Meat-free Mondays at Arcane: 7-Courses of Vegetarian Food

Good food never tasted this good…

District: Central, Hong Kong
Cuisine: Modern European (with plenty of vegetarian options)
How much: 7 course vegetarian set meal for $750 per head (A la carte mains from $350)
The Best For: Great for a date night or a girly catchup
Must Order: The yuzu and lemon posset dessert

With so many new year resolutions shamelessly fizzling out, I’ve been determined to look for sustainable ways to add a little more vegetarian food into my diet. Whether you’re doing it for the environment, for health reasons, or just because of personal tastes, there’s never any harm in adding some green to your plate. So when we heard that the Meat-free Mondays at Arcane were extending until the end of March, we knew we had to check it out!

As the name suggests, Arcane is a private and discreet space, tucked away from the hustle of the city – yet conveniently located in the centre of it all (just one of the many reasons we love Hong Kong!). The restaurant was started by the multi-award winning chef, Shane Osborn, the first Australian Chef to achieve one and two Michelin stars at Pied-a-Terre in London. The European menu is seasonally lead, making the most of the finest produce from Japan, France and the UK. With an open kitchen, a gorgeous wine collection and crisp white table cloths, this candle-lit dinner is ideal for a date night (leave the kiddos tucked in bed).

If you’re looking to indulge in a 7-course meal ($750 per head) that wont leave you feeling overwhelmingly stuffed, this one’s for you. We began with the Japanese Winter Tomato Salad, that highlighted the fact they use only the freshest, seasonal ingredients. With tangy, peppery notes, the dish was bursting with flavours to really wake up the palette. Just what you need before 7 consecutive courses!

For mains, the butternut squash ravioli offered a welcome element of comfort food. With swiss chard, toasted pumpkin seeds, and creamy, nutty almond butter, the flavours were warming and filling, without leaving you with that over-stuffed feeling. Oh, and if you’re a truffle fan, make sure to try the Poached taiyouran egg with broccolini, chanterelles and black truffle.

After all the gorgeous flavour combinations, I was more than ready to indulge in dessert. The yuzu and lemon posset features fragrant mandarin slices, frozen yogurt, and a white chocolate tuile. Fresh and fruity, this treat is the perfect healthy alternative for those with a sweet tooth!

With professional, attentive and friendly staff (happily recommending wine options), and a quaint-meets-classy ambience, this is definitely a place I’d head back to.

Arcane, 3rd Floor, 18 On Lan Street Central, Hong Kong, 2728 0178, www.arcane.hk