The Place
Lotus Veg Cafe has built up a bit of a reputation for its tasty plant-based fare, so can this third branch in The Summit live up to expectations?
The Food
As is the case with many restaurants these days, this branch’s menu is on an iPad, although the waitress will still come and take your order. Not all of the pictures have English translations, so ordering is a little tricky.
Luckily the food, which comes out quickly, makes up for any mishaps during the ordering process. The sizzling stuffed eggplants (RMB32) offer a nice textural contrast between the melt-in-the-mouth eggplant and crunchy, fresh celery, all nicely boosted with a dose of Thai basil, ginger and sweet chili.
The fried kidney beans (RMB38) are nicely cooked along with water chestnuts and mushrooms that give the dish a smoky flavor, while a subtle hint of ginger and chili add gentle warmth.
Flavored with the shoots and leaves of the Chinese cedar, the ‘Xiangchun’ fried rice with pine nuts (RMB30) has an earthy, almost basil pesto-like flavor. In contrast, the sweet potato with sesame seeds (RMB38) offers bite-size pops of honeyed sweetness that act as a nice palate cleanser.
The standout dish, however, is the fried noodles sprouts and ‘vegetarian ham’ (RMB26), where the flat noodles combine effortlessly with lightly cooked carrots, beansprouts, sesame, and mushrooms to offer a simple, light dish with minimal sauce, but maximum flavor.
The Vibe
Lotus Veg Café’s unassuming décor and tucked away location is hiding some seriously tasty food. The incongruous hodgepodge furniture doesn’t really match the industrial Chinese style of interior, while the massive cuddly toys just add to the kitsch. If you didn’t already know the Lotus brand, it’s easy to overlook this outlet and this is a shame.
See a listing for Lotus Veg Cafe and read more Suzhou Restaurant Reviews
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