Whether you’re a plant-based devotee, on the meat-free Monday train or more of a flexitarian to suit your mood, here are five of our favourite vegan dishes worth tucking into this year
ERINGI MUSHROOM PIZZA
Where: Akira Back, W The Palm
Chef Gio has gone to great lengths to create a vegan menu that is as good – if not better, some might argue – as the main offering, and with 20+ plant-based dishes on offer, it’s no wonder Akira Back is a favourite on the vegan scene. It’s hard to highlight one dish, but if we must it would be the Eringi Mushroom Pizza – a plant-based play on the restaurant’s signature tuna pizza. Thinly sliced King Oyster mushrooms from Below Farms are layered on a lightly baked tortilla for a little crunch, with umami aioli, truffle oil, beetroot and locally grown heirloom tomatoes and micro shisho bringing out all the flavours. Light yet deliciously indulgent. Often one dish isn’t enough.
AVOCADO & SEAWEED SALAD SANDWICH
Where: Nette, Matcha Club, Al Quoz
The perfect hearty but nutrient-rich dish, this sandwich is one for salad lovers who like something with a bit more ‘bite’. It’s the perfect example of Nette’s passion for redefining plant-based cuisine and riffs off its French-meets-Japanese menu. Sandwiched between two slices of crunchy, locally sourced country sourdough, there’s seaweed, creamy avocado, a house-made vegan mayo (made with aquafaba to give it its luxuriously creamy, egg-free base), tomatoes and alfalfa sprouts, giving the classic ‘sarnie’ an elevated take on wakame flavours.
TRUFFLE MUSHROOM BUN
Where: Tàn Chá, JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Business Bay
A dish that looks and tastes like a ’shroom but... isn’t a one! Rather, it’s a bun that’s been hand-moulded into a ’shroom shaped and filled with mushrooms: King Oysters cultivated in China, prized for their meaty texture, shiitake mushrooms hand-picked from Japan for their umami flavours, and nutty, buttery Shimeji mushrooms grown in South Korea. The final flourish is the black truffle oil and sauce from Italy that gives the dish its truffle depth and aroma. What we really love is its blend of French elegance and Asian craftsmanship that celebrates the modern art of plant-based cuisine, proving that vegetables, when in the right hands, pack a seriously appetising punch!
NO MEAT SHORT RIB
Where: Maine Street Eatery, Studio One Hotel, Studio City
This is a deliciously juicy dish perfect for those who miss the rich flavours that a meat dish often brings. The ‘ribs’ are created using Impossible Meat (the plant-based meat alternative by Impossible Foods), and served on light and fluffy potato truffle mash drizzled with a jus – rather than a gravy – that’s packed with vegetables (10 in fact, including leeks, eggplant and celeriac). While the microgreens add a gorgeous boost of colour, if you’re in the mood for actual vegetables, ask to vegan-ify the chargrilled Brussels sprouts so they’re cooked in oil rather than butter. It’s a game-changing dish that’s simple yet impressive.
VEGETARIAN MAPO TOFU
Where: XU, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates
While tofu can be a bit like Marmite – you either love it or hate it – the team at XU works their magic to ensure the Mapo Tofu dish is jam-packed with colour, spice and flavour. A plant-based twist on the classic Chinese dish, this version champions ingredients like firm tofu, shiitake mushrooms, garlic and ginger, which capture the umami and richness of the original recipe. The sauce is definitely the star of the dish, made from homemade fermented bean paste, Sichuan peppercorns, dried chillies and chilli paste – the latter giving the tofu just the right amount of heat. Trust us, this dish is good enough to turn even the most ardent tofu cynic into an enthusiast.
