"If you ever feel indecisive at this vegan Vietnamese spot in Reseda, the friendly owner will shout, “Brother!” and point to the wall behind him: “Welcome to Vinh Loi Tofu. I pick, you eat.” Luckily, neither he nor any dish on his lengthy menu has let us down. Vinh Loi’s plant-based food is too flavorful to do that. A quick, easy lunch here might entail juicy lemongrass “beef” banh mis with heaps of sweet pickled carrots and oriental duck spring rolls, which are, as the owner calls them, “the best ones.” They come tightly packed with nearly caramelized teriyaki mushrooms and a fried egg roll that lets out a loud crack as you chomp in. The House Special soup, with its sweet-spicy peanut broth, rightfully belongs on every table. You’ll see a revolving door of regulars popping in to grab their to-go lunch, but we suggest enjoying yours there and then if you have time. The food arrives hot and fast, and you can get a personalized recommendation from your new brother if you want to add on anything else to eat. Food Rundown photo credit: Sylvio Martins House Special Soup Also known as the S11, or the dish to get if you’re going to order just one thing. Vinh Loi’s broth is like what we imagine clarified peanut sauce tastes like: light but concentrated, with a nutty, sweet, and tangy flavor. The tofu-based “shrimp” and “fish” don’t taste like much but are fun to chew. We ordered our soup mild spicy and enjoyed the minor sizzle. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Oriental Duck Rolls These loaded spring rolls would do numbers on ASMR TikTok. The fried spring rolls inside are still hot from the frier and let out a giant crack when bitten. They come tightly swaddled by juicy teriyaki mushrooms. The peanut dipping sauce is wonderfully gingery, too. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Lemongrass Beef Bahn Mi A banh mi is only as good as its baguette (says us), and the ones at Vinh Loi tick all of the boxes: warm, fluffy insides and a crust that shatters with the softest squeeze. Our favorite protein is the lemongrass “beef” that has the texture of firm tofu but the fragrance of a bowl of bún bò xả ơt." - Sylvio Martins
