Don’t mock ‘mock meat’ until you’ve tried it.
Meat analogue, or ‘mock meat’, is a meat substitute made using a variety of vegetable, wheat and other soy products. It has origins in the Buddhist community and has proven popular in both vegan and vegetarian diets.
Where is the appeal, you might ask?
It’s very simple. Mock meat gives you all the delicious flavour and texture of meat, without actually being meat. For people who do not eat meat for various health, religious, or ethical reasons, they are still able to enjoy traditional meat dishes when made with mock meat. It’s both healthy, and cruelty-free.

Mock Pork - Tim Lucas, Flickr Creative Commons
It can also be hard to adjust to the lack of meat, having eaten it for most of your life. New vegetarians or vegans might not be used to eating only meat-free produce. Mock meat is a great way to ease your path into this new diet. It emulates the taste and texture of real meat, which you can substitute into any traditional meat dish, so you won’t have to give up your favourite meals.

Vegetarian Kungpo Chicken in Nest - Flickr Creative Commons
In keeping up with this rapidly rising food trend, we’ve made a short list of popular places in Melbourne that serve or sell mock meat.
Smith and Daughters, Fitzroy
Vegetarian/vegan with a funky Latin American soul. Head chef Shannon Martinez is an award-winning chef based in Melbourne.
Vegie Mum, Doncaster
A Chinese/Malaysian-style restaurant that serves a huge variety of mock meat in a buzzing, friendly atmosphere.
White Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant, Victoria St
A Chinese-style vegetarian restaurant that also offers gluten and wheat-free options on request.
These are only some of the more popular ones, of course, but if you’ve made any discoveries of your own, be sure to share!
#Articles
#Melbourne
#Ingredients
#Mock Meat
#Vegetarian
#Dietary
#Restaurants