Ngong Ping Restaurants

When you arrive at Po Lin Monastery, you can purchase a ticket that includes admission to the Buddha as well as lunch at the vegetarian restaurant. The ticket sells for HK$60. Even if you aren't a fan of vegetarian food, the meal is an interesting cultural experience.

When you arrive at the restaurant, you will be seated at a table. There is no menu available; everyone gets the same food. After you are seated they will bring a pot of tea for the table to share. Remember that it is customary for you to fill other people's tea cups but not your own.

For eating you are provided with a small bowl, chopsticks, and a soup spoon. You are expected to use your bowl for all of the dishes which are served family style. Napkins are not provided, so it is useful to have a packet of kleenex.

Favorite Dish: Here's a run down of the courses.

First, the soup comes. Of course it is a vegetable soup, and it has some sort of starchy root. Try a little bit but don't get too much at first - you will need to finish your bowl so you can use it for the later courses.

Next, they will bring several different plates of food. On the day we visited, the selections included the following:

1) Fried spring rolls
2) Thin - Fried Tofu
3) Stir fried Chinese cabbage and mushrooms
4) Tofu casserole with corn and peas
5) Stir fried squashes and peppers with tofu
6) Stir fried cabbage with baby corn and mushrooms

Again, each dish is shared with the table. Try a bit of everything and go back for seconds when you find something you like. If you don't like vegetables you can just eat steamed rice.