Au Lac - Fountain Valley

A fancy-feeling meat-free menu, Fountain Valley's Au Lac leaves your heart full and your belly never empty. 

Plants aplenty; in fact that's all there is. But while veganism often leaves you wanting, the BBQ Pork Rolls will fool even the most consummate carnivore. Soy pork looks like spam, and the supple texture and finishing savor mimics meat spectacularly.

Entrees like the Grilled Seafood Noodles are enriched with vegan shrimp that approximate the flavor and appearance down to the succulence and stripes. Beancurd has a crunch, and meaty mushrooms add umami. The side sauce adds salinity and makes it pop. 

The Royal Noodle Soup is the only one that misses the mark. It's supposed to simulate a bun bo hue, but this one lacks intensity and depth. It's not a bad bowl of noodle soup, but there is just no way a few slices of soy protein can conjure the sassy, spicy, sweet-and-sour, unapologetically pig-centered soup.

The Grilled Fish Rice Paper Wraps are their most impressive dish. Served on a silver tray, the soy fish is covered in a sheet of nori that looks just like skin and adds sea-savor to a flaky-textured meat that has both the flavor and texture of a dry filet. Throw a little bit of everything into a chewy wrapper, dunk in sweet sauce, and I swear it's the best thing I've eaten all day. 

They're well known for their desserts, but the drinks deserve a moment as well. The Chocoholic is a subtly sweet and foamy sip that highlights the dark notes of raw cacao and earthy hemp seeds.

For a non-liquid dessert, try a slice of Scotch on the Rocks, a cheesecake-like pie with grainy, mac-nut notes.

I've gained a new appreciation for cacao as of late, and I love the Choconut Xtasy, which is cacao-forward without so much sugar.

Like most obstinate omnivores, I'm quick to dismiss vegan restaurants as missing the meat. To be fair, tofu, seeds, and weeds just don't cut it when you don't know how to use them. Au Lac, on the other hand, highlights and celebrates them in a way that tastes delicious and feels complete. Au Lac's food isn't about the absence of meat, it's about how good the plants can be. 

7 Leaves & Crema Bakery - Fountain Valley

Known for the fresh-brewed teas, their Milk Tea is mmm-mmm good, and the devil's in the details.

This location is also a bakery and cafe, and the food is worth sitting for. 

If you're like me and you start every day with angst, go for an Avocado Toast to spite the boomers. It's the real reason we millennials can't afford houses. Crusty bread smeared with ripe avocado topped with a fresh feta salad, to be consumed with caution. Too many of these and Crema Bakery will claim your condo. 

I rarely order omelettes, but I actually love this Truffle Mushroom Omelette. It's made Japanese-style with a thin outer sheet of egg that unfolds into a fluffy almost-pudding inside. The mushrooms are perfect, and the truffle flavor is present but not in your face. 

The Mochiko Chicken Sandwich keeps crispy, even in a car, and it's a good balance of chicken, slaw, and mayo between slices of toasted brioche. A solid chicken sandwich to scratch your itch for a chicken sandwich. 

My favorite Crema concept is their Croffle. Croissant dough in a waffle iron with sweet sauces for dips. Vanilla is good, salted caramel is great, but they're definitely better together. 

I can't leave without my Macarons, one in every flavor that isn't sold out. Earl Grey is great, Rose Water is delicate, but tbh, I have no idea what it's supposed to taste like. Sea Salt Caramel is my fave - the caramel is strong. Pistachio is slightly nutty, and Vanilla and Green Tea are as you'd expect. 

It's a real cafe here, with wooden tables and shelves of books. Quiet time with your laptop is a luxury, especially when there's good food for fuel. Chatting over reasonably-priced breakfast and brunch makes it a reasonable meet-up for friends with a budget. I don't think I'd consistently choose Crema again over all the other amazing options around, but hat's more about the surrounding Vietnamese food than the quality of this lovely cafe.