Over the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring each of the 16 businesses who are participating in Chinatown Dining Week, running January 9-19, 2020.

Next to be profiled: we sat down with Maya of Padmanadi, 10740 101 Street.

Tell us a bit more about the restaurant. 

We are a family owned, vegan restaurant. There has been a lot of demand for plant-based food, eating healthy, and eating something that’s different, and people are open-minded about the type of food that we are serving. Our dishes are more to share – we encourage family-style sharing. This way you get to try different dishes.

How long has the restaurant been open? 

We have been around for 17 years. We used to be in Chinatown right on 97 Street. We outgrew ourselves about 10 years ago. It used to be a 60-seat restaurant, and now we have grown to 160 seats.  We also opened a second location on the southside in 2019.

What is the style of cuisine served at the restaurant? 

We are Indonesian, and my mum is Chinese. The type of food we serve is what we eat back home, which is Indonesian-Chinese food. We are also Buddhist, so we don’t use any garlic or onions in our cooking. We don’t use any egg or dairy, and everything is completely plant-based.

What makes your restaurant special? 

When people think of vegan food, people think about raw, or salad-based foods. What we serve is more like vegan comfort-food – not mac and cheese type of comfort food, but with rice, curry, ginger sauce, and a bit of spice. We cater to various types of people [who love food]. We also serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm. We also have a lot of lactose-free customers who enjoy our food a lot.

Why do you think people should dine in Chinatown? 

Small local grocery stores have started selling lots of products that cater to special needs such as halal food and other dietary restrictions.

Chinatown is a destination for everyone  – you can find good Chinese/Asian food in Chinatown and there are things that you will learn and experience differently in a smaller shop or restaurant.

 Do you have any hopes for the future of Edmonton’s Chinatown? 

We shouldn’t cover our eyes on the issues that we have (as the issue is not going to go away). There’s a lot of social welfare in Chinatown, and it doesn’t have to be negative. We need to look at it from a different perspective, instead of judging it from only one side. I really hope Chinatown will thrive!

Padmanadi will be offering the following 2-course dinner menu for $18 during Chinatown Dining Week:

Appetizer: Daily Soup and two Spring Rolls
Main: choice of Curry Chicken, Ginger Beef, or Vegetable Deluxe (gluten-free), and Jasmine Rice
Dessert: Coconut Mousse

Check out other special menus, here.