It’s official, vegetarianism is cool. Rushing in on the heels of Kush, Dashu Wujie adds refined, high-end Chinese-fusion cuisine to the list of vegetarian options in the city. Opened by the founder of Vegetarian Lifestyle, the kitchen has put together a menu of organic, oil-free, origin-conscious dishes. Despite diners having to order food off an iPad, there aren’t many gimmicks like imitation meat or dry-ice theatrics here. Dashu Wujie is all about the versatility and beauty of the vegetables at hand.
A starter of eggplant tartlets (qieta, RMB42) were five amethyst mouthfuls of slow-roasted eggplant skin wrapped around a whipped puree of eggplant meat doused with dark vinegar and a whisper of garlic. It was a sophisticated, clean start to the meal. Less light but just as tasty was the mapo doufu (RMB42), which gets less oil without cutting back on taste. The creamy squares of tofu sporting a crisped outer layer so matched the elegant, numbing sauce that it was hard not to scoop it all into our mouth with a spoon. Another creative dish was jiangfang (RMB60), which arrived on an expansive plate looking a bit like a forgotten vessel. However, it turned out to be wintermelon steamed to a perfect, pliant tenderness, filled with three different types of mushrooms and studded with pine nuts. Nourishing double-boiled morel and bitter melon soup (RMB40/bowl) was very healthy though not as thrilling as the ingredients would suggest. If prices seem a bit higher and portions a bit smaller here, remember this is relatively fine dining. The interior sports beautiful, clean lines, food is composed and the windows look directly over Xujiahui Park.
Judging by the clientele, this environment seems to be gaining traction among the city’s elite. During our dinner we spied several Mercedes pull up to disgorge trim, well-dressed customers. The concept still didn’t stick for some though. We overheard a gentleman having a hard time deciding what to eat. “Don’t you have any beef?” He asked plaintively. “I like beef.” The unfortunate waitress demurred and explained several times before it finally sank in. ML
