VeggieSF  

My partner and I had been anticipating the day we could eat at Veggie SF . They had a great write up in HK magazine accompanied by an amazing photo of one of their burgers. The reason it took us so long to finally make it to Veggie SF is because of its small opening hour window: noon-2:30pm for lunch and 6-9pm for dinner. We also did not have a booking when we arrived there at 6:30pm, but we were seated and and kindly asked to leave by 7:30pm for a subsequent booking.

We already had high expectations of Veggie SF seeing as it had two characteristics of good small restaurants: it only needs to be open for a small number of hours, and you need to make a booking to secure a table. So naturally, we were looking forward to tasting the food. I ordered a beetroot patty burger and my partner had the lasagna which were named in HK magazine as their two most popular dishes. For drinks, i ordered a Yogi brand tea and my partner had a chocolate milkshake.

We found both meals were very disappointing and lacked culinary substance. Not to mention, they were very over priced. The molten hot, microwaved lasagna was covered in a bland tomato/basil sauce. Between the layers of pasta sheets were chopped crunchy vegetables you wouldn't normally see in a lasagna: e.g.: carrots and baby corn. The vegetables did not complement the soft texture of a lasagna sheets (which were also too soft and over cooked). I was expecting something more along the lines of eggplant, pumpkin, fetta or sweet potato. It was also topped with a generous amount of mozzarella cheese and a drop pesto which was the only part of the dish that gave it taste.

The beetroot in the beetroot burger was more of a sauce to me than a substantial patty. It was great as a sauce but there was nothing that gave the burger any definition. The burger also contained some lettuce, tomato, grilled onion (which was an extra charge) and alfalfa. The bun was also just a cheap, un-toasted wheat bun you get from the supermarket. It looked nothing like the glistening, puffy sesame seed bun pictured in HK magazine. It tasted very amateur, like the typical poor attempt at putting together a vegetarian alternative. The burger was also served with two large hand cut potato wedges and a pumpkin wedge. The potatoes were under cooked and the roast pumpkin wedge was delicious (it tasted like a roast pumpkin).

My partner enjoyed his chocolate milkshake. However, it was served in a short water glass and topped with an equal amount of whipped cream. The only enjoyable part of the meal was too small and consistently not value for money like all the other things we ordered.

Veggie SF was a nice experience in that the decor and theme is very thoughtful, colourful and different. It has a great atmosphere and you feel like you have stepped back in time to a 1950's San Francisco. I think this is probably why people come here to dine; for the experience, definitely not the food.

I came here for lunch on a weekday and it's great that Veggie SF takes reservations. We didn't have to wait and got seated right away. The restaurant is San Francisco themed. I felt extra excited to come here since I'm from San Francisco myself. All the decorations made me think of home.

There are not many good vegetarian places in Hong Kong these days because the food that they serve are not healthy!

I am not a vegetarian but sometimes vegetarian food is nice and does not have that awful smell that unfresh meat has and there is no oil or fat.
But saying this, some Vegetarian foods are really oily and too sweet such as those Chinese style sweet and sour tofu skins and curry skins, heavily deep fried battered mashed taro.

When I saw the corraline salad I decided to come here for it because not many places seems to serve it.
I have tried the coralline drink before but it was just like drinking jelly.

I also liked this place because it is decorated like old San Franciso!

VeggieSF on Stanley Street has an eclectic setting inspired by San Francisco in the 50’s. The international selection on the menu is inspiring, and you will be able to find items ranging from Vietnamese vermicelli and Japanese tempura to lasagna, burgers and pastas. Main courses on the menu cost around $98 to $108, and for lunch you will get a free upgrade which includes one soup and one House Beverage.

While the food was quite delicious, the downside was that the seating area was cramped, and the entire restaurant was staffed by only two or three waiters. The service was reasonably polite, but extremely rushed (e.g. we were asked to order immediately upon being seated).

(1) The Broad Beans and Carrot Soup, which came with the set lunch, tasted quite bland. It had a good texture thanks to the chunky vegetable bits, but was too watery.(2) This Crispy Nuggets ($38) is a side dish and we loved it! It was crispy on the outside like normal chicken nuggets, and its texture was really chewy, which made it even better than chicken nuggets which are simply soft and pliable. Not to mention that they were full of “meaty” flavours as well!(3) This Oakland Breeze ($98) is Vietnamese Style mixed Vermicelli with Fried Tofu & Skewers. The seasoning was sharp and definite, just like what you would get in Vietnamese restaurants, and the tofu and skewers were crunchy and nicely smothered in an appetising sweet and sour sauce. The whole dish was very refreshing and it was one of the lighter options at VeggieSF.(4) This rice is called Sashimi 101 ($108) and it comprised of Rainbow Vegetable, Kelp Konjac, and Tempura served with Organic Sushi Rice. The veggie tempura was delicious and the other vegetables had been nicely grilled, giving them a gorgeous crunch. The sauce for this rice was thick and creamy, and there was an appealing hint of coconut milk.(5) I am Fabulous ($108) is a signature dish, and you could choose from a selection of patties for your Fabulous Burger. It was served with Potato Pumpkin Wedges and a Mixed Salad on the side. We liked the large, rustic potato pumpkin wedges, and the patty we picked was the Crispy Black Pepper Soy Patty, which was chewy and had a good thickness.(6) This Fuselli ($108) was dressed in a vibrant and refreshing pesto and tomato sauce. The fuselli was reasonably al dente, and the cashew nuts, olives and baby corn gave this dish a combination of interesting flavours and textures. Similar to the Vietnamese vermicelli above, this Fuselli was a light option which would be less likely to give you a food coma after lunch!(7) This Union Square ($108), an Organic Lasagne with cheese, assorted veggies and pesto, was piping hot when it was served, and was satisfyingly flavourful. It was topped with generous servings of mozzarella and ricotta cheese, and the assortment of eggplant, baby corn, peppers, and chick peas gave it a mélange of fresh flavours. However, I must point out that it was incredibly oily. Having picked a lasagna, I certainly did not expect a light dish, but there were spoonfuls of oil in it, coming both from the cheese and the pesto sauce…(8) Having finished the main courses, we ordered a Chocolate truffle cake ($38), and it was more fluffy and less heavy than the normal chocolate cakes, in a good way! Light, smooth and not too sweet, it was a soothing dessert to end our meal.The set lunch also comes with a beverage, and I ordered the FairTrade Organic Soy Coffee. Not everyone would like soy coffee, as it is much more bland and watery than your usual cup of latte, but I liked it, and if anything, I would order it just to support FairTrade!

While most items on the menu were delectable, I’m afraid this veggie meal was definitely not healthy, with most foods either deep fried or cooked with lavish amounts of cream or cheese. I would not recommend VeggieSF if you are looking for a detox meal - this is more of a place for vegetarian junk food!

Space is fun and kitschy.
Menu looks all right, and we'd heard good things but can't actually review the food because we never managed to eat there.

First time, walked in with 3 friends.
It wasn't full yet, but they said all the table were reserved (dinner).

Second time, went with one friend, again they were full - visibly so (dinner).

Third time, we arrived early for lunch - the place was nearly empty. Maybe 2 tables.
They asked if we had a reservation, which we didn't.
They checked their list, said ok - sat us down, gave us the menu, left, then came back and said - sorry made a mistake, this table is reserved.
Re-seated us elsewhere, took our drink order, and while we were deciding on food, came back again and told us actually that table was also reserved!
Meanwhile, the restaurant was nearly empty.
They apologized but it just seemed ridiculous.

That's just bad service and poor judgement about customer relations.

Welcome to VeggieSF ("San Francisco"), a 50s-themed vegetarian (and vegan-friendly) restaurant that also happens to be one of my favorite all-around food experiences of recent memory. The atmosphere is simply wonderful. The walls are covered with seemingly endless varieties of authentic and tongue-in-cheek 50s-era kitsch to explore (including Anne Taintor, or Anne-Taintor-esque, signage like you see on the right above). I probably could have spent another hour or two just combing through it all, but that's what repeat visits are for. And, believe me, there will be many repeat visits. I feel a desire to go back right now, actually, but let's make sure to talk about the food before I dash out the door...Here we have a fresh fruit soy shake that is thick, rich, and dairy-free (which doesn't necessarily matter to me, but I tend to prefer it, so I was very pleased to have the option). I have no idea what fruit was included (I'd at least guess banana), but I know it was mighty tasty and satisfying without being too sweet or too filling. Very much recommended.The main course: an organic beet burger. Such a staggeringly creative idea (certainly something I'd never seen before) and I sat in awe of its deliciousness. The chef somehow minced beets to formed a stable patty, covered it with cheese (optional), cucumber, tomato, and sprouts, then surrounded it with a toasted bun. They have a few other burger choices (black bean, grilled portobello and pineapple), but I just can't imagine any of them topping this: every component was beautiful and the flavor combination was perfect. Before we move on, I must give service to the included sides because each absolutely held its own. The salad had a nice variety of vegetables and just the right amount of tangy house dressing (not overwhelming; a detail I really appreciate since I prefer to enjoy the flavor of the veggies and often don't even use dressing). And the herb roasted wedges! The potatoes were lovely, to be sure, but the pumpkin was the real star. I'd suggest adding one more slice of pumpkin to the plate because one was most certainly not enough!A last minute addition: the egg-free chocolate truffle cake. Woo boy. This was rather like having a slice of firm-but-fluffy mousse, not a flour-based risen cake. It was so smooth, rich, and creamy that my descriptions can't do it justice. You'll have to go experience it for yourself.

That all sounds great, right? Well I haven't even gotten to the best part: the family of amazingly friendly staff who work there. They really went out of their way to make me feel welcome. I got there early and, at first, I was the only person being served (I was alone). The owner, who was hanging out at a nearby table, noticed and started a very entertaining conversation with me that led to me being introduced to the whole staff. They made me feel like a king and I'd never even been there before. Let me take this opportunity to send a giant thank you to the whole VeggieSF team for making my dinner tonight so wonderful. I'm coming back and I'm bringing friends.

Were there for dinner yesterday.
We ordered rice and burger,
the burger is quite nice but the rice is very dry with bit of source only.
We requested for additional source and the staff said there is $10 sub-charge.
Not a very pleasant dinner experience.

I made reservations for dinner. Reservations highly recommended. Serves all-vegetarian dishes.

Service:
Excellent service! Very homey, no fuss. You feel that they're not overly ambitious and not too eager. That is good. Being too eager puts the customer off. There is complimentary WI-FI.

Environment:Tables are jam packed next to each other and it is so easy to unintentionally eavesdrop a conversation at the next table. The wooden chairs are pretty small, and so it the table. The restaurant is dim and a candle in the middle of the table provides lighting.

Food:

This is the most overrated vego restaurant in all of HK. The decor was great but you can't eat the decor - clearly it was set up to distract you from how small the servings were. An appetizer of chips consisted of 5 (yes, *FIVE*) chips, the lasagne was enough to feed only a small child. Generally, the servings are very small. And for what you get, it was expensive. On top of that, they do not accept credit card - cash only. Definitely one of the most overrated places in HK. Save your money and hunger pains and go somewhere else

This was my first visit to the building and didn't know what to expect. Lunch time in Central is always crowded, and this place was no exception. There was even a long queue waiting for the lift which could only fit 6-8 adults at one time depending on body build.

The lift door opened directly onto the floor of the restaurant which was already 80% full by 1pm. I was a bit surprised at the floor size as the useable area couldn't have been more than 600 sq ft. The tables were small and closely packed, and with the large glass panels, this was a very noisy restaurant.

My friend and I both opted for some juices in additional to the set lunch. She went for the veggie burger as she had tried it before and I went for a pasta. The juices were ... juices, no surprises there. The soup was a bit bland (not exactly sure if it was pumpkin or tomato as it didn't taste like either). The burger was apparently as good as the last time. My pasta was akin to something one would get at a Vietnamese restaurant - lukewarm, full of southeast asian flavours with plenty of lime juice. Even though the burger looked like the real thing, I am not sure if I will want to try it in the future as I have a disdain for anything that is made to resemble meat and yet it's not. I had no issue with my pasta as it was actually quite appetizing for a hot summer's day.

The tables are actually too close and the place too noisy for any meaningful conversation. But the, if it's for a quick in-out type of lunch, this place is probably worth a second visit.

Ordered one of the set lunches. The soup was very watery and mainly tasted of pepper. The main (vegetable tempura) consisted mostly of rice, just 3 (small) pieces of tempura, a tiny bit of avocado, some chopped up bits of green & red pepper, bits of seaweed and sauce. The meal included a drink and cost $88 plus service. I suppose this might be considered reasonable for Central but considering the cost of the ingredients, I was not impressed.

The decor is definitely very interesting but the place was extremely noisy (this was lunch time). The service was varied - one guy was brilliant but the rest reminded me of cha chaan teng staff (surly, functional).

I visited Veggie SF with two of my friends in early January and was pretty disappointed. I will concede that it's a really cute place, with kitschy knick-knacks and a retro feel, but the food was definitely not worth a return trip, IMHO.

The appetizer we ordered kind of set the tone for the evening. On the menu, it was listed as organic chips and salsa. When it came out, it turned out to be Garden of Eatin's corn tortilla rounds dusted with cayenne pepper. The salsa seemed pre-packaged too. At $20-$30ish for a small portion, we felt completely gypped! I could have gone to Taste and gotten a whole bag of the chips myself for $19. At a veg restaurant, if something like that is listed on the menu, I expect it to be homemade tortilla chips with homemade salsa.

I ordered the Taipei rice with tofu and textured vegetable protein. My friends ordered the veggie burger and lasagna. Out of all three, I'd say the only good dish was the veggie burger. Even still, we wished there was something more substantial for the "patty" - they used beets which, while thick enough, lacked texture. Perhaps falafel?

My rice was nicely cooked, though for me, the amount of TVP (half the bowl!) was too much and it completely overwhelmed the dish. I also thought they went heavy on the sauce, making the whole bowl oversalted. My friend's lasagna was kind of disastrous: the pasta was soggy and way overcooked, and the tomato sauce was bland. Definitely made me miss the lasagna back home!

Overall, this place was a letdown for me. If I'm in the mood for vegetarian, I will definitely be heading up the escalators to Life. Yes, it's a bit more expensive, but the quality - with fresh ingredients nicely prepared - far trumps the extra $50 or so I'd spend.

I will not be coming back to Veggie SF, nor recommending it to my friends.

Veggie Ball & Fabulous Burger - Really fabulous; taste yummy
Wild Berry Smoothies - Smells exactly like an eraser
Overall, The service is good and environment is comfy.
It's definitely a very good choice for vegetarians around the area.

I have been in SF many times since its "soft opening" a few months ago.

My wife has found it through friend recommendation and being vegan it did not take too long before the word spread.
To us SF seems to have filled up what we were missing in Hong Kong: a nice, reasonably priced, healthy vegetarian restaurant.

Generally we are quite dissatisfied with the average Hong Kong veggie restaurant since most of the dishes on the menu are not really healthy: lots of preservatives and empty carbs, fake meat, no organic veggies and in general just vague attempts at recreating meaty dishes without using animal products.

SF is definitely different. I have noticed strenuous efforts since the beginning to improve and differentiate their offer. The menu is simple but changes very frequently and all dishes are quite unique recipes elaborated by the owners to cater for their guests.
Their vegetable are fresh, they use nutritious products like spirulina and nuts and rice is organic.

After the first visit a few months ago, I have challenged them to organize a dinner for all our vegan friends and I think they did very well: great value for money and lots of ideas to please everybody.

At the beginning SF was simply a lacto-ovo western vegetarian restaurant.
Right now it caters for vegan, lacto-ovo and buddhist (no onion, no garlic).
Also, the menu now covers western and asian dishes.

Last night I have had a burger (my favourite veggie burger in town, with a nice beetroot patty, instead of the usual beans or tofu) while my wife had a Korean bibimba (spicy fried rice with vegetables cooked in a hot pot).
SF also offer non-alchoolic beer and wine, Yogi Teas (caffeine-free!) and other delicacies.

Try it for yourself.

I love the decor and I love the colors! I am quite sure the owner (or whoever handled the renovation) put some thoughts in creating this 1950s USA atmosphere. I was pleasantly surprised indeed when I first stepped into this resto.

The colors, the fixtures and the mix of different chairs really made this place rather exciting in its own way. I found myself looking around the different items / fixtures throughout the meal. Some items were rather interesting indeed.

Oh did I mention it is a veggie resto? VeggieSF as in Veggie San Francisco. Yeah, no meats on the menu, just a set of 7 or so vegetarian dishes based on different cuisines such Japanese and Korean. The name of the dishes pretty much explained it, namely Japan Town and Rainbow Bibimbap.

Aside from mains, we ordered several side dishes to share as well. The first was the Veggie Wedges which were wonderfully done! The texture were firm yet crisp on the outside while slightly soft in the inside. Slightly spiced and the flavors were delightful!

The Veggie Dumplings were well prepared but I wished the fillings can be ... well, can have more fillings I guess.

I ordered the I Am Fabulous which was the Oven Baked Beetroots Cheese Burger. I never thought beetroots can be used this way as the patty. The beetroots were minced and formed into a patty shape for baking. To be honest, I quite enjoyed it not just for its creativity but for its flavors as well. I cannot really compared its texture to a real burger because it was rather mushy but it was good the way it was.

Gold Rush - Malaysian Curry with Mitake Mushroom and assorted veggies with brown rice was another delightful dish. Nothing particularly exciting and flavor was rather light but no complaints from me.

Japan Town - stir fried Rotini (menu said Tortiglioni though) with assorted mushrooms and celery was alright, rather ordinary yet filling I guess.

We were still a bit hungry so time or some desserts! The Cheesecake was ... rather dull especially with that flag like topping.

The Chocolate Cake wasn't great but not terrible at all. Not sweet enough for my liking.

I did not try the Pomelo Ice Cream but it would have been a refreshing way to end the meal for sure.

The meal and desserts were not very exciting but I did enjoy my stay very much. It was something different, something very delightful and it is a place I would come back for its atmosphere and a quick casual meal whenever I feel like veggie!

Likes:

* Love the atmosphere and decor!
* Veggie Wedges - great texture + flavors
* I AM FABULOUS - Oven Baked Beetroots Cheese Burger - thumbs up!

Dislikes:

* overall flavors were light (just a personal preference issue)

Avg Spending: HKD 100 - 200 per person

Original Blog with more Picture: http://www.jasonbonvivant.com/2010/04/veggiesf.html