In this dry autumn/winter season it’s often tempting to laze about, stay indoors, or warm yourself over a bowl of steaming, spicy hotpot. But if the believers of traditional Chinese medicine have anything to say, it’s these sorts of things that can lead to “shang huo.” Based on the Taoist principles of “yin” and “yang,” “shang huo” can occur if you have an imbalance of the two, with “yin” roughly pertaining to restful qualities, and “yang” pertaining to more active qualities.
If there was such a thing as hip nouveau Buddhist cuisine then Lotus in Moonlight would be it!
The latest vegetarian restaurant to pop up in Beijing is no stranger to the scene. Lotus in Moonlight (LIM) has opened up its second branch to the up and coming classy area in Gongti. For fans of the Buddhist vegetarian restaurant the same creative and elegant dishes are there but in a more upscale setting that’s equal parts peaceful, modern and cool. If there were such a thing as hip nouveau Buddhist cuisine then LIM would be it.
Be full and fooled at this creative vegetarian restaurant.
Sherry Xia is a devoted Buddhist. For the past 17 years she’s been incorporating the virtues of Buddhism into her life. So when dining out options can be fairly limited for the carnivore it’s time to take matters into your own hands. Sherry doesn’t know how to cook, but that hasn’t stopped her from opening up one of the most creative and colourful vegetarian restaurants in Beijing.
When one finds something as rare and wonderful as a quiet pocket of Beijing, one must think carefully about what to do with it. The decision to insert a low-key, quality Buddhist vegetarian restaurant was the perfect choice. Tucked away in a residential area north of DongZhiMen, and further hidden by a wide front lawn full of overgrown weeping willows, this is the proverbial jewel in the lotus.
This 97 years old restaurant caters to a strictly vegetarian clientele, offering both vegan and lecto cuisine. In addition to ingredients traditionally associated with vegetarian cuisine, the chefs also use taro, soy fiber, sea weed and other new using ingredients acceptable to the non-carnivorous.
Situated in the courtyard of an old French villa, this restaurant is also something of a showcase for fascinating Vietnamese photographs from French colonial times.
Yi Yang Vegetarian Restaurant was the imperial kitchen for ancient Chinese emperors; the dishes served here resemble meat dishes in every regard, but are completely vegetarian; though you may be fooled into thinking otherwise by their taste and appearance. Yi Yang's interior design includes of images of Buddha, sacred texts and calligraphy, as pictures taken during the owner's journey to Tibet.
Still Thoughts Vegetarian Restaurant is located in the vicinity of a Bud
dhist temple, and the restaurant's interior has a refined and tranquil literary atmosphere. Their famous "Spring River Water" delicacy is con
sidered imperial cuisine, with a fresh layer of tofu and rolled shiitake and
"Xu Xiang Zhai" is conveniently located next to several of Beiling’s scenic spots including the Imperlal College and Yonghegong, the Lama Temple. Naturally receiving some spiritual influence from these two
places, Xu Xiang Zhai gives visitors an impression of refinement.
Verdant beads dripping from green bamboo; emerald green tables with log chairs. Bookshelves line the walls and a lovely tune drifts throught the room - it will be hard to find more serene and elegant surroundings.