The Lyric, the historical Fort Collins independent movie theater, opened its doors to its new location in November of 2017. Along with the theater’s entirely new artfully suave look came a menu that included new tasty snacks for movie-goers.

As a vegetarian, ordering something off the menu at a typical restaurant can be arduous as most places only provide entrees that include meat. Sure, there is probably a salad option somewhere, but one can only eat so much iceberg lettuce with ranch whilst watching other people eat actual food for so long.

That is why when a restaurant or business does take the time to cultivate vegetarian options outside the leafy variety and they’re actually delicious, it is worth sharing to other veggies of the world. 

The food options at The Lyric cater to an array of cravings, including freshly popped popcorn lavished in macha powder and chocolate sauce, a pulled pork sandwich that comes with zesty, thick steak fries and Rice Crispy treats the size of small child’s head. And for those who laugh in the face of a salad yet stray away from burgers and steak, there is a tofu Bánh mì sandwich that, thank the almighty veggie God, has tofu in it that has a flavor (and a pretty phenomenal flavor at that).

Bánh mì sandwiches are a Vietnamese cuisine and usually have some variation of pickled vegetables and meat atop French bread. The Lyric’s take on this sandwich includes thin slices of pepper-crusted tofu that if eaten in the darkness of a movie theater may have you questioning whether or not your biting into tender meat or not, a rich maple soy sauce that is more sweet than salty, pickled carrot, cucumber, cilantro and creamy jalapeño aioli on a toasted French roll.

I know, carrots may seem like a  jarring element on a sandwich, but trust me, they are vital and delectable in the case of this meal. As is the jalapeño aioli, one of the many factors of this meal that guarantees your need to take a napkin into the theater. Aioli has been newly introduced into my life, and I do not entirely have a grasp on exactly what it is. I can confirm that it is awesome, and it should be put on everything, especially The Lyric’s jalapeño version. 

And for those who do partake in the slaughter and eating of innocent animals who cannot defend themselves, there is a non-vegetarian option for this sandwich, as well. I am totally kidding, but the meat-eaters version of this sandwich includes slow-roasted pork along with all the other original ingredients of the sandwich, which is probably pretty yummy, too.

Whether you choose meat of tofu, these entrees come with a side among a list of options you can choose from, including sweet potato and regular fries. But if you want to keep this meal holy, and you choose the bomb fried pickled green beans as your side, eat them fast before they get weird.

The Lyrics menu enables groups of people with different diets to enjoy a not-so-typical movie theater experience together that is not limited to your stereotypical plain buttered popcorn, and this vegetarian is about it. 

The Lyric’s Bánh mì sandwich:

• Cost= $12
• Ingredients= slow-roasted pork or pepper-crusted tofu, maple soy sauce, pickled carrots,  cucumber, cilantro, jalapeño aioli, toasted french roll 

Miranda Moses can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @mirandasrad.