Vege Wonder Takes Vegetarian Fine Dining to the Next Level

WF Central is quickly becoming one of Beijing’s most interesting dining destinations, home to everything from heart-stopping portions at The Cheesecake Factory, pan-Asian cuisine at Mulu, and whiskey-paired Chinese fine dining at Howard’s Gourmet. Newly-opened Vege Wonder not only adds another option for fine dining; it is also a treat for vegetarian diners.

The glibness of the name “Vege Wonder” (the Chinese name in comparison is 山河万朵, "wonderful nature") seems almost incongruous for a restaurant of this class. The decor is slick and modern, blending distinctive Asian elements like tatami-style wall panels, giving the dining room the feel of a futuristic Japanese teahouse. Befitting the atmosphere, Vege Wonder only serves set menus, starting from RMB 680 per person (during our visit we tried the RMB 780 menu). 

Chinese vegetarian cooking is often noted for its creative use of mock meat but you won’t find any of that on the menu at Vege Wonder. Rather, the dishes make the most of the natural flavor and texture of vegetables, some familiar – asparagus, romaine lettuce, pumpkin – and some less so. Hijiki, a brown sea vegetable more common in Japanese cuisine, is used to garnish a dish of celery and celeriac, the latter braised in soy until it looks and tastes almost like tofu skin, an intriguing transformation for an ingredient usually found as a mash or purée in Western cuisine. 

Mushrooms play a starring role in several dishes, their natural umami character easily replacing the savoriness of meat. A soup of matsutake and bamboo pith has an extraordinary depth of flavor that smacks of hours of gentle, slow cooking. The soup also includes a rare fungus called bamboo bird’s nest (竹燕窝 zhúyànwō), that is prized for its crisp-yet-chewy texture (similar to actual bird’s nest), as well as its nutritional content (including six different amino acids, as well as vitamins C, B1, B2, and B12). Considered a delicacy, the fungus grows on secretions left by bamboo worms as they consume bamboo.

In a multi-course menu like this, it’s no surprise that not every dish sticks the landing. A jasmine-infused tomato that arrives as part of an appetizer platter is so subtle as to be almost non-existent, while the noodles in the final “staple food” course are a little chewy, but make up for it with heaps of black truffle flavor. Overall, though, the whole is somehow greater than the sum of its parts.

Whether or not you usually follow a vegetarian diet, Vege Wonder is the perfect option for those looking to splash out on some plant-based dining. Note that the food is not vegan but can be made so upon request.

Vege Wonder
2/F, West Bldg, WF Central, Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District (6888 8798)
山河万朵中国素食：东城区王府井大街王府中环西座2层

READ: Say Gou Gou Guo Away to Winter Chills at This Korean Hot Pot Restaurant

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Images: Robynne Tindall, courtesy of Vege Wonder