The month-long pledge to veganism comes at the heels of New Year’s indulgences and resolutions. These restaurants in Singapore make it seem easy.
192 countries. 400,000 people. Veganuary is a global phenomenon. Participants commit to being vegan for 31 days in hopes of protecting the environment, preventing animal suffering, and improving individual health. But if January is the time, then Singapore is truly the place. Indeed, the lion city has long been a Mecca for the health and environmentally-conscious, and these four vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants are living proof.
1. AFTERGLOW BY ANGLOW
Afterglow, the beloved whole foods restaurant, is anything but traditional. Their Afterglow Kimchi Avo Rolls replace rice with ground almonds, while the Raw Pizza features a ‘crust’ of dehydrated sunflower seeds, flaxseed, and oats. The Raw Cheesecake, sweetened with natural maple syrup, is somehow vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. Best of all? Afterglow provides ‘eat-clean’ meal packages on a daily and weekly basis, proving that veganism – and cold-pressed juices – have never been so convenient.
For more information, visit afterglow.sg
2. NATURE CAFE
Missing hawker stalls? Don’t fret. Nature Cafe serves affordable, vegan adaptations of Singaporean staples. Soy Chicken Rice, a play on Hainanese Chicken Rice, is a simpler pleasure made from bean curd skin, drizzled with sesame oil and dark soy sauce. Another crowd-pleaser is the Spicy Mala Hot Pot, which brims with vegetables – lotus root, black fungus, tang hoon, peanuts, cabbage, and more — in a full-bodied, spicy broth.
For more information, visit naturecafe.com.sg
3. JOIE
For an inventive fine-dining experience, look no further than Joie and its recently updated menu. Notable dishes include the Duo Ravioli Platter, which pairs pumpkin and spinach ravioli with creamy cashew nut sauce, and Vegetable Sashimi Served on Ice with Oyster-leaf Shooter Glass, a gastronomic invention like no other. We don’t understand how Joie flawlessly recreated the texture of sashimi with konjac, but we won’t ask if it means dining at the luxurious rooftop restaurant.
For more information, visit joierestaurant.com.sg
4. DAEHWA
Daehwa, sister restaurant of The Boneless Kitchen, serves similar Korean fare with a renewed commitment to health; the menu is 90% vegan, and the rest vegan customizable. Begin your meal with Odeng Bokkeum, a vegetarian twist on the classic side dish. Instead of fish, rice cake is fried and glazed with a tangy, spicy sauce. For a hearty main, choose Soondubu Jiggae, a stew of enoki mushrooms and silky tofu, further flavoured with the subtle spice of fermented Kimchi.
For more information, visit daehwavegetarian.com