The Bible says that it’s OK to eat meat. It’s in there somewhere after the flood. But there are those who have made the conscious decision to renounce dead flesh from their diets, and that’s OK, too. Many of these people live in Eugene.
From here, we encounter two problems: lack of good meat substitutes and lack of good Chinese food. Almost like a heavenly endorsement of vegetarianism, the Lotus Garden appeared 10 months ago in downtown Eugene.
Not only does the Lotus Garden provide tasty Chinese cuisine, but it does so without the use of animal products. Instead of using meat, the cooks synthesize meat textures and flavors with wheat gluten, bean curd and other substitutes. While these may not sound appetizing on paper, when properly prepared they can taste just like chicken … or pork, or beef, or shrimp.
But how far can their deceit go? Could they fool a veteran carnivore? We decided to find out in a recent visit to the establishment. The Lotus Garden is located downtown on Charnelton Street, between 8th Avenue and Broadway. We decided to review the restaurant from two angles: how the meat tastes to Mason, a meat-eater, and how the meat tastes to Becca, a vegetarian. Oh, and Dave Depper, another vegetarian, also came so we could get more food.
Mason — I ordered the mu shu beef, thinking that beef is the most difficult to imitate. Well, actually I think the shrimp would be the hardest, but I wasn’t willing to risk that.
Rebecca — I ordered pork with lemon grass. I felt a little worried when it came to table — it looked really pork-like. Dave had ginger sausage, the riskiest order in our party.
Dave — I like to live on the edge.
The “beef” in the mu shu was more of a beige color than the standard red-brown shade of beef. But upon consumption, it passes the test quite well. However, its gluten roots are easier to conceal when mixed with the mu shu sauce and other vegetables. Aside from the “meat,” there were more than enough pancakes to wrap the mu shu, and they were of high quality — something that can not be said of all Chinese restaurants.
As mentioned above, the pork passed the visual test with flying colors. It REALLY looked like pork. As per the taste, opinions differ. Becca, who has been meat-less for six years, was quite impressed. It was so good that she felt naughty eating it. Dave and Mason noted a distinct taste difference from real pork, but Dave said it subsided after a while leaving only porky goodness. Mason was the toughest to please and could not accept the dish as a substitute for pork. While it tasted good on its own, anyone expecting pork will not be pleased.
Mason — I felt cheated. The visual proximity to pork encouraged higher expectations for the flavor.
Rebecca — I only noticed that it seemed chewier than actual meat. But I didn’t mind; the novelty was worth tolerating questionable texture.
This brings us to the sausage. What was brought to our table was very unlike the “British bangers” often found on breakfast tables. Nevertheless, they were good. The “sausage” was actually sheets of bean curd rolled into log shapes and then cooked with some ancient Chinese vegetarian secret that we will never know. The texture was very similar to the chewiness of real sausage, and was an acceptable flavor substitute. Sure, they’re not going to invade barbecue grills on the Fourth of July, but vegetarians will be thrilled to say, “I ate sausage last night.”
Rebecca — I really appreciate the fact that I can go to the Lotus Garden and choose anything off the menu. I was almost intimidated by all the options. But most importantly, it is some of the best Chinese food I’ve eaten in years.
Mason — Eating fake meat makes me feel healthier, even though I’m sure its nutritional value goes down with all the frying and other preparation. All in all, the Lotus Garden is an easy compromise to make when dining out with vegetarian friends.
Dave — I just write CD reviews, but it tasted good.