While the rest of the world has been on a binge of healthy eating, health food fanatics in Taipei have been clamoring for just one spot that serves healthy, plant-based food. MissGreen is exactly that, and it’s so healthy that you can eat as much as you want and probably never have to worry about an expanding wasteline. Hungry carnivores, however, might leave a little grumpy.
MissGreen is not going to thrill everyone. You’ve got to have a palate for healthy food to appreciate MissGreen, and locals have clearly caught on because it’s becoming harder to grab a seat. There are only about 20 chairs, made from reclaimed wood, in the modest space. The walls are adorned floor-to-ceiling with potted plants.
The temperature inside is quite warm, which is likely a better reflection of an earth-conscious and energy-saving business than poor ventilation. But for a business that prides itself on being eco-friendly, too much of the tableware is disposable — although I’ve recently seen the introduction of wooden plates and bowls so hopefully more will follow.
Photo: Olivia Wycech
While 100 percent vegan, the restaurant doesn’t try and trick you with food pretending to be something it’s not. Besides the trio of veggie burgers, the rest of the menu is a better reflection of Taipei’s bounty of farmers’ markets. The salads really focus on local and organic produce, with the MissGreen signature salad (NT$180/NT$220) being the most popular.
An array of greens comes topped with green beans and quinoa. The quinoa is slightly filled out with rice, perhaps understandable when you consider the price of quinoa on store shelves. The dressing on this signature dish is made with a pleasing combo of cucumber, onions and soymilk. Dressings vary from salad to salad and can be topped (NT$30) with quinoa, hummus, beans, roasted veggies or nuts. The larger option could be eaten as a meal.
Of the four wraps, I preferred the avocado power wrap (NT$200). The curry wrap (NT$180) didn’t have enough of a bona fide curry flavor. Both, unfortunately, were quite small and while they come with a side salad, didn’t fill me up.
Photo: Olivia Wycech
The burgers on the other hand are just right and so good that I found myself constantly craving the deep-fried veggie burger (NT$300). It’s made from black beans and soy-beans, and the only difference between it and the MissGreen burger (NT$280) is that it’s deep fried (the other is pan fried), slightly more expensive and comes with guacamole. It comes with a small salad but the thick fresh-cut sweet potato fries make up for that. The buns are also vegan.
Juices, shakes and detox drinks can be added for NT$100 to any main course. The juices (NT$55 to NT$130) can be tailor-made for specific dietary needs.
On my first trip, I had the FillUp (NT$110) with wheatgrass but found it to be a bit watery for a green juice. The shakes, however, I order repeatedly.
Photo: Olivia Wycech
The MissGreen banana (NT$160) is thick with bananas, soymilk, and the flavor of almonds — and nothing more. My friends ordered the MissGreen berries (NT$180) but were disappointed. I tried it, however, and thought it was exactly as advertised, berries in their true form. Organic teas, coffees, wine, beers and canned kombucha, a fermented drink (NT$120 to NT$300), are also available.
Sometimes, dessert is the best part of the meal. The luscious flavor of coconut cream is the foundation of the vegan and organic berries mousse (NT$170), which is also made with soy, and the natural sweetness of the white whip is perfectly balanced by the tartness of the berries. It seems they are now making it with mango, and the menu does change with the seasons. Hopefully, the clean eating trend continues to take off and more health food eateries follow.
Photo: Olivia Wycech
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