Eight Great Veggie Might
The best places in town for a nice vegetarian meal, organic, Buddhist or otherwise.
01. Pure Veggie House
Find that greasy feeling you get after a big brunch of dim sum unbearable? Come here for the wide variety of Buddhist dim sum, which isn’t oily with lard. Their vegetarian har gau, siu mai and xiaolongbao are surprisingly light. We love their tofu skin “egg fuyong” and the layered chan chuen noodles steamed in lotus leaf. Dinner is equally delicious, with a wide selection of interesting dishes, and hotpot options as well. 3/F, Coda Plaza, 51 Garden Rd., Central, 2525-0552.
02. Veggie Palace
This private kitchen serves multi-course meals of contemporary Chinese vegetarian ($168 for lunch, $208 for dinner). There’s no menu, just enjoy all the dishes that start appearing on your table—“sashimi,” chilled mung bean noodles with shredded “chicken,” then interesting entrees of imitation meats like “beef” curry served with garlic bread, and sweet and sour “pork.” Do make sure you book a table before coming. If you’re still hungry, they’re quite willing to give you an extra dish when you ask nicely. 3B, Kwong Sang Hong Building, 6 Heard St., Wan Chai, 2838-6506 or 8200-3066.
03. Branto
Devout Hindus and even more devout foodies flock to this purely vegetarian no-frills South Indian eatery, famous for its fab thali sets and colossal dosas. Please don’t order a lamb vindaloo or tandoori chicken—instead, try the pani puri—original Indian molecular cuisine—fried hollow balls of dough to be filled with spiced condiments and rosewater. 1/F, 9-11 Lock Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2366-8171.
04. Long Men Lou
For an in-town pilgrimage, head to the restaurant behind the waterfall in the beautiful Nan Lian Garden of the Tang dynasty-style Chi Lin Nunnery. There’s no fake meat like vegetarian roast goose or char siu, just vegetarian food in its natural simplicity. Be aware of the lines on Buddhist holidays, new and full moon days. Nan Lian Garden, 60 Fung Tak Rd., Diamond Hill, 3658-9388.