Lunch specials at Asian restaurants are usually a great time to be disappointed by westernized options, a ghetto of General Tso’s Chicken and syrupy pad Thai. Kiin Imm Thai Restaurant in Vienna, the sequel to a Rockville restaurant of the same name, proves that this doesn’t have to be the case. Between 11:30 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, very nearly the entire menu is available to be enhanced with a free app and discounted drink. And when it comes to meatless options, Kiin Imm excels.
Two of the three starter options are vegetarian: crispy veggie dumplings and tom yum with tofu. I chose the latter, as perfumed with a heavy dose of freshly chopped cilantro as it is with chile and makrut lime. The name of one entrée was so evocative, I couldn’t resist ordering it: Herbal Falls is the only vegetarian dish on the list of specialties at Kiin Imm, all with titles like Shrine to the Trident Throne and Twilight Beef in Bangkok. My choice was made.
Herbal Falls centers around a sizable portion of fried tofu. It’s mouthwatering stuff, with a crisp, bubbly jacket and softly spongy center. Battered-and-fried broccoli plays a similar role, with its every bud enrobed in a crackling coating. Red peppers are allowed to speak for themselves without a coating. The rest of the dish is pure flavor. Skinny slices of galangal intermingle with cashews and fresh green peppercorns, all coated in a thin layer of garlic-soy glaze. On top, a pile of fried basil lends both flavor and crunch.
As if this combination weren’t colorful enough, for $2.50, I added green tea lemonade. The pairing of the pleasantly acidic nectar was just what the herbaceous dish needed to bloom. With other lunch options that include curries, stir fries, and noodle dishes, this is a Meatless Monday-through-Friday of note.
2676 Avenir Pl., Ste. A, Vienna
Feature image by Alice Levitt
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