Looking for a vegan restaurant in Makati particularly near Ayala Avenue? Check out iVegan Restaurant in LPL Tower. Formally opened last November 6th, it is barely a month old as of this writing but I think iVegan Restaurant which is very near Greenbelt is here to stay for good! Serving Western food with a dash of Asian favorites, I had the chance to sample some of its dishes with my sister one Friday afternoon. It was raining and my online tasks are knee-high but I still gave this restaurant a few hours of my time because I know it is going to be super worth it.
If you're one of those who followed my life's journey, it is not a secret that since June I started to opt eating more plant-based food for health reasons. Living in the city means it is always a struggle to know where to eat vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based food in Manila particularly. I need to add extra efforts to sustain this change of eating habit I plan to do indefinitely. I don't have time to cook for my own food and definitely won't spend half of my day going to the market to buy veggies, fruits, et cetera. Plant-based cuisine is still underrated. Good thing there are entrepreneurs who found a way to share the good news of eating healthier and without harming Mother Earth by opening restaurants that serve these kinds of food.
There is this belief that vegan restaurants are only for vegans, vegetarian restaurants are only for vegetarians, and restaurants that serve plant-based will only give you fresh fruits and vegetables. THIS IS COMPLETELY WRONG. These restaurants are open to omnivores all the time like iVegan Restaurant in Makati.
iVegan Restaurant Makati Introduction
iVegan Restaurant wasn't the first name of choice but i (heart-shaped) Vegan. The heart emoticon was dropped for some reasons. iVegan Restaurant along with all of the vegan restaurants in the Philippines and beyond is owned by a vegan who is into fitness and healthy diet. The concept of iVegan Restaurant in Makati follows the philosophy of farm to table approach. Veggies, fruits, and the rest of ingredients are outsourced directly from partner farms in Tagaytay and Batangas.
TIP: The delivery of their fruits and veggies happen every Thursday and Saturday. If you happen to dine during these days, you can ask the waiters/waitresses for off-menu dishes coming from what kinds of veggies and fruits they have in stock.
TIP: The delivery of their fruits and veggies happen every Thursday and Saturday. If you happen to dine during these days, you can ask the waiters/waitresses for off-menu dishes coming from what kinds of veggies and fruits they have in stock.
iVegan Restaurant Makati Location
It is just across the street from Greenbelt! I hang out in Greenbelt, Makati a lot. This is where I go to attend a Catholic mass whenever I can and meet friends. Next time, I know where to bring them! It is also my first time to find a restaurant in Makati that is literally located at the basement - just take a few steps down and you're good to go.
iVegan Restaurant Makati ambiance
iVegan Restaurant doesn't have the luxury of space but I love how the vibe inside is cozy and chic. Aside from the smiling staff who will open the door for you, the mellow music and the cold breeze coming from the aircon would accompany you all throughout your dining experience.
Tables can be arranged in small groups or if you want to have one of it all by yourself or with your loved one. It also appears communal the way it is arranged so even if you dine alone but happy to share a table with a soon-to-be-friend, it is possible here in iVegan Restaurant Makati. Also, I have soft spot for furniture that is local in nature that's why I feel happy to see that their tables are made of wood.
There's also a small room that can accommodate 8-10 persons. It is free usage as long as the bill is minimum of Php 8k. You'll have to reserve though in advance to be able to avail the privacy of dining inside iVegan Restaurant Makati with a group.
iVegan Restaurant Food
Now, let's go to straight to the real deal! iVegan Restaurant's menu wouldn't bombard you with dozens of choices. Since it is past lunch when we arrived and our stomachs are full, we only ordered two appetizers plus one main. For the drinks, we chose smoothies.
What we ordered
Quinoa Sushi
purple cabbage, carrot, iceberg lettuce & cucumber
Php 180
Quinoa sushi is crunchy thus I can really tell the veggies in here are fresh. It was perfect as the first one we tried because it is so light in the stomach. It is telling our mind to order more!
Scallop
Seared king oyster mushroom, pesto & salsa sauce
Php 180
Scallop really blew my mind. It tastes so close to that real scallop's taste. It was like I needed to reassure myself that this is mushroom and not a dead piece of seafood. When dipped in pesto and salsa sauce, you'll thank the Vegan Gods how they came up with this kind of sorcery.
Chickpea and lentil moussaka
Tomato sauce, bechamel, chickpea, lentil, eggplant, potato, tofu, served with side salad
Php 270
Chickpea and lentil moussaka is the one you need if you came with an empty stomach and your budget is only for one dish. You can skip the first two then go straight to this one. Like the Scallop, this one for me is the bomb. I wouldn't mind going back to Greenbelt just to have a bite of this. Served with multi-grain bread plus side dish salad, the outcome of mixing tomato sauce, bechamel, chickpea, lentil, eggplant, potato, and tofu was nothing more than magic! I can eat this eggplant casserole moussaka every day!
Last but not the least are the smoothies we chose for ourselves. Take note that I am talking about the healthy type of smoothie - not the one that's sold elsewhere which is cheap, made of powdered fruit flavors, and bombarded with sugar! I make homemade smoothies a lot so I can never be fooled which ones are made the right way and which ones are just copycats.
The banana oats is so damn good. It is far beyond my own version of it. To be honest, I was having second thoughts to order the beets because it is always a failure in my case doing my own of this kind because this kind of fruit is naturally bitter. There's this aftertaste that I do not like at all. I couldn't stop myself so I asked of the staff how they made it so delicious. I was surprised they told me how they prepare it. Some restaurants opt not to share how they do stuff. She told me that the beets came with banana, grapes, one teaspoon of limejuice plus sugar beets. In other types of smoothies they offer, they use sugar-free maple syrup!
She also told me that oats and almond nuts when soaked overnight taste the best when eaten the next morning. iVegan Restaurant Makati's smoothies are guaranteed fresh, no preservatives and all natural!
TIP: the straw that is served with your smoothie is edible - made of cassava and flour! So happy that this restaurant is doing its part to lessen single-use products!
To know what else iVegan Restaurant serves, here's a copy of their menu below. For my next visit, I will order Quesadilla (black bean, corn, vegan cheese, salsa), Wholesome Sisig (mushroom, tofu, green chili, lime spring onion), and Tropical Green Smoothies. Also, I want to make sure that I will bring friends and family with me so we can feast on a food that we know that's guilt-free and cruelty-free.
iVegan Restaurant offers free wifi and free charging of gadgets (for diners only). However, they have no outdoor seating but I was assured that pets are allowed inside. I never felt the urge to go to the comfort room so I was not able to ask if they have one inside that guests can use. Will update this as soon as I have a reply from them.
I did not saw any kid seats. For adults, there are two types of seats: one that you can lean your back to the walls and another one is the typical chair with wooden back. I always mention this to all my restaurant reviews because I know there are people who makes sure they have a good seating experience like my boyfriend who has back issues. He always makes sure he sits on the right chair for him.
The menu is not too overwhelming however it is best if they have photos of how dishes look like. It helps a lot to choose faster - I swear. I love though that they have this mark what dish is gluten free and refined sugar free.
For parking, Greenbelt has lots of paid parking options. You can walk for 10 minutes or so to reach this restaurant. Me and my boyfriend eat in a good restaurant every other night for dinner. Every week, we dine outside minimum of 5-6 restaurants. Ollie our baby dog shih tzu is always with us wherever we go so this means we can bring him next time we dine in this restaurant.
Overall, I highly recommend iVegan Restaurant Makati not only for those who are already vegans or vegetarians. Like I said, this kind of restaurant is open to all. If you want to have a taste of what is a plant-based diet is all about, get here quick.
Note: Our dining experience was courtesy of iVegan Restaurant but all opinions and photos I shared are mine.
There's also a small room that can accommodate 8-10 persons. It is free usage as long as the bill is minimum of Php 8k. You'll have to reserve though in advance to be able to avail the privacy of dining inside iVegan Restaurant Makati with a group.
iVegan Restaurant Food
Now, let's go to straight to the real deal! iVegan Restaurant's menu wouldn't bombard you with dozens of choices. Since it is past lunch when we arrived and our stomachs are full, we only ordered two appetizers plus one main. For the drinks, we chose smoothies.
What we ordered
Quinoa Sushi
purple cabbage, carrot, iceberg lettuce & cucumber
Php 180
Quinoa sushi is crunchy thus I can really tell the veggies in here are fresh. It was perfect as the first one we tried because it is so light in the stomach. It is telling our mind to order more!
Scallop
Seared king oyster mushroom, pesto & salsa sauce
Php 180
Scallop really blew my mind. It tastes so close to that real scallop's taste. It was like I needed to reassure myself that this is mushroom and not a dead piece of seafood. When dipped in pesto and salsa sauce, you'll thank the Vegan Gods how they came up with this kind of sorcery.
Chickpea and lentil moussaka
Tomato sauce, bechamel, chickpea, lentil, eggplant, potato, tofu, served with side salad
Php 270
Chickpea and lentil moussaka is the one you need if you came with an empty stomach and your budget is only for one dish. You can skip the first two then go straight to this one. Like the Scallop, this one for me is the bomb. I wouldn't mind going back to Greenbelt just to have a bite of this. Served with multi-grain bread plus side dish salad, the outcome of mixing tomato sauce, bechamel, chickpea, lentil, eggplant, potato, and tofu was nothing more than magic! I can eat this eggplant casserole moussaka every day!
Last but not the least are the smoothies we chose for ourselves. Take note that I am talking about the healthy type of smoothie - not the one that's sold elsewhere which is cheap, made of powdered fruit flavors, and bombarded with sugar! I make homemade smoothies a lot so I can never be fooled which ones are made the right way and which ones are just copycats.
The banana oats is so damn good. It is far beyond my own version of it. To be honest, I was having second thoughts to order the beets because it is always a failure in my case doing my own of this kind because this kind of fruit is naturally bitter. There's this aftertaste that I do not like at all. I couldn't stop myself so I asked of the staff how they made it so delicious. I was surprised they told me how they prepare it. Some restaurants opt not to share how they do stuff. She told me that the beets came with banana, grapes, one teaspoon of limejuice plus sugar beets. In other types of smoothies they offer, they use sugar-free maple syrup!
She also told me that oats and almond nuts when soaked overnight taste the best when eaten the next morning. iVegan Restaurant Makati's smoothies are guaranteed fresh, no preservatives and all natural!
TIP: the straw that is served with your smoothie is edible - made of cassava and flour! So happy that this restaurant is doing its part to lessen single-use products!
To know what else iVegan Restaurant serves, here's a copy of their menu below. For my next visit, I will order Quesadilla (black bean, corn, vegan cheese, salsa), Wholesome Sisig (mushroom, tofu, green chili, lime spring onion), and Tropical Green Smoothies. Also, I want to make sure that I will bring friends and family with me so we can feast on a food that we know that's guilt-free and cruelty-free.
iVegan Restaurant offers free wifi and free charging of gadgets (for diners only). However, they have no outdoor seating but I was assured that pets are allowed inside. I never felt the urge to go to the comfort room so I was not able to ask if they have one inside that guests can use. Will update this as soon as I have a reply from them.
I did not saw any kid seats. For adults, there are two types of seats: one that you can lean your back to the walls and another one is the typical chair with wooden back. I always mention this to all my restaurant reviews because I know there are people who makes sure they have a good seating experience like my boyfriend who has back issues. He always makes sure he sits on the right chair for him.
The menu is not too overwhelming however it is best if they have photos of how dishes look like. It helps a lot to choose faster - I swear. I love though that they have this mark what dish is gluten free and refined sugar free.
For parking, Greenbelt has lots of paid parking options. You can walk for 10 minutes or so to reach this restaurant. Me and my boyfriend eat in a good restaurant every other night for dinner. Every week, we dine outside minimum of 5-6 restaurants. Ollie our baby dog shih tzu is always with us wherever we go so this means we can bring him next time we dine in this restaurant.
Overall, I highly recommend iVegan Restaurant Makati not only for those who are already vegans or vegetarians. Like I said, this kind of restaurant is open to all. If you want to have a taste of what is a plant-based diet is all about, get here quick.
Note: Our dining experience was courtesy of iVegan Restaurant but all opinions and photos I shared are mine.
No comments