Editor’s note: Hailing from London, Gareth the Globetrotting Gourmet is a technology marketing strategist who has worked in Dubai and Sao Paulo. Now that he is temporarily based in Taipei, he has decided to share with us his restaurant experiences. Be it good, excellent or “interesting.” 

Why :        Sunday Lunch
Where :     Daan District, Taipei
When :     23rd February 2020 (sat down at 1250)

Bandwagon ? Moi ? I don’t like fads (the idea of Bubble Tea fusion Pizza makes me wonder about people’s sanity) although I love enjoying the difference. 

However, it’s difficult not to accept the positive health and environmental impacts of eating less meat and so today I’m looking forward to my first GGG Vegan Restaurant review. A few minutes of research demonstrates a thriving Vegan scene in Taipei – so I make my decision based on the name : “Plants” – as a Marketer I love the purity of simple naming. 

The restaurant is easy to find after 20 minutes on the MRT. Friendly welcome, 80% full (90% of the clientele are women, with a high mix of Westerners) and a nice atmosphere. Inside it’s the typical modern industrial interior design – I was hoping it would be a tropical jungle, with living walls being continually harvested for ingredients, definitely a recommendation to the owners. 

There are lots of interesting* sounding dishes on the menu – and it’s difficult to choose. A quick scan of the room shows that presentation is very important and the dishes look as good as they sound. For my first deliberate vegan restaurant experience (I like a Buddha Bowl as much as the next person who’s interested in their health), I’m think I could really benefit from a tasting menu or mezze of different dishes. 

In the end I go for the “Harissa Roasted Cauliflower” +++* with a side order of “Living” Sauerkraut. I’m feeling proud of the healthy choices I’ve made and continue to be hydrated as my water glass appears to automatically refill.

I’m in no hurry (it’s a Sunday and I have no place to be), and I get the impression from the slow kitchen dispatch of food that everything is made individually. That’s fine with me – quality takes time. But I rapidly recognise the noise of the kitchen : there’s quite a din from extensive blending and pulping that drones on for quite a while. I’m dining alone so there’s not a problem for conversation – but for other tables they’re having to raise their voices to a low shout to be heard. 

The food arrives and the appearance is very attractive – I’m not the only person taking pictures. But the portion sizes continue in the usual Taiwan (small / very small) size). I’m definitely regretting not ordering the Rosemary Sweet Potato fries too. The Living Sauerkraut is bright purple and has a slight aniseed fermented taste – is this how you can differentiate it as “Living” ? 

The Harissa Cauliflower looks great and tastes better – it comes with a few other ingredients – including “pickled winey apples” and I wonder about the point of these . . . . yes they do have a slight “wine” flavour to them, but do they add anything ? Regardless, the food is interesting, delicious and doing me good. However, I’ve room for more and it’s back to the menu for further inspiration. All of a sudden the room stops as I spot Acai – and the realisation I can combine a GGG review with further Gladiator Acai research. Two things in one ? Perfect afternoon for me.  

There’s quite a wait for the Acai bowl. Plants is full now, but having exhausted all forms of in-restaurant entertainment I’m considering pulling my book out. When my Acai does arrive the “Spirulina Rawnola” looks rather unappetising – but the diced apple and thinly sliced pineapple improve the visual appeal. I can tell that the Acai is blended with other fruits, it’s quite sweet and not as authentic as I usually prefer – but it’s still very good and I’m confident it will set me up well for this afternoon’s exercise. 

I note it’s taken 90 minutes to get through these two courses which is pretty slow going for me – I often eat quickly when I’m on my own. I ask for the bill and I’ve paid the NT$737 (£18.70) which includes a 10% service charge and stop the clock in exactly (to the 1/100th of a second !) 3 minutes. I’ve really enjoyed my first Vegan experience and despite being an unwavering meat lover am committed to continuing to follow a more Flexitarian diet.

Would I recommend ?    Yes  – but take your ear plugs or a loud hailer

Will I return ?    I’m going to try other Vegan options in Taipei first

*Pretentiousness – will this actually be the challenge that prevents veganism from becoming mainstream ? I enjoyed what I ate and want to make it a more regular component of my diet. But I thought the menu was trying too hard, everything seemed to have a very elaborate and in my opinion OTT description. I had “Sprouted mung bean hummus” and “housemade pigeon-pea-miso paste” in my dish. But this is only one GG’s opinion – what do you think ? Answers on a DM please.

About Gareth the Globetrotting Gourmet:

Gareth is a British Marketing Professional who travels extensively for his work, having lived and worked across Europe, the Middle East, Brazil and now Taiwan. He “has" to eat three meals per day and loves telling stories about his experiences while doing so - occasionally he even mentions the food! Follow him on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/garethabel