a question for VEGANS

i am not vegan (i am primarily vegetarian, but i will not give up seafood), but one of my favorite restaurants is a vegan place.

their menu states, among other things, that: "Our products are free from the five impurities - onion, garlic, leeks, shallot, and tobacco."

first, is tobacco ever used in cooking? and second, what is the reasoning/philosophy behind classifying onions, garlic, leeks, and shallots as 'impure'? i really have no problem with that classification, especially when it comes to onions (sorry Toreena), but can any of the vegans here shed some light for me? i'd like to understand it.

i assume this place is somewhat extreme in their veganism, as they won't allow me to bring beer into the place. so i can only get their food as take-out. but their food is yummy!

any explanations of the 'five impurites' would be appreciated...

no dude, they are not vegans, THEY ARE FREAKS. garlic and onions impurities. come fucking on already. what idiot book did they read that in. uh huh. i am getting god damned sick of all the food dogma. let me guess you live in portland, please inform which palce this is so i know never to go there. garlic is your god. people that don't like garlic are satan. does everyone see the big picture here. if you think that leeks and garlic are impurities then you are a food fascist. you are not a vegan. and chances are... you are not a vegan. who's the fascist now? i am.

and the last time i checked beer is friggin vegan... those bastards!!!! who do they think they are...

HAHAhAHA! actually, the place is in NYC. it's called 'tien garden', a slight chinese slant to the menu... i don't know if they are part of some cult (the other vegan place in my neighborhood is), but the food is really good...

*exactly*

probably just macrobiotic. i believe that onions and the like are considered stimulants.

the five impurities refer to buddhism. these five plants are thought to damage the Chi.

buddhism preaches a modified type of vegan diet. so tiengarden isn't so much vegan food as it is buddhist food

[Edited on Dec 07, 2002 by vena]

thank you very much, Vena.

and i'm guessing that's why you can't bring the beer in


how is their food, though?

but how concrete/integral is that? i've known drinking buddhists. look at alan watts... anf their food is lovely. i'll send you their info if you want, in case you ever come round to these parts...

i have the address and such, i just couldn't find anything about their food other than their attempt to make their menu spiritually fullfilling

i would probably guess that if they're going so far as the five impure plants, that they'd be against the alcohol. i've known several buddhists who drink, but there are a few schools of buddhism these days, so who knows

aHa! understood... well, *almost* everything i have had there has been pretty tasty. few exceptions... same goes for the other vegan friendly place in the immediate neighborhood, 'the sanctuary' on first ave, which is run by... a religious group (i am not using the word cult... yet). their food is also, on the whole, yummy... i think both deserve a sampling, but if you are pressed for time, i'd say hit tien garden first (even though sanctuary looks nicer)...