Econ Vegetarian Food - Aljunied

It is pretty common to come across Chinese vegetarian stalls selling one or two Western dishes.  But to encounter a stall selling entirely Western vegetarian food is something quite unique.  Econ Vegetarian Food is a brand new vegetarian stall, that is only a few weeks old.  It is the brainchild of Stephen Chio, who recently converted to a vegetarian diet, just six months prior to opening this stall.  The head chef is a Singaporean who had previously been working as a chef in Holland for over 30 years, cooking Western dishes.  Now that I'm done with the formalities, let's go ahead and check out the food!










 
Econ Vegetarian Food
Location: Food Loft, 32/34 Aljunied Road
Contact: 84995455
Opening Hours: Mon, Wed-Sun 11.00am-8.00pm.  Closed Tuesday.


As the stall has only been open for a few weeks, the menu is still in a development phrase.  Having said that, presently there are still many main dishes, side dishes and other specialities to choose from.  Vegans must be very careful, as some of the dishes do contain cheese.  So, be sure to let the staff know what your dietary requirements are, prior to making your final order.


I started things nice and simple, and ordered the Chicken Nuggets.  Appearance wise, I love the small basket they arrive in, which really gives the feeling of receiving authentic Western food.  Also it was pleasing to have the option of tomato ketchup.  The nuggets were juicy and flavourful, with a nice crunchy outer skin.  Price wise, it seems a little on the expensive side, especially as for only $1 extra you can get a full main meal.  But as this stall has only just opened, perhaps the prices for some items will be adjusted later on.

Price: $4.00.     6/10


Another side dish that I couldn't resist ordering was the Mustard Hot Dog Bun.  The taste of the mock sausage was very pleasing, with the mustard marrying perfectly with the mock meat.  Perhaps the price can be adjusted slightly, considering even Vegan Burg's hotdog is only $3.90.  Or, if the price is the stay, I would like to see more ingredients packed into it.  A hotdog is one of the most popular street food snacks in North America, and it should traditionally be packed with ingredients and several sauces.  Throwing in some gherkins, tomato ketchup, picalili and a few more vegetables and this side dish would rise to a much higher level.

Price: $4.00.     6/10  *Note - After writing of this post, price has changed to $2.50


Definitely the highlight of my trip to Eco Vegetarian was the Fish N Chips.  This a solid, high quality, affordable meal.  Beside from the trite components of the dish - Fries, cold baked beans, coleslaw (vegan friendly) and fish fillet - There were also cherry tomatoes and a wedge of lemon.  The cherry tomatoes were packed with flavour, and when sprinkling the lemon over the 'fish' it really enhanced the overall flavour.  Good quality dish.  Some improvements could be to add something a little out-of-the-box onto the plate - Perhaps a scoop of mashed potatoes.  Warm baked beans would make this a more authentic Western dish also.  I could only imagine serving cold baked beans to my mother (a staunchly traditional English lady), she would surely slap me across the face.

Price: $5.00.     7/10


Conclusion - It is always pleasing to see new stalls like this open up in Singapore.  But, I must emphasise the importance of actually going down there and supporting these stalls.  Econ Vegetarian is not perfect, and definitely there are some improvements that can be made in the future.  But considering this stall is only a few weeks old, I would say that it has a bright future ahead.

Overall Rating
Food - 7/10
Ambiance- 6/10
Service - 8/10
Value - 6/10