Provence

While many traditional Thai dishes incorporate some bit of meat, it’s usually simple to prepare them without, add in tofu for a hit of protein or substitute meaty for hearty mushrooms and aubergine. Throughout the country, local vegan Thai restaurants are identified with a red and yellow “เจ” sign. (เจ (jay) means vegan in Thai while มังสวิรัติ (mung-sa-wee-rut) means “vegetarian”.) At these simple eateries, all dishes are made without any eggs, fish sauce or oyster sauce but often include substitute meat products made from mushrooms, soy, tempeh or textured vegetable protein.

With eating plant-based meals and veganism becoming more in vogue, plenty of mainstream restaurants (especially within holiday hotspots such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Koh Samui) also offer a range of international and Thai vegetarian, vegan and raw dishes packed with nutritious ingredients.

Ever tried beetroot tartar or vegetable larb? What about northern Thailand’s iconic khao soi but without the customary stewed chicken leg? Even if you’re a carnivore, these dishes from some of the country’s top hotel dining venues will still delight with their myriad flavours, eye-catching colours and careful presentations.

To bring out the farm fresh flavours even more, each dish listed below highlights a pairing recommendation of our favourite fruit-based libation selected from the respective restaurant’s wine list.  

ZAZEN BOUTIQUE RESORT & SPA KOH SAMUI

Whether you know it as eggplant or aubergine, this dense fruit is the basis of many fine vegetarian dishes thanks to its heartiness and versatility. At Zazen Restaurant, Chef Trakulsak 'Kul' Yoayuan prepares aubergine with a decidedly Mediterranean flair. His elegantly-name dish, Provence, features grilled aubergine and tomato confit with fresh goat cheese pesto. The result is one of those rare vegetarian dishes that pleases even meat-eaters thanks to the aubergine’s beefy texture, chargrilled to bring out umami notes which are complemented by the bright goat cheese. The homemade pesto gives the dish freshness and aroma for a palate-pleasing finish.

Wine companion: When you choose a dish off the menu called ‘Provence’ you need to head straight for the rosé selection on the wine list. Provence is the dry, hilly region of Southern France, which produces crisp, earthy wines and is particularly famous for its rosés.  The Domaine des Martyr’s won’t disappoint.

For more: samuizazen.com