|
By
Rachel Lanning Translated by Michael Ho
As
a meat lover, I was rather skeptical when invited
to eat at a vegetarian buffet. But I was humbled
and pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed
the food at the Spring Natural Vegetarian Restaurant.
Vegetarian
food has become trendy lately. A strict vegetarian
doesn't eat meat, fish, or poultry, and a vegan
abstains from eating all animal products, including
milk, cheese, other dairy items, and eggs. In
Taiwan, the vegetarian lifestyle is usually due
to religious beliefs or dietary concerns. But,
at the Spring Restaurant, at least half of the
patrons aren't vegetarians at all--they just like
the food!
The restaurant offers an extensive buffet during
lunch and dinner hours, and also serves food during
tea time. If you prefer the all-you-can-eat approach,
this restaurant is for you; you definitely won't
walk away hungry. The buffet continues to change,
with fifty-plus dishes being offered.
A
variety of vegetables, soups, salads, dim sum,
fruits and desserts are offered, along with a
bunch of "fake meat" dishes. Made of
soy or tofu, the "meat" closely resembles
the real stuff, and tastes surprisingly good.
Fried turnip cakes are cooked right in front of
your eyes, and several chefs are on hand to stir-fry
dishes to your liking. You can also order dishes
off a menu at no extra cost. And, amazingly, all
of the desserts are made without eggs--but you'd
never know it.
During
lunch hours (11:45 a.m.-2 p.m.), adults can eat
for NT$450, and children for NT$250. Tea time
(2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.) will set you back NT$300
for adults, and NT$200 for children. At dinner
(5:45 p.m.-9 p.m.), prices are NT$550 and NT$300.
On the weekends, be sure to make a reservation.
So,
give up your fried chicken lunchbox for a day
and sink your teeth into some delicious food at
Spring Restaurant. You may even be convinced to
become a vegetarian.
|
