Traditionally observed every 1 November, World Vegan Day marks the start of World Vegan Month. The occasion has a fairly long-running history — the event was first set up in 1994 by the United Kingdom’s Vegan Society. It was meant to commemorate two things: the Society’s 50th anniversary, and the official coining of the terms ‘vegan’ and ‘veganism’ that year.
As Louise Wallis, former Chair of The Vegan Society, explains, they wanted to celebrate World Vegan Day right between Halloween and the Day of the Dead — times of “feasting and celebration”.
As these restaurants prove, vegan food is far from unappealing — read on to see how you can start your plant-based journey.
01 | Restaurant JAG
Aside from producing some excellent French cuisine, Restaurant JAG also offers an exceptional vegan and vegetarian omakase menu that’s equal parts inventive and delightful. You don’t have to take our word for it — this Michelin-starred restaurant has also captured the heart of critics and gourmands alike.
Here, you’ll find a medley of seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs from the mountains of chef Jeremy Gillon’s native Savoie. Each course puts the spotlight on specific vegetables — there’s the meaty, fragrant pumpkin dish, and a savoury dish made of sautéed, dehydrated and puréed carrots, amongst a bevy of other gastronomical creations.
The customisable nature of these omakase menus also means that you’re free to choose which vegetables delight you (and which don’t) — the friendly kitchen is always happy to oblige.
02 | Ryan’s Kitchen
Ryan’s Grocery is synonymous with premium foods — especially if you’re sensitive to particular allergens. They’ve applied the same ethos to their first-ever restaurant, Ryan’s Kitchen. The Kitchen is an Australian-inspired café that features a thoughtfully-curated menu with numerous vegan-friendly options.
First up is the aptly named Veganator, a sizeable burger that features a juicy portobello mushrooms, organic tomato relish, and savoury, dairy-free cheese slices. The crowning glory is the thick vEEF patty at its heart, which imitates the mouthfeel and richness of a regular beef puck. Other vegan dishes include hearty dish of flame-roasted eggplant, capsicum and tomatoes, and a refreshing salad of watermelon, feta and mint.
Best of all? You can find just about everything on the menu at Ryan’s Kitchen at the neighbouring Grocery — so you can try your hand at recreating these dishes at home.
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Fishless N Chips -
Beyond Dog -
Omni One Kenobi burger
03 | Three Buns
If you know of the Potato Head group of bars and restaurants, you’ll want to visit Three Buns — they’ve recently revamped their menu with a lip smacking selection of plant-based dishes. In the words of Three Buns’ head chef, Adam Penney: “You don’t need meat to make delicious food.”
To start, we recommend the Omni Hustle “Gong Bao”, which features a seared OmniMeat patty drenched in a decadent mixture of gong bao katsup, ginger soya milk mayo and hot sauce. It’s finished off with scallions and a toasted mango flour wholemeal bun for a very satisfying meal. There’s also the hearty Beyond the Dog bratwurst sandwich — with some very addictive shiitake mushrooms and dashi mayo — and the golden, crispy ‘Fishless’ N Chips.
04 | Blue Jasmine
Miss travelling? Mod-Thai restaurant Blue Jasmine is here to deliver a healthy dose of authentic Thai classics and street food staples to you, all with a vegan and vegetarian twist.
Our personal favourite is the vegan Omni Basil Kaprao bento, which features plant-based OmniMeat, crunchy snake beans tossed in a fragrant homemade basil paste. You can also opt for head chef Khun Nipaporn’s own favourite, the Heura Red Curry — the homemade red curry paste and coconut milk brings with it a subtle heat, but is lent a gentle freshness with the inclusion of pineapple, grape and lychee along with some plump Heura chunks.
05 | Se7enth
Located on the 7th floor of OUE Downtown, Se7enth has created a limited-time menu just for the occasion. Their special vegan menu is available from now until 14 November, and features rustic comfort foods reinterpreted with plant-based ingredients.
There’s the Enchilada’ — flavourful bits of Beyond Meat wrapped in a soft tortilla, drizzled with soy béchamel and topped with rich vegan cheese — and the Roasted Cauliflower Steak and Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, which come doused in a spicy bell paper salsa and black pepper sauce.