Two menus make Au Lac twice as healthy

PHOTO by RICK POON

It isn’t because of a struggle with the English language. It isn’t a preview of some soylent future, either. No, Au Lac’s so-called “humanese cuisine” is something all its own: It’s a plan for humanity, a proclamation of the restaurant’s dedication to good health and sustainability. And these days that’s an easy platform to stand on—everyone has a stake in the humanese condition.

At Au Lac, things are purely positive, with everything from the restaurant’s heart-healthy logo to the mural above its tonic bar (a pudgy little cherub welcoming each eater) widening the restaurant’s human-friendly focus. In lesser settings, this kind of higher health consciousness can be a turn-off, adding up to an overzealous agenda that tries to shame those who rip through an occasional piece of meat. But Au Lac is far more moderate, a place easily accessible for all kinds of eaters.

That all starts with Au Lac’s pan-Asian menu. Plates from China and Thailand fill in some of the blanks, but it’s Vietnamese food that provides the bulk of Au Lac’s best dishes. Everything here is vegetarian, but it makes no difference—the food is universally good, transcending simple imitations of meat-bearing dishes. The steamed jicama spring rolls (rolled tight for maximum dipping) don’t miss any meat. Neither does the pho. The bún is even better, however, taken to its lightest limits with either shredded tofu, egg rolls or “beef” piled atop the vermicelli salad. But the best bowl comes from a combination of all three, allowing for plenty of protein to match the ball of ivory noodles and fresh herbs buried below. Washed down with soda chanh, it’s a perfect mid-afternoon meal.

Along with Au Lac’s other tofu-based staples (“beef” with watercress, tofu and bamboo shoots with lemon grass), the Vietnamese plates at Au Lac have driven the place to vegetarian fame. But just recently Au Lac has grown beyond that, adding an entire second menu full of raw vegan eats so good they could easily be annexed to form a whole separate restaurant.

To some, raw cooking probably doesn’t even seem like cooking at all. There’s no high heat, after all, no sautéing, no steaming, no broiling. But to hang on the issue of heat is to ignore the fact that raw food requires a far more precise palate—foods need to be that much fresher, the flavors matched even more elegantly. And though the raw menu still feels a bit too new, Au Lac pulls it off remarkably well.

One of the best dishes for an introduction to the raw menu is the humanese soup, a room-temperature mix filled with zucchini, avocado, coconut, cilantro and a drizzle of olive oil. Without a boiling broth, the soup seems an odd one, but it quickly makes sense—the cubes of avocado approximate the creamiest soup spoonfuls; the coconut and cilantro help take it to enjoyable tropical tastes. There are also bits of Au Lac’s omega chips for a break in texture. The chips are ground down from golden flax seeds, cilantro and kelp—they’re crisper, thicker and better than almost any corn chip.

Along with the humanese soup, Au Lac serves a few more daunting bowls (hot and sour soup, sea minestrone) as well as everything from rice dishes to tacos and pastas. For those dedicated to the raw food program, all that variety is certainly a good thing. Yet whereas the original menu stays specific, the raw side tends to ramble.

But that’s completely redeemed by the raw menu’s excellent desserts. Au Lac’s “pies” (made from a dense mix of macadamia nuts, dates and agave) rotate through a number of flavors, though the chocolate coconut is a standout. With just a bit of cocoa powder, the log-like pie bests even some of the richest flourless cakes. And with a cool streak of coconut running through each slice, the dessert takes on a refreshing twist, too.

Even with all of Au Lac’s recent growth, the restaurant has kept its core intact. Nevertheless, once the transition is finalized and the take-out menu synthesized to a single sheet, the place will be one again. And with food this good, that’s something everyone should be waiting for—we could all use a little unity.

AU LAC 16563 BROOKHURST ST | FOUNTAIN VALLEY 92708 | 714.418.0658 | AULAC.COM | OPEN TUES-THURS&SUN 11:30AM-9:30PM | FRI-SAT 11:30AM-10PM | FOOD FOR TWO $20-40

Tags: Food, fountain valley, oc, vegetarian, vietnamese