A Vegan Haven in Ukiah

by Jon Spitz and Janae Stephens

*Yuh Chirn Liang and Jia-hwa Fang in front of their vegan restaurant.*

As two longtime Mendocino County vegans, we were excited to hear about a new vegan restaurant in Ukiah called Amita Garden, and we eagerly made the trek down to the county seat to check it out. Owners Yuh Chirn Liang (who goes by YC) and her husband Jia-hwa Fang graciously invited us to enjoy an amazing luncheon platter on their day off and to tell us about their inspiration for Amita Garden.

*The dumpling dish includes the five colors that signify healthy eating.*

YC and Jia-hwa are now nearly 70 years old. Amita Garden is their first foray into the restaurant business after long careers as chemists. The couple met as chemistry students in Taiwan, pursued graduate studies at the University of Missouri, and later worked as chemists in Salt Lake City and the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2022, after decades in their field, they “retired” to Ukiah to be closer to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Before long they were inspired to embark on a new adventure: opening Amita Garden.

Their shift to a plant-based diet predates their restaurant by many years. “We became vegetarian, then vegan in the 1990’s after learning about the health and environmental benefits, as well as the cherish of lives,” YC recalled. That decision became the foundation for Amita Garden.

The restaurant’s name itself reflects their philosophy: “Amita” is an Indian Sanskrit word that means “Infinite Light & Infinite Life.” As YC explained, “To us, light is a symbol of energy. Plants need light to grow. People need food for energy. Infinite Life is the utmost of longevity which is based on good health.” This is the inspiration behind Amita Garden. “As a restaurant, we offer healthy and delicious vegan food to encourage people to eat healthy and live well.”

YC and Jia-hwa subscribe to the Traditional Chinese Medicine principle of “food as medicine.” This approach posits that the daily diet should include the five elements which relate to five colors that nourish corresponding organs:

wood – green – liver
fire – red – heart
earth – yellow – spleen
metal – white – lungs
water – black – kidneys

Their Five-Color Dumplings entrée is a delectable example of their beautifully prepared dishes. YC notes, “We should know the characteristics of each food and to keep a balanced diet.”

At Amita Garden over 95 percent of the ingredients are organically grown, and when possible, locally sourced from the Shamaz Valley Farm east of Potter Valley. Even though organic produce costs more, YC and Jia-hwa want to provide the healthiest food to their patrons, saying, “To run a restaurant, we want the food we offer to the public to be the same quality that we cook for ourselves.”

*YC holds a couple of the children’s books she’s written.*

The couple is happy to modify their dishes to serve individual needs such as gluten and other allergen-free diets. They use no MSG, no commercial freeze-dried mushroom powders, and no commercial sauces with lots of additives. For example, they make their own vegan “oyster” sauce with organic shiitake mushrooms. YC, who is also the author of some beautiful children’s books, reminded us with a smile, “We both are chemists and are specialized in formulation.” As it turns out, chemists make excellent cooks.

Amita Garden wants to make their healthy food available to the community in as many ways as possible. They especially want to serve seniors and cancer patients by providing home delivery in the Ukiah area, and to provide lunch boxes to office and hospital workers, students, and regular take-out orders for pick-up at the restaurant. Frozen dumplings and wontons in packs of 25 or 50, as well as frozen flat bread and tamales, are available for home storage. They also cater special events for up to 30 people with a nine-course meal at the restaurant, and can accommodate catering for more at a location of one’s choosing.

Amita Garden is a local treasure, and we are so grateful that YC and Jia-hwa were inspired to establish their restaurant here in Mendocino County. You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy this garden of earthly delights—the food’s appeal is universal.

Amita Garden
499 North State Street, Ukiah
(707) 671-5859 | amitagarden.com

Open Wed–Sat, 11:00am–3:00pm. Group reservations available Sun–Tues.

Janae Stephens is a visual artist, owner of Organic Attire and a wellness educator who lives off-grid near Willits. Jon Spitz is an environmental and animal rights activist who lives in Laytonville. Both writers have called Mendocino County home for over 45 years and are longtime vegans with a love for delicious and healthy plant-based food.

Photos by Jon Spitz & Janae Stephens.