Charlotte is fortunate to have plenty of delicious veg-friendly Asian eateries.
When many first become vegan (a vegetarian following a pure plant-based diet with no animal ingredients), they are willing to become martyrs for the cause. They’ll sacrifice bloody steaks, gooey ice cream, and greasy cheese pizza for the sake of personal health, animal welfare, and the environment.
But surely, vegans are doomed to consume broccoli and granola the rest of their meager lives. Oh, how a Charlotte vegan may long to move to Portland, LA, or NYC, where the vegan lifestyle is catered to and worshipped.
As a Charlottean, one may suspect the South to be callous to vegan restaurant guests. Undoubtedly, you will need to find a farm and begin working the land to support your plant-based-diet.
But before adopting the peasant life, give Charlotte a chance to prove that vegans can also feel like royalty in the Queen City. Start by dabbling in Asian food, as nearly every Asian eatery will happily substitute tofu for any meat dish on the menu - and pat you on the back for making the healthy choice!
Thai food is an easy place to start, as it is often already free of dairy since the Thai culture, generally, is lactose intolerant (though lactose intolerance is more internationally widespread than many realize). Siam Garden off Arrowood Road and Bangcock Ocha on Highway 51 offer friendly service with an endless array of veg options like panang curry, General Tso’s tofu, or pad thai. Visit Siam Garden enough, and perhaps you’ll become such royalty, the owner will sprint to the kitchen upon your arrival to mix you a fresh Thai tea latte (with soy), before you’re even seated.
Woodlands USA is a 100% vegetarian restaurant with a seemingly endless menu that will overwhelm any Charlotte herbivore with sheer joy, as long as one can get past the quirky room decor. When enjoying Indian cuisine, vegans just need to watch out for pre-buttered rice and that delicious naan which almost always contains eggs. Opt for the roti instead, sans the ghee.
Visit Pei Wei in Ballantyne for a quick, cheap eat. Their tofu is what some call “man-tofu”, with a meaty, steak-like texture, drenched in flavorful seasonings. Their parent – and pricier – restaurant, P.F. Chang’s near SouthPark, is a favorite of countless Charlotte locals, herbivore or omnivore. It's there that the tofu lettuce wraps, according to neighborhood gossip, kick the chicken lettuce wraps’ butts.
Stay tuned for more Asian dining recommendations, and an upcoming series on the top ten veg-friendly restaurants in the Charlotte-metro area.
Comments
Mmm...Asian food. We love Best China right around the corner from us. Sushi 101 is a favorite date night option...especially their fried tofu appetizer with spicy ponzu sauce. And Red Bowl has plenty of vegan options as well...somehow they manage to make the tofu so it stays crispy even after soaking in the sweet sesame sauce (or whatever sauce you get).
Being vegan is far easier than people think...and easier than we expected!
My best friend and her husband (the Wilson's), treated me to the General Tsao's Tofu not too long ago and it was really delicious! It was accompanied by lo mein and fried rice minus the eggs. I was quite surprised at how similar it tasted to chicken. The texture of the tofu was the biggest difference but it was still easy to swallow!
Love Woodlands! I work down the street from them. Just as a side note, if you and your friend are going to pay with credit cards dont bother to do pickup. It confuses them. Just put your buddies meal on your credit card and they can treat next time. Love the allo gobi and their dulsas.
CharlotteVeg - Oh, Best China has the BEST fried tofu! They're in the Lake Wylie area, yeah? The staff is super nice as well. I can't get over Sushi 101's fried tofu, I could eat it as a main course. And Red Bowl is a dream-come-true... endless tofu options, with a magically crispy outside!
Dana - Oh, you've got the best of our secrets! Cover fried tofu with lots of sauce and... KA-CHING!!! Back in business! ;)
Melissa - Thanks for the tip on Woodlands, I didn't know that! They also speak somewhat limited English there, at least when my hubbie and I went, so people should be a bit prepared for that as well. But the vegetarian options are unbeatable. They messed up one of our orders when we went, and we not only got to keep that one, but they brought out the right one as well. Endless food that night!
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