My trip to Mi Lah was my first trip to an all-vegan restaurant, and I was overwhelmed with the idea that I could order ANYTHING from the menu! I thought it was fantastic! I loved the food and the cozy atmosphere, and especially the BYOB part! I can't wait to travel back to Philly to go again!
Pros: So many options for a vegan to choose from, Lots of gluten free options, DeliciousI only went here once. The food was really good and not your standard vegan fare, but expect to be there for a while and to spend a good amount of money. Great for a nice date/special occasion. Not good for your average meal on a regular night. That being said, the food was really good.
Pros: All veganCold, dark and unfriendly and did Ie room that the food was barely edible? I chose this restaurant based on reviews I read here. When we walked in, the staff left us standing at the door while they cleaned up tables - slowly. The table we led to should have had a candle or something. It was dark, crowded and drafty. We waited a long time for a waiter, or I think he was a waiter since he was most curt. The food was ok. Soup was good. Entres not. Couldn't wait to leave and find a place for some hot tea. I will let American Express know since they also suggested this place.
Pros: All vegetarianWent here for Vegan Brunch while in Philly to go to Vedge. Everything was pretty good. I had the tofu benedict with kale. It was good but I would not get it again. Boyfried had the chicken and waffles which he liked. Our friend had an omelette and she loved it. Thanks for the vegan brunch!
Pros: vegan, brunch, big portionsI ordered the mixed appetizer platter to share, and I liked everything on it. I was disappointed with my main course - grilled oyster mushrooms - because they didn't serve the actual mushroom but instead grilled the stems, which are chewy and lack the complex flavor of the oyster part! The rest of the dish was very good. The atmosphere of the restaurant was wonderful and the service was good. I enjoyed walking around the neighborhood after dinner. I would definitely return, but would try another main dish next time, and hope to give this restaurant a higher rating.
Staying in Philly on a short visit and found this place on Happy Cow. My tummy loved it -- Asian Summer Rolls for an app, Cambodian Amok for entree and mango sorbet for dessert. It looks like a hole in the wall, but the inside is cozy, the service was good, and the food, Excellent. Highly recommend if you are looking for just one special place to dine in Philly.
Best vegan Philly cheese steak ever!!! I'm not kidding. I really wish I lived in Philly so that I could eat this sandwich on a regular basis.
This sandwich really stands out from the typical vegan Philly. The texture of the seitan was perfect, it was shredded and moist/chewy and the sauce was to die for. I can't even describe it but it was a much different, and well received, take on the Philly cheese steak.
They do not serve the sandwiches during dinner so be sure to head over there for lunch. You will not be disappointed!
Went here for what was meant to be a hot date night at the end of a brief trip to Philly. Well - the food is all quite impressive, some of the most skilled & fancy presentation I've seen at a vegetarian restaurant. Pricey of course, but basically worth it because it's so special and different. But the atmosphere? Geez!
There were only 2 other tables occupied, and yet it was still super loud for an intimate dinner. The floor if I remember correctly is white tile?? which makes you feel like you're eating in a cafeteria that they can hose down. The waitress was brand new or not great at English or both, because she needed to look over both of our shoulders for us to point at the menu, and then wrote so much she must have been writing down the entire name of the dish. Not impressive.
It's just... not cozy, and not intimate. It's a small but cafeteria-like room, not befitting either a hot date night or the quality of the food itself. Maybe try for lunch? Go for the food, not the ambiance :(
Pros: very impressive foodThe food here wss good. Ambience was just ok and the service wasn't very friendly. Had the potatos with avocado corn salsa and black beans and it was very good.
Mi Lah prepares each dish with careful attention to color, form, texture and flavor. At dinner we ordered three appetizers and three entrees. Each dish was plated artfully. The textures and flavors were varied and balanced. The portions were generous. The menu choices are inspired by varied international cuisines making for interesting ordering and sharing.
The service was attentive, but not intrusive. The waitstaff was ready with extra plates for sharing. Our water glasses were filled often. The ambiance takes a back seat to the food. The evening that we were there the tables lacked table cloths. There was no music, which for us is a good thing as we were happy not to be distracted from the dining and conversation.
We took home leftovers of each entree. The food did not suffer from an overnight in the refrigerator and was still very satisfying the next day. This reflects on the quality of the ingredients and method of preparation.
We spent more than twice as much dining at Mi Lah as we would have at a vegan restaurant in Philadelphia's Chinatown. The quality of presentation and flavor was well worth the higher price. We plan to return to Mi Lah.
Pros: Healthy and delicious preparation, Inventive preparation, Aesthetically beautiful presentationUpon going vegan it was challenging to find decent breakfast alternatives to omeletes and such. Mi Lah is bangin! Delicious vegan omeletes with sweet potato home fries and a flavor packed fruit jam to spread on your toast.
I came for Saturday brunch, was seated quickly and was waited on promptly. Server was incredibly polite and never stopped smiling.
I am so incredibly glad I've come across this place. What it slightly lacks in atmosphere, it totally makes up for in quality.
Pros: Delicious VEGAN food, Polite a helpful service , Prompt serviceI arrived at Mi Lah Vegetarian a little before 1 p.m. just as their lunch rush was about to stop. I waited at the front of the restaurant to be seated for about five minutes before picking up a menu to look over their lunch specials. The first floor is small with tables and three seats at the bar looking into the kitchen. There is also upstairs seating where the bathrooms are located. Mi Lah is BYOB and everything on the menu is vegan. Finally, one of the servers came over and sat me at a dirty table that hadn't been cleaned off yet from the patron before me. I was excited to eat here because their lunch special was $10 for soup, appetizer and entrée. I had a choice between 2 soups, 4 appetizers, and 5 entrées. It took another ten minutes for the server to come back and take my order and I was quickly losing the amount of time that I had before going back to work. I knew I was going to have to eat quickly. My soup and appetizer came out quickly and was served on the same plate. It looked delicious, which was good because I was starving.
Apple Wood Smoked Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup
With only two soup choices it was easy for me to choose the Apple Wood Smoked Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup. I love Butternut Squash soups and this one delivered. The soup was creamy with the light butternut squash taste and smooth texture.
Indonesian Roll with Carrots, Seitan, and Celery Served with Basil Avocado Sauce
Indonesian roll was crunchy shell and the stuffing had lots of flavor. This was my favorite part of lunch. The basil avocado sauce was great too. When I was done the dipping bowl was clean.
Mofongo Veggie Bacon and Chorizo with Tequila and Tomato Sauce
Traditional Mofongo is a Puerto Rican dish made by boiling and then mashing green plantains, and then mixing them with vegetables and bacon. The Chorizo was over cooked and hard on the outside and soft in the middle and way too spicy for my taste. This Mofongo was bland and not very appetizing even though the Tequila and Tomato Sauce was good. The veggie bacon was mixed into a patty with other unidentifiable vegetables. I would not recommend this dish.
I will go back to Mi Lah to try other dishes because I am sure they are more like the soup and appetizer than the entrée.
Pros: Price, Soup, Appetizerwas pretty disappointed with mi lah.
the decor/atmosphere was nice... but out of the 4 items we ordered, i only really liked their tom yum soup. which... was delicious, actually. even if the price:portion ratio was underwhelming...
as for the rest, my date ordered some sort of salsa verde/tortilla appetizer and the pad thai. she hated both (as well as my orders) and i pretty much had to eat all of our food. which would have been easy, since the portions were small... but the food just wasn't that good. i can get WAYYYYYYY better pad thai literally 2 blocks from my place, for a lot less. and the salsa was ok, but the tortilla was ridiculously under-sized.
i was recommended (which reminds me, the staff seemed nice and seemed to try to be helpful [unless i was intentionally steered toward crappy food... hmm...], although the food seemed to sabotage their efforts) some sort of mushroom dish. and it was rather lackluster. featured what appeared to be soyrizo. i hate soyrizo. i can't justify paying $2 for that greasy [edited by staff] from the grocery store, so i was befuddled and extremely disappointed to see it as the primary protein in a $20 (or close to, i don't remember the exact price. it's been a few months) entree. it also had some minced apple pieces, which was a strange taste combination.
the date's pad thai was better than the mushroom/soyrizo stuff, so i ate that, instead. and as what seems to be an appropriate anecdote for the evening, i left with the mushroom entree in a doggy bag. and passed a bum about a block away, by broad st. offered him the food, and he EMPHATICALLY refused it, after looking into the bag.* it sat in my fridge and was either eaten by an animal or (probably drunken) roommate... or thrown away. i didn't see it again, at any rate.
i likely won't go there again for a very long time, if ever. and if/when i do, it will be with friends. and i'm not ordering until i sample their food to make sure it's actually worth ordering. maybe the wealth of great veg fare in philly's made me a food snob. or... anti-snob, as the places that i detest are the 2 most expensive in the city...
*i've seen homeless people turn away food plenty of times, though. although, not so emphatically.
Pros: decor, atmosphere, polite staffYou have to pay to play as they say...The vegan selections sound delicious, but order carefully. A few dishes are pretty "busy". I ordered the brussel sprouts, butternut squash & potato cashew gratin. I should have ordered something else because the convergence of spices were an assualt to my palate. Another person in my party ordered tofu pad thai and he really liked it. The restaurant prices sneak up on you, so BEWARE. You can probably cook something better at home for less $$.
Pros: ok food, convenient locationI have been to this restaurant several times. It has a nice quiet atmosphere and great place for lunch. The variety is good as well as the prices. It is a must for all Vegetarians or Vegans in the Philly area who have limited choices.
By far one of the best vegan restaurant in Philadelphia AND they have really reasonable prices! Take all of the veg and non-veg friends because they will all be impressed.
Pros: Amazing food, Great value, Courteous staffi went to this place for the first time last week and thought the food was awesome! it was hard to choose but i went with: appetizer: crispy marinated tofu with cheese, cherry tomato and edamame puree. this was really yummy and resembled sushi in appearance which i always find fun. the warm tofu contrasted nicely with the cool tomatoes, and the edamame puree had a mild but delicious taste. for my entree i had the pan seared seitan and zucchini cakes with edamame and walnut puree. yuuuuum! so good! they did not taste overly seitanic or zucchini-ish, but rather the two, shredded and formed into a crab cake like patty, blended perfectly to create their own unique flavor. it reminded me of the heart of palm caked i've had previously at horizons. my main squeeze had the tofu a la parrilla estillo mexicano in tequila sauce served with mango salsa and refried black beans. this was very good as well , though a bit too sweet for his taste (he does not like sweet at all). i would be thrilled to go here again.
Pros: enticing menu, delicious food, byobThis place needs someone who can pick ripe, fresh produce. The salad greens, mango, avocado, and fruit that is served with the brunch is horrendous, either not ripe, dirty, or not cut well/containing unedible parts.
Coming from NY, I've had my share of fine vegetarian dining so when a Philly foodie recommended Mi Lah, I decided to venture out and give it a try.
The food is exotic yet conformting. Not your typical mock meat smother in sauce to hide it's "vegan-ist look" but truly, your tastebuds won't believe you. I totally recommend the Thai style fried seitan appetizer. However, one order for each person, these little tasties go fast! Prices are reasonable and atmosphere is cozy. The BYOB service is a plus!
Will definite be a stop while in Philly!
Great service here from an enthusiastic vegan waitress who gave excellent descriptions of the food. Tiny, with ochre and celery-colored walls and candlelight, Mi Lah is romantic and all vegan now, so don't be confused by the name, although I can see why you would be! We love that it is BYOB and feel this place gives Horizons a run for its money, though why shouldn't there be more than one upscale romantic vegan place in a city like Philly? Why shouldn't people crave vegan like they crave sushi, even if they are not eating this way for ethical or health reasons?
Loved the carrot coconut soup. He had the roasted brussel sprout dish, and I had the pot pie. I can never get pot pie because it's usually all meat, so I was very excited and wondered how they made the crust.
The downstairs can be a bit crowded, but I don't mind sitting close with people who care about eating this way. :-) We noticed that the upstairs was indeed cold, but it was closed for seating. You just have to go up there to use the bathroom, and they had a portable heater going.
Vinum O-style water glasses were a classy touch, and our wine was handled quickly and well. We had a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc called Errazuriz which went beautifully with the food. We were too full for desserts but will be back.
Nothing we had was spicy or hot or *too weird* for omnivores, just flavorful comfort food that shows what a creative chef can do with vegetables -- so that vegetarians don't have to rely on the old boring salad or pasta, which we can get anywhere. I hope other restaurants can take some good ideas from places like these.
I couldn't have been more excited when this place opened, I remember walking up to the doors to hear music playing outside, and not some MUZAK junk, but the Stranglers 'Golden Brown' - it was a sign, I was convinced! But lately, to be perfectly honest, I really haven't been too impressed. I heard rumors of management/ownership change somewhere early on, but aesthetically its hard to tell if anything changed behind the scenes, because on the surface it seemingly hasn't.
For what it is, the food is great, I can't deny them that. The options are a-typical of the typical fare, a few reinventions of the norms stand out. I couldn't be more bored with mock-meats these days and Mi Lah has a way of keeping me interested in tasting theirs.
Initially, I was most impressed by the new brunch they started about a year ago, the $20 pre fixe was reasonable to me...but lately they've opted for a typical menu style and I'm not quite sure why?
I know newer restaurants are constantly in flux, especially when trying to get their sea legs, but it seems like the whole place is just stretched thin, especially during brunch. It seems like they're either understaffed, or just undertrained. As someone who has worked in a restaurant before I'm willing to give obvious handicaps to circumstantial things, but it feels like the whole place is in the weeds when there's only 3 tables full.
I've waited 40+ minutes for a basic order from their already paired down menu, with barely an acknowledgment of any error, or a coffee refill while I waited patiently.
All things said, chances are you won't have the same experience I had, and I'm hoping I won't keep having the ones I've had...Out of maybe 10 visits, the 2 latest ones are the ones sticking out to me. I still recommend it for the food, but the service was a little underwhelming.
I went to Mi Lah for lunch with my family today. It was my first time trying it out, and I know for sure I'll be going back the next time I'm in the area. Everything on the menu is vegan, and unlike many other vegan restaurants, the focus was really on vegetables, grains, and real food. I like fake meat as well as the next girl, but it was refreshing to find a menu that sidelined fake meat in favor of the veggies.
I tried the corn chowder, the mango, avacado and mix green salad with spicy Carribean lime dressing, and the zuccini cheese "burger" with sweet potato fries. Everything was fantastic. The corn chowder was filling and tasty, with a really rich texture and flavor to it. The salad was fresh and the dressing was very light and bright. I'd never tried a zucchini burger before, but I am now a huge fan and will definitely be trying to recreate it at home.
Good food, good service, and a new a favorite place for me!
Pros: good waitstaff, good value, all veganI have only eaten brunch at Mi Lah's, but it was wonderful. The items offered for brunch were great, not just standard scrambled tofu that I have seen at other places offering vegan brunch. They start you off with tea/coffee/juice, then bring a plate of fresh fruit and muffins/scones. Then the main course comes piled high with food.
I had the beer battered seitan with choc. belgian waffles with fruit...and it was great. My fiance had tostadas with veggies, guac, salsa and seitan bits. We enjoyed everything.
The only drawback is that there is a flat price of $20 for everything. In my opinion, it's worth it because of the quality and amount, but it is pricey.
Pros: excellent food, good serviceI am a fan of MiLah's brunches and lunches. For brunch, I love the lumberjack (now under a different title), where you get an omelet, toast, tempeh bacon, pancake, and home fries. You will need to be rolled out of the restaurant - it is so filling and delicious.
For lunch, I love their flatbreads and sandwiches - especially the Vietnamese Tofu sandwich and the cheezesteak.
For dinner, my partner and I were pleased with the special Hot and Sour Soup although the tofu was softer (silken) compared to the typical Chinese hot and sour soup tofu (which is firm or dried). We also enjoyed the Mango Avocado Salad. The BBQ Tofu Skewer appetizer was okay - there was nothing wrong with it, it was just very simple. Our entrees were fantastic: Traditional Tofu Pad Thai and Yellow Thai Curry Seitan. DEE-licious!!!
Desserts were not good at all - the Warm Chocolate Cake and the Fruit Tart were very bland and disappointing. The vanilla ice cream that topped the desserts was good, but how can you mess that up...?
Overall, definitely give MiLah a try. Don't expect Horizons-quality, but do expect to be filled and satisfied for less money than Horizons. Just skip the dessert and head to Govinda's for a slice of Vegan Treats-made cake!
Pros: Entrees, Atmosphere, PricesMmmmm... I've only been here once, but the one time was enough to earn it 4 stars. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because of the prix fixe!
While the menu offered several selections, all of the options cost $20.
Don't let the name confuse you, while it is run by persons of Asian descent and there is a Buddha sculpture in the restaurant, the menu is assuredly Western!
Here's what you get though: coffee or tea, mimosa or bloody mary mix, fresh fruit, baked breakfast item (i.e. scone or muffin or both, depending on the size of your party) and your entree.
With only 2 people to our party, I was certainly looking over at the neighboring party's mountain of fruit, muffins and scones with envy. Sure, we had grapes, melon and cherries with muffins, but no scones or peach slices like the other table!
Our entree plates were more than filling. The sweet potato "fries" were more like slightly sauteed sweet potato wedges, but they were an excellent consistency with far less fat! Yum! The fake meat they use is either one or a mix of the varieties easily located in a market, like Tofurky and/or Lightlife. Nice mushroom gravy on the whole wheat english muffin with sausage and avocado. The deep fried coconut battered mushroom was sweet but satisfying. Across the table, my friend enjoyed the tofu omelet, though wasn't keen on the mushroom addition. Overall, very filling and satisfying.
Other options included pancakes, a layered vegetable dish, battered seitan, and a tofu scramble. All of which came with fixings galore, or so it seemed from looking around the restaurant.
Definitely hit this restaurant if you are hungry! It's near the Chinatown area, but has quite the different menu. Enjoy!
Pros: Portions, Variety, VeganI have been here at least 15 times - I really like this place - ecclectic vegetarian, mostly vegan food. The food is excellent and almost entirely vegan. It seems pretty healthy. (The one non-vegan item is a spinach & feta pizza - from what I hear, it is not even very good compared to their other offerings.) The brunch is outta this world, although I think it is a bit over the top to do a $20 prix fixe brunch with more food than any one person can eat. The service is great - one waiter there specifically asks if there is anything they could do to improve the food if you do not finish what you ordered.
I've come to prefer Mi Lah over Horizons, as the prices are more reasonable, they're open for lunch, they offer a Sunday brunch, and a wider selection.
They deliver at lunchtime, but not dinner. (Dinner delivery would make a lot of sense and be really helpful, I think.)
Pros: great service, lots of options without fake meat, fresh juice barI got the (all-vegan) biscuits with sausage gravy. It was absolutely delicious. I also really liked some of the breakfast breads served before the main course, especially the lemon-poppyseed offering. The mimosa mix was great; I'll have to bring champagne next time. (They include the mix with the brunch, but you have to add your own alcohol. Bloody Mary mix is the other option.) I definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a really special meal. I just wish there were smaller brunch options available for a reduced cost. I would not often pay $20 for brunch, and although the amount of food does justify the price, I don't always need that much food. It would be nice if I could order just coffee and one or two a la carte items on days when money is tight. Still, this is an overall wonderful addition to the Philly vegan dining scene. (Most items are vegan, and the staff can easily steer you away from the one or two items that are not.)
Pros: Vegan sausage gravy, mimosa mix, varietyNice new addition for vegans/vegetarians opened in center city at 16th and Chancellor (close to Walnut). I tried a few of their dishes and was impressed, as was my date. I am not vegetarian but like veggies, so for me eating mock chiken, fish etc from other places is displeasing. Here, vegetables play a major role in the entres, served on large dishes, good size portions, reasonable for the price.
All their water is filtered, a nice touch (unless you get bottled) service is nice, decor is simple and spacious. Deserts here are vegan so if you like soy ice cream, enjoy...
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