The Down Low: Regular carnivore diners often have no reason to stop by a vegetarian joint except on a lark (or out of desperation to get a bite to eat). It is therefore the duty – duty, I say – of the establishment to spread the good name of vegetarian fare. Sadly, the new Loving Hut at 2101 E. Colonial Drive in Orlando won’t be converting many meat eaters any time soon. It’s not because the Asian-vegetarian food is bad, but just that the place is so damn weird.
The Dish: Before delving into the Dali painting that is Loving Hut, let’s go over the food. For an appetizer my guest and I ordered the fresh spring rolls for $3.95, a pretty fair price for a half dozen rolls and tangy sauce. Made primarily from lettuce and wrapped in rice paper, the rolls on their own are a little bland, but the delicious dipping sauce (when applied in liberal amounts) makes them a satisfying appetizer.
Next up was the heavenly salad for $6.75, a colorful mix of carrots, cabbage, and a couple fistfuls of mint. The mint in the salad was overpowering, so much so that I had to pick some of it out to get to the rest of the flavors, which were actually kind of bland. If you don’t mix your fork around and grab some of the tasty peanut dressing at the bottom of the plate, you may feel like you’re eating a big bowl of cabbage, as it’s this dish’s substitute for lettuce. That realization makes the price tag seem a little steep.
New to the menu is a grain called quinoa, a so-called superfood that has more nutrients than, well, anything, according to the menu. I had the quinoa eggplant for $9.95, which came out as an attractive mound of the rather bland superfood with a side dish of the eggplant mix. The eggplant is cooked in a rich dark sauce and paired up with onions, carrots and very soft tofu. I was asked how spicy I wanted it, to which I replied “a little spicy,” but which translates as “put fewer of the ticking fireballs in the food so his mouth doesn’t explode in flame all the time.” Aside from the occasional bursts of heat, the dish was very tasty, though a higher eggplant-to-tofu ratio would have been better.
Complimentary with a lunch meal is a tall glass of the Thai tea, a strangely orange mixture that looks intimidating but is actually sweet with decent black tea undertones. I have no idea why it’s orange, but it did help cool the spicy peppers in the quinoa.
For dessert I had the cheesecake for $3.50. A cheesecake without dairy isn’t too difficult a process, and Loving Hut pulls it off pretty well. It’s sweet and a little tart, with just enough chocolate sauce drizzled on the plate to add some richness to the otherwise light dessert.
The Digs: OK, here’s where things get weird. Upon walking in from the parking lot you’re greeted by a whole ton of spiritual-sounding literature on the virtues of vegetarianism. Then you notice there’s no background music, but rather the sounds from a television broadcast. And what it’s telling you is all the terrible diseases and toxins you’re absorbing from the years of dead animal carcasses in your belly. This is not comforting digesting noise. And the name of this station? Supreme Master TV. Though the seats are comfy and plentiful, the atmosphere is kind of off-putting, what with all the veggie-evangelizing, so you may want to get your order to go.
The Vibe: Well, with Supreme Master TV blaring in the background, you probably wouldn’t be mistaken if you thought the place felt a little, uh, cultish.
The Damage: The lunch meals are pretty much all under $10 and come with the Thai tea, so you can skip out of Loving Hut not having lightened your wallet too terribly.
The Bottom Line: As veggie food goes, Loving Hut is pretty par for those still in love with meat, but even if you’re on the vegetarian/meat fence, the atmosphere may be too intimidating to sway you to the greener side.
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