Some quick stats: The impact of going green for a full year amounts to 1.5 tons of carbon emissions prevented and a whopping 477 animal lives saved. Though we can't all commit to 365 days of being Captain Planet, Hong Kong's Green Monday Group (the guys behind Asian meat-alternative OmniMeat) has launched its first Southeast Asian branch to help make Meatless Mondays easier.
The Space
Green Common is hardly the first completely vegan food establishment, but its interiors definitely reflect a different type of consumer profile where motivations are less religious and more about being #woke. Those who've watched Rotten or Game Changers and have made mindful eating a 2021 resolution. It's bright, young, and seamlessly integrates the retail part of its grocery concept into its open-floor seating. Also sporting a huge patch of greenery on the ceiling to remind patrons why they're doing this.
Brands offered
There's dairy-free Califia Farms, Spanish plant-based chicken Heura, Korean sliced beef alternative Unlimeat, even egg substitute Just Egg, and obviously Green Monday’s own OmniMeat (as well as the debut of preservative and MSG free frozen ready meals OmniEat). That's alongside the plant-based brands you may or may not be familiar with like Beyond Meat, Alpha Foods, Gardein, Daiya Foods, Bite Society, Moving Mountains, Vegan Robs and Simply Seven.
Must-try
Bearing in mind that we didn't get to try every single thing on the menu, which features both Western and Asian inspired dishes, these special mentions are the ones that were an interesting try. As a first encounter with Unlimeat, the lean (can we even call it that if it's not technically meat) slices worked well with Vietnamese and Thai dressings. In fact, with beef occasionally overcooked and rubbery in the original dishes, this may just be an improvement.
Chicken rice fans would be divided on the Hainanese Trick'en Rice. Huera's chicken could pass as white meat on the first bite, but gives itself away on the following ones. The rice only faintly echoes the national dish's cornerstone in terms of fragrance, but does taste much cleaner.
How we feel about it in a gif
It's not the friendliest price point if you approach these dishes objectively, but taking higher production costs that comes with the (debatably) lower environmental costs, it's a great springboard for believers and potential converts on the many ways to have faux meats.
Green Common is located at VivoCity #01-169/170, Singapore 098585.
Until 24 January, the first five dine-in customers will receive a gift set worth SGD50, and a minimum spend of SGD50 will entitle diners to a free OmniMeat Mince pack voucher, all subject to availability. Until 19 February, a minimum spend of SGD30 on weekdays 12 – 2 pm will receive 20% off their entire bill.
