Vegetarian food and China

Hi
Am going to Beijing.
Can anyone tell me how to ask for vegetarian food in China?
What is the phrase to ensure I get pure vegetarian food, and not food
prepared in meat stock, or food with pieces offish or poultry, or food
where the meat has simply been removed before serving?
If someone can also provide the chinese phrase in Chinese to explain
this (I understand that if one states one is buddhist and vegetarian
this concept is easier to explain) and even better provided ths chines
phrase in Chinese, I will print it out to show to restaurant people
when necessary.

Thank you very much for your help with this.

Cheers

Ganesh

(Ganesh) wrote in message . com...
Hi
Am going to Beijing.
Can anyone tell me how to ask for vegetarian food in China?
What is the phrase to ensure I get pure vegetarian food, and not food
prepared in meat stock, or food with pieces offish or poultry, or food
where the meat has simply been removed before serving?
If someone can also provide the chinese phrase in Chinese to explain
this (I understand that if one states one is buddhist and vegetarian
this concept is easier to explain) and even better provided ths chines
phrase in Chinese, I will print it out to show to restaurant people
when necessary.

Thank you very much for your help with this.

Cheers

Ganesh

vegetarian is pronounced something like tsai (sorry my pinyin sucks).
I think bringing a bilingual menu from a Chinese vegetarian restaurant
in your city alon is a good idea. Ask someone at the restaurant to
circle the character for vegetarian and emphasize that that's what you
want when you get to Beijing.

(Ganesh) wrote in message . com...
Hi
Am going to Beijing.
Can anyone tell me how to ask for vegetarian food in China?
What is the phrase to ensure I get pure vegetarian food, and not food
prepared in meat stock, or food with pieces offish or poultry, or food
where the meat has simply been removed before serving?
If someone can also provide the chinese phrase in Chinese to explain
this (I understand that if one states one is buddhist and vegetarian
this concept is easier to explain) and even better provided ths chines
phrase in Chinese, I will print it out to show to restaurant people
when necessary.

Thank you very much for your help with this.

Cheers

Ganesh

vegetarian is pronounced something like tsai (sorry my pinyin sucks).
I think bringing a bilingual menu from a Chinese vegetarian restaurant
in your city alon is a good idea. Ask someone at the restaurant to
circle the character for vegetarian and emphasize that that's what you
want when you get to Beijing.

"ggg" wrote in message
om...
(Ganesh) wrote in message
. com...
Hi
Am going to Beijing.
Can anyone tell me how to ask for vegetarian food in China?
What is the phrase to ensure I get pure vegetarian food, and not food
prepared in meat stock, or food with pieces offish or poultry, or food
where the meat has simply been removed before serving?
If someone can also provide the chinese phrase in Chinese to explain
this (I understand that if one states one is buddhist and vegetarian
this concept is easier to explain) and even better provided ths chines
phrase in Chinese, I will print it out to show to restaurant people
when necessary.

Thank you very much for your help with this.

Cheers

Ganesh

vegetarian is pronounced something like tsai (sorry my pinyin sucks).
I think bringing a bilingual menu from a Chinese vegetarian restaurant
in your city alon is a good idea. Ask someone at the restaurant to
circle the character for vegetarian and emphasize that that's what you
want when you get to Beijing.

The Chinese character "tsai" can mean either vegetable or dishes, and will
most likely be taken as the latter in the context of a restaurant. Qualify
it with the word "Su", meaning vegetarian, no meat. So just say "su tsai".

"ggg" wrote in message
om...
(Ganesh) wrote in message
. com...
Hi
Am going to Beijing.
Can anyone tell me how to ask for vegetarian food in China?
What is the phrase to ensure I get pure vegetarian food, and not food
prepared in meat stock, or food with pieces offish or poultry, or food
where the meat has simply been removed before serving?
If someone can also provide the chinese phrase in Chinese to explain
this (I understand that if one states one is buddhist and vegetarian
this concept is easier to explain) and even better provided ths chines
phrase in Chinese, I will print it out to show to restaurant people
when necessary.

Thank you very much for your help with this.

Cheers

Ganesh

vegetarian is pronounced something like tsai (sorry my pinyin sucks).
I think bringing a bilingual menu from a Chinese vegetarian restaurant
in your city alon is a good idea. Ask someone at the restaurant to
circle the character for vegetarian and emphasize that that's what you
want when you get to Beijing.

The Chinese character "tsai" can mean either vegetable or dishes, and will
most likely be taken as the latter in the context of a restaurant. Qualify
it with the word "Su", meaning vegetarian, no meat. So just say "su tsai".

(Ganesh) wrote in message . com...
Hi
Am going to Beijing.
Can anyone tell me how to ask for vegetarian food in China?
What is the phrase to ensure I get pure vegetarian food, and not food
prepared in meat stock, or food with pieces offish or poultry, or food
where the meat has simply been removed before serving?
If someone can also provide the chinese phrase in Chinese to explain
this (I understand that if one states one is buddhist and vegetarian
this concept is easier to explain) and even better provided ths chines
phrase in Chinese, I will print it out to show to restaurant people
when necessary.

Thank you very much for your help with this.

Cheers

Ganesh

I am vegetarian ,I have just returned from my 3rd tour of China, and I
would advise you not to waste your time trying to get pure vegetarian
food in ordinary eating houses and cafes, all you will get are
unappetizing concoctions of soggy vegetables, boiled rice or noodles,
almost certainly cooked in the same pots and pans used for the
dead-animal dishes, possibly even cooked in animal fat or a meat or
fish based sauce.

I have always travelled with Chinese speaking guides, and neither they
nor I knew any magic phrases that in an ordinary eating place would
get you what you want .Realistically, the only place you will get pure
vegetarian food is at a vegetarian restaurant.

Fortunately, Beijing is blessed with a number of fine vegetarian
restaurants Take a look at:
http://www.happycow.net/asia/china/beijing/

The Green Tianshi Restuarant is only a few yards from Wang Fujing
Avenue
http://www.beijingscene.com/v06i006/bites/bites.html
I ate there during my visit, food was good , service courteous and
polite ( unusual in China) , no English spoken but the menu was in
English and Chinese with readable descriptions of the food , a trifle
expensive by Chinese standards( 180-200RMB per person) but cheap to an
Aussie like myself.

I also went several times to the Gong De Lin Vegetarian restuarant,
walking distance from Tiananmen and the Qian Men subway station.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguid...rant_beijing-i
The usual offhand ,indifferent service that we regular visitors to
China have come to know and love, but there is an English menu ,the
food comes quickly,is delicious and cheap ( two of us ate for 80-140
RMb , depending on our hunger )

Vegetarianism is not,it seems , a popular or widespread practice in
China , I found excellent vegetarian eating places in Beijing,Shanghai
and Xiamen , but none at all in Hangzhou,Sanya or Guilin, where the
concept was unkown outside the local temples.

Hi
Thanks to all for your feedback.
Much appreciated.

I will tell you how I fare on my return on the 20th.
Cheers

Ganesh

the dumb waiter wrote:
(Ganesh) wrote in message
. com...
Hi
Am going to Beijing.
Can anyone tell me how to ask for vegetarian food in China?
What is the phrase to ensure I get pure vegetarian food, and not
food
prepared in meat stock, or food with pieces offish or poultry, or
food
where the meat has simply been removed before serving?
If someone can also provide the chinese phrase in Chinese to
explain
this (I understand that if one states one is buddhist and
vegetarian
this concept is easier to explain) and even better provided ths
chines
phrase in Chinese, I will print it out to show to restaurant people
when necessary.

Thank you very much for your help with this.

Cheers

Ganesh

I am vegetarian ,I have just returned from my 3rd tour of China, and
I
would advise you not to waste your time trying to get pure vegetarian
food in ordinary eating houses and cafes, all you will get are
unappetizing concoctions of soggy vegetables, boiled rice or noodles,
almost certainly cooked in the same pots and pans used for the
dead-animal dishes, possibly even cooked in animal fat or a meat or
fish based sauce.

I have always travelled with Chinese speaking guides, and neither
they
nor I knew any magic phrases that in an ordinary eating place would
get you what you want .Realistically, the only place you will get
pure
vegetarian food is at a vegetarian restaurant.

Fortunately, Beijing is blessed with a number of fine vegetarian
restaurants Take a look at:
http://www.happycow.net/asia/china/beijing/

The Green Tianshi Restuarant is only a few yards from Wang Fujing
Avenue
http://www.beijingscene.com/v06i006/bites/bites.html
I ate there during my visit, food was good , service courteous and
polite ( unusual in China) , no English spoken but the menu was in
English and Chinese with readable descriptions of the food , a trifle
expensive by Chinese standards( 180-200RMB per person) but cheap to
an
Aussie like myself.

I also went several times to the Gong De Lin Vegetarian restuarant,
walking distance from Tiananmen and the Qian Men subway station.

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguid...rant_beijing-i
The usual offhand ,indifferent service that we regular visitors to
China have come to know and love, but there is an English menu ,the
food comes quickly,is delicious and cheap ( two of us ate for 80-140
RMb , depending on our hunger )

Vegetarianism is not,it seems , a popular or widespread practice in
China , I found excellent vegetarian eating places in
Beijing,Shanghai
and Xiamen , but none at all in Hangzhou,Sanya or Guilin, where the
concept was unkown outside the local temples.

Although I am not strict vegetarian, I think I can give a hint.
I still remember reading in a guide that is rather hard to get really
meatless food. The auhor mentioned that best way mightbe to tell the
waiter that you are a buddhist and you cannot eat meat for this very
reason. I don't know whether this works.
You should definately try one of this doufu only restaurants. It really
amazing what they serve.

Cheers,

Nils

On 2004-11-29 10:38:55 +0100, (the dumb waiter) said:

(Ganesh) wrote in message
. com...
Hi
Am going to Beijing. Can anyone tell me how to ask for vegetarian food
in China? What is the phrase to ensure I get pure vegetarian food, and
not food
prepared in meat stock, or food with pieces offish or poultry, or food
where the meat has simply been removed before serving?
If someone can also provide the chinese phrase in Chinese to explain
this (I understand that if one states one is buddhist and vegetarian
this concept is easier to explain) and even better provided ths chines
phrase in Chinese, I will print it out to show to restaurant people
when necessary.

Thank you very much for your help with this.

Cheers

Ganesh

I am vegetarian ,I have just returned from my 3rd tour of China, and I
would advise you not to waste your time trying to get pure vegetarian
food in ordinary eating houses and cafes, all you will get are
unappetizing concoctions of soggy vegetables, boiled rice or noodles,
almost certainly cooked in the same pots and pans used for the
dead-animal dishes, possibly even cooked in animal fat or a meat or
fish based sauce.

I have always travelled with Chinese speaking guides, and neither they
nor I knew any magic phrases that in an ordinary eating place would
get you what you want .Realistically, the only place you will get pure
vegetarian food is at a vegetarian restaurant.

Fortunately, Beijing is blessed with a number of fine vegetarian
restaurants Take a look at:
http://www.happycow.net/asia/china/beijing/

The Green Tianshi Restuarant is only a few yards from Wang Fujing
Avenue
http://www.beijingscene.com/v06i006/bites/bites.html
I ate there during my visit, food was good , service courteous and
polite ( unusual in China) , no English spoken but the menu was in
English and Chinese with readable descriptions of the food , a trifle
expensive by Chinese standards( 180-200RMB per person) but cheap to an
Aussie like myself.

I also went several times to the Gong De Lin Vegetarian restuarant,
walking distance from Tiananmen and the Qian Men subway station.
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguid...rant_beijing-i
The

The usual offhand ,indifferent service that we regular visitors to
China have come to know and love, but there is an English menu ,the
food comes quickly,is delicious and cheap ( two of us ate for 80-140
RMb , depending on our hunger )

Vegetarianism is not,it seems , a popular or widespread practice in
China , I found excellent vegetarian eating places in Beijing,Shanghai
and Xiamen , but none at all in Hangzhou,Sanya or Guilin, where the
concept was unkown outside the local temples.

Thanks for the tip - I'll try this - hope they don't ask me to prove it
;-)
Though being Hindu I should be able to wing it! :-)
cheers

Thanks for the tip - I'll try this - hope they don't ask me to prove it
;-)
Though being Hindu I should be able to wing it! :-)
cheers