COCONUTS HOT SPOTS — I’ve taken health-conscious eating to a whole new level today at Rasayana Retreat.
To start off, Rasayana is a vegan restaurant, but it’s more than just an ordinary vegan restaurant. The folks at this pretty Phrom Phong hideaway have taken vegan eating even further. Their menu is crafted of entirely raw vegan foods.
“Raw vegan” is as straightforward as it sounds. The food is vegan, meaning it contains absolutely no animal products whatsoever and it’s also raw, meaning that no food can be heated above 48 degree Celcius. So, most of the dishes are served cold or at room temperature.
The idea behind this food theory is that nutrients are preserved better when the fresh ingredients are uncooked when they reach your system. Do you think you can buy into this? While I don’t necessarily buy into the idea of raw food, but damn, I have to admit this meal was unusually wholesome and refreshing.
The menu may suggest quite a diverse variety of dishes — pastas, noodles, veggie rolls and sandwiches, but a large number of these mains are pretty much different mixes of fancy salad-liked dishes. Neither of the two pasta dishes I tried contained traditional pasta. Each contained a unique type of mock pasta noodle made of a fruit or vegetable.
Let’s take a look.
Thai Pasta
First was a dish called “Thai Pasta” (THB180), where the supposed “pasta” is made of noodle-shaped coconut, zucchini, and celery with no flour-based pasta to be found. This dish is served in a tasty and zesty (yet a bit runny) tamarind and ginger sauce, which mixes quite well with the hearty coconut base. The texture is enhanced by flakes of macadamia nut and bell pepper on top. For the eyes, the coloring is just gorgeous — green, orange, purple, yellow, and red.
Spaghetti & Nut Balls
Another “pasta” dish was an entrée named “Spaghetti & Nut Balls” (THB200), again without any flour-based spaghetti in the mix. This time the “spaghetti” is made of marinated zucchini shaved into noodle strings, soaked in zesty marinara sauce, and topped with sun-dried tomatoes. The nut balls are made of nutmeat ground into fine flakes and balled into bite-size orbs, adding just enough savor to the veggie pile. Really! What a wonder!
Ginger Soup
As if I hadn’t gotten my fill of fruits and veggies in one meal already, I paired a serving of soup with each pasta dish. First was Ginger Soup (THB160) which was surprisingly savory given that there is no meat or meat broth in it. The richness must come from a combination of coconut and miso, which gives me a pretty good idea as to how I could add some taste to my vegan cooking in the future. These and bell pepper, onion, and ginger blend together so well, I can absolutely enjoy a whole bowl despite it being completely cold. (Switch your expectation to “Gazpacho” or “Cold Soup” just to avoid the temperature-dissonance surprise!)
Island Paradise Fruit Soup
Last but not least, from the dessert menu, Island Paradise Fruit Soup (THB160) was neither a soup nor a gazpacho to me. My brain was confused. It’s served in a bowl, it looks like a hot carrot soup, but turns out, it actually tastes a lot like chilled fruit smoothie with a savory hint in the aftertaste. Intriguing, isn’t it?
Experimental, indeed, was this meal was to me. Nutrition wise, I took a large pill of vitamin and fiber supplements here. I can’t quite say raw vegan has ranked in my list of favorite cuisines, but honestly I really truly admire the creativity and effort. How do you make raw veggies taste better than this?
FIND IT:
Hours: 9am – 9pm, everyday
Soi Phrom Mit, Sukhumvit Soi 39
BTS Phrom Phong
Tel: 02 662 4803
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