VEGAN + VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY
This post is part of a series where I'll be sharing WHERE & WHAT TO EAT to enjoy delicious veggie meal combos that are well balanced, more nutritious and fulfilling!
You can find a list of all my favourite restaurants to enjoy Vegan + Vegetarian food HERE.
Clap received the Time Out Newcomer Fine Dining award in March 2021, and when I realised their Menu has two pages dedicated to Vegan and Vegetarian dishes, of course, we had to find out what all the hype was about!
Located in DIFC on the 9th floor, the restaurant feels spacious and sophisticated with a dash of playful quirkiness. Floor to ceiling windows look out over the surrounding skyscrapers, including some great views of Burj Khalifa. In winter, the whole restaurant opens up onto the terrace, turning it into the perfect open-air nightlife venue.
Clap's Vegetarian Menu includes vegan and vegetarian dishes, clearly indicating allergies and dietary requirements. There's plenty to choose from with a selection of Bites, Cold Starters, Salads, Hot Starters, Sushi, and Mains. With so many options to choose from, you definitely won't leave feeling hungry!
I could write a whole separate article about the lovely team at Clap, who go out of their way to give you a welcoming and enjoyable experience...but instead, I'll share what they had to say about their Vegetarian Menu.
HERE's WHAT CLAP HAD TO SAY ABOUT THEIR VEGETARIAN MENU:
Why did you create the Vegetarian Menu?
These days, many people are becoming vegetarian for their health, environmental concerns, animal rights or religious reasons. We've noticed a huge demand for vegetarian dishes in Dubai, so we wanted to create a menu everyone can enjoy.
What inspired the dishes?
At first, it was very challenging for us to come up with vegetarian dishes. When you think of Japanese cuisine, what comes to mind is sushi, sashimi, wagyu beef, etc. So we drew inspiration from the healthier Japanese cooking methods and added a little Peruvian touch to create our vegetarian dishes.
Is there anything special about the ingredients you use, where it's been sourced, it is organic, etc.?
We import seasonal vegetables and other ingredients from countries like Japan, Holland, France, Australia, etc. We also support local markets and suppliers for premium quality products.
Is there anything else you would like to mention?
We're constantly brainstorming and coming up with new vegetarian dishes, aiming to improve and offer new and unique experiences to our customers. The best is yet to come, we assure you.
HERE ARE MY RECOMMENDATIONS
STARTERS
CRISPY SHIITAKE SALAD / truffle goma dressing, fried shiitake mushroom (V)
CLAP SALAD / parmesan, yuzu, kohlrabi, dried miso, truffle (V)
BLACK GARDEN / cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, avocado (VG)
MY NOTES
The two salads complement each other beautifully. The fresh citrusy yuzu flavours of the Clap Salad cuts through the rich, almost chocolaty flavours of the Shiitake Salad.
The Black Garden is a refreshing twist on traditional sushi, using black rice, which is a lot healthier for you...no post sushi carb attack here...and jam-packed with healthy colourful veggies. We also picked up a hint of mint, which, as weird as it sounds, goes surprisingly well with this reinvented sushi experience. Very inspiring!
MAINS
BAKED TOFU ANTICUCHO / onion, mirin, soy and shiitake mushroom (VG)
BROCCOLI / chilli and tomato shiso salsa, roasted nuts
ROASTED LEEK DRIED MISO / white miso dressing, tomato salsa, coriander (VG)
MY NOTES
The Baked Tofu was the dish of the day!...To be honest, it was so good, we ordered it twice! The Tofu is mixed with, what I think is, mushrooms and some herbs and spices, then moulded into the cylinder shape and baked to perfection. It's served with a deliciously rich and tangy, spicy sauce and a side of perfectly cooked veg.
Broccoli is a delicious healthy addition to most meals! In this case, the salsa and roasted nuts elevate the dish. The roasted leek with sweet miso and spicy tomato salsa was also a great accompaniment.