A Pleasant Meal At Pine Garden

On my recent trip to South Florida, my grandma and I ventured to one of the few vegan friendly establishments, a wonderful Chinese restaurant in Boca Raton with a completely separate vegan menu. We dined there during lunch and took advantage of their spectacular lunch special.

First, we had the soup of the day, which was hot and sour soup.

This soup was fantastic. It had a lovely tangy, vinegar taste and was very spicy. The tofu was soft and luscious. My only complaint was that the soup was overwhelmed by mushrooms (which I loathe).

Next, we had some egg rolls, which accompanied our entrees.

The egg roll was very good. It was deep fried and crunchy and lightly coated in oil. The inside was filled with a lovely blend of savory vegetables.

Next, I tried my entree: Orange "Beef".

The faux beef was too chewy and rubbery, but the sauce was wonderful. It had a superb citrus flavor and a fantastic spice. There was a subtle sweetness.

Next, I tried my grandma's entree: Cashew "Chicken".

This dish was also enjoyable, but the faux meat had a similar problem of being overly chewy and having an odd texture. Nevertheless, the sauce was very scrumptious and had a beany flavor. The vegetables were sauteed to perfection and were soft and delectable. The cashews added a nice crunchiness.

Overall, the meal was very good. The dishes were flavorful and not too oily. The food also did not have any MSG in it, which is a great benefit. The lunch special was a great deal, since each meal only cost $8 and included a generous portion of food. My grandma and I were stuffed, but not to the point of feeling sick. I will definitely visit Pine Garden again on my next trip to South Florida.