to wrap up my week of fake-meat posts, i had to point out the best place to try mock meat dishes that taste authentic but more importantly, taste absolutely delicious: vegetarian chinese restaurants. if you're lucky enough to visit a chinese restaurant that specializes in vegetarian cooking, order the "duck"appetizer which seems to be consistently good (i could eat two servings by myself with nothing more than a little sriracha to dip the slices into), or "beef" with black bean sauce on rice noodles. but if you are super-lucky like me, you will find one of these restaurants that serves a full menu of vegetarian dim sum!
every chance i get, i visit graceful vegetarian restaurant, right behind pacific mall in markham, on. yes, that's har kow and sui mai in the picture above, made with mock shrimp (you will be pleasantly surprised with how shrimp-like mock shrimp is) and mock pork. and above that is graceful's "chicken" satay skewers which everyone i've eaten there with, loves. i am SO greatful that this restaurant exists and so glad that i can have my favourite dim sum or chinese "beef" rice noodle dishes again. i can't wait for other restaurants to start using mock meats. the day that i can have jerk "pork" again, i will be a happy, happy girl.