Vegan Plate: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Vegan Plate in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood cooks an all-vegan Thai menu, and its Yelp page describes the food as 100% vegan Thai cuisine. Soy-based chicken, fish, and shrimp stand in for the animal proteins, so a vegan or vegetarian can order any dish on the ordering menu without checking the ingredients for meat, fish, or dairy.

Start with the noodles and curries. Pad Thai, Drunken Noodle, Jungle Noodle, and Pad See-Ew sit in the noodle section at $18 each, and you choose your protein. The Red, Green, and Yellow Curries also cost $18 and come over brown rice with coconut milk, bell pepper, and bamboo shoots or sweet potato. Yelp reviewers name Pad Thai, Drunken Noodle, and Green Curry among their most-mentioned dishes. Spicy Eggplant and P.E.T., a plate of pumpkin, eggplant, and steamed tofu in garlic sauce, round out the stir-fries.

The soy meats get their own showcase in the chef’s specials. Chicken Katsu Curry over Rice pairs breaded soy chicken with Japanese-style curry and steamed vegetables for $19. Fish Steak breads and fries soy fish and plates it with french fries. Tom Yum Goong Ramen swaps in soy shrimp and a spicy, creamy broth. Soups include Tom Kha Kai at $16 and Tom Yum at $17, both with a choice of protein. For something lighter, Garden Rolls wrap rice noodle, soy chicken, romaine, bean sprouts, and basil in rice paper for $8.50, and the Papaya Salad and Glass Noodle Salad run $15 each. Sushi fans will find a vegan sushi section too, with Rainbow, Philadelphia, Futomaki, and Rockstar rolls.

Edamame costs $6.95 and Seasoned Fries cost $9.95, and the drinks list includes Thai Iced Coffee. Starters also cover Curry Gyoza, Crispy Tofu, Tofu Satay, Fried Taro Cake, Vegan Tempura at $15, and Vegan Crab Rangoon at $10. Shumai, a Yelp favorite, showed as out of stock on the ordering page on November 1, so call ahead if you want a plate. Banana Spring Rolls cost $7 on Yelp’s list, and reviewers mention them more than any other dish.

The menu marks gluten-free options on most curries and stir-fries, and a separate Gluten Free Gyoza sits in the appetizer list. The kitchen cooks only plant-based food, so you never have to worry about animal products touching your plate. Peanuts, cashews, soy, and wheat all appear across the menu, so tell your server about allergies.

Vegan Plate sits at 1550 W. Fullerton Ave. Yelp lists outdoor seating and says it takes reservations, and the website posts the reservations line at 773-472-8208. You can also order pickup or delivery through the restaurant’s Toast ordering page, and catering is available. Plan on $18 to $19 for a main. Appetizers run from about $6 to $15.

The posted hours disagree. The online ordering page lists Tuesday as dinner only and closes Monday. Yelp shows Tuesday closed and Sunday opening later. Both agree on closing Monday and serving from roughly 11 a.m. into the evening Wednesday through Saturday. Call before you make the drive.

Order the Drunken Noodle with soy chicken, and add Garden Rolls for the table.