'Cool factor' boosts Bangkok's vegan dining scene

From asia.nikkei.com

Social media posts and celebrity health concerns are fuelling interest 

BANGKOK -- "I come from a family of animal rights activists and we thought, 'Something is not right about the way we eat.' So we opened our first Veganerie restaurant a decade ago," says Sittileun Tortianchai, co-owner of a vegan chain that has seven outlets in Bangkok.

For some, this may come as a surprise. Thailand is world famous for its cheap and delicious animal-based street food. There is seafood in every shape and form, stir-fried pork, roasted chicken and beef curries, and many dishes are seasoned with fish and oyster sauce or topped with dried shrimps. Vegan food is less ubiquitous. But a closer look at Bangkok's ultra-cosmopolitan culinary scene reveals a rich history of cooking without meat or fish.

For a start, Thailand has an age-old vegetarian tradition. Local vegetarian restaurants -- raan ahaan mangsawirat -- can be found all over the country. During Buddhist holidays, many Thais eat vegetarian food, and some restaurants take meat off their menus during a nationwide nine-day vegetarian festival in October.

Some Thai Chinese eat ahaan jae -- vegetarian food prepared without garlic and onions -- for religious reasons. And Bangkok's many Indian eateries serve vegetarian cuisine. According to Statista, a Germany-based data provider, 8% of Thailand's population was vegetarian in 2019.

Vegan food has not been around for long, but it is gaining popularity. Part of this trend is driven by the "mindfulness" lifestyle that has spread through Thai tourist destinations such as Koh Phangan and Pai. Vegan restaurants thrive in these tourist hot spots, but the plant-based food scene has also been expanding in Bangkok, where foreigners also account for a large proportion of customers. "We opened all our outlets in areas where there are many foreigners. They remain our main customer base to this day," Sittileun says.

Top: Veganerie serves international vegan fare and also sells ready-made meals and vegan condiments. (Photo by Tom Vater) Bottom left: An acai smoothie bowl. Bottom right: Zoodles with shiitake-almond meatballs. (Courtesy of Veganerie)

Nat, the manager of Plantiful, a plant-based eatery in Bangkok's fashionable Ekkamai district, confirms this trend. "Most of our diners are Western or Indian expatriates or tourists," said Nat, who gave only one name. "Thais are not so familiar with vegan dishes and the prices are a little too high for most local people. Also, the vegan versions of Thai standard dishes are less popular than the originals. But we do get more and more Thai customers."

For Thais who forgo meat, veganism is largely disconnected from the ideological and political arguments surrounding food consumption and the push for plant-based diets in the West. Instead, Thais are influenced by celebrities hyping vegan cuisine as one of many healthy lifestyle choices on Instagram and TikTok.

"About 20% of our customers are Thai," Sittileun says, "Many of those have changed their diets because of science, because they want to look after their health; just a few because of the environment. But the amount of attention vegan food gets has changed significantly in the last decade. Even Thais who are not vegan are now aware of veganism and have a positive idea of what it is. They try more. More and more people become flexitarian -- sometimes vegan."

Top: Plantiful, in Bangkok's fashionable Ekkamai district, serves both Thai and international plant-based food to an international clientele. (Photo by Tom Vater) Bottom left: A bibi bowl with tofu, shiitake, carrot, Japanese cucumber, bean sprouts, spinach, riceberry and a plant-based fried egg. Bottom right: Katsu curry, a plant-based house-made Japanese curry with a soy-based meat cutlet and roasted vegetables. (Courtesy of Plantiful)

Variety is also increasing as international vegan food and vegan variations of Thai classics make inroads into Thai kitchens, often with tofu replacing meat or fish. Several Bangkok eateries offer vegan sushi, and many nonvegan and nonvegetarian restaurants in upmarket hotels have vegan dishes on their menus.

In 2019, Harsharanpal Bajaj and her husband opened Vistro, a vegan restaurant in fashionable Phrom Phong, inspired by restaurants they had seen abroad. "We travelled to Berlin, Paris, Bali and Australia and tried vegan food everywhere, and we felt there was a gap in Bangkok," says Bajaj. "We wanted to take a step forward regarding our ecology and sustainability. When we opened, there were few vegan restaurants in the city."

This is changing quickly. There are Thai vegan Facebook pages and Bangkok's popular delivery services work with vegan food outlets. High-end vegan eateries are flourishing around the city, just as vegan food stalls in shopping malls are becoming increasingly common. And yet, Thailand throws up its own unique obstacles to making vegan food more widely available.

Top: Vistro owner Harsharanpal Bajaj. Most of the restaurant's dishes are prepared from scratch using fresh ingredients. (Photo by Tom Vater) Bottom: A Vistro habibi wrap with gyro-style marinated Chick'n, iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, bell pepper, served with house tzatziki, chimichurri and chili sauce in a soft wheat tortilla. (Courtesy of Vistro)

"There used to be a kind of stigma attached -- 'Oh, what about the protein,'" says Bajaj. "Now, there are many manufacturers of vegan food in Thailand and acceptance has increased. But if you use nuts, vegan cheese, vegan meat and nutritional yeast and superfoods, that drives up the cost, in contrast to just a simple veggie stir-fry. It is a totally different concept. So, on a mass scale, most people simply can't afford it."

Sittileun agrees that it is a challenge to keep prices down. "Due to all the crises around the world, particularly the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, there are less tourists coming here," he says. "At the same time, energy and transport costs have risen sharply, sourcing some ingredients abroad has become more expensive, and our costs have gone up considerably; in some cases, they have tripled."

Bajaj also concedes that the rise of Bangkok's vegan food scene has been uneven. "Some Thai plant-based meat producers have gone out of business because too many of them opened at the time when veganism first became a thing," she says. "But now the market is more stable and Thais are more informed than before."

A selection of noteworthy vegan restaurants, cafes and shops in Bangkok:

Veganerie

A family business encompassing seven outlets across town. The restaurants sell cooked food and bakery items with an emphasis on low calories, low sugar and cholesterol control. Menus carry gluten-free and nut-free dishes and all dishes are 100% plant-based, dairy-free and egg-free. There is something for everyone, from smoothie bowls to pancake dishes, salads, burgers and zoodle dishes (noodles made from spiralized zucchini), with most dishes priced at 250 baht to 300 baht ($7.70 to $9.20).

Vistro

A chili bao bao with crispy potatoes in a sweet chili sauce and served in a steamed-house made bao bun. (Courtesy of Vistro)

A bright, first-floor eatery in Phrom Phong that serves a wide variety of vegan dishes, almost all prepared from fresh ingredients and from scratch (avoiding processed plant-based fare). International highlights include a habibi wrap of marinated chicken, lettuce, red cabbage and bell pepper, served with house tzatziki. Most dishes cost 250 baht to 300 baht.

The Bonita Cafe and Social Club

This quirky cafe in Bang Rak opened in 2012. The extensive menu features vegan versions of popular Thai dishes and Western comfort food, including an English breakfast with whole wheat bread, vegan scrambled egg, vegan sausage, vegan bacon, grilled tomato, shredded potatoes and baked beans. Mains dishes range from 250 baht to 300 baht.

Plantiful

Prima Pattaraping, the creative force behind Plantiful, was inspired by the vegan scene in Los Angeles. Dishes range from vegan versions of Western comfort foods to eclectic salads, vegan sushi and plant-based variations of popular Thai dishes. Plantiful recently opened a second Bangkok cafe in the swanky new Gaysorn Amarin Plaza. Highlights, ranging from 260 baht to 300 baht, include a bibi bowl -- a combination of tofu, vegetables and rice berry grain, topped with a plant-based fried egg.

Waki Waki Veggie Sushi

(Photo by Tom Vater)

This tiny eatery in Phrom Phong offers an extensive menu of vegetarian sushi and will accommodate special dietary needs on virtually all its dishes. Among the starters, the tofu salad is a standout, but the maki rolls are genuinely delicious alternatives to traditional Japanese fare. Prices range from 250 baht to 350 baht.

Hebe Plant Bar

(Photo by Tom Vater)

This food stall in EmQuartier, a luxury mall in Phrom Pong, serves a wide variety of vegan ice creams (single scoops from 95 baht), including Heavenly Seasalt, with caramel swirl, which is made with coconut and soy protein, and Hakuna Majava, which contains espresso coffee, dates and cacao nibs, and is made with pistachio milk.

Organic Village

Organic Village delivers a wide variety of organic vegan produce to customers' doorsteps. The shop is located at Siam Square. Alternatively, order online and have your shopping delivered the same day. The website helpfully divides its products into different dietary categories, from organic to gluten-free, low sodium and others, including, vegan. Besides fresh fruit and vegetables there are baking and cooking ingredients, broths and stocks, cans, jars and packed foods, chocolates, cooking oils, sauces, cereals and seasonings.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Life/Cool-factor-boosts-Bangkok-s-vegan-dining-scene