Merit Vegetarian Restaurant

If you are looking for a delicious Chinese vegetarian restaurant that is located nearby, Merit is the place for you. This cozy eatery is located on 548 Lawrence Expressway, Sunnyvale, California 94086. It is part of a small complex, and it doesn't look like much- but that is before you enter the front door. Merit is a rather tiny eatery with a set of booths on one side and a set of chairs on the other. Each table has a set of "modern" orange lights hanging above, which provides a serene glow. You will often find a group of elderly folk playing mahjong at one of the larger tables. Most of the waiters are extremely kid- friendly, and are always smiling.

And then there is the food- Aahh.. pure bliss. Merit is a completely vegetarian restaurant, but it has a large variety of different foods. When my family went, we ordered pot stickers, lotus salad, steamed rice, gourmet "chicken," and tofu eggplant claypot. The pot stickers are served five per order, and they were placed on a bed of leafy greens. They were crispy on the outside, and they were filled with a chewy mixture of ginger, pepper, and tofu. These delectable delights were served with a standard peanut sauce. The hot pot stickers were balanced perfectly by the cool, juicy greens. Next, we were served the lotus salad. This tossed salad was amazingly fresh, and it had a few interesting ingredients such as crisp lotus roots and sweet, deep-fried crackers that melted on your tongue. The vibrant colors in this salad were so vivid and enticing that my mouth watered as soon as the dish arrived at our table. The grated, cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables blended together to create a perfect combo.

The gourmet "chicken" had a sharp lemongrass flavor that hits you like a punch in the face. For me, the flavor was a little too strong, but I enjoyed it all the same. The big mound of "chicken" was served on a bed of lettuce, steamed broccoli, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Once again, the vegetables had such a splash of color that it tantalized me, and I was drooling before I even took a bite. Lastly, the tofu eggplant clay pot was delicious. However, it was my least favorite of all the dishes, because it was not special. The eggplant was perfectly cooked with the velvety tofu, and they both melted in your mouth, along with the slightly salty sauce. This time, neither the colors nor the smell popped out at me, so it was a rather drab entree, but it was still enjoyable. Of course, to top it all off, was the steamed rice. It was served in a authentic Chinese bowl, and it had a aromatic flavor. Mmmmm......

As you walk out the door, there is large bowl of candy and toothpicks to show courtesy. I knew for sure, that I would come to Merit many times in the future- and soon.

http://meritvegetarian.com/index.html

Merit is rated 4 out of 5, or Yummmmm!

1- Yuck; 2- Junk; 3- It's OK; 4- Yummmm!; 5- Ooh-La-La!