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To thank Buddha after her mother recovered from illness, restaurateur Lan Nguyen swore to never eat – or serve – meat again. But it’s health-conscious diners who should feel truly grateful for her anomalous Little Bombay restaurant. All the vegan, Vietnamese-accented dishes here are priced under $10, from curries in sizzling skillets to spicy grilled seitan to a tofu-lightened pho – and cooked to order, without MSG. With Nguyen’s extended family in the kitchen and her husband working the tiny dining room, Lan Café feels like a living room; the simple décor of houseplants, beaded curtains, and flower photos just make it cozier. Expect to wait on weekend nights, when lingering crowds can spill onto the sidewalk. Strong Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk makes a bracing finish to the main course, but the dessert is unimpressive. There’s usually just one offering, a sugary, banana-flavored mung-bean cake that arrives at the table shrink-wrapped. — Michael Kaminer

Vietnamese pho, $9.75; curry string bean with seitan, $8.95; stewed eggplant with tofu, $8.95