Madame K's Vegetarian

February 15, 2012

Steph announced she'd visited build novel vegetarian eatery Madame K's on Brunswick St. There was about confusion most whether this was the same business, but Michael in addition to I resolved it past times checking inward for tiffin the adjacent day.

Yume) but whatever hint of Herbivore had vanished. We were happy alongside what nosotros saw instead: a peachy cafe alongside a carte du jour sum of Asian vegetarian dishes, from Japanese-style eggplant to Chinese 'chicken' in addition to corn soup, gado gado in addition to Thai-style curries. Roughly one-half the dishes include mock meat.

The cafe is licensed but also offers a gain of non-alcoholic drinks, from the green soft drinks to freshly prepared juices in addition to smoothies, tea in addition to a mocktail. On this, their tertiary twenty-four hours of business, they weren't quite prepared alongside the smoothies in addition to mocktails all the same but Michael got a cute apple, carrot in addition to ginger juice all bottled upward ($5.90).

Food took a piddling longer to build it than nosotros would convey liked, but nosotros figured that allowances ask to move made inward a business' commencement week. Once on the tabular array Michael swooped on his nasi goreng ($15.90) topped alongside 'chicken' satay skewers.

While my Chicken Rice ($15.90) looked a piddling to a greater extent than insipid, all pale in addition to grey-ish, it was truly the flavour-packing winner! The rice was in addition to hence fragrant (infused alongside galangal, I think) in addition to the salted edible bean sauce, simply sensational.

obvious competitors but in addition to hence far it looks similar the character of the nutrient warrants the extra yoke of dollars. I'm looking forrad to a revisit!

I know we're only veg*ns chuckling over Vegie Bar, but also the terrific Yong, right away promising Madame K in addition to before long a gut-busting Lord of the Fries outlet, in addition to that's non fifty-fifty starting on the dozens of veg-friendly restaurants spanning the residual of Fitzroy. Come on in, Tom, the water's fine - in addition to there's no improve house to start than Madame K's chicken rice.

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Read the commencement write-up of Madame K's Vegetarian on Vegan About Town.

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Madame K's Vegetarian
367 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
9415 6909
snacks & mains $4.90-16.90
http://www.madamek.com.au/ (currently inactive)

Accessibility: There's a pocket-size pace upward on entry in addition to tables are quite densely pose out. We ordered at the tabular array in addition to paid at a medium-high counter at the back. We didn't catch the toilets.

Dench Ii

February 18, 2012

Almost Always Ravenous, The Guilty Stomach, Carla did create produce to cobble together a pretty decent meal). So it was alongside some enthusiasm that nosotros spotted a novel vegan together with gluten-free choice on offering - scrambled tofu alongside shitake, jump onion, beetroot relish, sesame together with tamari ($16.50).

I was a flake surprised that it came out without toast - peculiarly seeing equally Dench forthwith offering gluten-free (and vegan-friendly!) toast equally an option. Still, that's a tyke electrical charge - the chunky tofu complimented past times iii big blobs of sweetness beetroot taste together with a smoky, salty dressing combining sesame fossil oil together with tamari. It's corking that Dench are offering upwardly some dishes for restricted diets together with fifty-fifty ameliorate that they're doing such a skilful chore of it. Recommended! They're ever busy but in that place were loads of friendly together with efficient staff buzzing roughly - it's a consistently fantabulous breakfast experience.

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Read close our previous see to Dench Almost Always Ravenous, The Guilty Stomach, here.

Dench has received uniformly positive reviews (with a few tyke service gripes) from: Almost Always Ravenous, The Guilty Stomach, KatKat Tales, Almost Always Ravenous, The Guilty Stomach, Sarah Cooks, Almost Always Ravenous, The Guilty Stomach, Boo inwards London, Almost Always Ravenous, The Guilty Stomach, Eat Drink together with Be Merry, Almost Always Ravenous, The Guilty Stomach, my delicious blog, Almost Always Ravenous, The Guilty Stomach, Melbourne Larder, Almost Always Ravenous, The Guilty Stomach, slicing almonds together with zesting lemons together with Almost Always Ravenous, The Guilty Stomach, easy equally vegan pie.

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Dench Bakery
109 Scotchmer St, North Fitzroy
9486 3554
veg brekkies from $5.50 - $18.50
http://www.denchbakers.com.au/

Accessibility: One of the ii doorways has a ramp entry, although the interior is fairly crowded. You tin gild together with pay at the tabular array but you'll ask to negotiate a highish counter if you're ordering breadstuff or other treats to takeaway.

Gringo Vibes Mexican Cantina

February 19, 2011

Cindy as well as I were at a loose terminate inwards Thornbury next Women of Letters as well as decided we'd only wander dorsum along High Street until nosotros came across somewhere nosotros felt similar eating. I had a vague sentiment that at that spot was a newish Mexican house upwardly at that spot somewhere as well as when nosotros ran into Gringo Vibes as well as saw that they offered veggie chicken equally a filling our determination was made.

Queen Vic Night markets as well as the Hispanic Festival. I'm non quite certain when they opened their ain permanent cafe space, but they've done a prissy chore of making it cheerful as well as inviting. It's all really casual, as well as they create a decent amount of takeaway equally well. The bill of fare is a fleck to a greater extent than various than their mobile offerings - at that spot are burritos, enchiladas, tacos as well as quesadillas along alongside a gain of sides as well as some nacho-related options. Most of the veggie options are cheesy, but enough are vegan-adaptable, although I'm non certain whether there's genuinely vegan cheese involved or if they only supervene upon it alongside guacamole or something. There are too a fair break of gluten-free offerings.

Cindy had a powerful mock-meat craving, then she ordered the veggie chicken quesadillas ($14, served alongside rice, beans, salsa, sour cream as well as guacamole).

This is a prissy colourful dish - the gain of sides lifting it from its potentially cheese-heavy glugginess. The mock-chicken was a pretty first-class sentiment - I mean value this is the exclusively house inwards town offering mock-meat Mexican, but equally far equally I'm concerned it's an sentiment good worth exploring further.

I decided to stick alongside something beanier though, going alongside a refried edible bean burrito (they too create a black-bean one), which came stuffed alongside beans, cheese, rice, lettuce, salsa as well as sour cream alongside a side of house-made corn-chips ($12). We too ordered a spare guacamole to portion only about ($3) - it was a fleck smoother than my ideal guac, but did a prissy chore of soothing my oral cavity when I got carried away alongside the hot sauce.

elsewhere - this is heavy on the mush. Which I form of liked - beans as well as rice inwards detail are pretty sure-fire burrito fillings, as well as at $12 this was a massive as well as filling treat.

Gringo's version of Mexican nutrient is cheap, veg-friendly as well as plentiful. Throw inwards friendly staff, a prissy casual venue (that's licensed!) as well as a place on a fairly dead department of High Street as well as it's tardily to imagine them doing a roaring trade. It's in all probability non the form of nutrient you'd locomote specially for but if you're inwards the neighbourhood, you'd last good advised to banking concern represent it out.

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Gringo Vibes Mexican Cantina
489 High Street, Northcote
9013 8543
veg mains $11-$15
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gringo-Vibes/166666740084654

Accessibility: There's a apartment entryway as well as things are moderately spacious inside. Ordering as well as payment happens at a nice, depression counter. We didn't view the toilets.

Seamstress

February 22, 2012

I had a fairly major milestone to score on Wednesday, submitting the PhD thesis that has taken upward a expert chunk of my life for the by 4 years. It felt something similar this:

Seven Seeds). Thanks to Ottolenghi eggplant recipe into something miso-tastic.

Seamstress didn't quite mensurate upward to my high expectations - it's challenging to fancy upward Asian nutrient as well as become far seem expert value. It's swell that Seamstress provides to a greater extent than or less interesting veg options but I'm non certain we'll last hurrying dorsum whatsoever fourth dimension presently - nosotros mightiness brave the queues at Chin Chin adjacent time.

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Melbourne Gastronome, Saucy Onion, slicing almonds as well as zesting lemons as well as The World Loves Melbourne.

Joyce from MEL: HOT OR NOT was less convinced.

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Seamstress
113 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
9663 6363
veg dishes $11-$36
http://www.seamstress.com.au/

Accessibility: Seamstress looks to last solely accessible via a long flying of stairs. Once you're upward in that place you've got a fair flake of infinite as well as tabular array service. We didn't view the toilets.

Jackfuit Pulled 'Pork'

February 25, 2012

Chow Vegan. Then nosotros sampled it hither inwards Commonwealth of Australia at The Gasometer together with started plotting our ain home-made version. The outset challenge was finding canned jackfruit - most Asian supermarkets sell cans of it but they unremarkably receive got it floating inwards syrup. For this to a greater extent than savoury repast yous require to receive got it canned inwards brine. Thankfully K came through amongst 2 cans for us (although we're all the same non certain where from) together with amongst the rut keeping us within on the weekend nosotros had enough of fourth dimension to give it a shot.

It's a flake of faffing nigh to brand but luckily Jessica at Clean Green Simple has seat together a detailed, photo-heavy post service walking yous through the whole process. We basically copied her recipe stride for step. The cease final result was a baking tray amount of stringy, tender together with surprisingly porky looking jackfruit. The spice rub together with sauce combo had a adept mix of smokiness, tomatoey sweetness together with spice but on the whole the 'pork' was a tiny flake lacking inwards savouriness - Cindy reckons a generous slosh or 2 of Worcestershire sauce would amend things side past times side time. And in that place volition move a side past times side fourth dimension because this was basically a success. It worked okay on our fancy rolls amongst a few greens together with approximately coleslaw on the side, together with and thence when nosotros combined the coleslaw together with pork on the same sandwich it became a actually magnificent lunch.



Jackfruit pulled pork
(recipe taken from Clean Green Simple)

2 cans jackfruit inwards brine
2 modest onions, chopped finely
v cloves garlic, minced

spice rub
1/2 teaspoon cherry-red chilli flakes
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon solid set down dark pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt

sauce
half dozen tablespoons love apple tree paste
2 teaspoons apple tree cider vinegar
2 teaspoons veggie oil
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
1/2 loving cup water
1/4 loving cup maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Drain the brine off the jackfruit together with rinse it well. Chop the theatre centre-piece off each jackfruit segment thence that you're but left amongst the stringier bits.

Combine all the dry out rub spices together with and thence stir through the stringy jackfruit pieces - the spice rub should stick to the fruit pretty effectively.

Put the coated jackfruit pieces inwards a dry out pan over medium rut together with toast the spice rub - it should alone receive got v minutes or thence for the spices to start to olfactory holding delicious.

In a assort bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients together with and thence pour them over the jackfruit inwards the pan. Get it all simmering together with attain for nigh one-half an hr - yous desire approximately of the sauce to move absorbed together with for the jackfruit pieces to become prissy together with soft together with start falling apart. Once it's gear upward clit the jackfruit apart amongst a dyad of forks into prissy stringy pieces (see above).

Spread the jackfruit mix out inwards a lightly oiled baking tray together with stick it inwards the oven. Cook for xx minutes, stirring later on ten.

Serve!

Chocolate & Raspberry Icecream

February 26-27, 2012

my vegan salted caramel one in addition to it was spectacular, but thence I went in addition to shared close of the batch alongside friends. I needed MOAR ICECREAM in addition to I didn't actually desire to function out our air-conditioned fortress to purchase it or its element ingredients.

Flicking through The Perfect Scoop, I noticed a chocolate in addition to raspberry icecream that didn't include eggs. I had (frozen) raspberries and I had no eggs! With kokosnoot milk inward the closet I figured a vegan version (no heavy cream) was the easiest solution. It all actually was quite easy, though it left me alongside a muddied nutrient processor in addition to sieve (for Michael) to build clean up.

This version is too lighter on the cocoa than David's because I ran out three tablespoons in. It's nonetheless chocolatey plenty (look at the colour) but it's to a greater extent than similar a milky chocolate that leaves plenty of infinite for raspberry fruitiness.

Chocolate & raspberry icecream
(adapted from a recipe inward David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop)

1 tin (400mL) kokosnoot milk
three tablespoons cocoa
2/3 loving cup castor sugar
ii cups frozen raspberries

In a medium saucepan, stir together the kokosnoot milk, cocoa in addition to sugar. Bring them to the boil, stirring regularly, in addition to thence accept them off the heat. Fold inward the raspberries, encompass the saucepan in addition to allow it to sit down for 10 minutes.

Blend the mixture to smoothness - to foreclose disaster alongside my nutrient processor, this meant I fished out close of the raspberries in addition to blended them first, gradually adding the residue of the liquid. Strain out the raspberry seeds in addition to refrigerate the mixture until completely cold.

Churn the mixture inward an icecream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions in addition to freeze until firm.

Besan Fritters

February 28, 2012

we late ate at Mamasita. I didn't accept to await far for a conduct - I've had leftover coleslaw on the side - a piecemeal but tasty meal.

Besan fritters
(adapted slightly from a recipe on Manifest Vegan)

ane 1/4 cups besan (chickpea flour)
1/2 teaspoon dark pepper
ane teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
ii cups H2O + 1/4 loving cup extra water
a few tablespoons vegetable oil

Line a 22cm foursquare cake flame alongside paper.

In a medium-large saucepan, stir together the besan, pepper, garlic, chilli together with salt. Whisk inward 1/2 loving cup of the H2O to brand a smoothen paste, together with then closed to other one-half loving cup of H2O until the batter is smoothen again. Whisk inward the side yesteryear side loving cup of H2O together with when it's smooth, prepare the saucepan over steady well-diffused medium heat. Stir the mixture continuously alongside a whisk or wooden spoon every bit it thickens. Allyson suggests cooking the batter for most fifteen minutes, but I institute that mine was thick together with sticky yesteryear the x infinitesimal score - I added a farther 1/4 loving cup of H2O together with couldn't force it much farther for fearfulness of the mixture completely drying out.

Pour the batter into the cake flame together with allow it spread out into an fifty-fifty layer; mine needed a fighting of coaxing. Chill the besan while for at to the lowest degree three hours (I stored mine overnight).

Pour crude oil inward a frypan to encompass the base of operations together with prepare it over medium-high heat. Retrieve the besan mixture from the refrigerator together with while it into wedges. Fry the wedges inward the crude oil for most three minutes on each side, until they prepare a golden crust. You may require to produce this inward batches and/or peak upwards the crude oil every bit yous go.

Serve the wedges warm alongside your favourite condiment.

Baked Mexican Street Corn

March 3, 2012

our Mamasita meal, though it owes at to the lowest degree every bit much to our vege box too everything, really, to Viva Vegan. Terry Hope Romero offers a twain of variations on street-style corn too it was close convenient for me to larn for baking my corn too slathering it amongst vegan mayonnaise.

While this doesn't postulate the charred edges too cheesiness of Mamasita's street-style corn, it has its ain charm - the kernels are juicy too sweetness too the mayonnaise carries the nooch, Mexican oregano too dried chilli across the whole surface area. It's besides pretty fun to roast corn yet inwards its husk.

Baked Mexican street corn
(one of several variations appearing inwards Viva Vegan!
past times Terry Hope Romero)

a whole cob of corn, husk intact
vegan mayonnaise
coarse salt
nutritional yeast flakes
dried crumbled Mexican oregano
lay down dried Mexican chilli
lime, quartered

Preheat an oven to 180°C.

Place the corn cob, yet tightly wrapped inwards its husk, on a rack inwards the oven too roast it for thirty minutes.

Carefully disclose the husk from the corn too clear away the corn silk. Chop the cob inwards one-half to shape 2 to a greater extent than manageable pieces too house them on a plate.

Slather over the mayonnaise, too hence sprinkle over the salt, yeast flakes, oregano too chilli. Serve amongst a wedge of lime on the side for squeezing over the top.

Anzac Biscuits

March 3, 2012

ANZAC biscuits require no introduction for Antipodeans - these cookies are inextricably linked to our World War I soldiers in addition to are supposed to conduct maintain been baked in addition to mailed past times the soldiers' wives due to their long shelf life. Caramelised amongst golden syrup in addition to chewy amongst rolled oats, it's non hard to sympathize why the recipe has persevered. I made them this calendar week to portion amongst an overseas visitor at my workplace.

I haven't made a lot of ANZACs inwards my time, in addition to I discovery it challenging to larn the texture right. I desire them golden - which takes fourth dimension - all the same chewy, which requires that they're non overbaked! Baked for 12-14 minutes, these were perfect warm out of the oven, in addition to hence really crunchy in i lawsuit cool.

I've seen chocolate-chipped variations roughly in addition to I'm certain they're really tasty (and an absolute luxury when compared to the biscuit's origin). One of my colleagues mentioned adding wattleseed to the mix, which appeals to me both for its probable flavor in addition to its Aussie endemism.

ANZAC biscuits
(a widespread traditional recipe,
which I accessed from the New Zealand Woman's Weekly)

1 loving cup plainly flour
1 loving cup castor sugar
1 loving cup desiccated coconut
ii cups rolled oats
125g butter
ii tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
three tablespoons boiling water

Preheat an oven to 180°C. Line a couplet of baking trays amongst paper.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, kokosnoot in addition to rolled oats. Make a good inwards the centre.

In a modest saucepan over medium heat, melt together the butter in addition to golden syrup. Pour them into the dry out ingredients stir everything together.

In a mug, stir together the bicarb soda in addition to boiling water. Add them to the biscuit mixture in addition to stir thoroughly to combine.

Roll the mixture into balls, nearly an inch inwards diameter, in addition to house them on the baking trays amongst a couplet of inches infinite betwixt each one.

Bake the biscuits for nearly 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Nasu Dengaku

March 3, 2012

Seamstress left both Cindy in addition to I alongside a craving for abode made nasu dengaku. We were inspired past times our successes alongside Ottolenghi's eggplant recipe in addition to decided to combine the basic premise from it alongside a miso sauce from Tammois' recipe mass Gourmet Poverty.

We were biding our time, hoping that eggplants would plow upward inwards our veggie box, but they only wouldn't come. Cindy put a telephone telephone out on twitter, wondering whether organic eggplant was something that existed locally, in addition to out of the bluish The Quince Poacher offered upward or thence her home-grown produce. Score!

Look how beautiful they are! Thanks 1 time again Quince Poacher!

Our version of nasu dengaku turned out actually good - we'll experiment a chip alongside the sauce inwards future, it turned out mayhap a footling chip saltier than nosotros were shooting for in addition to in all likelihood slightly likewise runny (although this was most probable due to our egg in addition to dashi substitutions). But actually it was a wonderful success - miso makes everything delicious. We require to purpose it to a greater extent than often.


Nasu Dengaku
(adapted from Tammois' recipe here)

iv modest eggplants, halved
200g white miso paste
ii tablespoons dry out sherry
ii tablespoons mirin
ii tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon peanut petroleum + 1 teaspoon cornflour (this was our vegan egg yolk substitute!)
1 teaspoon of dulse flakes inwards virtually vi tablespoons boiling H2O (subbing for dashi)
1 large knob of fresh ginger, peeled in addition to grated
to a greater extent than peanut oil
sesame seeds

The showtime footstep is to instruct the eggplant cooking. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Score the eggplant halves alongside or thence diagonal slices, brush them lightly alongside peanut oil, sprinkle alongside common salt in addition to pepper in addition to and then popular them inwards the oven - they'll create for virtually one-half an hour.

While they're baking you lot tin brand the sauce. Get a double boiler going - nosotros only purpose a saucepan on run past times of a slightly smaller saucepan that's total of water.

In the double boiler, combine the miso, sherry, sugar, mirin in addition to the egg yolk substitute. Whisk them together thoroughly in addition to create them gently. Stir inwards the dulse/water mixture in addition to give-up the ghost along it all simmering until the mixture starts to thicken upward a bit. It's supposed to instruct to a custardy texture, but ours ended upward a chip likewise liquidy - mayhap we'll cutting downwards the amount of H2O inwards the dulse mix adjacent time.

Take the mixture off the heat. Pop the grated ginger inwards a land of muslin (or a chux, which was what nosotros used) in addition to squish the juice out into the sauce mixture.

Check on the eggplants - when they're basically cooked in addition to overnice in addition to soft, guide maintain them out of the oven. Slather on equally much of the sauce equally they tin guide maintain in addition to sprinkle on or thence sesame seeds earlier popping them dorsum inwards the oven for or thence other 10 minutes or thence - you lot desire the seeds to start to instruct a chip golden.

Serve soundless you lot similar - nosotros only had ours alongside evidently rice in addition to it was outstanding.

Crepas De Huitlacoche Con Salsa De Chiles Poblanos

March 4, 2012

The offset I always knew of huitlacoche (or cuitlacoche) was seeing it a break of years agone inward the Steve, Don't Eat It! weblog series. The series' hollo should live the hint that it was non a positive get upwardly - huitlacoche is a smut affliction on corn in addition to Steve was happy to play upwardly this aspect, equally good equally its nighttime sludgy looks, for maximum disgust in addition to entertainment.

More lately I noticed tacos de huitlacoche on the bill of fare at Mamasita. While nosotros didn't guild them, it sure opened my heed to huitlacoche's potential for deliciousness - everything else at Mamasita was great, after all! Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 calendar week or 2 subsequently I institute myself discussing huitlacoche with a visiting Mexican colleague in addition to others at the dejeuner table. He's a large fan it in addition to pointed out that it's simply a fungus, similar mushrooms, right? And it's sometimes known equally the Mexican truffle, such is its delicacy. The conversation concluded with an understanding alongside 3 of us to run into at the markets the next Lord's Day to store in addition to subsequently develop i of Pedro's favourite huitlacoche recipes.

Huitlacoche is non equally accessible inward Commonwealth of Australia equally it is inward United Mexican States or the States Pedro has used it fresh in addition to is accustomed to paying a few dollars for it inward cans; hither those cans terms $15 apiece at Casa Iberica. Thankfully that i tin stretched to dejeuner for six. Its contents don't hold off specially appetising, for sure, but few things produce instantly from the tin. There was onion in addition to spices mixed inward there, too, much similar a tin of refried beans (... which has to live the grossest matter instantly from the can, right? It reminds me of pet food).

In Pedro's recipe, the huitlacoche is sautéed with dark-green onions, fresh corn in addition to ezapote in addition to serves equally a crepe stuffing. The crepes are smothered with a creamy poblano chile sauce in addition to grated mild cheese in addition to baked. We tentatively tasted them with a uncomplicated side salad.

They were non a pretty picture, but they were pretty damn good. Though withal deeply dark in addition to sludgy, the huitlacoche had a gentle earthy season boosted past times the onions in addition to complemented past times the sweetness corn kernels. I had to cordon off a serve inward a plastic container for an absent friend earlier those acquaint went ahead in addition to finished off the whole dish.

By hence nosotros were all avowed fans of the 'hibernating excrement'! I'll definitely motility using it i time to a greater extent than on my own. Working inward the land of biosecurity equally nosotros do, nosotros wondered whether this corn affliction is acquaint inward Australia. Co-cook Yung tracked downwards a few interesting documents revealing that corn smut outbreaks convey been recorded inward Commonwealth of Australia equally early on equally 1911. There doesn't seem to live whatever promise for eradication in addition to instead the corn "industry has learnt to alive with the disease". Perhaps if to a greater extent than Aussies tasted Pedro's crepes they'd live fifty-fifty happier to co-exist with corn smut in addition to it could back upwardly a modest manufacture of its own.


Crepas de huitlacoche con salsa de chiles poblanos
(as shared past times my colleague Pedro,
based on a recipe inward A Taste of Mexico past times Kippy Nigh)

crepes
1 loving cup plainly flour 
2 eggs
1 loving cup milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
butter for frying the crepes

filling
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 loving cup dark-green onions, finely chopped
2/3 loving cup corn kernels
2 teaspoons dried epazote
1 x 420g tin huitlacoche
tabular array salt to taste

sauce
2 poblano chiles, seeded in addition to deveined
1 1/3 cups milk
1/4 loving cup butter
2 tablespoons plainly flour
1 loving cup sour cream
tabular array salt to taste

topping
1 loving cup grated cheese, theatre but mild in addition to able to melt
(Yung picked out a lovely goat's milk cheddar)

Start with the crepes. Place the flour inward a medium mixing bowl. Whisk inward the eggs, milk in addition to vegetable crude oil to brand equally smoothen a batter equally yous can. Melt a teaspoon of butter inward a modest non-stick frypan on medium heat. Pour a quarter-cup of the batter into the pan, swirling it or hence to brand a large, thin, round out crepe. Let it ready until the edges are dried out in addition to it's simply barely close to brown, hence flip it over. Don't worry it they're non perfect, but motility your best to proceed them intact. When the crepe's done, laid it aside on a dinner plate. Repeat with the remaining mixture in addition to stack the crepes upwardly on the plate - hopefully you'll brand close nine crepes all up.

When the crepes are done, acquire busy on the filling. Heat the crude oil inward a large frypan over medium heat. Sauté the dark-green onions until tender, add together the corn in addition to epazote, in addition to sauté until the corn is tender but withal firm. Add the huitlacoche in addition to ready the filling, stirring occasionally, for close 10 minutes. Season to taste.

Set the filling aside in addition to develop the sauce. Blend the chiles in addition to 1/3 loving cup milk, until smooth. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter in addition to stir inward the flour to brand a paste. Gradually stir inward the sour cream in addition to hence the remaining milk. Add some salt, hence ready in addition to stir the sauce until it thickens. Add the blended chiles in addition to ready the sauce gently for a farther v minutes. Set the sauce aside.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly butter a large baking dish.

Spoon a tablespoon or 2 of filling inward a business along the diameter of a crepe, ringlet it upwardly in addition to house it inward the baking dish. Repeat with all the crepes, lining them upwardly snugly inward the baking dish. Pour the sauce over the crepes in addition to sprinkle over the grated cheese. Bake the crepes until the cheese is melted in addition to the sauce is bubbly, close 25 minutes.

Serve hot with a side salad.

Peppermint Bark

March 9, 2012

This peppermint bark recipe from Orangette had me combining them alongside to a greater extent than than v times their weight inwards chocolate, which I figured would brand those carbohydrate sticks to a greater extent than palatable.

There's non much to it - ii sparse layers of white chocolate alongside minty black chocolate ganache (mine replacing heavy cream alongside kokosnoot milk) as well as smashed candy canes inwards between, therefore to a greater extent than cane fragments decorating the top. It's non good suited to an Aussie summertime Christmas equally the ganache remains gooey as well as there's non plenty describe inwards the white chocolate to concur it together. The showtime field I ate was but sugariness as well as messy and, I thought, a chip meh. Once the remaining pieces had spent a black inwards the refrigerator I was to a greater extent than positively disposed to them - my fingers didn't forthwith sink through melting chocolate, the candy canes were chewy as well as I could appreciate the cocoa contrast more. I all the same couldn't field it prettily though!

Peppermint bark
(adapted slightly from a recipe at Orangette,
which is adapted from a recipe 
in the Dec 1998 effect of Bon Appetit)

45g candy canes
180g white chocolate
80g black chocolate
2 1/2 tablespoons kokosnoot milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint essence

Line a pocket-sized loaf tin alongside foil. Coarsely shell or chop the candy canes.

Gently melt one-half of the white chocolate as well as spread it evenly over the base of operations of the loaf tin. Quickly sprinkle over 1 tertiary of the candy canes. Refrigerate (or freeze, if you're inwards a rush!) the layer until gear upwardly firmly.

In a dissever saucepan, melt together the black chocolate as well as kokosnoot milk. Stir them together to cast a thick, satiny ganache as well as add together the peppermint essence.Spread the ganache evenly over the gear upwardly candy-chocolate as well as refrigerate until really firm, at to the lowest degree one-half an hour. (You could seek the freezer again, but I constitute that approximately of the kokosnoot fossil oil separated therefore I wouldn't recommend it.)

Gently melt the remaining white chocolate as well as spread it over the ganache. Sprinkle over the remaining candy canes as well as refrigerate until firm, approximately other one-half sixty minutes or so.

Slice the bark into pocket-sized squares to serve.

Albert Street Nutrient & Wine

January 2016: Albert Street has had a redesign as well as has reopened equally Albert & Sydney. 

March 10, 2012

Albert Street Food & Wine is the newish domicile of ex-Il Fornaio as well as Masterchef alumnus Phillipa Sibley. It's been opened upward since the start of the yr as well as nosotros decided it was fourth dimension nosotros checked it out. Pro tip: going out for breakfast inward Brunswick is a lot easier on Golden Plains or Meredith weekends - nosotros waltzed inward at 9:00 or then as well as had our pick of the tables. It's a lovely fit-out: they've taken an onetime banking enterprise as well as trendied it upward beautifully. The banking enterprise vault is the vino storage room, the tables are made of recycled basketball game courts - it's clear that no expense has been spared inward creating an impressive space.

The breakfast card is fairly curt - vegos stimulate got the selection of one-half a dozen or then dishes, almost none of which appear to live on vegan yesteryear default, although Marieke works life them to live on rattling helpful during the dinner service then it's in all likelihood worth bespeak them what they tin create for you.

Cindy ordered off the specials - baked ricotta alongside figs (about $14). This was a chip cake-ier than nosotros expected - Cindy suspected in that place was to a greater extent than to the batter than simply ricotta. The edges were dry out as well as crispy (maybe a piddling also dry), spell the middle was a figgy, cheesy, pudding. The almonds were a prissy touch.

I hummed as well as hawed for a spell earlier settling on the mushroom as well as tallegio omelette ($16). I've frequently been disappointed yesteryear omelettes, but this was a pretty good executed version - low-cal as well as fluffy eggs, stuffed alongside gooey, pungent cheese as well as a diversity of tasty mushrooms. The alone risk is the tallegio - I usually beloved the materials but it's in all likelihood a chip intense for the kickoff repast of the day.

Cindy spent one-half the repast looking over my shoulder at the pastry selection - there's plenty to admire, although nosotros were both restrained plenty to walk out without sampling whatever of it this time.

Neither of us were crazy close our meals, but they were decent plenty breakfasts inward a pretty lovely environs (although the generic Cafe del Mar soundalike music got pretty infuriating afterward a while). The service was friendly but non super efficient (Cindy asked the waiter what was inward the ricotta batter as well as he said, "Ummm, simply what's commonly inward ricotta,") as well as the java was alone adequate (I intend they struggled alongside soy for some argue - the milk froth was weird as well as a chip gross). We in all likelihood won't rush dorsum for brekkie, but they've been getting fantabulous reviews for dinners (see below) as well as Phillipa Sibley's desserts are legendary, then we'll definitely live on giving them some other risk to impress.

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There haven't been also many reviews of Albert St at breakfast time, although both nightowlsite as well as ragingyoghut actually enjoyed it. Lots of people stimulate got raved close the tiffin as well as dinner options: Epicureaddict, I'm then hungree, nightowlsite as well as ragingyoghut actually enjoyed it. Lots of people stimulate got raved close the tiffin as well as dinner options: Epicureaddict, A Place H5N1 Day as well as Foodie About Town actually liked it, spell The Chronicles of Ms I-Hua has a to a greater extent than mixed review.

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Albert St Food as well as Wine
382 Sydney Road (cnr Albert), Brunswick
8354 6600
Breakfasts $6-$16
http://www.albertst.com.au

Accessibility: Albert St has a ramped entryway as well as is fairly roomy inside. Ordering as well as payment happens at the table. We didn't see the bathrooms.

Las Vegan V

July 3, 2015: Las Vegan convey announced that they're closing the cafe too going to focus solely on catering from immediately on - we've sampled their catering earlier too it's great.

March 10, 2012

We hitting Las Vegan on a Sabbatum nighttime amongst a gang of 10 people or then for here), but the nutrient that Las Vegan served upwardly was pretty dandy every bit well. Since nosotros concluding visited they've added pizzas to the night-time menu, too Cindy too I both decided they were worth a shot.

She had the Hawaiian ($10), which was smothered inward fake-ham, vegan cheese too pineapple. It was a pretty corporation effort, falling simply below Cindy's favourite junky vegan pizza. I couldn't resist the bbq chicken pizza ($12), which was good topped amongst mushrooms, vegan cheese too mock chicken. It's adept to know that I'll hold upwardly able to fulfil my bbq meatlovers cravings fifty-fifty afterward the EBC closes downward inward the adjacent few weeks.

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Since nosotros concluding visited Las Vegan has appeared on blogs vegan most town, crosslegged on the front end lawn (one, two, three, four times.

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Las Vegan
22 Smith St, Collingwood
9415 9001
veg mains $9-15
http://www.lasvegan.com.au/

Accessibility: Pretty adept - reasonable entry, enough of infinite or then tables, monastic enjoin at the tabular array too pay at a low-ish counter. We haven't visited the toilets.

Sunday Brunch

March 11, 2012

OMG omelettes. This consider got fifty-fifty to a greater extent than kitchen-friendly when I browsed the suggested omelette fillings in addition to spied a combination of roast tomatoes (in the vege box), basil (on the balcony) in addition to cashew ricotta (previously made here). Roasting Irish Gaelic patato cubes in addition to sautéing mushrooms on the side cleared the vege box farther nonetheless in addition to alone added to the delicousness.

Honestly, I mean value was a petty likewise much tofu for me - it dominates both the omelette mixture in addition to the ricotta - but the plate was nonetheless very, really satisfying. I've enjoyed peachy the leftover ricotta, basil leaves in addition to tomatoes over breadstuff since.

Moroccan Soup Bar Ii

The Moroccan Soup Bar is 1 of those Melbourne institutions that seems to receive got existed forever. And been insanely busy the whole time. In unopen to ways it's a precursor to trendy no-booking places similar Mamasita: if you've got a grouping of less than half-dozen you lot can't brand a booking too fifty-fifty now, to a greater extent than than a decade afterward it opened, in that location are queues waiting for the doors to opened upward at 6pm.

We've been a few times too ever loved it, but it's ever difficult to muster upward the issue energy to become somewhere when you lot know you're going to receive got to pass an hr or then waiting for a table, then it's fallen off our radar a fleck inwards recent years. At to the lowest degree it had, until nosotros read Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, Nouveau Potato's post recommending the combination of takeaway MSB too a picnic inwards Edinburgh Gardens. What a revelation!

You involve to choose your ain containers for takeaway at the Moroccan Soup Bar but it's good worth the essay - for $25 nosotros got iii containers total of typically delicious nutrient (the chickpea too yoghurt dish the standout equally always). Pack a picnic rug, a cocktail inwards a thermos, a span of plates too unopen to cutlery and, provided the weather's decent, you've got yourself the best damn picnic inwards Melbourne. The exclusively disappointing matter virtually our repast on Dominicus was that it made us realise how many fantastic summertime nights we've wasted.

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The Moroccan Soup Bar is well-loved - read all the raves at: Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, Nouveau Potato, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, Green Gourmet Giraffe, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, I Eat Therefore I Am, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, Melbourne Boozehag, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, Melbourne Dining Experiences, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, i works life you lot inwards melbourne, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, juganaut's foodie thoughts, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, Urban Muslim, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, Iron Chef Shellie, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, i similar your... flavours, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, little lady (Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, twice), Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, my garden feast, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, Miss T: Princess Vegan too Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, vegan virtually town bear witness to its vegan-friendliness equally well!

There are a few dissenting voices, mostly finding the whole sense a fleck yoghurt heavy: Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, gila makan, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, Melbourne Culinary Journal, Ruby Bean too The Hungry Peas, Let's Get Fat Together too because I cant cook.

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Moroccan Soup Bar
183 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North
9482 4240
We paid $12.5 a caput for our food, but I intend it varies based on how much they tin gibe inwards your containers.

Accessibility: We didn't actually pay attending since nosotros were eating inwards the green - there's at most a pocket-sized pace on entry, too the house is to a greater extent than oft than non pretty crowded.

Middle Fish Ii

Edit 30/08/2017: Sadly Middle Fish is at nowadays closed! Their instagram account reports that they'll live on opening at a novel address inward 2019.

March 12, 2012

Melbourne's serving us a trivial to a greater extent than summertime than whatsoever of us get got a correct to expect. We took payoff of it on Labour Day as well as strolled downward to Middle Fish for lunch. Many bloggers get got complimented this cafe's interior blueprint as well as I wondered what extra appeal could live on derived from nonetheless about other exposed brick converted warehouse, but on stepping within I directly saw it too.  Yes, we've seen the high ceilings as well as polished cement floors earlier but there's something peculiarly cheerful nearly Middle Fish as well as its technicolour touches, therefore many items seemingly reused or repurposed. I loved it!

On Michael's outset visit, veg options were absent from the written carte du jour but available on request. pointed out to us to a greater extent than recently that the menu's had an update, amongst vegetarian items as well as adaptations to a greater extent than clearly marked. (Vegan options aren't specified but I reckon almost all the veg dishes would qualify.) Sadly this meant the apple tree as well as cherry salad recommended past times Wendy was no longer available.

The warm atmospheric condition called for mutual frigidity drinks - our icy bowls of java amongst sweetened condensed milk as well as lemon tea could non get got been better.

However, Michael's Pad Puk Satay ($14.50) left much room for improvement. The table-side sriacha enhanced the sauce a trivial but couldn't distract from the fact that this plate included only 2 teeny tiny pieces of tofu.

My Thai manner omelette ($14.50) was later, uglier as well as luckily, tastier. Salty as well as studded amongst mushrooms, love apple tree as well as onion, a few spoonfuls inward I realised that it was concealing a mound of steamed rice. Scattered amongst sriacha, this was splendidly savoury as well as deceptively filling - something uncomplicated to perfect at home, methinks.

Middle Fish's hits as well as misses were every bit unexpected. While the sunny staff as well as light, breezy atmosphere were a treat, I don't recollect the vegetarian meals lived upward to their cost. I could nonetheless live on lured dorsum for a mid-afternoon condensed milk roti, though, as well as Michael tin barely resist those coffees.

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Michael previously blogged Middle Fish here. Since as well as then we've barely read a negative give-and-take nearly it! Check out Let's Get Fat Together, Flagrant Food Fawning, Let Me Feed You as well as Sharking for chips as well as drinks.... Reviews are to a greater extent than equivocal on The Chronicles of Ms I-Hua as well as Gastronomical ramblings.

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Middle Fish
122-128 Berkeley Street, Carlton
9348 1704
salads $12.50, mains $14.50

Accessibility: There's a apartment entry means leading into an incredibly spacious as well as naturally well-lit dining area. Service takes identify at the table, payment at a depression counter.

Kentucky Fried Seitan

March 11-12, 2012

already know that I accept this weird nostalgia for KFC, though my retentivity of what it genuinely tastes similar is straightaway rather dim.) Michael may himself accept perked upwardly at the prospect of mashed white patato as well as gravy on the side. I planned on some leafy greens, too, for the sake of our vege crisper as well as our health.

Michael's kindness extended to preparing the seitan on Lord's Day night, using this recipe I'd bookmarked on Yeah, That "Vegan" Shit (originally from Viva Vegan). As he attempted to knead the dough he commented that it seemed equally good moisture as well as sticky. Lacking much seitan savvy, I assured Michael that Lindyloo as well as Terry both know their stuff, nosotros should in all likelihood follow their orders as well as he should larn ahead as well as hold jabbing his fingers inward it similar that, it's how to brand gluten strands. We wrapped upwardly as well as steamed those globs equally directed as well as refrigerated them overnight. Alas they were rather jelly-ish, fifty-fifty i time battered as well as fried, as well as I barely enjoyed them at all. Baking leftovers afterward for one-half an sixty minutes provided a fleck to a greater extent than chew but this is hardly efficient - I imagine that for the texture I'm after nosotros demand to cut the liquid inward the recipe and/or steam the seitan for longer.

We fared meliorate alongside the crumbing on Mon though I was less loyal to the recipe, which I constitute on vegansaurus. I reduced the sum of tabular array salt involved as well as instead of adding powdered tomato plant soup mix to the crumbing, I mixed some tomato plant glue into the dipping liquid. This worked out fine, except that the gelatinous seitan nuggets, slimy alongside pinkish batter, bore a disturbing resemblance to raw diced chicken. (Blergh.) Failing to read properly (or at all), I didn't grind upwardly the herbs as well as spices, nor did I double-dip my seitan. The texture of my batter was fine anyway, though mayhap non real KFC-y. Yet it was all even thus genuinely salty! So long equally there's stock pulverization involved, the straight-up tabular array salt in all likelihood isn't needed at all.

We ended upwardly alongside lots of crumbing to spare, thus I dusted upwardly some tofu squares a few days afterward as well as rather liked those. I'll chalk this Kentucky fried seitan projection upwardly equally a useful airplane pilot study. Next fourth dimension I'll role trace of piece of employment solid tofu, no salt, evidence double-dipping alongside the batter as well as I reckon I'll come upwardly to a greater extent than or less something that's finger lickin' good.

Kentucky fried seitan
(slightly adapted from this recipe at vegansaurus)

1 quantity of this seitan "chicken", chopped into nugget-sized pieces
vegetable stone oil for frying (dry/shallow/deep equally you lot wish)

crumbing
1 tablespoon dry reason sage
1 teaspoon dry reason ginger
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon dark pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
1 tablespoon tabular array salt (I'll skip this inward future)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
iii tablespoons dried parsley
iii tablespoons brownish sugar
ii tablespoons "chicken" stock powder
1 loving cup apparently flour

batter
iii tablespoons no-egg powder
iv tablespoons water
1 tablespoon tomato plant glue
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 loving cup soy milk

In a small-medium bowl, combine all the crumbing ingredients except for the apparently flour. If you lot desire a smoothen batter, grind them to a fine pulverization inward a nutrient processor. Stir inward the apparently flour as well as transfer the flour to a shallow bowl.

In a small-scale bowl, gradually whisk the H2O into the no-egg pulverization to shape a smoothen paste. Stir inward the tomato plant paste, vegetable stone oil as well as soy milk until good mixed.

Heat equally much vegetable stone oil equally you lot desire inward a frypan or saucepan. Line a tray or plate alongside absorbent paper.

For each seitan nugget inward turn, dip showtime into the liquid as well as then gyre inward the herby flour to thoroughly coat. (I role my left manus for the liquid as well as my correct for the flour to hold this marginally tidier.) The master recipe says you lot should dip each nugget a 2nd fourth dimension into both the liquid as well as the flour! I didn't, it's worth a try. When the nugget's good coated, drib it into the hot stone oil as well as nestling until golden brown, turning it equally needed. Transfer cooked nuggets to the paper-lined tray/plate to residual equally you lot hold upwardly on alongside the residual of the batch.

Mad Mex

March 14, 2012

We've been hitting upward Mexican joints all over town lately, together with big ups from Louise, Carla together with an anonymous commenter position Mad Mex at the travel yesteryear of our 'to try' list. It's a chain that started inwards Sydney together with has straight off spread across Commonwealth of Australia - at that topographic point are a twain inwards Melbourne, on Chapel Street together with inwards Melbourne Central. We hitting upward the Melbourne Central store, inwards a piffling corner of the nutrient courtroom amongst its ain tables together with a liquor licence. They've done a expert undertaking making the setting interesting, amongst Corona-bottle calorie-free fittings together with cute piffling planter boxes.

The card is sort of a build-your-own Mexican repast setup - yous select a base of operations way (tacos, burritos, nachos etc) together with and hence select fillings, sauces together with toppings. The mix together with tally way agency that Mad Mex is both vegan together with gluten-free friendly, which is a rarity inwards nutrient courtroom way places.

On our commencement quick visit, Cindy together with I split upward a plate of the nachos ($10.90, non pictured every bit nosotros were camera-less). They come upward covered inwards the stock veg filling (a mix of eggplant, zucchini together with mushrooms) amongst cheese, dark beans, your selection of salsa, sour cream together with guacamole. The corn chips were crispy together with fresh together with the toppings generous together with tasty - a promising start.

We returned a calendar week or hence after for a proper meal. Cindy went amongst the veggie quesadillas ($9.90), which included the same veggie filling together with oodles of cheese grilled betwixt 2 tortillas together with accompanied yesteryear corn together with tomatillo-based salsas, a fresh love apple tree mix, sour cream together with guacamole (which is costless amongst all the veggie dishes).

The accompaniments were all pretty great, but the quesadillas themselves were a flake disappointing. They were really, actually cheesy, which sort of overwhelmed everything else together with the eggplant/zucchini/mushroom filling had a slightly bitter taste. They were difficult function - Cindy didn't larn inwards through the whole dish.

I went for the touchstone veg burrito alternative ($10.90), amongst the veggie filling together with all the trimmings: dark beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, hot salsa, sour cream, onions together with capsicum together with the fresh tomatoes.

It's a expert sized burrito - together with rattling filling, but I wasn't crazy well-nigh it. I had the same issues amongst the eggplant mix - it stood out amidst the residuum of the ingredients, together with non inwards a peculiarly pleasant way. I yell back I'd lead maintain enjoyed this to a greater extent than amongst only the beans together with rice every bit the principal filling. Still, the hot salsa was abrupt together with smoky together with the guacamole fresh together with delicious, hence it wasn't a consummate loss.

Mad Mex provides the fastest fast-food Mexican inwards town - the production trouble at the counter agency yous larn from ordering to eating inwards less than v minutes. The staff are friendly together with the flexible nature of the card is a plus. We were only a flake disappointed yesteryear the actual nutrient (especially on the dorsum of all the rave reviews) - if we're eating inwards the nutrient courtroom for roughly argue we'd in all probability larn back, but nosotros won't live on making a special trip to seek it out adjacent time.

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The opening of Mad Mex inwards Melbourne has been met amongst universal acclaim. From a vegan perspective, both easy every bit vegan pie together with Louise, yesteryear Degrees together with fans, land meat-eaters: Americans inwards Melbourne, eat.drink.write, Melbourne Dining Experiences, new international students, trish eats together with The Chronicles of Ms I-Hua (sponsored post) also all laissez passer on it the thumbs up.

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Mad Mex (Melb Central Store)
Food court, Melbourne Central (cnr Swanston/La Trobe Streets)
9663 7010
Veg dishes: $7.90-$10.90
http://madmex.com.au/

Accessibility: It's every bit accessible every bit Melbourne Central, which presumably has elevator access (although nosotros came upward the escalator). Ordering together with payment takes house at a relatively depression counter (see motion painting above).

1000 £ Bend

Update: 1000 £ Bend unopen inwards mid 2017

March 18, 2012

We ate 1000 £ Bend's saganaki burger for breakfast on a Lord's Day amongst no existent justification. It was non a 2pm 'breakfast'. We were non hungover. There was no shortage of to a greater extent than breakfast-appropriate items on the carte du jour (avocado on toast, granola, toasted sandwiches). We only felt similar it, too nosotros loved it.

The saganaki was ridiculously salty, amongst that parmesan-flavoured crust that seems to gear upwards it apart from haloumi. There was enough of salad too 2 fantabulous condiments. It was all wrapped upwards inwards the finest burger bun I powerfulness always ambit got eaten - it had the calorie-free crumb of brioche but wasn't every bit rich, was to a greater extent than substantial that the typical fast-food fairy floss version too capable of supporting fillings too sauces without turning to mush. It was a altitude burger and, washed downwardly amongst a bottle of orangish juice, a damn groovy breakfast.

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For around other veg perspective, depository fiscal establishment jibe out Milk, Chai & Honey, Mandy too Adam, easy every bit vegan pie. Reviews of 1000 £ Bend ambit got been quite the mix of positivity, (Milk, Chai & Honey, Mandy too Adam, Sweet too Sour Fork, Milk, Chai & Honey, Mandy too Adam, bean there, read that, Milk, Chai & Honey, Mandy too Adam, Gastrology, Milk, Chai & Honey, Mandy too Adam, new international students), ambivalence (Milk, Chai & Honey, Mandy too Adam, My Food Odyssey), too negativity (Brunch Addict).

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1000 £ Bend
361 Lt Lonsdale St, Melbourne
veg breakfasts too burgers $5.50-12.50
http://thousandpoundbend.com.au/

Accessibility: This is a warehouse infinite amongst a really wide, apartment doorway that would ambit got previously served every bit a driveway. The interior is spacious but the tabular array spacing is variable. Ordering too payment takes house at a high bar. Toilets are unisex amongst a apartment entry too are quite narrow.

Aunty Mena's

March 20, 2012

Carla together with Pip raving nigh Aunty Mena's, I knew I had to brave the weather.

Aunty Mena's is a Wellington institution, serving upwards cheap, vegan Malaysian together with Chinese nutrient for at to the lowest degree the final decade (and belike longer - it's got a timeless form of experience to it). The carte du jour is gigantic, amongst nigh fifty unlike dishes to lead from. With nobody to portion with, ordering was tricky - I ended upwards deciding to overeat together with ordered an entrée (BBQ pork buns, $7NZ) together with a master copy (veggie chicken laksa, $14NZ).

They were both fantastic - calorie-free together with fluffy buns stuffed amongst a smoky bbq mock-meat together with a thick, creamy laksa loaded upwards amongst tofu, mock chicken, noodles together with veggies. The laksa belike wasn't quite every bit expert every bit the vegan laksa from Laksa King, but it was withal pretty damn excellent. I somehow ate everything I ordered, appreciating the deliciousness long later I truly needed to eat whatever to a greater extent than food. The service is friendly together with efficient, spell the infinite itself is pretty rudimentary, but it's all nigh the nutrient hither - for a tick over xv Australian dollars I ate myself dizzy together with (slowly) walked dorsum to the hotel feeling really pleased amongst myself.

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Aunty Mena's has a really positive online reputation - I knew nigh it cheers to Melbourne vegans Pip together with Carla, but it's every bit good been given the thumbs upwards by: Purposeful Mention, vegan vaginas, Ellice Street Gallery Kitchen together with An Auckland Vegan.

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Aunty Mena's
167 Republic of Cuba Street, Wellington
04-382 8288
entrees $6.50 - $8.50, mains $9 - $18 (NZ dollars)

Accessibility: Aunty Mena's has a apartment entryway together with a fairly spacious interior. Ordering together with payment is at the table. I didn't larn inwards to the toilets.