My 5 Favorite Food Joints in Asia & Why (in a nutshell)

In order…

1. Broccoli Revolution (all vegan)—899 Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Why Go? A sublime atmosphere in the heart of a huge city. Excellent preparation and presentation. Friendly service. Vegan desserts and cheeses available. Accepts credit cards. Charging outlets available. Complimentary ice water with cucumber & orange available (not always so in Thai restaurants).

Best Dishes Tasted: Vietnamese tofu with lemongrass appetizer; Pad Thai (the authentic deal!); Burmese potato dish (may have been a special)

Most Unique Because…A Thai chef prepares the Thai dishes; a Vietnamese chef prepares the Vietnamese dishes; a Burmese chef prepares the Burmese dishes

2. Ain Soph.Ripple (all vegan)—Shinjuku-ku Kabuki-cho 2-46-8, Nissho Building 1F, Tokyo, Japan, 160-0021

Why Go? Very friendly, diligent service. Excellent quality and preparation. Charging outlet at every seat (!!). Casual, relaxed atmosphere.

Best Dishes Tasted: French toast; cheeseburger with avocado; crispy chicken sandwich; chocolate chip cookie

Most Unique Because: Probably the best French toast I’ve ever had…and it was in Tokyo! Shredded coconut on top with cinnamon and just the right amount of syrup (a sour cream-type dip optional, which I did not prefer).

3. The Bread Blue (vegan bakery)—54-58 Nogosan-dong, Mapo-gu, Nogosan-dong, Seoul, South Korea

Why Go? Offers a huge, wide ranging selection of breads, cakes, cookies, crossaints and other remarkable concoctions. Nothing too heavy or sugary or greasy.

Best Dishes Tasted: green tea frappucinos (!); sweet potato cake; lemon cream pastry

Most Unique Because: Owner is super nice and twice in one sitting came out and gave me free items. First, a crossaint. Second, a cream filled bread. Both delicious, as everything was. Again, nothing was too sugary tasting or heavy.

4. Fruit buffet at Baiyoke Sky Hotel (all vegan)—222, Thanon Playa Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand

Why Go? I have never heard of a fruit only restaurant before! (though they also offer sticky rice–highly recommended) An opportunity to sit on the 17th/18th (?) floor of Thailand’s tallest building and eat a wide array of tropical fruits, including unusual things like yellow watermelon and jackfruit. The durian…well, try it (I now have and that was probably a one time deal).

Fruits tasted: [see below]

Most Unique Because: It’s a fruitarian’s dream come true! Also, the all you can eat buffet (for 90 minutes) includes admission to the observatory at the tower’s top.

Perhaps the one time you’ll see durian on my plate. The sticky rice with coconut cream almost overpowered the durian’s taste; no, not really.

5. Evah Dining Macrobiotic Cafe (all vegan)—1f, Hakata Riverain Mall, 3-1 Shimokawabatamachi,Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, 812-0027, Japan

Why Go? Excellent service in a comfortable setting with a super luxury mall along a river. Prices more reasonable than some other places and the dessert set is excellent.

Best Dishes Tasted: Veggie burger set (includes a coffee or tea and soup); some kind of crab cake-like entree set; dessert set (enjoy with your coffee; sliver of chocolate cake, your choice of a muffin–try green tea–dollop of soy whip cream with slivers of plum and slice of orange for about $5); Japanese bento box specialties from Evah’s take out place in Hakata Station–near East Gate exit, I believe

Most Unique Because: charging outlet by table (!); crab cake-like entree was awesome; prices reasonable within such a luxury mall as this (with actual stone floors inside)