One of the first vegan restaurants that I ever visited in Hong Kong, Loving Hut no doubt remains as one of my favorite places to eat.
Read moreRestaurant Review: Hemingway's By the Bay
Beyond Burger Sliders
As a bold attempt to convert the way people eat, Hemingway's By the Bay phased out all seafood from their restaurant last August, and by January, they turned a new leaf and transformed the beach-side restaurant into one that can be entirely enjoyed by both vegans and vegetarians alike.
Although the idea of abstaining from meat is daunting to many, Hemingway's successfully spins a creative twist onto all the usual dishes, tempting non-vegans to experience the realistic Beyond burger, shepherd’s pie, spaghetti bolognese, and BBQ pulled ‘pork’ sandwich - which shocks customers who discover that it is in fact made of jackfruit. While remaining tasty, these plant-based alternatives largely reduce the damage done towards the environment.
Hemingway's also enables convenience to its customers by being the first restaurant to implement the use of The Last Straw's bright green paper straws. By providing an alternative choice, they make the process of living sustainably both easy and impactful. These simple changes momentarily divert us from the disconcerting truth that if people continue to consume meat and dispose plastic at an unsustainable rate, there will be more plastic than fish left in the ocean by 2048.
Hopefully, the bold transition that Hemingway's has undergone will inspire other restaurants to do the same, and collectively, Hong Kong will strive towards fostering a more sustainable and healthier environment.
Potato Skins
Thoughts on The Big 5:
Food: Their menu offers a wide range of comfort foods, many of which are spicy Mexican-style dishes that contain beans, guac, and salsa. They have burgers, pasta (bolognese!), and pizza - anything you'd expect at a typical Western restaurant - except everything on the menu is vegan! The pizza is slightly cheesier and sticker than usual, and the crust is harder than most pizzas (they are not a pizzeria so can't expect their pizzas to be super high quality), but they're still delicious nonetheless! For the burgers, they use Beyond Meat, and you can either order it as a full burger or order three mini sliders to share (I love that option)! Hemingway's is a great option especially if you're sharing among a group of people. They're one of the very few restaurants in Hong Kong that sell vegan pizzas, so those are no doubt a must try. :)
Price: $100-$200 On the more expensive end of the spectrum, but as most of the dishes are quite large, they are great for sharing and end up being quite worth the price once you split the bill. ;)
Location: Located in Discovery Bay, Hemingway's is not the ideal 'go-to' for many Hong Kongers...unless you live in Discovery Bay. Discovery Bay is a 30 minute ferry ride from Central pier 3, but it's definitely worth the trek if you want some great vegan food!
Comfort: You have the option of both indoor and outdoor seating which is great, because if you want to enjoy the sun, you can sit outside, whereas if you'd prefer to eat in an air conditioned space, then the indoor seating is for you! At night, the restaurant becomes a bar with live music playing and a vibrant atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.
Staff: One of the greatest let downs of this restaurant has got to be its staff. Every time I've entered the restaurant, there has been no one to welcome me in, and I've had to figure out whether or not the seats are available just through trial and error. The staff seemed to be missing all the time, and it's extremely difficult to find a waiter/waitress to take your order. Another major downside is the fact that on most days, the restaurant only opens at 1pm, so if you want to have lunch before that, then tough luck!
Overall, a few improvements can be made to the service at this restaurant, but otherwise, Hemingway's is a great restaurant to visit - especially if you're not ready to plunge into the vegan lifestyle just yet, but slowly want to transition by eating the usual comfort foods and realizing that vegan diets do not deprive you of anything tasty!
Chick'n Tikka Pizza - this photo is now published on Hemingway's menu!
Spaghetti Bolognese with Beyond Meat and Garlic Bread
Chick'n Tikka Pizza
Pulled Jackfruit Pizza
The Great Vegan Debate: Beyond VS. Impossible Burger
Mock meats: the best way to convince an omnivore that vegan food is anything but boring. They have the ability to fool even the most adamant meat-eaters and fulfil the occasional cravings of plant-based foodies. Two of the most popular variations in Hong Kong are the Beyond and Impossible meat: both entirely plant-based, they have the frightening ability to 'bleed' - making them freakishly realistic and intriguing. More importantly, they both share the same objective of reducing people's carbon footprints by providing a more eco-friendly yet delicious alternative to the usual burger. I am always thrilled by the sight of a plant-based burger on a restaurant's menu, so this article will attempt to give a rundown of the main places in Hong Kong where you can give them a try, which one the majority of Instagrammers (who answered my poll) prefer, and which one I prefer!
Here are some basic facts about the Beyond Burger (the rest you can find on their website):
- 20G of pea protein in each patty
- Beets are the secret behind the bleeding
WHERE TO FIND THE BEYOND BURGER:
1. Confusion Plant-Based Kitchen
The Beyond Burger from Confusion is extra 'cheese'y, and it comes with a side of either tofu fries or purple yam fries. Absolutely delicious - this burger is one of the few permanent items on their menu and is extremely popular and loved by all! Costs $145 HKD and is very filling.
2. Kind Kitchen
The Apple Puree Beyond Burger from Kind Kitchen tastes great, but it is probably on the blander side of the spectrum (due to the lack of 'cheese'). However, it is layered with a smokey vegan mustard sauce which adds a spicy and fresh taste to it. This burger costs $108 HKD and pairs perfectly with the crispy, fresh, and salty fries on the side.
3. Hemingway's
I don't have a photo of the Beyond Burger from Hemingway's, but I had a bite of it, and - just like all other Beyond Burgers - it tasted delicious! It had a strong smokey flavour, making it seem as if it was barbecued. It costs $138, and it is served with either sweet potato fries or fat chips.
4. The Butcher's Club
Despite the off-putting restaurant name, The Beyond Wu Tang style burger is hands down the best Beyond Burger I have ever eaten. It is a plant-based version of their popular Wu Tang burger, and it does a perfect job of imitating the succulent taste of a regular burger. Part of what makes it so delicious is its combination of vegan mayonnaise, kimchi, and vegan cheese (look how beautiful...). It is also fried in Sriracha, which adds an extra dimension of spice to it. Priced at $120, and it's no doubt the most reasonable ones to have!
Recently introduced to the vegan scene in Hong Kong, the Impossible burger can be found in restaurants such as Little Bao, Beef & Liberty, and Cali-Mex (in beef bits as opposed to a burger).
Fun facts:
- 20G of wheat protein in each patty
- Heme is their magical bleeding ingredient
- Hong Kong is the first city out of the US to have the Impossible burger!
*The Beyond meat is available in retail at grocery stores such as Green Common and Just Green, but the Impossible meat can only be eaten at a select few restaurants
WHERE TO FIND THE IMPOSSIBLE BURGER:
1. Beef & Liberty
This Impossible burger does an excellent job of looking like a real, beef burger. However, I'm not sure if I was just unlucky, but I thought it tasted very plain and dry - nothing extraordinary. There were a bunch of greens that gave it a minty flavour and I liked how the 'meat' was cooked so that it was slightly crispy and had a smokey taste, but I think it would have been better with a layer of vegan cheese or some other sauce, as is the case with any other burger! I also found out after eating this that their bun wasn't even vegan, but now they are implementing a vegan bun at all branches. Costs $135 and is currently available at @beefandliberty 's Stanley, LKF, and airport chains!
2. Little Bao
Impossible Bao from Little Bao, Hong Kong
This was the first Impossible meat I tried, and I was amazed by how REAL it looked and tasted! This little restaurant on Staunton street is a popular eatery that adds a creative twist to the usual Chinese dining style. Famous for it's white bread Baos, the Impossible addition to their menu is a brilliant way to attract more customers! The patty was so juicy, and it was cooked with caramelised onions and other vegetables which gave it a nice smokey and salty flavour - which paired perfectly with the soft, sweet, white buns. It was on the more expensive side, $148 HKD, but definitely worth a try!
3. CALI-MEX
Impossible Meat Burrito, Cali-Mex
Not a burger, but I thought it would be worthwhile to mention that you can also try the Impossible meat at Cali-Mex in Sai Ying Pun (not sure if it is available at all branches yet)! A nice addition to the burrito or burrito bowl, the Impossible meat adds some extra protein and flavour to your meal. I personally couldn't really taste it, but I was still amazed by how real it looked and it was fun to eat it nevertheless!
I created a Google Maps collection for all the locations (that I know of) where you can eat Beyond or Impossible meat in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, I don't have the premium feature to embed it into my blog, so you can access it here.
THE VERDICT:
Beyond VS. Impossible
Before writing this post, I would have confidently said that I prefer Beyond meat over Impossible meat. Although it doesn't look as realistic, it has more inherent flavour, the patty is juicier, and I love the smokey flavour and aftertaste that it has. After refreshing my mind about the Impossible Bao, I do think my opinion may be slightly skewed due to the disparity between the number of times I have tasted the Beyond burger compared to the Impossible burger, but I still believe that the Beyond burger is more to my liking. If I had to recommend two of my favorite burgers mentioned in this post, it would no doubt be the Beyond Wu Tang Style Burger from The Butcher's Club and The Impossible Bao from Little Bao!