It’s almost an entire month into the New Year, and I’ve had some time to think. I have realised that coming up with New Year’s resolutions has become easier over the years, and, consistently, the one resolution that tops everyone’s lists is to start eating HEALTHIER!
In an effort to manage university life and work, we often stray from healthy meals and rely on processed and packaged ones. In order to re-establish and (hopefully) uphold the healthier lifestyle approach, I mused on Veganuary and, thankfully, stumbled across what I believe to be the most gastronomic-al vegan experiences I have ever had.
Opened fairly recently in 2020, Orchid Vegan is the epitome of everything that one would expect and desire in a pan-Asian vegan restaurant. A world apart from the vegan chains in York, The Orchid Vegan boasts a fine dining setting and opens exclusively for dinner.
The interior is antique but with a modern touch and adorned with the colour red, much like how I would expect a typical comfort Chinese food joint to look. The restaurant is spacious and inviting, which makes it the perfect setting for a nice, cosy dinner with a group of friends.
My visit to Orchid Vegan was completely charming right from the beginning, and, trust me, I could not stop gushing over the food for days after my dinner.
Right after stepping in, I was made comfortable and instantly noticed the pleasantness of the staff. They were extremely considerate of all the tables they served at and consistently made sure everything was going well, which set the perfect tone for the evening.
The evening started off with a white wine served in accompaniment to their simplistic Vegan Crackers. Made from complete pea starch, they acted as a healthier alternative to the classic prawn crackers and tasted nothing different with lots of crispiness.
The second dish of the night unmistakably ranked at the top of my list and would be a personal recommendation to most definitely try: Duck Pancakes. The dish’s plating instantly piqued my interest – it was an assortment of items to be put together like a sort-of reverse Benihana’s. The ingredients were: crispy shredded mock duck (super tender), hoisin sauce, sliced cucumbers, and thin pancake sheets. I assembled the ingredients and then relished my handiwork. I was taken aback by how actually duck-like the soya-based version was, and the portion sizes were more than generous.
Next, I tried a large variety of appetisers, all of which left me gasping over the fact that it was possible to recreate the vegan version of them.
I started off with the Salt and Pepper Prawn, made out of tofu. The texture of the vegan king prawn matched or even exceeded that of an actual prawn, the inner flesh of the vegan prawn was juicy and succulent as anticipated, and the dish was topped with some red chilli which set in motion a burst of flavours.
Next, I tried the Cumin Vegan Lamb Skewers, which is quite a popular dish. The skewers were made out of soya and instantly melted in my mouth.
The third appetiser was the classic Mini Spring Rolls. They were utterly spot on, crispy, flavourful and balanced perfectly, with sweet chilli sauce to serve.
After the spring rolls, I had the last appetiser, and a new addition to their menu: Pork Belly Sticks. They absolutely mastered the taste of pork in vegan form. The belly sticks were hot and crispy and coated with a sweetness that complimented the pork perfectly.
The main course blew me entirely out of the water. I started with the Teriyaki King Oyster Mushrooms with rice, and though teriyaki, the dish was not excessively sweet, which I enjoyed. The second dish was Mongolian Style Beef Stir Fry which was extraordinarily tender and made out of soya, to my surprise. The last main was Sweet and Sour Vegan King Prawn, ordered following the killer salt and pepper prawns. The prawns were served with plain fried noodles, loaded with veggies.
The experience was extremely wholesome. I think it’s basically impossible to have a bad experience there. They also host timed events and rock up with some special menus. They’ve got for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, which will be a must-try. They also host charitable fundraising events, with York RSPCA being their ‘chosen’ charity.
I was pretty impressed by how they superseded the original versions of the dishes and found a healthy and environmentally friendly way of doing so. It’s really great to see ‘fast’ food veering away from greasy and towards healthy. They offer free delivery and takeaway on their website, so come on. I would urge you not to waste a second in trying this gem nestled in the heart of York.