We ate there at least three times.