It was hard to resist the temptation to spend all our time in Tokyo revisiting our favourite spots, but somehow we did manage to get in a few new eateries too. I learned on social media about this hotel, which has a restaurant that serves three vegan set menus in the evenings that you can choose from – there are no vegan options before dinner. You can choose Japanese, Chinese, or western, and they each have five small courses. We reserved a table online, and had to choose our meal at that time. All three of us went for the Japanese menu, because we were trying to get in as much Japanese food as possible. It was a nice restaurant, classy without being intimidating (we were in our comfy tourist clothes we’d been wearing all day and did not feel out of place), and it was quite spacious and relaxing. The food was generally good, without being totally amazing.
The appetiser was three small bites. The vegetable rice crackers, as they were called on the menu, were just like vegetable crisps, and were pleasant but a bit unremarkable. The deep fried aubergine was nice and had a great texture, but suffered from being served cold, in our opinion. The yuba, served in a little glass, was slippery and fun. I love a bit of tofu skin!
The pureed seasonal vegetable soup was a bit bland and boring, despite the little pots of pepper and rice cracker to liven it up. My expectations were quite low for a soup course though, to be honest. It certainly looked colourful and appealing, anyway.
The biggest course came next, the yuba and mushroom hot pot. This was basically a big plate of different kinds of mushrooms, vegetables, and tofu skin that we cooked at the table in a pot of broth. It’s always fun to cook your own meals like this! The mushrooms were really flavoursome, and I loved the texture of the yuba. Mother HH had never had yuba before and was not a fan unfortunately, so it might be a bit of a risky choice for someone who is not super familiar with Japanese food. I hoovered up her leftovers though, so it was a great day for me! She really loved the theatre of cooking at the table though, so that made up for it.
Three kinds of sushi came next – one with courgette, one with turnip, and one with red pepper. To be honest, they were not super flavourful, I’ve definitely had better. They all basically just tasted like their vegetable topping, but not really enhanced or complemented in any way. But it was nice to get some rice for something a bit more filling.
Finally, the dessert was rice cake in sweet red bean soup, and warabi rice cake. As long as you like that kind of gelatinous texture, this is a good dessert! (Again, Mother HH was a bit flummoxed by this one, finding the texture a bit unexpected for a dessert.) The red beans were nice and sweet. The warabi had a great texture and a nice matcha flavour. This was a good ending to the meal.
It wasn’t mindblowing food, but we really enjoyed the yuba appetizer, hot pot, and dessert. Even Mother HH, who was not so familiar with Japanese cuisine, found lots of things she liked about it and enjoyed the overall experience of trying these different things.
It’s always good to see more restaurants adding vegan options to their menu, and this seems like a fairly ambitious entry point. Hopefully they’ll make some tweaks to bring a bit more flavour as they find their feet. If you’re dining with meat eaters or looking for somewhere a bit more spacious and quieter than a typical restaurant, this is a nice option.
Our attempt to visit more vegan bakeries on this trip to Tokyo continued (and basically finished) with a trip to not one but two branches of Universal Bakes. The two branches are about a 15 minute walk apart, and in quite a quiet, residential part of the city, which always makes for a fun walk. Unfortunately for us, that means they were nowhere near Shinjuku, so it was a bit of a trek to get there, which is why we’d never been before. Ultimately, it was probably worth the trip.
Our first stop was Universal Bakes and Cafe. We got there right after opening on a Saturday to ensure we got a seat – information online seemed a bit vague about just how big it was. I can now report that there are only six seats indoors (a table of four and a table of two), and a few more outside.
We were there specifically to get a vegan curry pan, but there were none available. It seemed like a few dishes were unavailable still at that time – there was a sign behind the counter for French toast, but we were told it was too early for that too. There were lots of savoury items, mostly toasts with toppings, and a few sweet ones too but not many.
All three of us tried the chocolate raspberry muffins, which were excellent – nicely baked, a perfect top, and loads of chocolate. Mother HH actually felt it had too much chocolate and not enough fruit, but that’s not a complaint you would ever catch me making!
We also had a weekly special, the zaatar croissant. This was sublime! The croissant was so crisp and flaky, and the savoury seasoning was perfect. It looked like they had regular themes for the special – the week we visited it was UAE themed, hence the zaatar.
We got cafe lattes and a matcha latte, both were good. The matcha latte was nicely balanced, and whichever plant milk they used had a nice creaminess to it.
Dr HH did not want to give up on his long awaited curry pan just yet, so we made the short walk over to Universal Bakes 2, and found that it had more sweets…but also no curry pan. There was no indoor seating at this branch, but quite a bit outdoor, so if it’s good weather then you’re in luck. We got some donuts to take away and they were delicious.
Dr HH got the donut holes covered with kinako (roasted soy bean flour). He thought this worked really well in places of sugar. The donuts were still sweet but now with a bit of a roasted nutty taste on top of it. It’s always fun to try something totally different!
I could not resist the chocolate cookie donut. It was a bit crispier around the edges and denser than a regular donut, and the chocolate was absolutely delicious. I loved it! As someone with more of a sweet tooth, Universal Bakes 2 probably caters better to my tastes – but it was nice to have a proper sit down and drink at the main cafe too.
Maybe one day we’ll get to try the coveted curry pan. Is it too soon to start planning another trip?!
On our April trip to Tokyo, we finally visited some of the all-vegan bakeries that get rave reviews. Marbre Vegan is not only very popular, but also very easy to get to, as it’s in Shinjuku, which is where we always stay.
It’s a tiny cafe which was very busy when we visited one afternoon, with people queuing out the door at times (lots of people got takeaway – it’s right opposite Shinjuku Gyoen Garden, which is a good spot to sit and eat, but you do have to pay for entry). It was totally full inside, so we had to sit outside. There were quite a few cakes to choose from.
Mother HH definitely ordered the best items. She had a sakura smoothie, which was lovely and thick with a strong cherry flavour. She also got the strawberry tart, which was sensational. It had a lovely case and frangipane-style filling, with jam, cream, and plenty of strawberries all combining to perfection.
Dr HH and I got the strawberry cake, which is extremely popular amongst Happy Cow reviewers, and were underwhelmed. It was extremely light on strawberries, such that most bites did not include even a hint of strawberry flavour. The sponge was light but not really spongy in our opinion. Based on its popularity, perhaps this is just personal preference. On the plus size, the cream was lovely, and it was a decent sized slice.
I only ever drink matcha when I’m in Japan, so of course I had to indulge on this trip. The iced matcha latte was well balanced, and one of the better ones I had in our visit. Dr HH also enjoyed his cafe latte.
I wouldn’t try that strawberry cake again, but I’d definitely go back and try something else on the menu – preferably that strawberry tart!
I’ve only just cleared my backlog of eateries from my trip to Asia last summer, and now it’s time for another round of Japan posts! We’ve previously visited in July 2019 and July/August 2024. One of our dreams was to get back to Japan in spring – partly to see the cherry blossom, but also partly to see what it’s like to be in this country and not be absolutely dripping in sweat the whole time. It turns out to be a delight on both fronts!
We’re revisiting a lot of our favourite restaurants from last summer, but have found a few new places to try as well. Vegan Sushi Tokyo had just opened last time we visited and was so new that there weren’t many reviews up yet, meaning we prioritised more established spots. But the glowing reviews have been pouring in since then, so it was an easy addition to our itinerary this time around.
Reservations are required for this place, and it is very easy to make a booking online. It’s a small place, with a few tables and a bar, which is where we were seated. You place your order using a QR code on your phone, and pay online while ordering. There is only one food option – a ten piece sushi set served with miso soup and pickled ginger – so the only decisions you need to make are what drinks to get and whether or not you want a dessert. Because it’s a set menu, the food arrives pretty quickly.
Miso soup is rarely impressive to me, and sure enough I found this one nice but not astounding. It did have a strong miso flavour, and I enjoyed the spongy bits of tofu, but it was never going to be the star of the show.
Happily, the sushi was wonderful! The server left us a paper menu so that we could check the description of each piece as we ate, which I certainly appreciated.
The tuna mayo and salmon roe piece was one of our favourites. We worried it would be too mayo- heavy, but it wasn’t at all. It had a good taste of the sea and a really pleasant texture. Mother HH (who joined us on this trip) is not vegan and regularly eats tuna, and even she was wowed by this one.
Alas, the scrambled egg was not a hit with any of us. This one did mostly taste of mayo, and there was no eggy flavour at all, even though that is very easy to achieve with black salt. We were also expecting more texture, but it was very soft and wet. Maybe it depends on how you preferred scrambled eggs? This one appears very popular in the Happy Cow reviews, so perhaps it’s just us who were underwhelmed.
The eggplant was well cooked so it was soft and melting away, and the ginger and soy seasoning was nice.
I thought the avocado would be quite dull, as I am consistently bored by restaurants offering avocado maki as their only vegan option. But this was delightful! The seasoning really elevated it, and I wish all those uninspired restaurants would learn from this.
Conversely, the tempura did not quite live up to our (admittedly very high) expectations. The coating on the shrimp was good and crispy, but the shrimp itself didn’t have the rubbery texture I expect, nor much flavour, which is a shame. Mother HH did enjoy this one quite a bit more than me though.
The tofu and yam had a really nice texture, while the shiitake was full of earthy flavours. It was really simple and effective, cooked to perfection.
I didn’t expect to enjoy the Japanese ginger, but it was sensational – sharp from pickling and extremely tasty. I thought that much ginger would be too much for me, but far from it!
The vegan meat was flavoursome and had a good texture. It was seasoned with something rather mysteriously referred to as “original sauce”. I’d love to know a bit more!
And finally, the king oyster mushroom was another juicy piece of flavoursome mushroom, this time elevated with an incredible yuzu and black pepper sauce. So delicious!
All in all, this was a really incredible set of sushi with some wonderful flavours and textures. Even the couple that didn’t dazzle me we’re still fun to try. You have the option to order refills of specific pieces, but we all resisted in order to leave room for dessert.
The dessert options are donuts, ice cream, or doroyaki pancakes. All three of us went for the latter, for the novelty factor. Also I attempted to make doroyaki pancakes last year with quite mixed results, so I was keen to see how they should turn out! The pancakes were sweet and light. The red bean paste that sandwiched them together was sweet but overall resulted in quite a dry dish. I would recommend paying extra for a scoop of ice cream on top, I imagine that would bring it all together perfectly.
All three of us were totally delighted with this meal. Service was friendly and easy to navigate as an English speaker. The atmosphere and decor were really pleasant too. In a journey full of excellent food, this was one of the real highlights.
And for a non-culinary highlight, here’s some of that cherry blossom that lured us in! We arrived slightly later than desirable, so most of the blossom was already quite pale, but it was still beautiful, especially in Shinjuku Gyoen Garden.
I love a really rich, decadent hot chocolate, so thick you almost need a spoon to get into it. The ones at Mamacoffees are not that thick, but they’re definitely the best vegan hot chocolates in Prague, in my opinion.
Mamacoffees is a chain of cafes dotted around the city. Most branches are small with limited seating, except for the central branch near Karlovo Namesti which is quite big (but usually packed).
I’m not a coffee drinker, but I believe their coffee is good. Dr HH always buys his coffee beans there, and they will happily process them for whatever brewing set up you have at home. But for me, it truly is all about the hot chocolate. The servings are tiny, but I honestly couldn’t handle any more!
That’s not to say I don’t get a little sweet treat to go alongside the drink occasionally! There are always a few clearly labelled vegan options in the sweets counter.
The pumpkin and cinnamon snail is probably my favourite. It’s really coconutty, and a nice fluffy bake.
The chocolate bundt cake is nice, but can be a little dry for my taste. It’s the only chocolatey vegan option, so sometimes you just have to get it anyway.
The loaf cakes are generally better baked. This one is the carrot cake, which is nicely spiced and really soft. Further up this post was a slice of lemon cake, which is always good and zingy.
In the main branch there is a more extensive menu, though I believe the only vegan options are hummus and some porridge, so I would never go for an actual meal. But for a baked good and the best hot chocolate in town, I’m always ready for a visit!
The arrival of properly delicious vegan pastries in Prague has been majestic! For the first few years I lived here, there were a few bready croissants available and a very rare good pastry popping up as a special. And then finally Krafin arrived and made all my dreams come true!
Krafin is a small bakery and cafe that is owned by the same people who run Chutnej and Hot Plants. It sells hot drinks and desserts alongside its excellent assortment of pastries, all made in the bakery on the premises.
While they make a range of pastries (including the pain au chocolat above which they make with three lines of chocolate instead of just two), the real star of the show is of course the croissant/muffin hybrid which gives the bakery its name.
There is a whole range of krafin flavours, including some fruity and creamy panna cotta ones alongside chocolate and nut varieties. They are all quite generously filled with whatever flavour you have chosen, such as the pistachio above, and they have a lovely crisp bite to the outside.
There are some reliable classic fillings, including caramel, chocolate hazelnut, and raspberry panna cotta, alongside some seasonal specials that change. This month they introduced the Dubai krafin. This trend had bypassed me until now, but it was absolutely sensational – filled with pistachio cream and tahini and topped with delicious chocolate, pistachio, and kadayif pastry. I hope this one is a permanent addition, because it’s amazing! (So far, this is only available in the cafe, not on the delivery app.)
Alongside the krafins, there are also standard croissants, which are flaky and buttery. (You can see us here heating ours up at home – unfortunately they don’t serve them warmed up if you eat in the cafe.)
Another new addition is this maple and pecan plait (which translates to pecan bagel on the delivery app, but it’s definitely no bagel). This has become a fast favourite of mine, with its crisp layers and perfect seasoning.
There’s also a cinnamon snail (again, not available for delivery, only in the cafe) which has a lovely sweet topping.
There’s also a good selection of savouries, including croissant sandwiches with various fillings – they’re not my cup of tea, so I’ve never tried one, but they certainly look enticing and generously filled. I enjoy their savoury tarts, which I think change flavours fairly regularly too. These are a couple of older ones, no longer on the menu this year I think.
And the savoury Danishes are great when they’re available. This cheese and tomato one is a perfect little snack. Again, it’s best heated up at home.
Every Christmas, Krafin also offers a few seasonal specialities. This festive bread is a Czech tradition, so it’s nice to get a vegan version. It’s a great, fluffy bake and lightly spiced.
They also offer the traditional box of mixed biscuits. Last year was our first time trying them at Krafin, and they were good fun, a really nice variety. However, they suffer the same problem as our previous sources which is that we just can’t get through a box before they start getting too soft. I think they’re meant to be shared by more than two people, or eaten in fewer sittings!
From these seasonal specials to the regular menu, Krafin is an absolute joy and my most-visited spot in Prague. The staff in the cafe are really great, and it’s a nice bright space if you do opt to eat in. Additionally, they have a regular stand at the JzP market and provide their wares to Chutnej (the main restaurant) and several other cafes around town. It truly is a great time to be a vegan in Prague!
The vegan pizza scene has really evolved over the nine years I’ve lived in Prague. As well as an all-vegan pizzeria, there’s also a decent selection of restaurants with respectable vegan options. Third Coast Pizza is one of those non-vegan spots with vegan options, but it sets itself apart from the crowd by only serving Detroit style pizza, which is quite the novelty here. This means the pizza has a really good thick base. It also doesn’t really leave a crust around the edge, so the cheese goes all the way to the sides and goes a little chewy and delicious.
There are only two veganisable options on the menu, along with your option of creating your own. I always order the vegan Dominik Hašek, which is a simple cheese and tomato that I might usually consider a bit dull, but the quality of the tomato sauce really elevates it to something special. It’s so rich and flavoursome. I’m not used to the sauce being served in smaller stripes like this, but it’s easy to spread around and is generally enough.
The same cheese and tomato sauce are used on the other veganisable option, Finch, which is Dr HH’s preferred pizza here. This one has caramelised onions, cherry tomatoes, and black olives, which all sound great…but also pineapple. Controversial stuff! It’s not for me, but Dr HH is a big fan.
I’m not sure what vegan cheese brand they use on their pizzas, but it’s unobtrusive and melts nicely, so no complaints from me. And that base is just excellent! It makes it an extremely filling pizza, so half of one is enough for me.
That’s especially true because I always order a basket of mixed fries too. There’s one option on the menu which is clearly labelled as fried in tallow (which I believe is quite common in the Czech Republic), so make sure to order the other one! I don’t know anywhere else in Prague serving curly fries and waffle fries, and I love a novelty potato shape, so these are very pleasing. The seasoning on them is excellent too!
Third Coast Pizza is a really nice spot for dining in, with excellent and friendly service. It does get quite busy, so we always make sure to reserve a table when we’re going. They also do delivery, and the goods travel well. The only downside is that the vegan options are sometimes unavailable to order online – presumably they’re out of cheese. So I try not to get my hopes up too much when we’re thinking of ordering. But when they’ve got the vegan options on, it’s a dream come true!
In my early days as a vegan, I used to eat quite a lot of falafel and hummus. It is more of a rarity now, which speaks well of all the other vegan options springing up all over the place. When I am in the mood for hummus and falafel, Bistro Habibi is probably the best spot in Prague to try.
This is a small and very welcoming Jordanian restaurant. It serves meat, but it does label vegan options on the menu. While there are quite a few suitable dishes to try, we always get the same one, which is a veganised version of the vegetarian plate. Make sure you do clearly request that it’s veganised! The dish as stated on the menu contains labneh, made with dairy, but it you ask for it vegan then the owner will switch the labneh for some zatar and olive oil instead.
The dishes in the plate are: hummus, makdous, zatar and oil, and falafel. We rate this hummus as the best in Prague due to its excellent seasoning. There aren’t too many vegan-friendly places serving makdous, so these are always a treat. These tiny stuffed aubergines are so good, we always want to order more but are just too full. I could eat zatar by the bucket load – we once had a really delicious zatar bread in Jordan and are constantly on the lookout for something similar. The falafel is crispy and very well seasoned.
The plate continues with foul, baba ganoush, walnut dip, and tabbouleh. The foul is the only warm element besides the falafel, and it’s tasty. The baba ganoush is good, on the right side of that bitter taste you sometimes get. The walnut dip has real depth of flavour. The tabbouleh is a bit too herby for me, though that’s a complaint I have about all tabbouleh.
The pitas are served warm, and they’re really fluffy and delicious. It feels like you need more bread in order to mop up all the tasty dips, but to be honest one is enough to leave you feeling full so the serving size is correct. It does leave you free to try some unadulterated dips too!
There can be a bit of a wait for food sometimes as it’s a small operation and the owner does a lot of the work himself. He speaks perfect English and is always happy to have a chat with diners and share a bit of his story. He is also very thorough in his service as well, even calling his suppliers one time to check if any of the pastries on offer were vegan (alas, they weren’t).
The decor is very charming and cosy, and it’s quite spacious. It’s not in the city centre, but it’s in a good spot not far from the river or from Vysehrad (a nice church and viewpoint over the river), so even for tourists it’s not a massive detour. You certainly won’t regret it if you go!
Langkawi was the final spot in our long trip to Asia last summer. We really ended the trip on a high in terms of the beautiful nature we saw. Food-wise, it was quite hard work because there is not a lot of Happy Cow action, meaning that there are few recent reviews and many listings look out of date and labelling on menu looks vague. We did find some great spots and enjoyed some really delicious meals though, so I think a bit of effort paid off.
Pegaga
We visited all-vegan Pegaga three times during our stay in Langkawi and really enjoyed it. It’s quite quiet, and most other guests appeared to be hotel guests at Ambong Ambong, but non hotel guests were welcome too. All three times we visited, the windows were open so you could see the sea and nature. One time we saw some monkeys playing in the trees (they stayed well away from our food).
We had breakfast there twice. There’s quite a few dishes on the menu. The French toast was too blackened for us the first time we had it, but improved on the second visit. It’s a nice thick, soft bread served with purple dragon fruit, toasted almonds, and a pot of maple syrup.
The avocado toast was topped with mushrooms and tomatoes, and felt more like a mushroom toast than an avo one, with a good assortment of mushrooms. The bread was quite good but was a bit soft and could have done with being a bit firmer. It was possibly a bit oily, but still recommended.
The nasi lemak was excellent! The rendang was spicy and fragrant rather than super hot from chillies. The tofu and tempeh were great.
From the lunch/dinner menu we also tried a couple of dishes. The rainforest curry was ok. The sauce of the green curry was good, but the flat rice noodles it was served with did not feel like a good match for us. They were also served on a separate plate and we weren’t quite sure how the dish was intended to be eaten. It was very spicy!
The rendang was both more straightforward and more delicious overall. There was loads of tempeh and that nice fragrant sauce from breakfast. A minor quibble is that the pickled vegetables were too sweet, but that always seemed to be the case on this trip so perhaps that’s just the Malaysian way.
The chocolate smoothies were fantastic, thick and cold and not too sweet.
Service was generally fast and friendly. On one of our visits it was quite busy, and we were given a fruit plate while we waited and more staff were brought in to speed things up.
While in Langkawi, we struggled to find food that we were confident was vegan and would taste good, so this spot is highly recommended.
Fat Cupid
This is a nice restaurant connected to a hotel, but you don’t need to be a hotel guest to dine there. We went for dinner and really enjoyed it.
We shared the spring rolls to start, and found them crispy and tasty. There were two rolls each.
My partner had the lontong and loved it. It was nicely seasoned with lots of good vegetables and tempeh. There were also two bits of crispy bean curd skin which were fun. The only downside is that it used vermicelli noodles, and could have done with a more robust noodle, but that may be personal preference. It was very spicy!
I had the rendang, which was tasty but a bit too spicy for me. There was loads of tempeh in it, which I loved, and some fried tofu on the side that I liked too. There were some vegetables on the side seasoned with sesame oil, they were very enjoyable.
Vegan dishes are clearly labelled on the menu, but note that the laksa is labelled vegan but the description refers to egg noodles, so I’m not sure about that one. We were pretty confident about the other labelling though. Service was friendly and fast, and it was a really pleasant spot for dinner.
The Fat Frog
We went to The Fat Frog for dinner one night – yes, two restaurants in a row with the word “fat” in the title, I’m not sure what’s going on! The website was adamant that you need a reservation so we booked and arrived at an empty restaurant. It did steadily start to fill as we ate but it looked like everyone was a walk-in. The dishes on the menu that can be made vegan are clearly labelled and you have to specify when ordering.
We got some potato puffs to start with, which were essentially little samosas. These were well fried with a good crispy coating. The filling was plentiful but a little bit under seasoned. They came with a mustard dip which I didn’t think really worked, maybe I’m just conditioned to expect a tamarind dip with my samosas.
For mains we both got the mushroom rendang and it was very tasty. It was made of oyster mushroom pieces in a well flavoured and spicy sauce. There was a little pot of seasoned tempeh pieces which tasted good, but I would have preferred a bit of a crispier texture as I have had in other restaurants. The pickles were a disappointment, as always. They mostly just tasted sweet. The spinach on the side was nicely seasoned and not just some limp wilted spinach. The rice was well cooked and it all made for a good sized plate of food.
We both got sticky toffee pudding for dessert, and were positively giddy to see it on the menu. These were nice little cakes with a good texture and flavour. They came with a coconut custard poured over the top. It was a tasty pudding but it wasn’t anything like a sticky toffee pudding, more’s the pity.
This is quite an expensive spot, and for us the quality of the food didn’t really live up to the price. It was an enjoyable meal, but not one that blew us away. The restaurant is located in the grounds of a golf course, so it felt a bit like we were paying for the location rather than the food. But it’s slim pickings for vegans in Langkawi, so if you go in with the right expectations, it’ll be fine.
Nian Cafe
Given the limited options, we were excited to try an all-vegan Japanese restaurant. We came here very hungry at lunchtime one day.
The mushroom kaarage was good meaty chunks of oyster mushroom coated in a crispy and well seasoned batter. They came with a mayo that tasted like it had a bit more of a citrus flavour to it, it made for a good dip and I’m not a particular fan of mayo.
The agedashi tofu came as a couple of big blocks of tofu that were well battered in a light coating. The broth was quite good but it could’ve had a bit of a stronger flavour. It was a tasty plate.
For mains, Dr HH got the Assam sambal fish rice bowl with a miso soup and green tea. The soup was tasty with a few quite big pieces of tofu and some wakame. Smaller pieces of tofu might be better, but that’s just a minor complaint. The tea was fine and free refills were included.
The main topping in the bowl was excellent. The fish was well seasoned and had a decent fishy taste and texture. The coating was good and crispy.
I got the mushroom tempura rice bowl (with the miso soup and green tea, too). The tempura mushrooms were enoki mushrooms and they were well coated and seasoned as well as drizzled with more of the mayo from the starter.
The rice for both of us wasn’t sticky short grain as I’d usually expect from a Japanese bowl, so it was a bit tricky to eat with chopsticks but I have no issues with the taste of a different rice. There was a bit of a dressing over the rice which had a strong taste of keffir lime leaves, it was just enough to stop the rice being boring. Both of our bowls were also topped with some vegetables, these were a bit dull. There wasn’t any flavour or seasoning on them and the bowl would have benefited from having some pickles rather than just plain vegetables.
A few of the smaller details weren’t quite there for us, but the main elements of all the dishes were fantastic, and I definitely recommend this spot. Unfortunately it didn’t seem to be close to anything of interest (for us, at least), so it might be a bit of a mission to get there – but worth it for a good vegan meal!
Activities in Langkawi
We organised a few tours in Langkawi, starting with a mangrove cruise. The mangroves here are a UNESCO site, and it was really interesting to learn about them and the wildlife in this area as we sailed around. There was some spectacular scenery. The majority of mangrove cruises feature a feeding session where the boat staff throw meat overboard to attract birds of prey – this is terrible for the birds, as you can imagine, so definitely look around for one of the providers that does not engage in this practice. Some also stop at fish farms, so make sure to steer clear of those as well.
We also took a rainforest after dark tour, which didn’t yield much wildlife for us unfortunately – but that’s the risk you take unless you have a dodgy guide who will use meat to lure the animals to you. We did see a couple of interesting birds and lots of monkeys, and really enjoyed the spectacular view from the top of the hill.
The highlight for us was a birdspotting tour, in which we saw over forty different types of birds in one morning! It was fantastic. We were driven to a few different locations and just wandered around with our binoculars looking out for different birds. We saw several different types of kingfishers, which kept us very happy indeed!
And of course, one of the main attractions in Langkawi is the beach! We are not really beach goers, and there was a lot of rain during our stay, but it was still nice to have a little paddle in the sea.
George Town was listed as a must visit on every Malaysia two-week itinerary I looked at when researching our trip, so we added it to ours…and kind of wish we hadn’t! It’s mainly mentioned as a great source of street food, which is not really relevant for vegans. We found some tasty food in the restaurants, but were generally underwhelmed with the sights and found the street food totally off limits to us. Here’s the good food we did find…
Pinxin Vegan Cuisine
This is an all-vegan restaurant that we visited twice and got some variation of nasi lemak both times. The first time we both got rendang nasi lemak. The rendang was delicious, it had a good strong flavour and there was lots of tempeh, lion’s mane mushrooms, and (we think) some tofu. The accompaniments on the plate were good additions, with some good textures coming from the cashews and pickles, and some good flavour from the sambal. The rice was well cooked and the poppadum was a fun addition.
On our next visit, Dr HH got the kurma curry nasi lemak. The curry sauce was tasty with a bit of chilli kick but nothing too spicy (according to him and his high tolerance levels!). There was plenty of tempeh and bits of mushrooms in the sauce.
I got the satay nasi lemak. The satay skewer was made from lion’s mane mushrooms, so it had a great texture. The satay was good and nutty but didn’t pack the same exciting flavours as the rendang.
We both had ice milk teas and enjoyed them, they were quite sweet and exactly what we were looking for. We ended up having quite a few of these throughout our time in Malaysia. I never usually drink iced tea, but these milky versions were truly excellent!
This restaurant was a big hit for us, the menu had lots of fun dishes we wanted to try, and service was fast and friendly.
Kommune Eko-Deli (The Habitat Cafe)
This little cafe is located at the top of Penang Hill, within the gift shop building at the back entrance of the Habitat (more on this below), outside of the ticketed area. If you enter Habitat from the entrance closest to the funicular and walk right the way through, you will find this when you exit through the turnstile, before taking the shuttle back to the funicular.
We each had a curry puff. The filling was well seasoned and fairly generous, and the pastry was good and flaky. It felt like it had just been heated up in a microwave because the pastry was a bit soggy rather than nice and crisp. But it was good, and I’d definitely have it again.
We also tried a slice of cake each, I got carrot and walnut and Dr HH had black forest cake. Both slices were huge, we were thrilled! The black forest cake was quite moist and chocolatey, with good amounts of cream and fruit.
The carrot and walnut cake was really beautifully spiced and light. Generally, this trip to Asia was light on proper sponge cakes, so this was an unexpected delight.
We also got a couple of iced chocolate milks, which were not too sweet and very refreshing on a hot day.
It was a really welcome spot when we emerged from our walk, highly recommended if you’re going to Habitat.
Kommune Lebuh Victoria
This is a partner restaurant of the cafe above – this time, it’s a proper restaurant in the heart of town.
We both ordered the rendang with flatbread and we enjoyed the dish. Most of the rendangs we tried in Malaysia used tempeh or mushroom as the main ingredient, but this one featured courgette. The courgette pieces were well cooked and the sauce was nicely seasoned, but it didn’t really wow us. There were some herbs and bits of pickled papaya on the plate which added some different textures and flavours. The meal was tasty without being truly great and it may have benefitted from some more sauce. The flatbread was generally quite well made, but it was maybe a bit thick and I thought it tasted just a little bit sweet.
We also got a plate of inche kabin. These were marinated and fried hericium mushrooms served with rice crackers and a tangy sauce. These were delicious! The mushrooms tasted great and had wonderful texture. The rice crackers and the sauce combined with the mushrooms made for a great bite with different textures and flavours.
We got lempeng for dessert. These were coconut pancakes topped with passion fruit, mango, and a scoop of coconut ice cream. I really enjoyed this, but Dr HH wasn’t so keen on the flavour of the pancakes. I wish they’d been a bit bigger, it was quite a small portion.
It wasn’t a total success for us, but I really liked the restaurant and what they were trying to do, so I would certainly visit again and recommend it for anyone visiting the area.
Lily’s Vegetarian Kitchen – Georgetown
This was a cheap and cheerful vegetarian spot, seemingly popular with locals. We sat down, looked through the menu, and then filled in the slip of paper indicating what we wanted. The menu labels with L anything that isn’t vegan. We took the paper up to the counter to place our order and paid in cash (they don’t take card) and waited for the dishes to be brought to us. There’s a self service station where you can collect cutlery, but there were no napkins unfortunately. They bring each dish to your table as it’s ready.
We shared the satay for starters. The satay sauce was delicious, with a bit of heat and ginger. The texture of the chickeny chunks was good.
Dr HH had the mee goreng, which was a noodle dish. It had some good peanuts on top, but needed something more for texture. The tofu and potatoes were good.
I had the Penang char koay teow, which was fried flat noodles. The noodles were good and there was some fun tofu, but not enough for my liking. There was a bit of heat in the dish, but it wasn’t too spicy. Everything tasted slightly charred. This dish is a local specialty which was veganised at this restaurant. I tried to find out afterwards if it’s supposed to be a bit charred, but couldn’t really be sure.
It was cheap and pleasant, and I’d happily go back and try another dish.
Every Fresh Bar
This was our breakfast spot while we were in George Town. There’s a variety of bowls to choose from, and for each you can choose the base as yoghurt (not vegan), oatmeal (vegan), or smoothie bowl (vegan).
The first time we went there was table service. The second time we ordered using the QR code on the table. Both times we paid at the counter at the end of the meal. The WiFi password is on a piece of paper at the counter, if you need it.
I had the tropical berry oatmeal and paid extra for peanut butter on top. It was topped with strawberries, banana, mango, blueberries, and grapes, plus granola. The oatmeal was warm and filling, and overall it was enjoyable.
On our second visit, I had the mango banana oatmeal, with added peanut butter. It only had those two fruits on, which was fine by me. I’m not convinced by the mango and peanut butter combo, but it was still nice and I really wanted the peanut butter for added nutrients.
Dr HH had the purple pitaya smoothie bowl and also paid extra for peanut butter on top. It had lots of purple dragon fruit on, making it extremely pretty. It was cold, refreshing, and enjoyable, with a generous amount of fruit.
On our second visit he had the berries tropical smoothie bowl and also enjoyed it. There was a good selection of fruit.
Overall, it was a convenient breakfast spot. Neither of us is that into smoothie bowls or fruity oatmeal, so we were never going to be totally dazzled by the menu, but it kept us well fueled and seemed very popular with tourists.
Activities in George Town
Kek Lok Si temple, which is the biggest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, was easily our highlight of George Town. It’s a huge complex of buildings with so many beautiful details to see. There’s also a nice view of the hills nearby and the city below. It’s well worth a visit.
We also took the funicular up Penang Hill to visit Habitat, essentially a nature trail through some fun forest (you have to pay to get in). In truth, it was a bit underwhelming – we didn’t see a single bird, and parts of the forest walk were closed. But we did enjoy seeing this fun monkey, and the café at the end made it more or less worthwhile
We also took ourselves on a self-guided walking tour of the street art and main sights of George Town, but came to the conclusion that they were a bit underwhelming. There were some nice temples (burning the largest incense sticks I’ve ever seen!), but lots of colonial architecture which we are not really into, and then lots of tourist traps. To be honest, I wouldn’t hurry back to George Town. At least the food was good though!
Herbivores' Heaven 