MOTT 32 || Chinese Fine Dining Restaurant Introduces New Plant-Based Menu
Mott 32 is redefining Chinese fine dining with a new plant-based menu.
The lineup of dishes celebrates vegetable ingredients while paying tribute to Chinese dishes that traditionally feature meat, such as Siu Mai and Lion's Head Meatballs. Mott 32 has redefined Chinese cuisine with its elevated dishes and use of premium ingredients, the restaurant promises patrons this same uncompromising standard it has become celebrated for in its refined plant-based offerings.
“Our plant-based menu is the result of many months of recipe development, recreating the flavours and textures of traditional dishes. We are excited to introduce this menu to our guests around the world, marrying true Cantonese cooking techniques with a more sustainable approach to eating,” shares Chef Lee Man Sing, Group Chinese Executive Chef.
Vegetable ingredients such as a variety of mushrooms, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots have been teamed with tofu and meat alternative products to replicate traditional dishes. Along with fresh and locally sourced ingredients, Mott 32's chefs have integrated products developed by OmniFoods. This food-tech company creates plant-based alternative products based on extensive research on Asian cuisines and culinary practices.
The five new plant-based dishes add to the existing line up of meat-free dishes on the menu, such as this Stir Fried Assorted Wild Mushrooms in a lettuce cup with shavings of black truffle.
We had a chance to sample the new plant-based menu and our initial thought is that it would be a great alternative for groups looking to have a mix of menu options. A vegetarian at our table had lamented that tasty vegetarian options were hard to find in the city, and dining out with friends was also tough because their friends wouldn’t want to visit a vegetarian restaurant. Thus, the addition of these new items caters makes Chinese fine dining enjoyable for everyone.
In terms of the new dishes, the highlights for us were the Signature Smoked “Cod” with its sugar-soy sauce and crispy texture. This signature dish was recreated with a plant-based fish product made with a soy, rice and pea protein mixture. I would say the texture is quite close to a fish filet, but I would suggest pairing the dish with rice for this type of saucy dish; but then, growing up with Chinese cooking also means I think everything goes better with a bowl of hot rice.
Signature Smoked “Cod” reimagined with plant-based products.
Braised Lion's Head "Meatballs”.
The other dish that did a great job of recreating the flavour and texture of the original would be the Lion’s Head Meatballs. This rendition recreates the traditional dish hailing from Yangzhou and Zhenjiang, and is made with water chestnut, tofu, diced Shitake mushrooms, red braising sauce, and OmniPork.
Now, for those who love their spicy food, the Crispy “Chicken” with Szechuan Red Peppercorns and Dried Chili Oil will likely be the top of your list. Just one bite and you’re going to feel the kick of spice for several minutes.
Crispy “Chicken”, Szechuan Red Peppercorns, Dried Chili, Cashew Nuts.
To describe how the spiciness feels with the Crispy Chicken dish, I’ll need to do a quick comparison of the different types of spicy flavours unique to Asian cuisines. For example, Japanese food has wasabi, which you can feel towards the back of the throat and its scent travels up your nasal cavity to make your eyes water; there’s Korean food, where kimchi’s spicy kick is delivered in the form of the slight sourness from pickled vegetables and the heat is confined to inside the mouth and tingly on the sides of the tongue. Finally, there’s the spicness of Szechuan Red Peppercorns, which numbs your lips and tongue. If this is your type of spicy food, then you’ll want to try this dish.
Although I’m a carnivore, I wouldn’t mind enjoying these plant-based dishes with some carbs. How about you? Would you be trying this new plant-based menu at Mott 32?
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1161 W Georgia St, Vancouver, BC
Photography by Florence Leung
