These past few weeks, most of us pigged out. Our excuse? Christmas season!

And if you’re like me, you too are raring to eat less and more healthily. I am forever on a diet. I always say that the best time to plan a diet is when you’re full. You are so determined to do it. That is until you get hungry.

Such is the story of my life.

I had this misconception that vegetarian food did not taste good—until I tried it in a friend’s home.

Bubut is a vegetarian who served me a snack of veggie Spam on toasted pandesal with a little tomato catsup.

That became the turning point, where vegetarian food in my life was concerned. I loved it.

The next day, I went to a vegetarian grocery on Quirino Ave. to look for that vegetarian Spam and was surprised to see all these delicious vegetarian products.

I am forever looking for good vegetarian restaurants. I have tried many but was never really that impressed with the dishes.

Most of them I found too simple and lacking in creativity. Then friends Dan and Gerry told me about Wabi-Sabi along Malugay St. in Makati. A second branch has since opened in Quezon City.

I love this restaurant. You’re not only eating healthy and delicious food, you feel great after. Vegetarian food is not that hard to digest so you get that feeling of lightness after a meal.

This new place along Morato is now called Wabi-Sabi noodle house and vegetarian grocery. I was there just last week and had such a fantastic meal.

What made it greater was even if I ate so much at dinner, I didn’t feel heavy after and I slept like a baby. Usually, I try not to eat heavy for dinner because I experience lousy sleep. Not this time.

They have a few new items on the menu. The crispy tempura corn fritters is a must. These are batter coated corn with cream cheese. You squeeze calamansi over and drizzle some rock salt and voila! Sarap!

Then there is a Vietnamese fresh spring roll with hoisin and peanut dressing. Sarap also.

I tried a vegetarian unagi which I thought was a brilliant creation of Ibarra the owner. Over rice, this will also be a sure winner.

But I had to have my old reliable Vietnamese Bahn Mi sandwich. This is the most delicious vegetarian sandwich ever. It uses crusty and chewy Vietnamese baguette from Palawan. The filling consists of sweetened and shredded veggie meat with pickled strips of carrots and radish topped with wansoy. Panalo!

My forever dilemma is which noodle soup to choose. It has always been a toss up between the Vietnamese pho or the Japanese ramen. Whenever I’m having one, I think that is my favorite and immediately change my mind when I try another.

Now they just added more confusion to my life by adding Tom Yum flavor, Tantanmen and either miso or shoyu. They also make cuapao and chahan or Japanese fried rice which is next on my list.

Other items include siopao, siomai, a delicious vegetarian chicharon and a must-try lemon grass iced tea. Now they also serve Vietnamese-style coffee.

I am impressed with the creativity of the owner Ibarra. Very imaginative and creative. I am so excited they have a branch closer to home in Morato. I’m sure I’ll be a regular there. Try vegetarian!

I believe I am starting the year right. Now, I have to control the volume of my food intake. Hirap ng buhay!

HAPPY EATING!

Wabi-Sabi Noodle House is at POS Bldg., Scout Madrinan cor. Tomas Morato, QC. Coming from Edsa, when you see the Boy Scouts monument, turn right. It is located in the building beside Belo clinic. Tel. 0918 962 2935

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