The Pho Files - Vegan Pho at Cafe Mosaics

I don't get to Cafe Mosaics as often as I would like, so when I treated a friend to a belated birthday lunch there a couple of weeks ago, I grabbed the opportunity to try the vegan pho. The pho is only available from October until March, and my server even jokingly tried to dissuade me from ordering it, fearing I would become addicted only to have to wait until the fall to have more. She was right. This was the only vegetarian pho I have ever had where the broth was almost as deep and rich as the beef-based version. The aromatic seasoning was there, as were lots of noodles and tofu and fungus meat replacements that almost replicated the textures of the kinds of cuts of meat found in pho.

To enhance the experience, I tried for the first time the green onion cakes. At $10, they cost much more than in Chinatown (and the pho itself was $14). Cut into perfect triangular wedges, the pieces were crispy but did not taste any more outstanding than their cheaper counterparts. The star of the plate was the sauces: a smoky hot sauce and a chipotle.

Also seasonal is the chai latte, so thick and spicy that it is in a class of its own.