If you are a vegetarian traveller in South East Asia, you don’t have to just live on tofu and bean sprouts. Here’s the ultimate and yummiest hack for herbivores. By Sangeetha Ranganath
BANGKOK
The Tip: Shrimp, shrimp-paste, fish and oyster oil/sauce are commonly used in Thai cooking. When ordering, make sure to call out for these to not be added. Also, mushrooms and eggs (especially in fried rice) come without warnings. Specify your requirements anyway.
SOM TAM
The vegetarian version of the salad has no shrimps. Instead, som tam is a tangy, spicy mix of unripe green papaya, lime, palm sugar, chilli, and peanuts.
PAD THAI
Stir-fried rice noodles, flavoured with tamarind pulp, vegetables, red chillies, and palm sugar, pad Thai is a common find across the city.
KHAO PHAT CHE
Fried rice—ubiquitous in all regions across Thailand, is made with Thai Jasmine rice and vegetables, and served with a side of lemon, cucumber, tomato, spring onion, and coriander.
THAI CURRY
We have all tried the Indian version of Thai curry. Here you’ll find a curry of lighter consistency, in standard red, yellow, and green, served with steamed rice.
THAI STICKY RICE PUDDING
Eaten at breakfast or for dessert, served warm or cold, the sweet dish is made from glutinous white or black rice and coconut milk, and topped with coconut cream, fruits, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
EAT HERE
Moon Bar + Nahm
After a sunset drink on the 61st floor of Moon Bar (banyantree.com), walk across to Nahm for dinner. Nahm has consistently been up there with the world’s best Thai restaurants (comohotel.com).
Bamboo Bar + Terrace Rim Naam
Bamboo Bar in Mandarin Oriental is a landmark in Bangkok. Head here for pre-dinner cocktails before moving across the Chayo Praya River on a boat to the the Terrace Rim Naam for al fresco dining with sweeping views of the cityscape (mandarinoriental.com).
Book Shop Bar + La Na Thai Restaurant
Have a drink at Book Shop. Designed by Ashley Sutton, this bar boasts flying bookshelves and books that are suspended mid-air, quite like the world of Harry Potter.
(Sukhumvit Soi 38; +66-2/187-4949). Afterwards, walk across the road to La Na Thai for dinner, a Thai house fashioned like a Caravansary: a meeting spot on the silk route (face-bangkok.com).
Chef Lan Kittichai
RESTAURANT: Issaya
SIGNATURE DISH: Banana Blossom
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SINGAPORE
The Tip: Do visit Little India for the Singaporean version of Tamil food served at Komala Vilas and Ananda Bhavan. However our recommendation is to find other types of local cuisine. The city boasts a rich cultural history and thus a profound gastro-diversity.
Kaya Toast
A Singaporean staple. Bread toast is spread with butter and kaya (coconut jam). Best had with Singaporean white coffee.
Kway Chap
Rice noodle strips layered with thick sauce that’s made of herbs and spices, topped with a variety meant for labourers, is now sold everywhere: hawker centres (Singapore equivalent of food courts) to top-notch restaurants.
Laksa
A spicy soup with rice vermicelli or noodles, and vegetables drowned in coconut milk of a tamarind base.
Char Kway Teo
Stir-fried flat-rice noodles made with soy oil, chillies, and one with potato is most popular veggies. The erstwhile dish meant for labourers, is now sold everywhere: hawker centres (Singapore equivalent of food courts) to top-notch restaurants.
Curry Puff
A baked pastry shell with a variety of stuffing, curry puff looks like a miniature pie. The one with potato is most popular with vegetarians.
Be Here
SkyBar + Rasapura Masters
SkyBar is the rooftop bar at the Ce La Vi restaurant in Marina Bay Sands. It offers an extensive drinks menu (sg.celavi.com). Head down to Rasapura Masters, an award-winning restaurant fashioned like a series of street stalls, serving food from across South East Asia. marinabaysands.com
Supertree + Indochine
Supertree is the rooftop bar at Super Tree Grove, the tallest structure in Gardens by the Bay. Sip on refreshing drinks and take in the lovely view of the blue waters, boats, and the Singapore skyline (gardensbythebay.com.sg). Leave for IndoChine, where you can find great Asian, Western, and fusion cuisine (indochine-group.com).
Smokes and Mirrors + National Kitchen
Smokes and Mirrors is a rooftop bar, offering views of the Padang and Marina Bay Sands and is ideal for a sunset drink till the glittering lights come on (smokeandmirrors.com.sg). On the 2nd floor is National Kitchen by famous chef Violet Oon, Singapore’s answer to Julia Child (violetoon.com).
CHEF Cheryl Koh
RESTAURANT: Tarte
SIGNATURE DISH: Pistachio Tart
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VIETNAM
The Tip: The word for ‘vegetarian’ in Vietnamese is ‘chay’, but since the language is is tonal, have it written down as well.
EAT HERE
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The fresh spring rolls (or summer rolls) are made of rice paper and stuffed with crunchy vegetables. It is served with peanut or sweet chilli sauce.
Vegetarian Pho
A soup made with vegetarian broth, noodles, diced vegetables, tofu, ginger, and spices, all cooked together till it becomes a broth.
Banh-Mi
A must try. Banh-mi is a Frenchstyle baguette with a Vietnamese twist. Mayonnaise, tofu, pickled carrots (daikon), cucumber, cilantro, and jalapeño are the typical fillings.
Ca Ri Chay
The flavourful curry with the goodness of wholesome vegetables, coupled with Vietnamese curry powder, when eaten with steamed rice, hits all the right notes.
Che Chuoi
A banana tapioca pudding made of small white tapioca pearls, coconut milk, and ripe bananas, topped with nuts. It is generally eaten warm.
Be Here:
For jazz, French cuisine, and chic crowds.
Chill Sky Bar + Lemongrass
Enjoy a sunset drink at the Chill Sky Bar, a rooftop bar offering phenomenal views of the city (chillsaigon.com). A little away is Lemongrass, in a narrow shophouse in District 1. Listen to live music and enjoy a candle light dinner through your Vietnamese dinner that has a French touch (lemongrasssaigon.com).
Cuc Gach Quan + Sax N Art
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s visit to Cuc Gach Quan in 2010 put this restaurant on the world map. Set in an old French Colonial house, it prides itself on fresh, countrysidestyle cooking (cucgachquan.com.vn). Post dinner, head to the best jazz club in town, Sax N Art, where you canenjoy contemporary jazzwith Vietnamese influences(saxnart.com).
Temple Club
A sophisticated, chic joint in a converted Chinese temple, Temple Club serves delicious cocktails and Vietnamese fusion food. templeclub.com.vn
CHEF LUKE NGUYEN
RESTAURANT: Ngon
SIGNATURE DISH: Vegetarian Pho Broth
A Vietnamese-Australian chef, Nguyen first opened the Red Lantern in Sydney in 2002 and offered a modern Vietnamese cuisine, with the help of a bunch of family recipes. It became an instant hit. Now, his Vietnamese restaurant in Frogtown offers a mix of Fresh- Vietnamese food in a farm-to-fork concept.
BALI
The Tip: Revealing Bali’s best side are raw food restaurants, vegan establishments, and organic markets when youwant to cook your own meal. Relax, you’re meat-proof.
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Corn fritters. This snack made with corn, onions, celery, and garlic, is found at street corners as well as posh restaurants and serves as a quick midday snack.
Vegetarian Mie or Nasi Goreng
‘Mie’ or noodles, ‘nasi’ or rice, ‘goreng’ or fried. An Indonesian favourite, yellow noodle or white rice is stir-fried with shallots, spices, and vegetables.
Gado Gado
A speciality peanut sauce served over boiled vegetables and rice. While it sounds simple, the peanut sauce is made with the right blend of spices, shallot, palm sugar, and other secret ingredients that render it delicious.
Sayur Lodeh
A soup made with vegetables, like raw jackfruit, eggplant, tofu, shallots, and beans in a coconut milk broth. You can have it as is or with steamed rice.
Klepon
Indonesian dessert. A boiled rice cake is stuffed with gula jawa (liquid palm sugar rolled in grated coconut) and flavoured with paste made from pandan leaves.
Be Here
Rock Bar + Damar Terrace
Rock Bar is the sunset hotspot in Bali at the base of the Ayana resort, and at the edge of a 14-metre-high cliff rock overlooking the Indian Ocean. Sip exotic coctails as you see the surreal colours light up the sky at dusk. Head to Damar Terrace within the same resort. Encompassed by lily ponds, the restaurant offers Asian food, including local specialities, prepared fresh.(ayanaresort.com)
Sarong
One of Asia’s finest restaurants, Sarong, offers signature dishes from all over Asia, and has a separate vegetarian menu (sarongbali.com).
Potato Head Beach Club
The flagship property in Seminyak is right on the beach, with incomparable views of the ocean. The complex houses two restaurants, two bars, an infinity pool and live music (ptthead.com).
Warung Bodag Maliah by Sari Organik
Watching the sun set over the hills behind the rice fields while you down your meal that’s prepared with the freshest of ingredients. You can even pick your veggies from the farm if you like (Jl. RayaTjampuhan, Ubud;+62 03617801839).
CHEF Chris Salan
RESTAURANT: Mozaic-Bali
SIGNATURE DISH: Shaved Fennel with Kaffir Lime American Chef Chris Salan trained in Cordon Bleu and worked in Michelin star restaurants of Paris and New York, before publishing several cookbooks that have been widely received. His restaurant, Mosaic, has won prestigious awards, including the Best Asian restaurant in the World Gourmet Summit, 2015. He is also a jury member of Top Chef Indonesia.
The Philippines
Eggplant Adobo
A great dish for you to get a typical taste of the Filipino cuisine. The eggplant is seared in oil, braised in a mix of soy sauce, garlic, and vinegar. The moist heat and slow-cooking makes it a flavourful comfort dish when paired with rice.
Veggie Sisig
Sisig is a popular sour appetiser that originated from the culinary capital of the Philippines: Pampanga. Sometimes served as a main, it is usually meat-based. The veg version is a spicy combination of shitake and tofu.
Togue Guisado
Sauteed mungbean with carrots, green onion, and fried tofu, the dish is usually served with rice.
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‘Ginataang’ refers to food cooked in coconut milk. It’s a rich, thick, and creamy dish cooked with squash and string beans.
Ginatang Langka
Simply put, it is jackfruit in creamy coconut sauce. The avour usually comes from the salted dry sh or shrimp cubes, but the veg alternative with lemongrass and chilli is equally tempting.
Be Here
Pull up your sleeves and dig into the comfort of Asian food.
Sarsa Kitchen & Bar
SARSA by Chef JP Anglo is a legendary joint providing Filipino and Negrense Food with contemporary touches. He is best known as a judge for the Master Chef Pinoy Edition and for his modern resto bar, MuShu Asian Restaurant & Lounge in Bacolod. The Forum, Federacion, BGC, Taguig, Manila; +63-927 /706-0773
Soil Modern Dining
A new restaurant which seems to take up the best of the industrial trends still prevalent in 2016 Manila. Chef Lorenzo Pimentel, who has spent time in Singapore’s Pollen and Esquina among others, uses a modern plating technique-oriented combination of Asian avours in European dishes. Unit 16, Molito Lifestyle Bldg, Madrigal Ave. cor. Alabang- Zapote Road, Alabang, Muntinlupa.
Manam
From the founders of Ooma and 8Cuts, Manam serves both traditional and modern Filipino comfort food. Their House Crispy Sisig is arguably the best in Manila. Manam, G/F Net Park Building, 4th Ave corner 27th St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
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CONCEPT: Kitchen Revolution
SIGNATURE DISH: Vegetable Glass Noodle Salad
With a culinary degree from the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Clinary Arts in New York, Chef Gonzalez looks for innovative ways of cooking vegetarian food. She has appeared on a number of news and lifestyle channels like ABS-CBN Green Living and Urban Myx, and o ers culinary classes and workshops on holistic, vegan cuisine.
