• 4
• Recommended: fresh, "clean" tasting Chinese food.

I am surprised by some of the negative comments about this restaurant. Although I no longer live in Eugene, when I did, I ate there often, from the time that it opened a few years back. I cannot compare Lotus garden with the best Chinese restaurants in Manhattan. Having been a vegetarian for more than half a century, I have also avoided Chinese restaurants for almost as long. The smells of meat and, often, of reused oil, always put me off. Then this restaurant appeared, and even in very vegetarian-friendly Eugene, most people thought a vegan Chinese restaurant wouldn't make it. They were wrong. The food always seems very fresh, and it is reliably vegan right down to the candy that comes with the check. The premises have none of the above-mentioned scents, and it is an exceptionally clean establishment. This is not the place to find authentically spicy Chinese food, but everything I have tried is wholesome, and tasty enough. I love spicy (Indian) food, but that is not what this place is about. But it isn't bland either. My only gripe is that they have all these fake-meat names for the entrées, like "Chicken," "Steak," etc. If you can get past that (and no booze, although you may bring your own), I strongly recommend this restaurant. (p.s. I am very surprised to see people referring to their using MSG. If true, that's new. Tell them to hold the MSG. Everything is prepared from scratch.)