A fortnight of scorching sunshine has turned the city into a giant steamer and, for many residents, evaporated their appetite for greasy meat and strongly flavored dishes. In addition to traditional light foods like mung beans and white gourd soup, vegetarian dishes have become increasingly sought-after during the heat wave.

Die-hard carnivores may complain that veggie fare is bland and boring, but they don't know what they're missing. Here are three restaurants that boast tasty veggie food and Buddhist-themed decoration, where city dwellers can find a touch of Zen in the hot and humid summer.  

With a Tibetan Buddhist theme, Zen Escape hopes to offer customers a state of inner peace and tranquility. Photo: Courtesy of Zen Escape

 

Zen Escape

A rippling stream, real grass and a tree that grows through the three-storey building, Zen Escape has seemingly moved nature inside. With a Tibetan Buddhist theme, the teahouse, which was transformed from a former State-owned plant, boasts Tibetan tea as its specialty.

"The owner is a devout Buddhist and he hopes the environment can calm busy urbanites and help them gain a state of inner peace and tranquility here," said Jin Yin, the assistant general manager of the Escape Oasis Cultural Capital Group.    

The teahouse divides its first floor into separate rooms using antique carved lattice. On the wall are Tibetan Thangka paintings, religious scrolls that depict Tibetan history, culture and social life.

Aiming to combine a Buddhist theme with nature, Zen Escape has flowing water running through the first floor, while its second floor is separated by lawns. "It's hard to maintain the lawns indoors. Even though we put slates on, customers sometimes still step on the grass out of curiosity," said Jin.

To enhance the nature theme, old tree roots are carved into tea tables and tree trunks into lamps. On the third floor, there is a wall composed of Tibetan brick tea.

The brick tea, picked from a 1,414-meter-high mountain in Ya'an, Sichuan Province, is processed through natural fermentation. As a good accompaniment for veggie dishes, the tea neutralizes the heavy aftertaste of oily food and nourishes the stomach. 

"It's a tradition that Tibetans store their brick tea in their walls, it is both decorative and a good use of storage space. Some Tibetans store tea for around 20 years until their daughter's wedding day, when they take down the brick tea as a dowry," Jin said.

Besides the elaborate decorations and Buddha statues, Zen Escape offers exquisite desserts, which look similar to moon cakes but are only half the size. "It's tofu that tastes like cheesecake," a diner commented online. The light refreshments, which come in green tea and purple sweet potato flavors, are not too sweet and go perfectly with black tea.            

Address: 88 Yunling Road East

With a Tibetan Buddhist theme, Zen Escape hopes to offer customers a state of inner peace and tranquility. Photo: Courtesy of Zen Escape

 

Pure Pavilion

Pure Pavilion is a Southeast Asian-style vegetarian restaurant. With the smell of scented incense in the air, the darkened dining hall is dotted with Buddhist statues and lotuses. 

Meat-eaters may feel excited when they look at the menu: shark slices, roast pork and sushi. But these "meat dishes" are all made from vegetables, tofu and mushrooms.     

The "shark slices," which have a chewy meat-like texture, are actually made of mushrooms, while the roast "pork" is made from fried soybean products. Served with sweet and sour seasoning, the tofu-made pork looks uncannily like the real thing, and is sweet and tender.

Though the portions are quite small, the plates they are served on are huge and extravagant. The fried rice is served in a large wooden basket, and three pieces of "shark" come on a large jade plate. "The plates are quite exquisite, and increase my appetite. But I feel sorry for their dishwasher, all the dishes are so large and heavy," one diner commented.

Many diners chose to end their meal with the extravagant fruit plate, served with dreamy dry ice steam. Looking like a water lily, the fruit is placed in the center of a jade bowl with water in the bottom.

Address: 56 Maoming Road South

With a Tibetan Buddhist theme, Zen Escape hopes to offer customers a state of inner peace and tranquility. Photo: Courtesy of Zen Escape

 

Chan Cha Su

Unlike other vegetarian restaurants that try to make plant-based food look like meat, Chan Cha Su returns to its veggie roots. Without any faux meat or seafood, a simple veggie noodle is appetizing and delicious. With a fragrant aroma of mushrooms, the broth is light but tasty, providing a nutritious meal perfect for summer.

The decoration here is also Buddhist-themed, with small Buddhist statues and candles. "There are two days in a month when a devout Buddhist is supposed to avoid meat; on those days, the restaurant is packed. At other times, it is quite a relaxing place to eat," said a diner.

Another selling point of Chan Cha Su is the wallet-friendly prices. The average cost for one person is less than 30 yuan ($4.89). 

Address: 719 Lianhua Road South

With a Tibetan Buddhist theme, Zen Escape hopes to offer customers a state of inner peace and tranquility. Photo: Courtesy of Zen Escape