For what do you pine?

[Joesox]

@hsiadogah

[quote=“rooftop”]MOst of the vegtarian stuff here is so oily! And why does it almost always taste exactly the same from one Buddha buffet joint to the next?[/quote]Because soy products are cheaper than vegetables and Taiwanese buddhists confuse misery with dharma and deny themselves chili and garlic in pusuit of ‘merit’. What’s left to flavor food except oil, salt and MSG?

I miss western-style vegetarian food as well. Thick, hearty soups, handmade vegeburgers etc. (although surely the prevalence of vegeburgers, vegebangers etc. in the west means that there’s about the same amount of vegetarian-food-intended-to-look-like-meat over there.)

However;
1 I’ve never been to a vegetarian restaurant here where soy dishes came close to outnumbering vegetable ones
2 Yes, quite a few dishes in quite a few vege. restaurants are on the oily side but if you pick and choose you can get some great stuff.
3 Chili is fine
4 The no onions/garlic thing is a pretty common theme in Buddhism in various regions in Asia, and in some other religious traditions originating in India. Some Buddhists will eat them normally but will forgo them at particular times for example when on retreat.
More on this topic here;
[Vegetarian food in Taiwan - #9 by Joesox