Being Vegetarian Abroad

Being vegetarian. I don't think I ever realized how simple and effortless it is to be vegetarian in the states, especially in D.C. and Los Angeles. Most of the waiters I have encountered in the states know what vegetarian food is and if there isn't anything vegetarian on the menu, asking for dishes without meat is simple. That is something I will never take for granted. Finding vegetarian food in certain parts of Southeast Asia can be difficult at times, especially when there is a language barrier or misunderstanding of what vegetarian food is. But that shouldn't discourage vegetarians or vegans from studying abroad or traveling to other parts of the world because once you do find places that have vegetarian options, it will all be worth it. I have definitely had some of the best vegetarian dishes here! Especially in Indonesia, since they invented tempeh. My absolute favorite Indonesian dish is called gado gado. It is absolutely mouthwatering and high in protein since it has a combination of leafy greens, eggs, tofu, and tempeh. Not to mention the peanut sauce that always accompanies the dish. 

A couple of the best vegetarian dishes I found abroad:

 Tofu burger with charcoal bun from My Burger Lab in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Worth trying if you get tired of local food. They have sriracha spread that will make your stomach do a happy dance. This place is up there with In-N-Out and Shake Shack for me. 

Tofu green tea gelato in Kyoto, Japan.

 This was the first time I had gado gado. It was at a restaurant in Bali called Bebek Tebasari Resto. I definitely recommend this restaurant, it was a great place to stop for lunch after the Monkey Forest in Ubud.

At a ramen stall by Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, Japan. It's so hard finding ramen that does not have pork,chicken, or fish broth but I found it!  

Delicious and spicy vegetarian ramen. I was so surprised with the variety and quality of food that you can find inside mall food courts.