The Best Vegetarian Chinese Food in Los Angeles County Is at a Buddhist Monastery
Clarissa Wei
February 13, 2017
“The food is different here,” Yi Shan, the director of Hsi Lai Temple says. “You will have a reflective reaction. In the restaurants, the flavors are standard. But the food changes every single day here, based on seasonality and availability.”
This is Hsi Lai Temple, a 15-acre Buddhist temple and monastery — the largest in Southern California. Decked out in gold roofs and long red lanterns, its sweeping grounds are most reminiscent of the Forbidden Palace in Beijing. Opened in 1988, it is also home to one of the best vegetarian buffets in Los Angeles County. But of course, they don’t advertise that.
The cafeteria, which charges just eight dollars a person, is tucked on the second floor of the temple. While it is open daily to the public, its primary function is to provide meals to the patrons of the temple. Called The Hall Of Five Contemplations, the dining hall is named after five decrees of mindfulness:
1. Consider the work that went into the food and where it came from.
2. Reflect on my virtues and conduct, and if they merit this offering.
3. Guard the mind against faults, greed in particular.
4. Regard (the food) as wholesome medicine for health and the weakened body.
5. For the sake of attaining the way, I shall receive the food.
Vegetarian Chinese food, which has been in China since the 6th century is its own category of cuisine with a unique set of characteristics. It’s a far-cry from the skimpy salads and seitan burgers typical of Western vegetarian food. Vegetarian Chinese food is hearty, despite the lack of meat. Tofu is stewed for hours in spices so that it is saturated with flavor. Eggplants, gourds and melons are utilized for their texture and cooked in a way so that they take on substantial flavor.
https://www.kcet.org/food-living/the-best-vegetarian-chinese-food-in-los-angeles-county-is-at-a-buddhist-monastery
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A number of years ago I spent a couple of weeks exploring Hong Kong. I was staying on Lantau Island.
While there I decided to visit the Po Lin Monastery to see the Tian Tan Buddha (also known as the "Big Buddha"
. It is a 34 meter Buddha sitting at the top of a very very long stairway (268 steps). In a room beneath the statue is a relic of Gautama Buddha, consisting of some of his alleged cremated remains.
Upon descending I was hungry and looked for a place to eat. The only option was a restaurant run by the monks at the monastery. They were the chefs, servers, and dishwashers.
The monks ate the same food that was served in the restaurant. It was, of course, entirely vegetarian cuisine and it was delicious. Simple dishes with fresh vegetables grown by the monks at the monastery. The flavors were new and wonderful. The best meal I had in Hong Kong, Macau or the Quangdong Province of China.
A great experience.