I had dinner at Plantasia Cafe with my mom a week or so ago when we were visiting Mexico City…read moretogether. My mom is vegan, so this Pan Asian vegan spot was an easy choice for dinner on our trip. Overall, I'd say the food was good! We shared the spicy ahi rice cakes, gyozas, Mi Goreng (a noodle dish with tempeh), and their Dinamita sushi roll. Everything was good - I'd be happy to eat any dish again. Tasty and creative plant-based/vegan food. The restaurant has a great ambiance; it felt like we were walking into a tropical paradise. The service was friendly and fast, too.
My only real complaint about our meal here is something that has kind of stuck with me and that I've been discussing with friends since I returned home from the trip. Plantasia is alcohol-free. Would I have liked a glass of wine or a cocktail with my dinner? Sure. But I can live without a drink with dinner. What was a little unsettling however is that Plantasia offers mocktails which include Kratom powder. If you're unfamiliar with Kratom, it's an herbal product made by grinding the dried leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia. Yes, I used the word "herbal," but that doesn't mean that there is not significant concern about Kratom powder. It may not be regulated yet, but federal agencies in America are already warning about its high potential for dependence and abuse, as well as psychoactive effects. John Oliver even did a piece recently on Kratom and how people may feel comfortable taking more than a recommended dose because it's talked about as a low-risk, "natural," "herbal" "supplement." I was extremely surprised to see it included in mocktails on a menu. (Just a note: yes, people in Southeast Asia have chewed fresh Kratom leaves or brewed them into a tea for centuries, but studies show fewer health risks from chewing the fresh leaves than from the concentrated powders that being exported now.)
It was a good meal overall and in an incredibly cool space. And I love to find a vegan spot with food that will please both vegans and non vegans. But I was unsettled by an alcohol-free restaurant that is serving drinks with Kratom powder in them. I'm steering clear of it, and I would suggest they consider including a warning on the menu about what Kratom powder is, since I have found since this occurring, that many people don't even know what it is yet.