Eating out healthy

MANILA, Philippines - Going for non-meat options when dining out is so much easier these days.

Your favorite dining strips are now home to restaurants that specialize in vegetarian or vegan dishes.

But what if you’re dining out with family or friends who are not into greens while you remain committed to your resolve of staying off the meat? Or, what if you want to introduce a family or friend to veggie dishes and have a hard time convincing them that they taste just as good as their favorite meat dishes?

Luckily, there are several restaurants that offer non-meat specialty choices that go beyond salads and appetizers.

For your vegetarian or vegan friend, this would be heaven. For your meat-loving friend, meanwhile, this is an excellent introduction to healthier options.

At Krazy Garlik, for instance, several vegetable dishes stand alongside meat choices.

Krazy Garlik is a restaurant that specializes in garlic-infused dishes. Non-meat choices on its menu include the Garlichoy, a selection of fresh Chinese cabbage sautéed in olive oil, garlic, sesame seeds and oyster sauce.

Then there’s the Krazy Garlik Veggies, which is sautéed squash, broccoli, fresh leaves, fried tofu, and cauliflower in oyster sauce, and the Mushroom Matsuri, which is shiitake and button mushrooms sautéed in home-made teriyaki sauce. They also have Garlichoy, a selection of fresh Chinese kcabbage sautéed in olive oil, garlic, sesame seeds and oyster sauce as well as the Krazy Garlik Veggies, sautéed squash, broccoli, fresh leaves, fried tofu and cauliflower in oyster sauce. And like other restaurants, Krazy Garlik also has its own version of the Vegetarian Pizza.

Another restaurant that offers good veggie choices is Italianni’s Restaurant. It has a delicious Vegetarian Arroz Caldo available during breakfast at its branches at Bonifacio High Street and Greenbelt 2 branches. Its twist on the Filipino favorite is topped with fresh broccolis, asparagus, carrots, sautéed mushrooms, and crispy spinach.

Aside from pizzas, one good way to find a delicious non-meat option is to go through the pasta selection. Two of the best-selling pasta choices at Italianni’s are actually vegetarian dishes—the Angel Hair Formaggio and the Penne Arrabiata.

So the next time you dine out, make sure to check out the non-meat alternatives in your favorite restaurants as well. You’ll never know, but you may actually enjoy the veggie options more than your usual meat dishes.