Loving Hut in Addison

MOONLADY REVIEWS: Loving Hut in Addison

by Amy Martin

 

I haven’t eaten chicken, beef or pork in almost three decades. My gut will let me know if the slightest bit of animal fat is present. Even veggie friendly Chinese and Thai places can be dicey in this regard: there’s almost always chicken fat used in the wok, saute pan and fryer.

This made the vegan Loving Hut a wonderful discovery, thanks to my friend Cornell. We visited the Addison location on Midway, just south of Beltline, sandwiched between a steakhouse and a burger joint. This version of Loving Hut skews toward Thai and Chinese, with some American dishes. Open conventional hours, with a break from 3 to 5 pm on weekdays, open all day Saturday, and closed on Sunday. There’s a location in Arlington which is focused on pizza and Indian clay-pot dishes.

Loving Hut serves up soybeans in every format available, from whole bean salads, to tofu in sauces, to dozens of texturized vegetable protein (TVP) entrees. Some TVP seeks to mimic various meats. Those are not my favorites, since I lost the taste for that a long time ago. Just give me some tofu, sauteed or fried, especially in one of those fermented brown sauces that you don’t know what it is, you just know that it tastes good.

Lunch brings a buffet of Loving Hut’s most popular entrees and sides, though the full menu is also available. I was captivated by the rosy glass noodles made from sweet potatoes (rather than green beans) with their fiery aftertaste. There was light fried rice and bright steamed vegetables, veggie soups and a small salad bar, a strange TVP concoction called balls in a brown sauce and something that may have been fried cauliflower.

All very fresh, but kind of bland, really. Then again, that’s what works for lunch in business districts. Garlic burps and pepper sweats are a no-no in offices. Loving Hut’s service is friendly and efficient, the dining room and buffet serving bar are very clean. The music is mellow (albeit cheesy) and walls feature photos of famous vegans.

It’s the full menu and night service where Loving Hut really seems to shine. Very interesting drinks as well. The appetizers and noodle dishes get a lot of online raves. I’m definitely coming back for the chef’s special green beans, and that’s another review.