Dine at Buddha’s feet

On the Food Trail with Tiberius Kerk
VEGANS, take note. On a faraway island beyond our shores is a vegetarian restaurant tucked away near a green mountain.
Lantau Island is also home to the Hong Kong Disneyland. However, the theme park is on another part of the island and visitors who want a place that offers peace, relaxation and tranquillity will find the Ngong Ping preserve a better alternative.

If you desire to work up an appetite, you must opt for the Crystal Cabin on the long cable car ride to Ngong Ping. The glass-bottom cabin will give visitors a clear view of the marvellous views below from great heights.

Buddhism takes centre stage in Ngong Ping village. There’s a giant statue of Buddha that sits on top of the mountain and it dominates the landscape. On the day when I was there, white clouds embraced the mountain top. It was as if the spirit of Buddha had paid a special visit to the island.

There are eateries, restaurants and fast-food joints on the tourist route that ends at the long, upward 260 steps leading to the imposing statue of the Tian Tan Buddha which measures 34 metres high.

After taking in the breathtaking views from where Buddha sits, you may opt for the Poh Lin Monastery restaurant nearby.

It is vegetarian of course. For HK$318 (RM126), the meal consists of six dishes. There’s the popiah-style dish that would please any Malaysian, a big bowl of soup, a very tasty tofu dish that is splendidly complemented by a generous spread of corn.

Lifelong mission

It is not a lifelong mission of mine to seek out vegetarian restaurants but I consider it a blessing when a great vegetarian restaurant comes my way.

The serenity that prevailed in the restaurant’s interior put all of us at ease. Consequently, we ate most heartily. We did our utmost not to exhibit ourselves as gluttons.

The meal at the Poh Lin Monastery restaurant was an almost zen-like experience. The restaurant workers were swift with the prepared dishes. There was a calm that is non-existent in ordinary restaurants.

For a party of four, the various dishes with ample portions were more than adequate. We couldn’t even finish all plates on our table. Happily put it down to self-restraint.

Sometimes a great dining experience is often accentuated by circumstances that are strangely predestined. In this instance, the harmonious surroundings and the sanguine aura definitely helped diners to have a hearty appetite.

The dishes that gave my heart and stomach some pleasant jolts were the mushroom mixed with baby pak choy and the tofu-corn-green peas combination.

After a series of lunches and dinners that comprised mostly wantan noodles, beef brisket and roast goose, a satisfying meal at the Poh Lin Monastery restaurant served as a cleansing antidote to the
culinary “toxins” that we had consumed in the days before.

All in all, Ngong Ping where nature and culture blend seamlessly is quite refreshing after days of walking up and down the hilly concrete terrain of Hong Kong Central and the long stairways of the Hong Kong MTR.

Every country that brags about its tourist attractions needs a place like Lantau island. Great cuisine, lovely scenery and a brief encounter with Mother Nature is food for the soul.