Buddhist vegetarianism traditions

Mahayana Buddhist cuisine, as practiced in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese traditions, is strictly vegetarian and avoids pungent roots such as garlic and onion, while Theravada traditions generally allow meat ^[1]. Distinct dishes include: Korean temple food such as bibimbap prepared without garlic or onion; Chinese mock-meat tradition, which uses seitan, tofu, and other plant-based ingredients to replicate meat dishes; and Vietnamese chay (vegetarian) menus that follow similar principles ^[1][2]. In Los Angeles, Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights offers a public vegetarian Chinese dining hall with an all-you-can-eat buffet for $8, featuring seasonal dishes like tempura vegetables, dumplings, egg rolls, stir-fried daikon, bok choi, seitan, tofu, rice, chow mein, and soup, all prepared without garlic or onion ^[2]. No other LA Buddhist temples with public dining are mentioned in the provided sources.