There is no shortage of vegetarian restaurants in Taipei and there is definitely no shortage of McDonald's either, but it's not often you find one on top of the other. Above the golden arches on Tianmu West Road is the relaxing, ironic location of the latest in a chain of vegetarian restaurants. Open for nearly three months, Easy House provides a healthy mix of Eastern and Western cuisine at reasonable prices.
The menu is a fusion of Chinese, Japanese and Mediterranean fare and offers an assortment of casseroles, hot pots and stir-fries in addition to rice and noodle dishes.
The best way to sample what the restaurant has to offer is to opt for one of three set meals. Each set comes with a considerable amount of food and includes an energy juice, salad, soup, main entree, fruit plate, desert and tea. Sets costs either NT$360 or NT$420, depending on the main course.
PHOTO CREDIT: DIANA FREUNDL, TAIPEI TIMES
While the Brazilian vegetable milk casserole looked and smelled tempting, the thought of a hot pot in the summer stopped me from ordering it. Instead, I choose to try the wild mushroom noodles and fried rice with truffle sauce (each NT$220 without the set) -- the rosemary vegetable stir-fry and Sichuan tofu casserole also came highly recommended by the staff.
The energy drink was rich with fruit, but also rich with wheat germ, which gave it a grainy texture. The salad, made with fresh vegetables and various greens, was seasoned with nuts, beans and Japanese sesame dressing.
Both of the main dishes were great selections, which would make having to choose only one a pleasant yet time-consuming process. The noodles were cooked in a fresh basil sauce and served with tomatoes and Portobello mushrooms. The truffle-fried rice was a successful mix of asparagus, lily petals, and wild mushrooms in a light Italian truffle sauce. Although there was barely room for it, after the main course I was served a small plate of assorted fruit and a bowl of sweet congee with dates and lotus seeds.
The lunch and dinner portions are the same, which is an intimidating amount of food for a small appetite, but still well-worth the effort. Any of the dishes can be ordered separately, including the main courses, and there is also a short list of herbal teas, fruit shakes and desserts for afternoon tea.
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