what i really want is something that looks like a stalk of celery but is made of pork
Top 5: Places to Eat Vegetarian
Bodhi-Sake
Located in an elegantly converted Buddhist temple, this restaurant serves tasteful, interesting dishes such as “Under the Bodhi Tree,” a veggie platter with a sweet bean paste dipping sauce; “Bitter Mouth, Grandmother’s Heart,” rings of bitter melon filled with pumpkin puree; and “Lingering Aftertaste,” a vegan version of mala beef jerky.
Daily 10am-10pm. 10-16 Heiyaochang Jie (inside Sansheng Nunnery), Xuanwu District (6354 2889/ 6155) 菩提缘, 宣武区黑窑厂街10-16号(三圣庵内)
Lily Vegetarian
Since Lily does not follow monastic traditions, diners are not forbidden the pungency of onion and garlic in these pleasant restaurants. Try the suchang “sausage”; baochao sanding, a stir-fry of diced carrots, “meat” and cashews; jiangxiang candou, a stir-fry of lima beans with minced “meat”; and qianceng bing, layered pancake with thyme. Don’t miss the hot plum tea.
Daily 10am-10pm. 1) 23A Caoyuan Hutong, Dongzhimennei Beixiaojie, Dongcheng District (6405 2082); 2) South gate of Yiheyuan (Xinjian Gongmen), Haidian District (6287 8726) 百合素食, 1) 东城区东直门内北小街 草园胡同甲23号; 2) 海淀区颐和园南门(新建宫门)
Still Thoughts Vegetarian Restaurant
A simple hutong restaurant that produces many creatively meatless dishes, including tofu on a hot iron plate; mixed vegetable pot; mini egg rolls, and tongzi baoxiao, a cold appetizer made from pressed tofu sheets served with a sesame dipping sauce. There’s also a vegetarian “Peking duck.”
Daily 10am-10pm. 18A Dafosi Dongjie (near the mouth of Yuqun Hutong, north of Qianliang Hutong), Dongcheng District (6400 8941) 静思素食坊, 东城区大佛寺东街甲18号(美术馆东街三联书店北,钱粮胡同北边小区)
Tianchu Miaoxiang
The extensive selection of Chinese dishes includes suzhong sanwei, a “three flavor” combination of sausage, fish and duck that typifies Buddhist mock meat cuisine. Another is heijiao niuliu, a “beef” fillet sauteed with green and red peppers in a black pepper sauce. Vegetarian pizza and pasta made from beancurd, gluten, and mushrooms also available.
Daily 11am-10pm. 1/F, Chuangye Dasha (East gate of Tsinghua University), Haidian District (6279 7078)天厨妙香素食, 海淀区创业大厦1层(清华大学东门)
Xu Xiang Zhai
Located near the Confucius and Lama Temples, Xu Xiang Zhai offers a broad-ranging vegetarian buffet featuring mock meats, tofu, vegetables, sushi, soups, porridge, fresh fruits and dessert. A la carte is available as well, but the buffet is great value at just RMB 58 per person.
Daily 10am-9pm. 26-1 Guozijian Dajie, Dongcheng District (6404 6566) 叙香斋素食, 东城区国子监大街26-1
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don´t understand what the obsession is with eating mock meat. if i wanted to continue eating something like meat, i would have continued with the real thing. mock meat is just strange at best, unhealthy and off putting at worst. i eat vegetarian, but i don´t go to "vegetarian" restaurants to do it. i´ll be checking out these places though, thanks for the tips!
what about non-Chinese restaurants?
mm, like Italian, Middle Eastern maybe?
we have some good ones in this fine city..
i would definitely expect some of them on a top 5 list.
the old question remains: DOES ANYONE REALLY LIKE MOCK MEAT?
here's some good vegetarian (or almost), without even leaving your local chengdu xiaochi/fanguanr:
shao qiezi
hongshao doufu gaifan
and tudousi!
For Bodhi Sake: average price is RMB 61 to 100 per person
Lily: RMB 61 to 100
Still Thoughts: RMB 31-60
Tianchu Miaoxiang: RMB 31-60
Xu Xiang Zhai: RMB 61-100
As for reviews, you can check out Eileen Wen Mooney's Beijing Eats, from which these selections were culled. She writes a bit more in there about recommended dishes etc. You can email distribution@truerun.com for inquiries.
