A city garden: a vegetarian gem in the heart of Chicago's Chinatown - the restaurant Vegetarian Garden offers enticing meatless cuisine - includes recipe for chen du cold noodles - Brief Article

Vegetarian Times, Nov, 1997 by Jeanne Rattenbury

Chicago's Chinatown is home to literally dozens of Chinese restaurants, but there's only one real option for vegetarians who crave more than the standard rice and beans and stir-fried vegetables: Vegetarian Garden. Simply decorated with maroon and green tablecloths, gold-framed paintings and rice-paper lamp shades, the tiny storefront is the creation of Mona Shiu, a native of Hong Kong who was plagued with chronic colds and fevers until she gave up meat and dairy products five years ago. Already a talented amateur cook, Shiu returned to China to study under a master chef before opening shop in Chicago in September 1995.

Shiu's menu is particularly enticing for vegetarians who miss meat, because most of her dishes incorporate meat substitutes--seitan and soybeans--to recreate traditional Chinese favorites. Among the must--try appetizers are the protein-filled spring rolls (available steamed or fried but go ahead and splurge on the latter), pot stickers and a hot and sour soup, which is loaded with silken tofu, mushrooms, lily stems and bamboo shoots, and delivers a proper kick.

Listed under headings like "pork substitute" and "duck substitute," all entrees come with complimentary steamed rice. The sesame "chicken" features large nuggets lightly coated in batter and deep fried before being doused in a savory sauce and rolled in toasted sesame seeds: It's tender, delicious and convincing. A specialty of the chef, the "beef" chow fun, with its delicious rice noodles, is a hit. Among purely vegetable dishes, try the Szechuan-style string beans and the crispy eggplant (deep-fried chunks in a fiery light-brown sauce). Shiu herself waits tables so she can mingle with visitors. Feel free to ask questions; she has all the answers.

Chen Du Cold Noodles

2 SERVINGS VEGAN

This simple dish comes from the menu of Vegetarian Garden where it is a perennial favorite.

8 oz. dried linguine noodles,
egg or spinach
1/2 Tbs. salt
2 1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. rice wine or white wine
vinegar
1/2 tsp. hot chili oil or crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced diagonally
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds