A cooler summer through eating

There are many ways to counter the summer heat. One of these ways, surprisingly, is eating! A vegetarian meal not only helps diners escape the worries of gaining weight, but helps to regain a peaceful heart previously strained by summer heat.

A vegan diet is beneficial to health in many aspects. Studies have shown that vegetarians (following a well-balanced low-fat high-fiber vegetarian diet) often have lower incidence of coronary artery disease, hypertension, obesity and some forms of cancer. Besides, fruit consumption always has protective effect. Adequate intake of vitamins prevents wrinkled skin and promotes overall health.

Here we have a list of vegetarian eateries in Beijing and Shanghai, hoping to help you achieve a cooler summer by eating.

Beijing

Fried cubes of carrot, celery and bamboo shoot.

Boasting a long history in cooking vegetarian dishes, Godly is a big attraction to foreigners.

Signature dish vegetarian mutton kebabs made from mushrooms, with an appearance similar to meat kebabs, due to the addition of cumin and sesame, is worth of a try.

However, the dining environment is barely average, and service is just acceptable though dishes are served quickly. Cold dishes are priced around RMB 20 and hot dishes more than RMB 30.

Location: No.58, Chongwenmenqian Dajie
Tel: 010-67020867/65112542

2. Jiaheyuan

Jiaheyuan can be crowned as the purple bamboo garden, with purple bamboo lining the inside passages and spreading throughout the courtyard.

Vegetarian dishes here strictly follow Buddhist recipes, excluding Wuxin (spicy seasoning, such as shallots, garlic and so on) and eggs, and feature a Cantonese flavor.

Specialties like "Jinbopudu" are made with fresh vegetables, melons and mushrooms. Classic Cantonese dishes "Baozhi Bailinggu" (tonic mushrooms stewed in abalone soups), "Shuangse Haishen" (double color sea pumpkin) and "Qingzheng Xueyu" (white stewed codfish) are Jingsi Sushifang's signature dishes.

Location: 360 meters west of Jishuitanqiao, on the 2nd North Ring Road
Tel: 010-62261846/62260423

Traditional Chinese tea is something good to drink in summer. Tea making process helps quiet the heart.

Jingsi Sushifang improvises on traditional Buddhist dishes.

Famous dishes include Puduzhongsheng (save all living creatures on earth) made from various mushrooms, Fokousanxiang (fragrance radiating Buddha mouth) pine nut braised together with fragrant mushrooms, Zaisujinshen (reincarnated golden body), fried bean curd rolls with vegetarian hams, fragrant mushrooms and bamboo shoot slices as stuffing.

Jingsi Sushifang is also famous for its various tea drinks.

Location: Jia No.18, Dafosi Dongjie, Dongcheng (western end of Yuqun Hutong, 200 meters north of Longfu Hospital)
Tel: 010-64008941

4. Hetang Yuese (lotus pond moon view)

Hetang Yuese features an eclectic variety of vegetarian dishes, based on temple dishes improved by integrating a folk vegetarian diet, a royal vegetarian diet and a foreign vegetarian diet.

As its name indicates, Hetang Yuese is a poetic dining place. Tableware is not of regular shape or color. Signature dishes include "Huangying Cuiliu" (yellow birds green willows) made out of baby cabbages and yellow pumpkin interspersed with mushrooms and "Picasso Sunshine" made with mushrooms and cauliflower.

Location: Building No.12, Liufang Nanli, Chaoyang
Tel: 010-64653299/64663114

Updated: 2006-07-14 11:42

Shanghai

Fruit salad is young girls' favorite. Adequate intake of vitamins promotes overall health.  
1. New Age Veggie

Rising against the current vegetarian trend, New Age Veggie advocates creative vegetarian dishes. Recommended dishes include Heijiao Niuliu (black pepper beef slices), a tender dish arguably better than real steaks, and Yanjianrou (salt fried meat) made out of soybeans yet looking exactly like steak meat.

New Age Veggie also offers hot dishes as well as various desserts and ices. The lemon lotus root slices are recommended, although they may not appear too pleasing.

However, dishes are served in small quantities and the price is a little bit on the higher end.

Location: 5F, Zhengda Plaza, No. 168, Lujiazui Xilu
Tel: 021-50471908

2. Jujube Tree

Zaozishu is famous for its affordable vegetarian dishes catering to ordinary citizens. Simple decoration radiates an easygoing ambiance.

Fruits are served as appetizers. Recommended dishes are "Changxiangsi" (forever missing you) tasting something like sausage and "Wucaiboliqiu" (colorfull glass balls, RMB 32) featuring a beautiful appearance and a pleasing flavor.

Many foreign vegetarian recipes have come into China. 
Zaozishu also offers rather worthwhile business lunch at RMB 18. All dishes are served in large quantities.

Location1: No.258, Fengxianlu
Tel: 021-62157566

Location2: Bottom building, Paris Garden, No.848, Huangjin Chengdao, Changning
Tel: 021-62751798 62758497

Location3: Shanghai Royal Palace, No.77, Songshanlu, Luwan (near Huaihai Zhonglu)
Tel: 021-63848000 63855986

3. Tianran Jiankang Shushi (natural healthy vegetarian dishes)

Recommended dishes include "Shengcai Shula" (RMB 32), green vegetable rolls with fake pork grains, beef grains, carrots and peanuts as stuffing and "Supin Nanguazhong" (crispy husk pumpkin cup, RMB 10), thick corn soup.

Freshly pressed fruit juices are served with labels indicating their health benefits in simple words, such as tomato juice labelled as "detoxifying and improving the digestive system".

Menus are presented in three languages: Chinese, English and Japanese.

Location: No.390, Shaanxi Nanlu, Luwan (near Fuxing Zhonglu)
Tel: 021-64370602