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Vegetarian Friendly Factor – 
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Teng Bespoke is not your typical Japanese restaurant. Tucked in amongst a sea of shops in the modest interior of the Sunshine plaza, Bespoke boasts of a set up and ambience that is cozy and inviting. The restaurant has a modern dining space with comfortable seating and a private room for parties and large gatherings.
Bespoke’s philosophy is simple – healthy and authentic Japanese dining the vegetarian way. What’s more is that around 90% of their dishes are stated to be either vegan or can be customized as such, so make sure you check with the serving staff on your preferences. They pride themselves on promoting healthy living so there is no refined flour, sugar, artificial flavours, and no added salts or chemical preservatives used in their preparations.
Teng Bespoke has a Zen like feel to it – as soon I stepped in, I felt calm and the interior almost made me forget the day’s hustle bustle and the traffic buzzing on the busy intersection just outside. The staff are warm and cordial and we decide to get started with their recommendations. Out of the dishes that we tried, here are 5 Vegan & Vegetarian Japanese Dishes at Teng Bespoke that I would recommend. These dishes make sure that Teng Bespoke Vegetarian Japanese Restaurant features in our top picks of the Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Singapore.
Radish Salad (Vegan)
The Radish Salad (S$15) sort of resembles the Yu Sheng that you toss at CNY celebrations in appearance. The fresh mix of radish, turnips, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, with cashews and crispy wafers, topped with seaweed and sesame sauce was a refreshing start to our meal. It is a best seller among the guests and 1 portion is large enough to serve 3-4 pax. Recommended!
Shitake Mushroom (Vegetarian)
For me, this was clearly the winning dish of the day. Perfectly fried Shitake mushroom with a cheese and cream sauce is a perfect combination that simply melts in the mouth. The plate was polished off in no time and the pleasure of the delectable treat won over the guilt of the calories. Highly recommended! *Note that the dish is loaded with cream and cheese, so vegans should stay a mile away from it.
Unagi Maki (can be done Vegan)
The avocado and cucumber rice rolls are topped with mock unagi and unagi sauce – sweetened soy and sesame. The Unagi Maki (S$11) is flavoured delicately and is a good representation of what the real stuff may taste like. I had a friend once tell me how real Teng Bespoke’s unagi and sashimi look in terms of appearance and texture – I now know what she meant. The wasabi and the ginger paste on the side pack the much-required punch and over all I loved the potpourri of strong yet complimentary flavours of Teng Bespoke’s Unagi Maki.
Avocado Fried Rice (Vegan)
For the main, I decided to stay away from the soba and try the Avocado Fried Rice. I absolutely loved the dish. It felt nice and light on the tummy and definitely healthy. Here, rice is coupled with fragrant truffle oil and topped with fresh pieces of avocado – the dish comes together rather nicely. It is flavoured mildly which allows the unique taste of each of the ingredients to surprise you with each bite.
Hokkaido Pumpkin Ice-cream
Come dessert-time and I was looking for that perfect treat that would complete my meal without being too indulgent. The staff recommended the Hokkaido Pumpkin Ice-cream. This particular flavour is flown in straight from Hokkaido and is definitely one of the nicest flavours I have tasted in a while. Light and flavourful – the colour, texture and taste of natural pumpkin comes through effortlessly. The Green Tea Chendol is also apparently a best seller, so take your pick from these two treats.
Verdict
Teng Bespoke is a wonderful way to savour vegetarian Japanese cuisine, in an ambience that promotes a relaxed, stress-free time with friends or family. The restaurant is child friendly and they can often customize dishes. The prices are mid-range, S$8-10 for the appetizers and S$12-15 for the mains but these portions are large and can serve 2 pax at the minimum. The ingredients are fresh and imported to provide the authentic taste and I wouldn’t mind paying that additional to ensure I eat healthy yet oishii, as they would say in Japanese for a delicious meal.
Teng Bespoke: 91 Bencoolen St, #01-50 Sunshine Plaza, 189652. P: +65 6337 7050
Preethi & Ganesh are our favourite writer-photographer duo. While Preethi is juggling two hats being mom to a naughty and adorable three-nager, and working as a HR Marketer; Ganesh is a Technology Sales Professional by week and a sports enthusiastic and passionate photographer over the weekend. While Preethi is a foodie, music lover, ardent toastmaster and a travel buff; Ganesh enjoys running (6 full marathons and counting) and plays cricket for a Singapore League team. Luckily for us, they share a common love for all things food (as long as its vegetarian) and enjoy working together on articles – his captures add the spice to her words.