What is your experience with ethnic cuisine and their take on veg*nism?

then it's not vegetarian.

simple as that.

there's been crackdowns on that kind of conduct.... they can't label it as vegan or vegetarian when they add any animal product or cook it even on the same grill... pot.. anything along with animal

many resturaunts have been doing this and getting away with it. there's many people who are vegan/vegetarian for health reasons and those who are allergic to animal fats/proteins.

when places do this.. it's not culture it's just laziness.

Indian restaurants are the best for vegetarian food, but not necessarily vegan. They generally divide the menu items by "veg" and "non-veg." Lacto vegetarian diets (dairy but no eggs) are very common in India and eggs are almost always classified as meat. There is no sneaky addition of broth or animal fat, but butter and yogurt are common ingredients.

The only thing in Indian food that can be iffy is varak, a silver coating that is sometimes used in sweets. Some varak is processed using animal intestines; and you never know what varak was made that way and what wasn't. It's pretty obvious if varak is in food because it looks like silver. I find it strange that Indians are generally very careful about what is "veg:" or "non-veg", while it's kind of vague on varak.

Chinese and other Asian restaurants sometimes have little or no vegetarian/vegan selections; it just depends on the restaurant.

I'm in Sydney, Australia, and we have so much to choose from here because it's so multicultural and we're close to Asia. I usually just go to the South Indian restaurants (they are mostly vegetarian) and the Asian restaurants that are Buddhist and/or all vegetarian.

But there are plenty of regular Asian restaurants I frequent that will happily use vegetarian broths and sauces if we ask. Even a Vietnamese Pho restaurant I go to makes the pho (usually a beef broth) special and very tasty for us maybe because the owner is a Buddhist and understands. But at most places they'll understand what we're talking about.

I'm not worried about fish sauce but my partner doesn't want it and if he asks them not to put it in they will tell him whether or not it's possible and recommend another dish if it's not. Just ask and see if they are understanding - if they aren't then try somewhere else.

Fish sauce/oyster sauce/chicken flavouring are the most common seasonings used in Asian food. They are soy based sauces that come brewed and bottled, as commonly used, as vegetarian soy sauce.

Assuming there's no fish/meat in your veggie dish is as naive as assuming there's no msg in it. It's pratically a given.

While you don't walk into McDonald's and find it "terribly shocking" that it's loaded in greese, artificially flavouring & preservatives and not understanding your concept of veganism & healthy eating... why would you think like-wise of an Asian restaurant?

Just because they opened a restarant in America, it doesn't mean it's there to cater to your specific tastes, medical requirements & culture. They're there to serve the majority and make money.

The restaurant business does not assume everyone has a food allergy either, if a guest with a food allergy does not inform the restaurant, it is the guest who was careless.

Before you walk into a restaurant and try new foods, if you are really interested to know what's in the dish you should ASK your specific question.

This isn't limited to Asian restaurants, but any restaurant you are unfamiliar with. You did not mention if they specifically labled the dish "vegetarian". If it was and it turns out there was chicken stock in it, you have a valid complaint. Remember also vegetable dishes in ethnic restaurants do not mean vegetarian.

No restaurant can't be expected to know and cater to your specific dietary habits.

From urbandictionary.com

MOM: huh..applebees doesnt have much in the way of meatless foods...

me: i'll find something, i always do.

MOM: you could get a salad, or i thnk they have soups here.

me: mum, i'll find something.

waitress: what can i get you today?

me: um, what is you're soup of the day?

waitress: um, today it is the chicken tortilla soup.

me:okayy..um, can i get a plain salad then, without any meat on it?

waitress: okay, sure, would you like tomatoes?

me: sure

waitress: cheese?

me: yah

waitress: bacon too right?

me: no, no meat

waitress: so chicken then?

me: no, nothing that was previously alive and breathing,

waitress: so you want shrimp?

me: no. i want a plain salad without any meat on it.no animals. none.

waitress: (very puzzled look on her face)okay, then, i'll see what i can do...

Buddhism is a very animal-friendly, non-meat eating religion that’s spread from India, through Southeast Asia and China. Since they don’t eat meat of any kind, it would seem obvious that cultures that have been influenced by this religion would have a vast array of vegan recipes and diets at their disposal.

The sad part is, most of it’s been “Americanized” to appeal to our meat loving, cattle herding, cowboy culture. Of course, they can also save a buck by making all their recipes with the same ingredients list, bypassing the need to special order things such as vegetable stock and oils. But again, that’s another American influence.

My experience so far is to ignore the small details and order the items that are guaranteed to be “vegan friendly”. Anything with Tofu in it is usually a plus. Rice and purely vegetable dishes are also fairly safe. Although, I never really know how they prepare any of it...

I've noticed that too in some places around where I live. There are two places that offer both vegetarian and vegan options and one I love in Columbia SC called the Blue Cactus. It's got several awards for it's vegetarian and vegan options. One thing I keep noticing is that even after I ask for no meat in certain meals they still put meat in it or they will ask me about six times. I am allergic to black pepper too and I find it very very very difficult to find any place that does not pre-season everything with black pepper. Come on, they put it on the table so you can season it yourself. I had a horrible experience at the Rain Forest Cafe in Orlando and actually everywhere in Disney because they literally pre-season all their food with it and they don't even bother to put it on the menu. I ended up paying $17 for steamed veggies and rice. I just wish they would put everything that is in the meal on the menu. The FDA requires all food products in stores to label what's in it so why shouldn't the restaurants?

Because it's a minority group that cares what is in vegetables. Even in the US it's common for most vegetables to contain some type of grease or butter. If you want to know you should ask specifically and not assume everyone is going to prepare something the way you would. Many fats and butters are used for seasoning so you should always ask if you can't or refuse to eat certain things regardless of the reason. The southern states put bacon grease in MANY veggies, but you probably won't see it identified on every menu. There are probably lots of things in many foods they aren't going to tell you unless you ask. They are trying to sell food, not cater to people who won't eat it. They will serve what sells the most on the menu unless it's a high dollar place where a chef specialized a meal for you and you pay for that luxury.

BRITISH!!! indubitably my conventional food, and likewise probable between the main misunderstood! i admire considered one of those culmination and vegetables which advance right here, ingesting them seasonally, and likewise incorporating some impacts from different varieties of food. i've got travelled plenty, yet so a techniques the united kingdom is my conventional usa by environment, climate (nicely, we Brits could desire to have something to ***** approximately, dont we?) and the nutrition! P.s. i'm not speaking approximately fish and chips or regardless of a great number of human beings seem to think of of because of the fact the only nutrition you may get in the united kingdom!

MMMMMmmmmmm... slightly orange peanut stew...

*drools* aaaggggggggghhhhhhhhhh...

But angie says it is still better than raw sausage in a mushroom.

*EDIT*

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!