Plant-based alternatives have been taking over the world by storm, especially with people becoming more aware of the effects of their diet on our planet, and are looking to make more conscious-eating choices by switching to plant-based alternatives.
And with the growing demand for plant-based alternatives, social venture and sustainability champion Green Monday Group has just launched the first Green Common in Southeast Asia — a one-stop culinary destination for plant-based eating.
What’s at Green Common?
Located at mega mall VivoCity, Green Common boasts a bright and colourful interior, with a dedicated area for retail and a wider café area that seats 112 pax indoors, and another 36 outdoors.
You’ll notice the fluffy green moss dotting the centre of the table and across the ceilings… and we know what you’re thinking: Wait, are they real? Yes, that’s real moss indeed!
The duo-concept store brings some of the world’s leading plant-based brands under one roof, and serves up a menu of fully plant-based dishes, meat free cooking staples and more.
Dining concept at Green Common
The Green Common Cafe offers a menu of affordable, delicious, and healthy vegan-friendly dishes, with appetisers ranging from S$8++ to S$14++ per plate, and most mains and desserts under S$20++.
Upon Green Common’s opening, I took a trip to VivoCity and tried some of the recommended dishes from a fully plant-based menu, and all I can say is that I was pleasantly surprised.
I’m a meat lover, and I’ll almost always have meat with every meal, be it chicken, pork, beef, or seafood. In fact, I’m the one picking out vegetables from my plate and I’ll be the last person you’ll see asking for more greens. So I must admit that I was slightly daunted when my editor assigned me for a review of a plant-based café.
Thankfully, with the dishes from Green Common, I can say with certainty that the plant-based dishes taste just as good, minus the guilt and carbon footprint. I had a very good time trying out the dishes.
Read on to see some of the dishes I’d recommend you try when you visit Green Common.
Appetisers
Meatless Meatballs
Made with hand-rolled OmniMeat and Beyond Meat Meatballs, these Meatless Meatballs stewed in a rich Marinara Sauce are an absolute hit with the crowd. If I had to do a blind taste test between this and regular meatballs, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference at all!
Omni Musubi
While I never thought that luncheon meat would ever pair well with anything in a sushi, the Omni Musubi (S$9++) proved me otherwise. Served in a plate of three, every sushi is topped with crispy OmniMeat Luncheon, glazed with teriyaki sauce and pineapple chili chutney to present a refreshing taste.
Omni Luncheon Fries
This indulgent yet guilt-free snack was definitely one of the highlights on the menu. Containing 0mg cholesterol and none of the carcinogenic nitrates you’ll find in regular luncheon meat, the OmniMeat Luncheon had the same yummy flavour and chewy texture as regular Spam fries would, albeit a little salty.
The fries also come with a choice of four different dips: truffle, thai chili, BBQ or honey mustard, and they’re perfect for sharing!
Mains
Hainanese Trick’en Rice
Recreating a perennial Singaporean hawker favourite, the Hainanese Trick’en Rice (S$16++) is made with Heura ‘chicken’ and accompanied with homemade chili sauce, ginger paste, and dark sauce. Chicken-less chicken rice? I’ll definitely be coming back for more.
Meat Lovers Pizza
Don’t be fooled by it’s name — while the Meat Lovers Pizza (S$19++) definitely does not contain any meat, the Moving Mountains Hot Dog and Beyond Sausage definitely tasted like a meat pizza! A generous amount of toppings, cheese, tomato sauce, and perfect crust, what more could I ask for in a vegan pizza?
Banh Mi Bowl
We often see the famed Vietnamese dish in a sandwich form; Green Common has taken the dish and adapted it to have zero meat, but still retained all the flavours in a traditional Banh Mi. Cooked with Unlimeat, Nuoc Cham dressing and a heap of fresh vegetables, the Banh Mi Bowl (S$14++) definitely surprised me because of how flavourful and appetising it was.
Dessert
Strawberry Tower
Topped with strawberries and a delectable lemon and lime cream (vegan, of course!), the Strawberry Tower (S$11++), this sweet and tangy flaky puff pastry is just what you need to end off your meal on a sweet note.
Hong Kong Style French Toast
An iconic tea – time staple in many ‘cha chaan teng’ (Hong Kong-style diner) – this crunchy vegan brûlée toast is accompanied by a side of sliced banana, berries and maple syrup. I’ll definitely recommend the Hong Kong Style French Toast (S$13++) for sharing, as the toast can be quite filling and heavy.
Retail concept at Green Common
After enjoying a hearty meal at the café, you can head over to the retail section and have your next week’s meals covered with the plant-based products such as the dairy-free Califa Farms, Huera Foods, Unlimeat, Alpha Foods, Gardien, and OmniMeat.
We know that cooking can be an absolute chore sometimes after a long and busy day, and that’s where the convenient OmniEat Vegan-Friendly Frozen Ready Meals come in. Designed for guilt-free convenience, these ready-to-eat meals just need to be popped into the microwave.
Made with OmniMeat, the range features Asian delights such as the OmniEat Truffle Gyoza (S$7.20), OmniEat Siu Mai (S$6.50), and OmniEat Crystal Dumpling (S$6.20).
Make green the new common
Conscious eating begins with small, simple changes to your everyday diet — you don’t have to go cold turkey and completely cut off meat completely.
You could try a flexitarian diet (a primarily vegetarian diet but occasionally including meat or fish) as a small start, and consume meat only on your cheat days.
After visiting Green Common and speaking to some sustainability champions, I was inspired to make more conscious-eating choices and have since opted for more sustainable and plant-based options whenever I could.
If like me, you’ve always lamented that it was difficult to find places that served delicious vegan or plant-based foods, Green Common is now one option for you to check out.
Bring your friends and family along too, and you’ll even enjoy 20% off your entire bill when you spend S$30 or above at the café on weekdays from 12pm to 2pm.
Green Common is located at 1 HarbourFront Walk, #01-169/170, VivoCity, Singapore 098585.
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