Home is Where the (Vegan) Food is

Amongst the typical and boring food-chain restaurants that crowd the University of Central Florida area resides a new establishment with fascinating dietary proposals. V. L. C. Vegan Eatery first opened its doors in the Waterford Lakes area at the beginning of 2020. With their beginnings being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wu family that founded V.L.C faced an unprecedented harsh reality.

“No one really got a chance to see the inside of the restaurant, and we were struck down by almost half of our staff. Even still, we’re still here, and we’re very thankful for that,” Sarah Wu said, who works at her family’s restaurant.

Tough times didn’t impair their business from persevering. In fact, as a family-run business, V. L. C. Vegan Eatery saw several benefits to their attention to detail and creativity. Chef and owner Jim Wu and his wife Michelle (known to customers as Papa and Mama Wu) both came to the U.S. from China nearly 40 years ago, settling on careers in culinary as it was one of the jobs most accessible to them.

Soon, Papa Wu found passion in his cooking, and sought to adapt to a new lifestyle: a plant-based diet. “A plant-based lifestyle is better for the Earth, and you’re just healthier and happier when you’re not eating meat,” Papa Wu said. “It gives you a cleaner mindset, not just health-wise, but also mentally.”

In 2005, Jim Wu and his wife became interested in Buddhist practices, including that of vegetarianism, which later prompted their veganism. This in no way, however, has changed the craft, skill or delectability of their food. In fact, veganism leads the Wu family to finding new challenges and discovering a different side of cooking.

“Transitioning from cooking meat to plant-based food, my parents have used a lot of flavors that they draw out by cooking vegetable broth and seasonings to create these flavors, they create all the sauces and flavorings at V. L. C.,” daughter Sarah Wu said. “They get a lot of the colorings from vegetables, too.”

V. L. C. Vegan Eatery’s menu is constantly expanding with new creations from Papa Wu’s kitchen. They offer an array of traditional veganized dishes, such as dumplings, tofu curry and Mama Wu’s kimchi; as well as other popular options like the Chick’n Tempura Sushi Roll and Ginger Be-ef Stir Fry. They even offer refreshing vegan drinks and amazing desserts, for example, Thai Tea made with oat milk and vegan cheesecake.

“As a chef, I want people to know that now there are a lot more options for vegan food,” Papa Wu said. “It's not what it used to be. As a chef, you learn that some things won’t necessarily taste like meat, but you can still work with flavors to cook, you don’t miss meat.” Menu items are a healthy take on the regular meat-filled and fattening counterparts.

Everything they serve is freshly made, and your body will distinguish that. Their food is light and made with a lot of love from the family. As their name suggests, you are sure to find their meals check all three boxes: Vegan, Love and Care.

V. L. C. Vegan Eatery is located at 504 N Alafaya Trail, Suite 113. They are currently open for takeout only, Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Their Facebook is listed under the name @VLCVeganEatery and their Instagram can be found under @v.l.c.veganeatery, where you can find more updates on specials and Papa Wu’s scrumptious creations.

*Quotes were translated with the help of Jim Wu’s daughter, Sarah Wu. Sarah manages all marketing and social media materials for V. L. C. Vegan Eatery*