Han Lai Vegetarian Zhongxiao Branch Unveils 23 New Dishes – Signature Trio Still Available

▲ Han Lai Vegetarian officially launched at Taipei Zhongxiao SOGO Department Store on November 8.

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan, Taipei

Han Lai Vegetarian officially launched at Taipei Zhongxiao SOGO Department Store on November 8. To celebrate the opening of the Zhongxiao branch, the Han Lai Vegetarian culinary team has developed 23 new dishes. However, the restaurant’s signature trio—quinoa eight-treasure rice, Shanghai-style shredded radish dumplings, and pickled Chinese toon crispy triple-fry—are still available.

Located on the 11th floor of Taipei Zhongxiao SOGO Department Store, the Han Lai Vegetarian Zhongxiao branch covers an area of 70 ping (approximately 231 square meters) with 80 seats. The average spending per customer is aimed at attracting more young people to enjoy vegetarian food. The Zhongxiao branch features a fashionable and minimalist design. Meanwhile, the Han Lai Vegetarian culinary team has also developed 23 new dishes. However, the restaurant’s signature trio—quinoa eight-treasure rice, thousand-layer shredded radish crisp pastries, and pickled Chinese toon crispy triple-fry—are still available.


▲ Quinoa eight-treasure rice.


▲ Tainan taro cake.


▲ Thai-style spicy and numbing crispy mushrooms.

Pickled Chinese toon crispy triple-fry is a must-order dish for customers at Han Lai Vegetarian. It is made by stir-frying shredded bamboo shoots, enoki mushrooms, king oyster mushroom slices, and a specially prepared Chinese toon sauce, then wrapping them in spring roll wrappers and deep-frying until crispy. Upon serving, Italian-aged vinegar is drizzled on top. As for the quinoa eight-treasure rice, which is seasoned only with minced ginger and soy sauce, the quinoa is first soaked in water for two days. Then, brown rice, millet, and white rice are steamed separately with different amounts of water and cooking times. They are then stir-fried in a clay pot with ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms, taro, baby corn, pine nuts, and edamame. The dish has a sweet and savory flavor, with a slightly charred, crispy rice crust that adds a rich texture.


▲ Fermented glutinous rice-flavored crispy fruit willow strips.


▲ Kung Pao vegetarian monkey head mushrooms.


▲ Stone pot aromatic delicacy.

The Shanghai-style shredded radish dumplings, which have sold over 66,000 portions in five years, are a signature dish inherited from Han Lai Cuixuan. The shredded radish is mixed with lotus root starch, steamed, and retains the radish’s natural sweetness and juiciness. The filling becomes moist and thick due to the addition of lotus root starch, then it is wrapped in puff pastry and deep-fried. As for the 23 new dishes, they are equally impressive, such as the Kung Pao vegetarian monkey head mushrooms and Thai-style spicy and numbing crispy mushrooms, which have a texture very similar to chicken. Additionally, the wild mushroom dumplings with added black truffle offer a flavor that rivals regular pan-fried dumplings found in the market.

Address: 11F, No. 45, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2731-1128