Description
Popular for its lunch buffet, the charming Araya keeps an all-vegan kitchen, so its dining room draws a diverse group of college students, animal lovers, Muslims, Hindus, Jews—as well as eaters who aren't driven by dietary restrictions. The restaurant's decades-long history shows in its decor, a dark wood scheme that's a few leaves short of a fern bar, and its mastery of Thai cooking. The custardy fried tofu could pass for dessert, and the silky green curry is terrific. Many of the dishes made with meat substitute somehow taste meatier than the real deal, perhaps because Araya has cut out the bovine middleman and put stunning vegetal flavors straight on the plate.
