SIN: Nature's Vegetarian Delight

Mock prawns at their best!

Vegetarian food isn't without its charm. At Nature's Vegetarian Delight located on the 4th floor of Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre, you'll be spoilt for choice with international vegetarian cuisine drawn from various parts of the world. Anyway, can you guess what's in the picture below without looking at the name?

Claypot Trotters Rice S$5.80

Taste: 8/10

Real pig trotters are sinful, but of course, the ones served in Nature's Vegetarian Delight aren't. The mock trotters were smooth and slightly chewy, swimming together with beancurd in a claypot of black sauce which had quite a strong black vinegar taste without being overly sour. In fact, the sour taste was well-balanced with an adequate amount of sugar.

Hong Kong Fried Noodle S$4.50

Taste: 7.5/10

Although the HK style fried noodle was somewhat lacking in wok hei, or 'breath of the wok', I enjoyed its chewy texture and flavour which came from the right amount of dark soy sauce. Cooked with shredded cabbages, mock fish cake and mock char siew (Chinese BBQ pork), the fried noodle was a delight to have with a bit of lime juice on it.

Prata with Banana and Cheese S$3.50

Taste: 7.5/10

The roti prata (Indian flatbread) was not-so-crispy thin, but full of bananas and sticky cheese, which sweet and salty combination was pretty delectable. The accompanying curry was pretty thick and spicy with a bit of mock mutton meat inside.

Satay Set S$4.00

Taste: 6.5/10

The mock beef satay had an interesting texture. It wasn't firm, slightly powdery and could slowly dissolve in my mouth. It was a pity that the peanut sauce was too sweet for my liking, and it wasn't spicy.

Dried Chili Monkey Head Mushroom (Small) S$8.00

Taste: 5/10

A dud dish would be, unfortunately, one type of my favourite mushrooms which was cooked kung pao style with the essential dried chilis. The batter-covered mushrooms weren't crispy on the outside, and neither were they particularly juicy on the inside. Dull would be an appropriate word to describe them. In addition, there wasn't anything special with the sauce which tasted just a little bit sweet and nothing else.

Cereal Oat Butter Prawn (Small) S$10.00

Taste: 9/10

In contrast, the delectably chewy mock prawns cooked with cereal oats and butter (almost) sent me to heaven. The alluring aroma was ever-present, and I enjoyed the delicate cereal oats which were crispy and light in the palate. Some cereal oat prawns that I've eaten elsewhere might be a bit too sweet, but it certainly wasn't the case here.

Sweet and Sour Pork (Small) S$8.00

Taste: 7.5/10

The mock pork cubes were pretty crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Cooked with cucumbers, tomatoes and pineapples, they were as enjoyable as the real ones, although I wished the sauce would be a bit sourer.

Hong Kong Steamed Fish (Small) S$12.00

Taste: 7.5/10

The mock fish had a firm, but chewy texture with seaweed wrapped around it to imitate the skin. Preserved vegetables and mushrooms added another dimension to the dish, especially since they provided a contrast to the texture of the mock fish. While the soup wasn't as hearty as I expected it to be, the tomatoes lend a natural sour taste to the soup.

Abalone with Kailan (Small) S$10.00

Taste: 8.5/10

The kailan (Chinese broccoli) leaves were stir-fried well as they retained their juiciness and crunchiness. Topped with mock abalone which was slimy and chewy, it was definitely one of the better kailan dish I've had recently.

Iced Ginseng Chrysanthemum Tea S$2.00

Taste: 7.5/10

The chrysanthemum tea was aromatic with only a slight ginseng aroma. It was a delight to have on a hot day to energise myself, but it could be a little bit sweeter.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 7.5/10

Ambience: 6.5/10

Service: 7/10

Overall: 7/10

The eatery can be pretty crowded during lunch and dinner hours, and is frequently visited by monks. Pika's advice: Thinking of trying something different? Do take a look at their Western and Japanese creations!

Nature's Vegetarian Delight

756 Upper Serangoon Road
#04-26 Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre
Singapore
(Wed-Mon: 9.00am - 9.00pm)

http://www.naturevegedelights.com.sg/

*Prices quoted are subject to 10% service charge.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)