We are in the thick of the Holy Week celebration. The highlight and culmination of the 40-day Lenten season, Holy Week is a weeklong religious holiday — no school, no work — to encourage everyone to ponder on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So, while only Good Friday is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence for Catholics during Holy Week, some people make a personal choice to refrain from eating meat the whole week.

Which is good. Because you get to cleanse and detoxify your digestive system and whole body in the process of going meatless. Here, World of Flavors has gathered some of the meatless dishes you can load up on as well as Easter treats to indulge in on Easter Sunday, when the world goes back to normal after Christ is risen.

Part of the buffet

Every year, during Holy Week, restaurants adjust to the realities of the Lenten season. Although they already have many fish, seafood and vegetable dishes in their different food stations, they always try to come up with something special to offer. Over at The Alley by Vikings, chef Michael Santos and his group of talented chefs offer Crab-stuffed Fish Fillet this Holy Week. It is a seared fillet of dory fish stuffed with a rich and creamy crab meat and mirepoix.

Also available are Pasta Ala Primavera, a summer pasta dish that consists mostly of vibrant summer vegetables; and Orange and Walnut Summer Salad, which is a fresh salad greens with slivers of mandarin orange and walnuts tossed in orange vinaigrette.

Over at the dessert station, there are special Easter cakes to partake of.

These are available only this Holy Week at The Alley by Vikings located at Bonifacio Global City, Cloverleaf, UP Town Center and Manila Bay.

Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns are traditional breads closely associated with Holy Week. It is a spiced bun made with fruits and marked by a cross on top of the bun and eaten on Good Friday.

Since 2021, Manilabake has been offering Hot Cross Buns for Lent. Its version is made with spiced whole wheat and oatmeal dough, sourdough, currants, raisins and in-house candied zest using @goodfoodcommunity Lorax lemons. Many customers look forward to this seasonal treat, with its plant-based, vegan-friendly formulation by Gretchen Lim.

Manilabake’s Hot Cross Buns are available in boxes of nine pieces at P900. Orders can be coursed through mobile number 0919-0012857. The store is located at 6 Mapagkumbaba Street, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City. Also available are Manilabake’s other signature breads, including banh mi.