China Gives The Green Light

A vegetarian stumbles upon a feast to remember

- Suchi Govindarajan

I had been dreaming about the ancient city of Xi’an for years. I longed to cycle atop its Ming-era city walls, and walk the streets paved with the history of the Silk Road. I wanted to see the thousands of statues that make up the archaeological site, Terracotta Army.

But eagerly anticipated holidays rarely turn out to be perfect. My husband and I land in Xi’an on a drizzly grey afternoon that sets the tone for the rest of our weekend. The Terracotta Army is stunning, but by the time we finish, our clothes are damp and our spirits low. We climb up to the city walls, but the panorama is hidden behind sheets of rain, and the cycle-hire shops are closed.

On our last night in Xi’an, we head to its Muslim Quarter in soggy shoes that squelch at each step. A turn leads us into the main street, with steam rising from hundreds of woks and grills of the Bei Yuan Men Night Market. The rain seems powerless against this onslaught. We close our battered umbrellas and inspect buns stuffed with beef, chunks of mutton swimming in soups, and the kebabs on sale. There is one catch, though. My husband and I are vegetarians.

Is it hard to find vegetarian food in China? The answer is like that Facebook relationship status: “It’s complicated.” This is our second trip to this country, and we can eat just about anywhere when accompanied by a guide or a local. At other times, we turn to apps like Happy Cow to find Buddhist vegetarian restaurants—there are 60 such restaurants in Beijing alone, and six in Xi’an.