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Taipei is the word’s leader for restaurant innovations.
This is where restaurant trends analyst Marjan Ippel recommended to go to taste the most delicious food.
There is an endless fusion of harmoniously combined European, Chinese, Japanes and Oceania style dishes. Taipei is very green city, not only due to its parks and boulevards where Taiwanese are practicing Tai Chi, but also due to its huge selection of vegan cafes, restaurants, confectioneries and bakeries.
Map of vegan restaurants and cafes in Taipei from Happy Cow App (More details how the platform works please read in How to find a vegan restaurant in the new city).
2 weeks were not enough to try everything but the places I visited produced magical experiene
Comfy vegan restaurant with fusion of taiwanese and japanese dishes. They do have plenty of tables but its worth to reserve ahead, especially if you are planning to come with friends. Restaurant is in the area full of cafes, boutique stores, small shops and fashion parlors, 2 feet away from the most central shopping street and is almost always crowded. This is where for the first time I saw an article about Dr Campbell’s China Study, in Chinese. The main chef has embraced healthy vegan food with organic whole ingredients. They serve brown rice which is not very typical for Taiwan, yet. Their menu is great for a big company, to try most of the chef’s masterpieces. If its just one person like myself, can order a bowl, sushi (also with brown rice)and seasonal veggies lightly steamed Taiwan style. I chose their classic desert – bean pudding, but cakes on the display seem to look too exotic to not get tempted not to order a piece to go, a very eastern style to complete the classic – unbelievably tender piece of pie made with rice flour, covered with green matcha frosting.
Most vegan cafes open for lunch but Kaya Kaya Cafe is open for breakfast at 10:00 am. European style food with a light Asian accent. Taipei’s chefs are definitely masters of fusion. They have a cozy green veranda which is great because even in December temperature in Taipei is over 20 C. There are 2 breakfast menus – light or more filling. My big black coffee cup full of drip coffee was amazing, as good as in the best coffee houses in Vienna. Later I was told that Taipei is famous for one of the best coffee. And btw Kaya Kaya is located few minutes walking from Flourish, on the same street.
Owner and creater of the project loves dogs. Love for dog friends got her to become vegan, inspired to open her own vegan restaurant. Concept of this restaurant is very simple – to slowly enjoy healthy fast food. Colorful menu with great selection of salads, vegetable and dishes made from different grains. More than half of ingredients are organic and are being supplied directly by the local farms. Once again trendy fusion: usual wrap, sandwich or risotto filled with seasonal local produce, spiced with light Asian spices and dressings. They had the best raw chocolate cake I ever had. Tart, thick and gentle chocolate keeps its individual taste because there are no sugar or sugar substitutes used in this cake. Only fresh and dried fruit (dates for example). They did not tell us all the secrets of the kitchen, so waiting for the upcoming recipe book. They also sell vegan dog food for the favorite companion.
This is the second project of Miss Green created together with her father. They are offering Thai dishes – her father grew up in Thailand where his family had escaped from the civil war in China. They offer quality ingredients from local farmers and organic products plus supporting few Thai farm projects.
Offering light snacks or filling dinner – up to the client’s preferences. Soup, different steamed veggies and greens with Asian dresses, Thai curry for spicy food lovers. Desert is amazing – also raw, gentle and perfectly sweet, full of southern fruit taste, which touch new notes just like eastern oil fragrances do.
Small cozy cafe with European and mostly italian dishes. Was surprised by banana vanilla Creme Brûlée. Not too many even experienced chefs decide to include creme brûlée into their vegan menu. Here it is a total winner. It is was worth coming here just to try it.
What should one definitely try in Taipe:
1. Vegan bread with bean filling or sesame paste.
2. Organic soup in packages
3. Oolong tea
Vegetable Chinese soup recipe
Ингредиенты
- 1/2 or 1 bell pepper
- 4 cherry tomatoes –
- 1 medium size carrot
- 3-4 green beans
- 4 brussel sprouts
- 1 celery stem
- 3-4 leaves of leafy greens (bokchoi cabbage)
- 1/3 inch of ginger
- lemon grass – 1 twig or to taste
- hot chilly pepper to taste
- 1/2 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- couple of cilantro twigs
- 1 cup chinese rice noodles
- black peppercorns to taste
- 4 cups of water
Указания
- Wash and clean all vegetables. Cut bell peppers and carrots into long pieces, cut onion into rings and cherry tomatoes into quarters, brussel sprouts into halfs or quarters, cut string beans lenthwise or into pieces across, finally chop celery. Shred ginger and lemongrass and cut onto several rounds across. Clean hot chilly pepper from the seeds. Cut bok choi into small pieces across.
- Pour water into the pot and bring to a boil. Add ginger, peppercorns, lemongrass, bell peppers, onions, brussel sprouts, green beans, celery, tomatoes and bok choi. Add hot chilly pepper to taste. Slowly simmer on medium heat.
- Add noodles and cook for approx 5 more minutes.
- Add cilantro leaves and finally chopped garlic and serve.
