This fascinating place is found on 9780 Walnut Hill Street, Dallas TX.
But if I didn't know better I would swear that I was in Garland!
This place is a small restaurant at an Asian Bazaar, which in spite of being a vegan restaurant is guarded by an asian butcher chop which had whole pigs on display. This contrast and irony only made my experience more magic(k)al.
The restaurant was a small operation, nothing particularly fancy. Except for the food. Even if you are not a vegan you have to try this place.
They have a pseudo beef stir fry that tasted so much like beef that I suspected fraud.
I interrupted a dishwasher, who was latina, and asked her in spanish what this stuff was. This seemed to make the owner, D, a little nervous and he quickly intervened. Since his English still seems developing I don't think he knew about my inquisition.
The dishwasher thought it was meat!
The owner, D, spent some time explaining the recipe to me and that I could buy it from his grocery options. For someone who is new to vegetarianism, particularly awesome fake meat is almost a religious experience.
All of the food was delicious. I ate there two days in a row, both time enduring the giant fried pigs at the door.
For me the most interesting thing about the restaurant is that they were broadcasting this strange Cult television show which had an Asian lady dressed very fancy and they kept showing subtitles for what she was saying in like a dozen languages. Including both Spanish and English.
I was thrilled by this as I have a dark fascination with cults in general. For example, the local Hare Krishna Temple is supposed to be a decent place to eat.
The preacher lady was named Supreme Master Ching Hai.
I was lost in my strange Dadaist NSK fascination with all things totalitarian and embraced that I must be eating at a place that funds brain washing.
Though further research has revealed that from what I can tell Supreme Master Ching Hai is harmless as a religious leader, though unsurpassibly funny.
She is like a prosperity Buddhist preacher. Though technically she severed all ties with Buddhism, I suspect because they did not share her ideas about enlightenment's ties to fashion and jewelry.
She teaches meditation on color and sound and hardcore vegetarianism. Thats certainly no weirder than I am on any given Sunday, so I give this restaurant a pass as probably not part of a creepy cult.
Though to my opinion creepy cults include: baptists, lutherans, catholics, muslims, etc. Religion is generally absurd, but not always harmful.
As for Supreme Master Ching Hai I say live and let live.
