Starting April 10, the conscious dining spot brings tasty, meat-free dishes to all branches this summer.
The Wholesome Table has been one of the Metro’s go-to’s for a guilt-free pick-me-up — and starting April 10, it’s rolling out a seasonal menu that puts fresh, plant-based ingredients front and center, just in time for the Lenten season.
In bringing these new creations to life, founder Bianca Araneta-Elizalde looked back on her recent travels with Executive Chef Onie Castillo. “I wanted to create more exciting dishes for vegetarians, vegans, and flexitarians looking to add more greens to their diet,” she shares. “Chef Onie and I drew inspiration from our recent trip to the U.S., as well as ingredients now grown at our very own Wholesome Farms in Lipa, Batangas.”
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The result is a colorful, texture-rich menu that doesn’t skimp on flavor. Highlights include the Farmer’s Salad; Green Hummus with Roasted Eggplant, made with layers of edamame hummus, chimichurri, and pickled onions served with sourdough toast; and Thai Crispy Rice with arborio rice, grilled shiitake, cucumber, cilantro, and pickled onion.
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There’s also a hearty Vegetarian Laksa, made with a coconut-milk broth loaded with pandan tofu, mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, herbs, and finished with bean sprouts and a lime wedge. The Buddha Bowl brings together bagoong rice, stir-fried vegetables, roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, sweet potato purée, curry sauce, and tamarind glaze. For dessert, there’s the Panna Cotta — a fresh take on the classic, made with organic cream, vanilla, raspberry sauce, blackberry jam, and golden mango chunks.
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Beyond flavor, it was also about timing. “We had to consider what ingredients were in season and available and could easily grow in abundance on our farm. We also wanted a good mix of flavors for this menu — like a taste of Japan in the salad dressing, Thailand in the rice cakes and Buddha Bowl, Singapore in the laksa, Mexico in the veggie asada, and the Mediterranean in the green hummus,” she adds.
The fresh summer menu will be available in all The Wholesome Table branches starting April 10. As for whether it’ll stay, Araneta-Elizalde says, “We keep dishes based on customer reception, and there’s been high demand for more plant-based options. Hopefully, these will become favorites. I love keeping The Wholesome Table’s menu fresh, exciting, and seasonal.” Whether you’re a full-time herbivore or just trying to eat greener, this summer’s menu makes mindful eating feel indulgent and inspiring.