Vegetarian Fare at LingZhi

When it comes to Chinese vegetarian fare, gone are the days of chewy gluten and starchy sauces. Today, it is entirely possible to have a healthy yet satisfying vegetarian meal. In fact, for more than two decades now, the Tung Lok Group’s LingZhi restaurant has been pushing beyond these mock meat clichés and turning out a host of deliciously wholesome creations.

From now till end of April, the restaurant is rolling out its unique farm-to-table menu ($68 for eight courses), featuring a bevy of fresh produce from Zenxin Organic Food. As the leading organic producer in Malaysia, Zenxin takes into consideration biodynamic agriculture and sustainable practices. It is also equipped with internationally certified organic facilities.

The range of well thought-out dishes by Chef Martin Foo and LingZhi’s team impresses with their depth of flavour. Aside from coaxing out the natural sweetness of each vegetable, the chef gives plenty of attention to its texture too.

Zucchini cubes are lightly stir-fried to maintain their crunch, and aromatic truffle sauce is added to elevate the mild flavour of the veggies. This mixture is then stuffed into a large tomato and baked. The creation is finally crowned with crispy fried ginger and placed atop thinly sliced raw zucchini marinated with black vinegar and sea salt. It’s pure, honest food that makes sense.

The silky homemade mapo tofu laced with a piquant sauce and dotted with fresh corn and crunchy rice puffs is presented in a deep-fried wonton skin basket. This is paired with wild black rice grains, steamed with corn broth for an extra touch of sweetness.

Diners will also get to enjoy a fortifying double-boiled soup whose highlight is a neatly rolled up cabbage leaf wrapped in delicate bamboo pith. The chef prepares the broth by steeping cordycep flowers, wolfberries, red dates, dang gui and wild mushrooms in mineral water for three hours to slowly extract the ingredients’ natural flavours.

The crowd-pleasing dessert comes in the form of a pumpkin filled with smooth, unadulterated pumpkin paste and scoop of refreshing coconut ice cream. Deep-fried ginkgo nuts and pumpkin seeds are added too for textural contrast.

If you like to take a break from hefty meat and carb-filled dishes, this feel-good menu, rich in flavour and nutrition, is a must.

#05-01 Liat Towers, 541 Orchard Road. Tel: 6734 3788