VietNamNet Bridge – Vegetarian cooking, which is made from a variety of vegetables and fruit, is now a favorite not only amongst Saigonese but around the world.

Nowadays it is easy for vegetarians to buy their favorite foods at supermarkets, stores and especially at Vietnamese vegetarian restaurants in HCMC.

Let’s take a tour around the city and enjoy some of the healthy dishes which are made entirely with vegetables.

Foreigners who are used to vegetarian diets can find familiar items at Viet Chay Restaurant, which has over 400 dishes of vegetarian food prepared in various ways. Viet Chay is a peaceful space with unique architecture made of wood and glass and gentle melodies of Zen music, suitable for anyone seeking purity and tranquility.

Diners can order Viet Chay’s Bat Tran course or choose from Viet Chay’s noodle soup, Russian Salad, Spaghetti Bolognese, Indian Curry, Japanese Sushi, fried rice with American style, Schezuan style stir-fried tofu and many other dishes for VND10,000-40,000 during the week from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. at 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street in Ward 7 in HCMC’s District 3.

The restaurant’s slogan is “Nourish compassion” meaning that eating vegetarian food not only keeps us healthy, but also avoids killing animals, protects the environment, and sows the seeds of love and mercy.

Vegetarian food is also served at Hoa Dang Restaurant at 38 Huynh Khuong Ninh in Da Kao Ward in HCMC’s District 1. The restaurant is decorated with yellow lanterns and small bamboos, suffused in the harmonious melodies of symphonies to create a cozy space for customers.

The food here is prepared from natural vegetables without sodium glutamate. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served here, with specially dishes Hoa Dang vegetable chicken salad, Thailand papaya salad, Germany soup, Zakouskies cake, pizza cheese, tomato sauce, French rice, Hoa Dang hot pot and barbecue macaroni with seafood available from VND5,000 to VND170,000. Fruit juice is served without sugar as a complement to the natural, healthy foods.

In addition to these two western-styled restaurants, Van Canh restaurant is now serving over 100 dishes for buffet parties during this month to mark the occasion of the Buddhist Ullambana Day Ceremony. The restaurant’s typical dishes include fish paste hot pot, vegetable chicken and shrimp curry, and its lotus specialties, such as lotus salad. Buffets are priced between VND100,000 and VND140,000 per ticket, with one free ticket with the purchase often tickets.

Van Canh’s fare is suitable not only for vegetarians but also for people on a diet and anyone following a strict regimen. “In America, I eat a lot of meat which has a lot fat. Vegetarian food here is very good, both for the health and the economy as it is made from vegetables,” Dale E. Washington, president of Tan Hung Joint Stock Co. told the Daily when he had lunch at Van Canh Restaurant. The tables are decorated with views of Vietnamese green fields with rice plants and the ambiance is enhanced lyrical melodies of Vietnamese songs. Diners will feel part of the natural environment. Van Canh is located at 73-75 Pham Ngu Lao Street in HCMC’s District 1.

A Dong Tuu Lau at 22-23 Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street in HCMC’s District 5 is famous for Chinese-styled vegetarian food called Cho Lon or China town. The vegetarian dishes are mainly served to a Chi-nese clientele. Thus, the restaurant is decorated in red, a color that is considered lucky, especially red lanterns, which create the special character of the restaurant.

The buffet is prepared for the convenience of Chinese businessmen and priced at VND90,000 per ticket for adults and VND45,000 per ticket for children. The 65 choices include sauteed abalone, seafood spring rolls, salt-fried shrimp, and shrimp curry. Diners will be served free beverages of lemon juice, ginseng tea or daisy tea. A discount of 10% is offered Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and one free ticket is given when buying 10 tickets.

(Source: SGT)