It is always a bit of challenge to find a restaurant where both plant based and non plant based people can enjoy a meal together.
The other day I went out for dinner and our group consisted of two vegans and one non-vegan so I needed to find a restaurant that has great vegan choices (not just a vegan restaurant to force the non-vegan to eat vegan food).
So I decided to give Chi restaurant by Lotus a go. I have been to Lotus before, there are some vegan options and I enjoyed them but I found the vegan menu was not super exciting. However, Chi restaurant has a more interesting vegan menu.
Nice Chinese décor – love the full of golden “ maneki neko “ the lucky cats!
Firstly. For entrée, we had daily pickle.
The white one is Daikon and passion fruit pickles – I have never see pickles using passion fruits – very interesting? Taste? Well, it is tastes like Daikon and passion fruits. Not sure it was a great combination… but not too bad.
Orange one is carrot, chilli garlic pickles. All of us enjoyed very much. It reminds me of my carrot miso dressing taste that is made from carrot, white sweet miso, agave, rice vinegar and onion.
Daily pickles $6 – carrot chilli garlic pickles is my favourite
We also had vegetable san choy bao with crispy Chinese dough. It is a do-it-yourself type. I loved the mixture of the texture combining crunchy and soft as well as the delicious taste.
Vegetable san choy bao with crispy Chinese dough – $9
We can’t really go without dumplings! We ordered mixed vegetable and mushroom dumplings. I can tell these dumplings are super fresh and full of mushroom flavour. As a mushroom lover, I was so happy. I think this is my favourite dish of the day.
Mixed vegetable and mushroom dumplings $14 – my most favorite dish of the day!
And carbs! I can’t believe we ordered only one carb dish – We picked a fried noodle.
It is very simple dish but was full of flavour and we all enjoyed it very much. This dish can be my second favourite dish of the day.
Wok fried noodles with mixed mushroom and cabbage – $20 >> My second favourite dish of the day
We also had grilled skewers.
They offer several types of skewers like meat and seafoods but so happy to see some veggie options which are my favourites… one is Okura and another is king mushroom.
And fabulous thing is Okra has fermented BBQ sauce! Isn’t it interesting?
Skewers from the grill (2 pcs)
King brown mushroom with native salt and pepper – $8
Okra with fermented BBQ sauce and sesame – $8
For side dish, we had charcoal grilled broccolini.
It is always good to add super healthy and protein rich broccolini in our diet right?
Charcoal grilled broccolini with citrus soy and almonds $14
Another side is very exiting for me because I love Mizuna leaves ( yep, it is Japanese ) and seasoned with umeboshi dressing, umeboshi is very sour and salty but the dressing adds a subtle sweetness, so it is like sweet and sour dressing with a hint of the salted plum. From the photo, this salad doesn’t look very exiting but me and my Japanese friend were super happy to have it
Mizuna salad, heirloom tomatoes and walnuts with salted plum dressing – $12
For desserts, there are interesting choices but vegan dessert was just one choice – sorbet.
Blood orange sorbet – two scoops $9
In the end, we had such a healthy meal filled with vegetables – not boring vegetable dishes ! I am sure we got some “Chi “ (the energy) from the meal ! Another great things was lots of Japanese inspired dishes. I can tell the chef loves using Japanese ingredients like umeboshi and yuzu for example
I really like restaurants like Chi by lotus – not plant based restaurant but still offer interesting and delicious vegan dishes!
I highly recommend to this restaurant to my fellow plant based when they go out with non plant based family or friends!
CHI BY LOTUS
Address : Shop 2, 100 Barangaroo Avenue Barangaroo NSW 2000
https://www.lotusdininggroup.com/restaurant/chibylotus/
DO YOU NEED HEALTHY COOKING INSPIRATIONS?
Do you know I run a cooking school in Sydney?
You don’t live in Sydney?
– Online Course
I run online Japanese cooking courses! but I open the course 3 times a year. So if you want to be notified, just drop your email address HERE
– Plant Based Cookbook
You can grab my vegan cookbook “Japanese superfoods“
If you want to cook more easy and tasty Japanese vegan meals using Japanese superfoods – real key for Japanese health, grab my latest edition Now!
