GOING VEGETARIAN AT SM BAGUIO

March 23, 2024 Community Billboard

Holy Week and the Lenten days before can seem to be a long tedious period because of fasting. Some of us abstain from eating meat and sometimes drinking alcohol. Back then it was easier for the faithful to go into Lenten fasting because most seem to go into it. Now, especially if you are a Lenten tourist, fasting seems to be a lost cause. Baguio is the Summer Capital of the Philippines but it seemed to be a secular city during Holy Week. It was only recently when it held its Church procession along Session Road.

Some barangays also hold pabasa but these are not usually maintained. But if you still want to go into fasting, SM Baguio can still be of help. We asked a vegetarian friend who’s a local and she suggested several vegetarian foods at the mall. She recommended Hillstation for its sizzling tokwa, pasta and vegetarian salad. Its Green Garden Salad with creamy roasted sesame dressing is both a culinary and visual delight. She also recommends Chaya’s tofu hotpot, adegashi tofu and nasu, green salad and veggie tempura.

Mango Tree also has vegetarian pad thai and spring rolls which she relishes, she said. Another Thai food outlet with a vegetarian treat is Purple Pad Thai with its vegetarian spring rolls. Another vegetarian friendly restaurant is Manam Restaurant. A favorite is Crispy Lumpiang Ubod with palm heart, cabbage, Baguio beans, and other vegetables. Of course, their shiitake and tofu kare-kare is so scrumptious, it’s almost a sin. You can extend your
Lenten menu in SM Baguio if you include piscatorian (fish) and fruitarian (fruits). There might be other secret veggie dishes out there in the mall but then we can’t eating too much.