On Vesak Day, a holiday observed by Buddhists to celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha, doing good deeds is a part of the celebrations. Amongst these good deeds, going vegetarian for the day is one of them. The trend of plant-based cuisine is steadily rising in Singapore, due to the greater awareness and emphasis on healthy eating.
Whether you’re celebrating Vesak Day, which falls on 29 May this year, or simply curious about this new food trend, here are some restaurants with vegetarian options where you won’t even miss the meat.
Whether you’re celebrating Vesak Day, which falls on 29 May this year, or simply curious about this new food trend, here are some restaurants with vegetarian options where you won’t even miss the meat.
1. Gunther's Restaurant
Gunther’s Restaurant prides itself on being able to provide dishes based on ingredients requested by customers.
Gunther’s Restaurant prides itself on being able to provide dishes based on ingredients requested by customers.
Its tomato gratin, which is a unique blend that stays true to the essence of tomato, has tomato mousse added on top, giving a whole new dimension to the taste of this dish.
It also serves up a beautifully presented dish of fresh white asparagus and morel mushrooms from France, which are in season now.
It also serves up a beautifully presented dish of fresh white asparagus and morel mushrooms from France, which are in season now.
2. Hua Ting Restaurant
Hua Ting believes in using new combinations of ingredients, but still maintaining the traditional Cantonese style of cooking. Its recently revitalised menu features more than 10 vegetarian a la carte and dim sum dishes.
This includes the yellow fungus soup with French morel mushrooms.
Hua Ting believes in using new combinations of ingredients, but still maintaining the traditional Cantonese style of cooking. Its recently revitalised menu features more than 10 vegetarian a la carte and dim sum dishes.
This includes the yellow fungus soup with French morel mushrooms.
One of the highlights of this soup dish is the chrysanthemum-shaped tofu, which is skillfully carved into very fine strands to resemble a chrysanthemum, with each tofu petal floating and blooming beautifully in the broth.
Another vegetarian dish is the sautéed French beans with crispy enoki mushrooms, which features stir-fried enoki mushrooms sprinkled on top to provide a crunchy texture to the otherwise softer texture of this dish.
Another vegetarian dish is the sautéed French beans with crispy enoki mushrooms, which features stir-fried enoki mushrooms sprinkled on top to provide a crunchy texture to the otherwise softer texture of this dish.
3. Jiang Nan Chun Restaurant
Jiang Nan Chun Restaurant showcases seasonal ingredients in its dishes, such as its assorted vegetables served in a white pumpkin. The white pumpkin is cleaned, cut and emptied inside before being steamed, while the assorted vegetables like celery and carrot, and shimeji mushrooms are sliced and wok-fried with minimal salt and sugar, making it a healthy choice.
Jiang Nan Chun Restaurant showcases seasonal ingredients in its dishes, such as its assorted vegetables served in a white pumpkin. The white pumpkin is cleaned, cut and emptied inside before being steamed, while the assorted vegetables like celery and carrot, and shimeji mushrooms are sliced and wok-fried with minimal salt and sugar, making it a healthy choice.
The vegetables are served inside the pumpkin which imbues the vegetables with a natural sweetness.
It also offers a dish of wok-fried vegetarian “prawns”, with the mock prawns made out of konjac. Ginger slices are deep-fried for fragrance, while Chinese snow pear is wok-fried separately from the other vegetables to retain its natural flavours.
It also offers a dish of wok-fried vegetarian “prawns”, with the mock prawns made out of konjac. Ginger slices are deep-fried for fragrance, while Chinese snow pear is wok-fried separately from the other vegetables to retain its natural flavours.
4. Empress Restaurant
With three full pages of vegetarian a la carte options on its menu, Empress Restaurant is serious about promoting healthy eating through dishes which are appealing and delicious.
It ensures that a good percentage of the menu is made up of healthy items like broccoli, vegetables and whole foods. An example is its Fried Brown Rice Medley, which consists of brown rice with superfoods like goji berries and pine nuts. There is also a vegetarian version of mapo tofu, in which dark sauce and chilli sauce are stir-fried together with tofu.
5. JAAN
A modern European restaurant dedicated to showcasing produce-driven dining, JAAN offers vegetarian options which are both healthy and tasty, like its Eggs In An Egg. In this dish, which is served in an egg-shaped container, a confit hen’s egg sits on a cauliflower custard, topped with caviar, pickled brown shimeji mushrooms and pickled Cevennes onions.
JAAN also has a vegetarian pasta option, in which the handmade saffron Berlingot pasta is filled with soft French cow cheese, peppercorns and Manuka honey to create a perfect blend of sweet and savoury. The pasta is served with braised leeks and brioche rounds, and accompanied by a refreshing leek soup. Going meatless has never been more delicious.
