The idea of a vegan place tucked in the middle of fastfood joints — a McDo to the right, an open air eatery for local, quick serve food to the left — is not lost on us. It sort of gives us a scenario of the Philippines food landscape, where fastfood and Western-style fare are the default choices. Still, we find it hopeful to see The Farmassist holds its own. After all, the terms “vegan food” and “plant-based dining” are gaining traction; we just hope it’s a real change in eating habits and not just a fad.
Admittedly, your Happyfoodies are not yet full-pledged vegans, or for that matter, vegetarians. However, we welcome every opportunity to eat better and not wait for the time to make a full commitment to veganism before making better food choices. Well, the road to healthy, plant-based eating can be challenging. One big hurdle is the food prices — even our suki sellers at local wet markets tell us that veggie prices are almost like silver and gold.
Another thing is finding ways to prepare veggie fare. While we’re not picky eaters, we’d love to discover new ways of preparing vegan dishes apart from the usual salad or mock meat fare made from TVP.
We’re happy to note that The Farmassist scores brilliantly on those fronts, with more pleasant surprises, too.
Can healthy fare be affordable?
The items on the menu, thank goodness, are very affordable. The pricing is competitive with most of the popular fastfood restaurants around. Why, a serving of their filling Corn Soup meal is priced at just P69 with rice (P49 Ala carte) — just the cost of rather bland and soggy French fries served at a very popular Pinoy fastfood joint and decidedly more healthful. Got a craving for Palabok? They have it for just P115.
So, how’s the taste?
For a fickle eating public reared on rather unforgiving metrics — is it IG pretty? How’s the mouth feel? Can it compare to foods we’re familiar with? — The Farmassist delivers.
One of the highlight fare during our visit was the Kare Kare with Green Rebel Steak, a vegetarian iteration of this well-loved Pinoy dish (P289, serves 2-3). The lightly steamed veggies (eggplant, string beans, and pechay) are served separately from the home-made peanut sauce. The accompanying vegan bagoong sauce, made from mushrooms and black beans, provides a symphony of texture and flavors that will likely not make you miss the old traditional, fat-laden recipe. The Green Rebel offers a flaky, meat-like texture that goes well with the peanut sauce and bagoong.
Another must-try vegan dish at The Farmassist is the Pan Alo Chick n’ Chiz — a pizza like concoction made up of a thin crust baked to a crisp, topped with vegan chicken, vegan mozzarella, and a homemade marinara and mango sauce (serves 3-4). The 9” serving is arranged on a wooden block (IG-pretty and affordable at just P279; a 4.5 kiddie version is also available at P159), it goes well with the homemade hot sauce (note to self: it is very hot so order plenty of drinks).
Too full for a full meal? How about grilled sandwiches? The Farmassist has interesting choices — the Notdog made from vegan hotdog, marinara sauce, and vegan mozzarella; Almond Dates prepared with almond butter and dates; and Creamy Spinach, made from onion, garlic, and vegan mozzarella. Each priced at P99.
Drink your veggies — why not?
For drinks, we had a tall glasses of reliable Buko Pandan Jelly Cooler (gulaman, cashew, soy milk, and brown sugar) and the Sayote Sugar Free Cooler (fresh Sayote and bananas)(both priced at P79). If you’re not much into veggies, the second option is a lovely way to have veggies by drinking them.
Can Farmassist deliver?
The food taste and textures at The Farmassist can grow on you. So, it’s good to know that you don’t have to go all the way to San Joaquin in Pasig, to enjoy their foods. And no, you don’t have to put up with the rather prohibitive delivery prices of the more popular food delivery apps, especially when peak hours roll around.
For its vegan food delivery, The Farmassist has its own rider, thank heavens. This allows it to charge lower delivery fees than the popular food apps as well as spare you the hassle of chasing after riders which are in short supply during rush hours.
First Halal-certified vegan restaurant in Metro Manila
In the interim between our first and second visits, The Farmassist got its Halal certification from the FIQ and Halal Council of the Philippines, becoming the first vegan restaurant in Metro Manila to do so. Even if you’re not particular about how your food is sourced and prepared, it’s good to know that there are still eating places like The Farmassist that do care about ethical practices as well as inclusivity. This alone makes The Farmassist one of the best vegan restaurants in Metro Manila to try as well as a vegan-friendly place to eat in the Metro.
Whether you’re new to plant-based dining, trying to eat healthy for a change, or eager to explore further into this way of eating, we highly recommend you try The Farmassist . Your taste buds (and body) will thank you.
The Farmassist
500 Elisco Road, Pateros, San Joaquin, Pasig
Open Wed to Mon, 9 AM to 9 PM • Tue (closed)
Facebook: /thefarmassistph
IG: @thefarmassist
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