You are a man, and thus, you crave meat. Sometimes, you crave lots of meat – far more than the paltry palm-sized serving that’s recognized as “healthy.” That’s just fine, so long as you balance that yin with some meatless yang once in a while. But foregoing flesh need not mean a total sacrifice of satisfaction – especially if you chow down on one of these – the tastiest, meatiest meatless dishes in Montreal.
The mock meat specialists at the upscale Thai joint Chu Chai have perfected faux flesh. The standout is the red curry “chicken,” but plenty of dishes here could fool the most committed carnivore. 4088 St. Denis St., 514-843-4194.
With a positively carnivorous texture, the TVP– texturized vegetable protein – shines alongside flavourful beans and vegetables in the chunky chili sin carne at La Faim du Monde, a multi-ethnic vegetarian joint. 4110 St. Denis St., 514-906-0432.
We’re not sure it’s quite as effective as a hangover cure, but Yuan’s meatless dim sum is a convincing stand-in for the real thing. The pan-Asian vegetarian restaurant is renowned for its remarkable mock meat, making the contents of its assorted dumplings delicious – and mysterious. 400 Sherbrooke St. E., 514-848-0513.
Speaking of mystery meat, hot dogs – even veggie dogs – tend to be suspiciously processed, containing oddities we’d rather not know about. But these thoughts will be far from your mind when you bite into a big, juicy veggie sausage at Belgian friterie Frite Alors, where it’s served on a white bun with nearly any condiment you crave. 5235A Parc Ave., 514-948-2219.
Image courtesy of Footoos Van Robin on Flickr.
