Whenever I’m traveling somewhere new, I always tend to prepare the same way. Check the weather (what should I pack?), find things to do (where should I go?), research how to get around (Uber or public transportation?), and most importantly I figure out what I am going to EAT! Trying new and local cuisine is always one of my favorite things to do after touching down in a new country. I’m often pleasantly surprised (in very few cases, underwhelmed) by the vegan options available.
When I arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, HappyCow led me straight to May Veggie Home.
This was easily my favorite restaurant in Bangkok! They offer a wide variety of options to choose from–everything from appetizers to dessert! Their menu is extensive and I found it quite difficult to decide exactly what to eat. Prior to getting to the restaurant, I had certainly worked up an appetite, walking in circles trying to find this place (it was Google Maps’ fault, not mine). It was so refreshing to walk into a nice, cool (well running air conditioning is always a plus during Bangkok summers), inviting restaurant. It wasn’t very busy so I was seated right away. The waitress was very attentive, but I had to send her away twice, because I just couldn’t seem to make up my mind on what to order!
Because food in Bangkok is so inexpensive (by western standards), I felt like a Queen! Appetizer? YES! Drink other than water? YES! Entrée? YES! Dessert? HELL YES! Part of me wanted to order the entire menu, but I didn’t want to over-do it. By the time the waitress came around the third time, I was ready. For my appetizer, I decided to go with the Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls. While waiting for them to come, I took a stroll around the restaurant, as they offer more than just food.
They have a small wellness section where I was able to find natural coconut oil, which was perfect because my stash was running low and it was travel friendly. I was about to keep browsing when I noticed the spring rolls I had just ordered minutes ago were arriving at my table. Waiting for me was an order of fresh spring rolls accompanied by a delightful dipping sauce. They were amazing!
For my entrée (likely the toughest decision of them all), I decided to go with the “ Yam- Sapp-Gai-Grob,” a fried “chicken” accompanied by cashew nuts in a spicy and sour sauce with a side of white rice to go along with it. I decided to go with this because it sounded amazing, I’m starting to really enjoy the accompaniment of cashews in various dishes, and I enjoy trying local cuisine made vegan. It did NOT disappoint! As a lover of spicy food, this met every expectation and then some. It was flavorful, unique, and the portion was generous. It was especially tasty with the pineapple and basil juice blend I ordered, which was a unique combination for me, but I loved every bit of it!
For dessert, I wanted to try something different. It seems like one of the newest trends in the ice cream world is adding in activated charcoal to create black ice cream and I wanted in on the action. Their ice cream was actually a black sesame seed flavor, but I figured it was worth a try anyway. Close enough, right? At 45 Thai Baht ($1.35) per scoop, I figured “why not?!” In addition to black sesame, they offered a variety of other flavors such as Mocca, Thai Tea, Cacao, Passion Fruit, and Coconut. All of them made from organic coconut milk, dairy and soy free, gluten free, contain no preservatives, and have no color added. If you ask me, they’ve completely taken all of the guilt out of such a guilty pleasure. I love it! Not in the mood for ice cream? They also offer a variety of vegan cakes and cookies, so there’s something for everyone!
As for the sesame seed ice cream, I thought it was okay. I generally don’t like items derived from coconuts, but I’ll eat it if it’s masked properly. Unfortunately, sesame seeds just don’t have enough flavor to mask the coconut, so it tasted like coconut ice cream, but black. You can’t win em’ all folks! I’m certain that I probably would have enjoyed one of the other flavors like the passion fruit, but I decided to pass on another scoop. At this point, my ordering dessert was just me being greedy. I was actually pretty full (and still had leftovers).
My bill came to a grand total of 454 Thai Baht! A three course meal, and a drink for under $15! I think it’s time for another trip back to Thailand. Who wants to come?
About the author: Desirée is a foodie with a passion for amazing vegan cuisine. When she’s not in the kitchen creating recipes of her own and testing out others, she’s traveling in an effort to find the best vegan dishes across the country and all over the globe! You can find her at I Can You Can Vegan.
