Confounding name, delicious food
Most days, being vegan means being creative with food items gathered, prepared and consumed. And even more, one must be creative when dining out at restaurant — especially in a barely urban context like central Illinois. To me, this poses a challenge, but never a hardship. Most people question what a vegan is supposed to eat; many cannot possibly figure out how to eat a deliciously satisfying meal beyond the realm of meat, cheese, eggs or other animal products.
I would venture to guess that more would eat even just a semi-vegan diet if they were only aware of the possibilities for delightful food. Thus, I have come to share my experiences with finding and creating vegan meals in Champaign-Urbana.
I have decided to begin with House of Gourmet Chinese and Thai Restaurant. If you are a student, it is conveniently located near the quad on Daniel and Sixth. I will voice my love for this little establishment until the day I die. In fact, I am certain I will crave it's cuisine long after I have graduated and left Champaign. The first time I visited this gem was shortly after going vegan. I had never really noticed the restaurant nestled between Espresso Royale and what remains of C.O. Daniels. It's not beautiful, but the food is outstanding and owner is one of the sweetest women I have ever had the pleasure to meet. She will remember you every time you return.
From the beginning, my choice has always been the Broccoli Tofu in Peanut Sauce with steamed rice. I have never strayed from this dish despite several other vegetarian options on the menu. The price is affordable and the food is absolutely divine. The portions are large as with a lot of Asian restaurants on campus, but the ratio of sauce to rice to broccoli is consistently outstanding. One is never left wanting for any of them.
My suggestion is this: overlook the building's slightly eccentric aesthetics and stop in to try this dish. I guarantee you will be both surprised and pleasurably satiated.
General Disclaimer: The foods featured in this article are vegan to the best of the author's knowledge. If you follow the vegan diet strictly, always ask before trying the recommended dishes.
7 comments
RS
As a relatively recent convert, I very much look forward to dining at this restaurant, and to the rest of your series! An excellent, marvelous idea…thank you!
When I was an undergrad, I too occasionally had enough money for a cheap greasy spoon (chopstick) meal.
On those occasions, I felt mildly celebratory about not boiling or microwaving my own dinner.
It looks like this meal came in Styrofoam, with a plastic fork.
There are a few people in these towns who live outside the Lincoln-to-Neil box, and have the means to afford restaurants with ceramic dishware.
Should we look here for food? Are there nuances to these dishes unavailable elsewhere in town?
Would you recommend it for omnivores?
It’s mediocre—not bad, but pretty much standard campus fare. “Plastic fork cuisine” is pretty apt. I have no experience searching for food from a vegan perspective, but for omnivores (or even vegetarians), I’d say there are at least five better Chinese and Thai places around town, maybe more.
I wouldn’t be too quick to discount this place simply based on its location or plastic eating utensils. I’ve been told that this place is one of the more authentic Chinese restaurants in town by a couple of different people who would know. That’s not to say that authenticity means everyone will enjoy it. There are a lot of folks who prefer more Americanized versions of foreign cuisine.
I’ve never eaten here but another “plastic fork” restaurant on (gasp!) Green Street is Mandarin Wok which may have the most expansive menu of any Chinese restaurant in town. Lai-Lai wok across the street may come close, but if you want intestine, bamboo fungus, or just your regular General Tso’s, Mandarin Wok has it all. I really appreciate being able to sample a wider range of what Chinese cuisine has to offer rather than just the usual dishes you can find on Chinese menus around town, regardless of what they serve the food on.
You can look at the campustown location of this restaurant as an indicator of crappy fast food, or you can look at it as being close to the epicenter for the numerous foreign students working at the University and looking for familiar food from home.
Andrea Antulov
After seeing the documentary “Food Inc.“ I may never eat meat that’s not local again, and am seriously considering the vegan option. Check it out.
Like Jason, I’ve been told by people who would know that HoG and Tang Dynasty are the most authentic Chinese food restaurants in town. One woman described HoG as “home cooking.“ Its tofu Pad Thai is perfection.
Jason is also spot on that Mandarin Wok is fucking great, and also has many vegetarian/vegan dishes from which to choose.
Mary
I love that dish and the woman who works there is SO friendly and accomodating. The place has no curb appeal, but I heard someone talking about it in one of my classes and have been going there frequently ever since.
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Glad you asked Stuart. In the 1950s (well before they were approved for human use) poultry producers began using subtherapeutic doses of quinolone antibiotics, specifically fluroquinolone, to reduce the incidence of respiratory disease in overcrowded production conditions. In humans, quinolones are a last line of defense antibiotic…
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Great article. I’ve always found that by making it in the blender, I can be my typical impatient self and pour tons of oil in at once. It’s very forgiving that way, though not fool proof.
I like Kaiyo A LOT, but at Sushi Kame (next to the art theatre) you can get an absolute shitload of good sushi, plus miso, and a bit of noodles in a vineagar cucumber salad for $21, and you know it was made just for you. I…
Nice article, Emily! When I get to the CU area, I’ll be sure to give this place a try.
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Bread Company can do some fantastic vegan dinner dishes! Several of their pastas are vegan or could be made vegan and their pizzas can be ordered (and taste great) without the cheese. I also recommend their roasted potatoes and their roasted garlic head appetizer.
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Glad you asked Stuart. In the 1950s (well before they were approved for human use) poultry producers began using subtherapeutic doses of quinolone antibiotics, specifically fluroquinolone, to reduce the incidence of respiratory disease in overcrowded production conditions. In humans, quinolones are a last line of defense antibiotic…
Hah! Good one, Joel. But my question was a serious one. I only buy eggs from a couple of local organic farmers, so I never thought about antibiotic-free eggs. I’m assuming that Anna meant the hen was not fed antibiotics, but am not wholly sure. I’m…
That sounds like a setup to a joke at a CSA’s annual banquet. Q: “How can you tell an antibiotic-free egg?“ A: “It just can’t seem to get rid of that cough.“ /shows self out
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Great article. I’ve always found that by making it in the blender, I can be my typical impatient self and pour tons of oil in at once. It’s very forgiving that way, though not fool proof.
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Bread Company can do some fantastic vegan dinner dishes! Several of their pastas are vegan or could be made vegan and their pizzas can be ordered (and taste great) without the cheese. I also recommend their roasted potatoes and their roasted garlic head appetizer.