A survey of the patrons at Vegetarian Cookshop found several people eating the veggie spaghetti and so when owner Won Hwa-hsiu (翁蕙雪) said it was the most popular dish on the menu, it had to be tried.
The large portion of pasta was served up in a light tomato sauce that used mushrooms, small tofu pieces and soy protein to create a meat-like texture. Garnished with fresh tomatoes, basil and Parmesan, it sounded delicious, but the sweetness of the sauce was overpowering.
Won began her career as a vegetarian chef by volunteering at a Buddhist monastery. At that time, she learned how to prepare several meatless dishes to be served at large festivals and ceremonies. The food catered to a strict Buddhist diet, meaning no garlic, ginger or hot spices because such ingredients excite the senses and eating, like other daily routines, should not be exciting.
Nearly two years ago, Won decided to turn her charity work in the kitchen into a paying job and opened her own restaurant in Shihlin. When developing the menu, she expanded on the typical Taiwanese veggie fare that uses soy protein to create mock-fish, -chicken and -pork dishes, and included options such as curry rice, fried rice, vegetable stew and pasta.
The second most popular and definitely one of the most recommended items on the menu is the spicy, mock chicken set meal. It's served with long grain rice and four side dishes that include green vegetables, fried tofu and bean shoots, stewed carrots, mushroom and bamboo, and pickled cucumbers.
All sets come with a soup, which is a simple flavorless combination of water with carrot and bamboo pieces. Other options include noodles with sesame paste, mock-fish fillet (same as the mock-chicken but with a piece of fish flavored soy protein), and a Chinese herbal medicine meal made with ginseng, dates, and tofu, which is served with a choice of rice, thick noodles, or soup.
The restaurant's interior is bright, clean and lined with 15 tables that seat four. It can get especially busy with a number of nearby office workers and students queuing up at lunchtime.
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