Thursday, November 25, 2010

Chucky Has Died And Gone To Vegan Heaven

Three simple letters... O-M-G!  Tiffany and I revisited The Loving Hut this past Saturday and found a most tremendous surprise.  Their all-you-can-eat buffet is no longer on Sunday but has been changed to Saturday!  And, it no longer begins at 3:00 PM but now begins at 11:00 AM.

I kid you not, every single dish on the buffet was totally delicious!  In case you missed it in an earlier blog, The Loving Hut is a worldwide vegan restaurant chain.  We're lucky enough to have one of the 24 US locations here in Orlando, Florida.  They may look at us strangely when two little plastic dolls come strolling into their establishment but they are friendly and made our visit a total delight.

The price?  About $10 per person.  How can they do it?

A sampling on Tiffany's plate

Here is what we found on Saturday's buffet:
  • Steamed white rice
  • Fried rice, tofu, mushroom and mixed vegetables
  • Green salad (iceberg lettuce and fresh spinach)
  • Almond flax dressing
  • Pasta salad with broccoli, red pepper, and fresh basil in a light sweet sauce
  • Steamed cubed tofu with thin onion and shitake mushroom slices in a light cream sauce
  • TVP pieces in a Bragg's type seasoning with blanched green beans, red pepper and broccoli
  • Stir-fry TVP in a hoisin-like sesame sauce
  • Crispy fried rolls with carrot, shredded cabbage, mushroom, tofu, jicama, and bean thread; served with Au Lac (tomato based) dipping sauce on the side
  • Cauliflower, broccoli, and long stir-fry tofu strips
  • Fried tofu and eggplant in sticky sweet soy sauce
  • Soup (ingredients:  water, tomato, onion, tofu and fresh basil)
  • Watermelon pieces
  • Mini muffins - carrot cake and banana nut flavors
  • Water
Tiffany had water but I had to have my favorite Asian beverage, hot chrysanthemum tea (extra charge, of course).

Every single dish was tasty, fresh and healthy.  After we ate, arrived home, sat on the back patio, sipped some wine, we discussed our buffet experience.  Both Tiffany and I both agree that it's impossible to pick a favorite.  Each was a winner in its own right.  Nothing was overwhelming or greasy.  Each bite was delectable and sang songs of joy upon our palates.  If there truly is heaven, then it includes a Loving Hut buffet every day for lunch.

Wish you could have been there!  I promise to bring my camera with me on our next visit.  The photo above was snatched from the camera phone.

Hi-dee hi-dee Shangri-La-ho my friend!

6 comments:

  1. Yum! They've got one in Vancouver so I'm going to have to give it a go!

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  2. Would love to visit "Loving Hut" got to check out if they have anything near by. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments.

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  3. been reading your blog, off and on, for a few weeks but didn't realize until today, that we're neighbors (of sorts) i'm in the little bitty seminole county town of geneva! so, howdy neighbor!
    have ya'll heard of the vegan pot luck at the unitarian church in orlando? here's the info:

    Monday, December 6 · 7:00pm - 8:30pm

    Location--First Unitarian Church of Orlando
    1901 East Robinson Street
    Orlando, FL

    Created By-Vegetarians of Central Florida (VegCF)

    More Info-We are excited about our location for VegCF's monthly vegan potluck! Again this month we will hold our potluck in the library/community center of the First Unitarian Church of Orlando.

    Please join us the first Monday of every month for a vegan potluck! Everyone is invited! This is a GREAT way to introduce your veg-curious friends to the delights of homemade vegan cuisine. Join us with a covered vegan dish (or a $10 donation if you don't make a dish) at the First Unitarian Church of Orlando. There is no cost if you take a dish, but we ask for a $10 donation if you do not take a dish.

    Please take a complete ingredient list (and the recipe instructions if you care to share them), and please be sure that your dish is vegan (no animal products or byproducts).

    Please RSVP at the VegCF meetup: http://www.meetup.com/VegetariansCF
    If you know what you plan to make, please list it in your RSVP, so we can plan for a good variety of food.

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  4. Thanks Jayedee! Yes, Tiffany & I were aware of VegCF because they sponsor Central Florida Vegfest and Artichoke Red's Market told us about the organization.

    We will be attending one of your meetings but not until early next year. We were so looking forward to Vegfest in October but it conflicted with prior plans to watch opera.

    Small vegetarian world, isn't it? :)

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  5. vegfest was AMAZING! i hope you have a chance to attend next year! i don't do crowds well, but i found it hard to tear myself away from vegfest!

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  6. We'll be there in 2011!!! I can hardly wait.

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