Andy Nguyen

After today's post, I'll be taking a holiday break until January 4th. So I thought it was only fitting that for my last blog post of the year, I would write about a vegetarian/mostly vegan restaurant, Andy Nguyen.


When this restaurant first opened in Sacramento in 1984, it was a very popular restaurant serving Vietnamese cuisine. But it wasn't a vegetarian restaurant. That transformation came much later after the owner made a decision to honor her Buddhist principles by no longer serving meat in her restaurant. The new philosophy at Andy Nguyen is summed up on their website: "Focusing on respect for people, animals, and the environment we hope to be a positive influence on our customers and our community."


Since the guys in my house were busy with other activities last night, I decided to treat myself to a nice solo dinner at Andy Nguyen. While everything on the menu is vegetarian, some dishes contain egg, so if you're vegan, you'll want to make sure that whatever you order has a (V) after the listing on the menu. I began with a Crispy Lotus Rolls appetizer, described on the menu as "fried golden brown vegan egg rolls" with a "soy vinaigrette and chili dipping sauce." The rolls were hot and crispy and quite delicious, especially when dipped in the tasty sauce.


I ordered two different entrees, which means that I have leftovers for lunch for the next couple of days. The Flower Adornment Sutra (don't you love the name of this dish?) consists of tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and broccoli sautéed in a spicy sweet basil sauce. Yum! And the Mandala Fry Rice included chopped vegetables, tofu, and soy ham. I'm not usually a fan of fake meats, but I really enjoyed the flavor of the soy ham in this dish.


No alcohol is served at Andy Nguyen, so if you want to have a beer or a glass of wine with your food, you'll want to order it to go.


Andy Nguyen is located at 2007 Broadway. Their phone number is 916-736-1157, and their website address is http://www.andynguyenvegetarianrestaurant.com/. The restaurant is open Sunday and Monday from noon to 9:00 p.m., and Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.


Season's Greetings to you and your family, and best wishes for a happy and healthy 2012!