Veggie Fun, Providence

In skilled hands, veggies can pass for or even outdo cuts of meat. At Veggie Fun, the chefs drape firm tofu in sauces, paralleling chicken dishes. The eatery’s Peking-style soy duck recreates the Chinese standard with wheat-based faux meat and bowls of dark hoisin sauce. The same wheat chicken can soak up the biting earthiness of black pepper or take on a citric bite from orange sauce. From beneath rich waves of umami, pan-Asian influences shine with a palette of ingredients that includes oyster mushrooms, lemongrass, sweet potato, and seaweed. Unlike brake pads, drinks are better when crafted by hand, so the chefs create housemade beverages such as ginger ale and lemonade to accompany meals.