Taste of the Town

A Vegetarian Conversion

Central Vegetarian Cuisine Seals the Deal

    Let’s get one thing straight from the start: I am not a vegetarian. However, after eating at Central Vegetarian Cuisine, a new restaurant on Park Street, I could easily convert from my carnivore ways. I just would have to find some-one who would cook for me the way the chefs at Central Vegetarian do.
    The meals at Central Vegetarian, the only vegetarian restaurant on the Island, will make even the heartiest meat eater stop and reconsider. You don’t notice that the “meat” is not really chicken, shrimp or beef. Really. More so, you notice that each dish is a combination of the freshest vegetables, sauces, spices and a variety of meat substitutes created with soy products. Who knew that textured soy protein from Taiwan could taste so delicious? The transformation is so convincing, says co-owner Thanh Phen, that “a lot of people come in, sit down and eat, and they don’t know it’s vegetarian.”
    The first time we ate at Central Vegetarian—a sparkling clean, small spot operated by Phen and her husband, Joe Luu—my dining companion and I were suspicious. Soy protein might substitute for chicken, but what about things like shrimp or steak? I did not want to be disappointed, so I played it safe and ordered the mixed vegetable and tofu, a classic vegetarian
dish available in most Chinese restaurants. It’s an excellent choice. The tofu had a marvelous texture and flavor, the fresh vegetables were cooked to perfection and the garlic sauce made their taste explode. My friend ordered the eggplant curry clay pot, a fabulous blend of vegetables that tasted so good, we had to hold ourselves back from actually licking the pot clean to not miss a drop of the succulent and creamy curry sauce.
    The success of this meal gave us the courage to try new fare, in the form of textured soy protein, on a second visit. Still, we started out safe with the spring rolls. The Central Vegetarian version has the unmistakable taste of the classic Vietnamese delicacy: crunchy lettuce, mint and bean sprouts plus imitation shredded pork wrapped up in a thinly pressed rice wrap, served with a peanut dipping sauce. My dining companion loved them so much, she dreamt about them that night and went back for more the next day. Other appetizers include pot stickers, egg rolls, wontons and a few salads, including a tasty beef salad roll with rice cake.
    We got adventurous for our next course and, with some trepidation, placed our orders for the so-called meat dishes.
    When the snow peas and prawns came, we were amazed. The facsimile prawns looked real. Sitting in a light garlic sauce, surrounded by snow peas, carrots and onions, the thinly sliced, shrimp-like food items called out to us. To our relief, they even tasted like shrimp.
    Our second choice, spicy chicken, was a salad: a colorful plate filled with fresh spinach, shredded zucchini, red peppers, carrots, scallions and cilantro, dressed with vinaigrette. Although not as completely a successful replacement for chicken in terms of texture, the soy substitute’s taste was distinctly poultry-like. The smoked bean curd fish was three triangles of “fish” on a bed of lettuce, with a flaky, fish-like consistency and a seaweed crust that looked just like a fish skin—all part of the illusion. All of the dishes provided more than enough for two to share and were accompanied by brown or white rice. Prices per dish range from approximately $8 to $15, with lunch specials available for $7.25. For dessert, the vegan carrot cake, with a soy cream cheese frosting and an excellent blend of walnuts, coconut and carrots, is worth a try. Central Vegetarian also boasts its own version of a milk shake, in flavors such as mango, avocado, strawberry and coconut.
     “The majority of our dishes can be made vegan,” says Phen, who notes that some dairy does crop up—in the half-and-half used in the Thai iced tea—“and we can adjust the spices on request.” For non-vegetarians, the lengthy Central Vegetarian menu is a bit confusing. It looks like that of a typical Vietnamese or Chinese restaurant, divided into sections that list chicken, beef, fish, lamb and pork dishes, but unfortunately, the menu does not provide any descriptions. There are some photos in the back of the book, and many of the dishes, such as beef with broccoli or lemon chicken, are self-explanatory, but other items, like the special clay pot, require diners to act on faith. A better bet is to ask any of the servers or the owners: Phen and Luu are there and attend to any questions or requests.
    That may very well be the only negative about Central Vegetarian Cuisine. Well, other than the way it reminds me that there is no one at my house who can cook like that. I will just have to keep going back for more. 

THE DETAILS:
CENTRAL VEGETARIAN CUISINE
Vietnamese/Chinese Vegetarian.
Serves lunch and dinner 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Mon.–Sat. and 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Sun. Closed the fourth Wednesday of every month.
1613 Park St., (510) 522-3745.  Credit cards accepted, reservations, wheelchair access, $$.