Holiday Wrap-Up

Michael as well as I finished 2006 as well as began 2007 amongst a whirlwind tour of Queensland, amongst much eating as well as a piffling cooking to live had. I prepared ii trays of spanakopita, as well as my friend as well as host Justine as well as I gradually ate our agency through them, inwards minor microwaved episodes, every bit nosotros finished our final calendar week of work. I baked the really American butter pecan turtle bars for a really Australian Christmas party, a beery barbeque on the verandah of a Queenslander-style home. For our Cairns Christmas, nosotros passed circular eastern vegetarian burgers amongst raita, as well as I had a consummate home-made mayo failure. The spud salad survived, but was a pale faux of the Soulmama version. H5N1 few days after at Redcliffe, nosotros wowed my dad amongst our fried brownish rice as well as mightiness to give the recipe to him inwards seconds from my USB retentiveness stick.

Christmas arrived a piffling early on amongst a surprise bundle from Michael's mother, Robyn. Inside was a bunch of Oxfam goodies! Indian Chai, Za'atar, Hot Chilli Sauce, Swazi Fire Chilli Sauce, Hot Mango Chutney, as well as a box of v fragrant spices. I'm looking forwards to blogging near our uses of these inwards the coming months. Some of my solid unit of measurement members gave us an Oxfam goat, which nosotros promise volition render nutrient as well as income for a solid unit of measurement that needs it to a greater extent than than nosotros do. Michael's brother, Matt, presented us amongst a mass that got me to a greater extent than excited than Michael - tempted: 150 really wicked desserts. This saw me retreating from the grouping for at to the lowest degree one-half an hour, absorbing page after page of luscious, chocolately photos. Watch this infinite every bit I recreate them!

I visited roughly former favourite restaurants (most notably Punjabi Palace, my local Indian takeaway amongst the killer korma; as well as Babylon Restaurant, amongst the largest Turkish banquets you lot volition e'er encounter), discovered roughly novel eating (the Green Ant Cantina inwards Cairns) as well as adventuring (the incredible novel Gallery of Modern Art inwards Brisbane). Many of our favourite folks took us out on the town, prepared fabulous nutrient as well as society at home, or gave us a bed for the night. We're grateful that nosotros know then many generous people.

April 24, 2007: Kingaroy

harira soup concluding nighttime - its peppery warmth was simply the nourishment my wearisome tastebuds in addition to small-scale appetite needed. Furthermore, we've been meme-tagged yesteryear the Gourmand (of the nutrient weblog Eat Me!), in addition to then there's at to the lowest degree i to a greater extent than post service to come upwards every bit my honey of all things edible recovers.

April 26, 2011: Tea Master

Easter saw us flight through Brisbane spell travelling betwixt coasts as well as seeking tiffin inwards the Valley on 'Easter Tuesday'. Our favourite tiffin spot Kuan Yin was shut, but nosotros managed to rail downwardly Tea Master equally an alternative.

Tea Master has much inwards mutual alongside Kuan Yin - an extensive, all vegetarian card featuring noodle as well as rice dishes, soups as well as bento boxes for some $10 apiece, most of them featuring mock meats, as well as an iced tea card of similar length.

And tea, nosotros purchased - lemongrass love ($3.50) as well as passionfruit light-green alongside pearls ($3.40). Michael idea the onetime was a piffling brusk on the lemongrass; I loved the passionfruit season but was disappointed past times viscous (overcooked or oversoaked?) tapioca pearls.

Michael ate the Vegetarian Hainan Chicken Rice ($8.90), an iconic Chinese/Malaysian dish that's rarely available to us vegos (although we've tried making it at home!). The 'chicken' as well as vegetables weren't all that inspiring, but the flavouring stock was lovely.

After spending likewise much fourth dimension poring over the tea card for the perfect drinkable to sooth my sore throat, I kinda panicked when it was fourth dimension to lodge my meal, as well as brutal dorsum on the ol' sugariness & sour veggie pork alongside rice ($8.90). This was i of the to a greater extent than watery sweet'n'sour sauces I've had inwards my time, but I appreciated the fresh capsicum, carrot, zucchini as well as pineapple inwards the mix. (I was to a greater extent than ambivalent close the shredded iceberg lettuce.)

This repast didn't quite alive upward to our high Kuan Yin standards, but it's even then smashing value as well as good worth a await in. The setting is brilliant as well as cheerful, as well as equally were the women running the cafe.

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Tea Master has received by as well as large positive reviews from the Australian School of Meditation as well as Yoga, Random Rambling of Impressionable Me, Food Hunters as well as ferrous's posterous.

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Tea Master
Shop 18, 115 Wickham St, Cathedral Village, Fortitude Valley QLD
(07) 3257 0038
veg snacks as well as lunches $1.10-$11.95

Accessibility: at that spot is a ramp available for accessing this strip of cafes. Indoor as well as outdoor seating are reasonably spaced. Ordering occurs at the table; payment at a high counter.

Su Life

September 22, 2012

I'm visiting Brisbane for work. Priorities inwards gild I headed straightaway from the airport, steal as well as all, to Kuan Yin for lunch. Thankfully I had a few hours to digest my 3 combo veggie bento as well as rose milk tea earlier coming together upwards amongst James as well as Matt for dinner. These generous souls drove me out to the 'burbs for my get-go gustation of Su Life.

Su Life isn't i for ambiance - it's bare walls, bare tables, flourescent lighting, as well as zip music develop inwards a strip mall. No matter, nosotros were hither to fill upwards the air amongst chatter as well as our stomachs amongst deep-fried everything. Briefly consulting amongst James, Matt ordered (too much) for the 3 of us.

The Golden Toona Pancake ($6.50) is crispy as well as lightly seasoned.

The Combination BBQ develop ($15.50) is an outrageous quantity of snacks served inwards a gaudy butterfly platter - the satay skewers as well as jump rolls were par for the course of education but the other 2 appetisers were novel to me. In the foreground are crumbed rice newspaper wraps stuffed amongst yuba-based mock meat. My favourites, though, were the lacy-wrapped two-toned taro rolls pictured transcend right.

The veggie calamary (sic, $6.99) were, from dim as well as distant memory, a pretty impressive faux of the existent thing.

The sweetness as well as sour veggie ribs ($14.99) are i of Matt's favourites. The sauce was a niggling undercooked this time, as well as the mock meat was odd - sliced thinly amongst a spongey, grainless texture.

The highlight, though, was the Spicy Crispy Chicken ($14.99) - Matt knew it as well as rashly ordered 2 plates! I couldn't destination picking at it - the chicken was to a greater extent than batter than mock as well as undeniably crispy, smothered inwards a sweet, salty as well as slightly hot sauce. The capsicum, celery as well as cashews actually worked amongst it. This is the dish worth catching the release 150 bus out to Mt Gravatt for.

I listen that the 85 dishes across Su Life's card are a chip hitting as well as miss, but I benefited from James as well as Matt's devoted sampling across many visits. It'd survive squeamish to brand a dyad more, myself.

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On their blog, James as well as Matt deem Su Life i of the 2 best vegetarian restaurants inwards Brisbane. It has also received positive reviews on vegawesome!, Viva la vegan! as well as la petite foodie. Meanwhile on Little things, Arly recreates the spicy crispy chicken equally tofu.

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Su Life
Shop four Palmdale Shopping Centre, 2120 Logan Rd,
Upper Mt Gravatt, QLD
(07) 3349 5995
veg dishes $5.50-14.99
facebook page

Accessibility: The strip mall has a mensuration upwards to pavement level, as well as then Su Life itself has a apartment entry as well as reasonably well-spaced tables. We ordered at the tabular array as well as (James) paid at the counter. Toilets are located downwards an alley, were the bailiwick of a hilarious Matt story, as well as did non audio accessible at all.

Loving Hut

September 24, 2012

Before my operate commitments took hold, once more to Mt Gravatt for some of their favourite vegan eats inwards Brisbane. This fourth dimension the venue was Loving Hut. It shares the same logo, spartan plastic decor as well as allegiance to Supreme Master every bit the Melbourne outlet; however, it's been to a greater extent than or less a niggling longer, offers freezers of take-home mock meat, as well as incorporates some Western dishes into the predominantly Chinese menu.

Again I took cues from Matt on what to order. I started with the daggy-fusion wontans, which were stuffed with vegan French onion cream cheese as well as served with sugariness chilli sauce ($6).

The rosella iced tea ($5.90) had the fruity hibiscus flavor I was nostalgic for (my Queenslander grandmother made killer rosella jam), but I didn't much assist for the fresh mint garnish.

The Crispy Yum ($11.90) lived upward to its name, much similar sugariness as well as sour pork with a proper sour kicking - Matt reckons it comes from tamarind as well as I intend he only powerfulness live right. The fresh greenish garnishes as well as mound of steamed rice circular this out to a filling as well as inexpensive meal. (I'd happily pay an extra dollar for some sauteed capsicum instead of the wilting lettuce bed, though.)

James has a soft spot for the lasagne as well as alongside the curries as well as mock meat there's also spaghetti bolognese, mushroom carbonara, polenta as well as garlic cutlets. Everything is vegan, with gluten-free as well as onion-free options clearly marked. There are desserts, too, but they did non come upward recommended past times my hosts. 

While you lot tin avoid the desserts, it seems that all patronising Loving Hut set themselves at opportunity of pathetic service. My dishes arrived promptly enough, yet James' wontans were served a perplexing xx minutes or to a greater extent than later, as well as cold. Even then, James finished his 2 courses exclusively earlier any of Matt's nutrient arrived. H5N1 tertiary unordered plate of wontans turned upward as well as were turned away earlier nosotros finished. It seems that haphazard delivery (and a trip out to the 'burbs) is the toll you lot pay for a inexpensive mock meat repast inwards Brisbane.

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Theresa the Tropical Vegan visited Loving Hut a few days after me but beat me to posting! She was disappointed past times the garlic butter cutlets. Otherwise, I've barely read a negative give-and-take virtually this outlet, run across Forking Diana, grey grid paper, LEONG MING EN FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY, BrisVegan, Loquacious Laetitia as well as Flash Fiction past times Annie.

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Loving Hut
Shop 2, 1420 Logan Rd, Mt Gravatt
(07) 3219 4118
veg snacks $4.80-8.00, veg mains $10.90-13.99
http://lovinghutbrisbane.com.au/

Accessibility: We accessed Loving Hut from a basement carpark via narrow stairs, but at that spot looks to live some street-level parking as well as apartment access from the footpath. The entry is really broad as well as the interior is flat. Indoor tables are moderately spaced, front end outdoor tables were widely spaced. We ordered as well as (James again!) paid at a high counter, as well as then nutrient was brought out to us. I didn't view the toilets.

Kitchen Sanitarium

September 26, 2012

Once my move obligations started upwards I was surrounded yesteryear omnivores, but ii of them indulged me inward a view to vegetarian luncheon location Kitchen Sanitarium when I discovered it was but some the corner from us. I was solely 3 years behind Michael!

Back then, Michael noted that they weren't making much of an assay for vegans. Now the carte du jour marks vegan items to a greater extent than clearly, along amongst anything that's gluten free, nut free, superfood (*eye-roll*), depression GI or gluten-free optional. The overall subject of wholesome, mock meat-free dishes seems to stay - each measure carte du jour detail is captioned amongst its nutritional properties. The soup of the day, sandwiches too pocket-sized salads come upwards inward some the $10 mark, spell the curries, risotto, chilli too fancier salads approach $20.

I was feeling extravagant too ordered the chickpea too chilli fritters, which were served on a salad thence drizzled amongst a honey-mustard dressing ($18.50). Everything was perfect on texture but trailing on taste. The fritters were under-seasoned, similar completely unadulterated chickpeas. No chilli. The salad was a charming mix of low-cal too crunchy puffed rice, sour pomegranate seeds, fresh vegetables too herbs, nuts too seeds. I enjoyed picking out each private flavour, but they didn't mix meaningfully. Meanwhile my companions reported solely expert things almost their soup too haloumi roll.

The Kitchen Sanitarium setting is perfect for a workday lunch, casual amongst lots of well-shaded outdoor tables. They seem really pop for lunch, though they pack upwards quite promptly at 2pm. The Kitchen clearly prides itself on a nutritious carte du jour that volition sustain people through the day, too at the cheaper terminate of their carte du jour they expect similar reasonable value too. However my pricier plate didn't quite alive upwards to the high standards that Ottolenghi has laid upwards inward my ain kitchen.

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You tin post away read almost Michael's view to Sanitarium Kitchen here. Since thence there've been positive write-ups on blogs DolceBunnie, miss morag's morsels, Hungry Kittens, Edesian Feast too Eat, Peggy!.

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Kitchen Sanitarium
Riverside Centre, 145 Eagle St, Brisbane
(07) 3221 7988
veg dishes $9-18.50
http://www.kitchensanitarium.com.au/

Accessibility: There appears to live on ramp access to Sanitarium Kitchen from street level. Tables had medium spacing too were movable. We ordered too paid at a low-ish counter, thence nutrient was delivered to the table. We didn't view the toilets.

The Banana Lounge

Updated, 31/12/2014: The Banana Lounge didn't terminal long - James together with Matt blogged a run-down of novel veg*n hotspots on their radar, including The Banana Lounge. While spending the calendar week inwards Brisbane for work, I squeezed inwards a lunchtime see later a morning time at GOMA's first-class APT7 exhibition. The Banana Lounge's outside is a fairly dowdy brownish brick edifice amongst a few telling xanthous flags together with stools. Stepping within I was inwards familiar vegetarian cafe territory: decorations were cheery, abundant together with haphazard; Cat Stevens controlled the stereo for the entire hour.

Easy House

March 17, 2013

H5N1 honey as well as distant friend's start solo fine art exhibition drew us from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, as well as nosotros scheduled inwards about veg eating too. Reader Fiona start recommended Easy House to us inwards an e-mail to a greater extent than than a twelvemonth ago; Matt echoed her endorsement inwards a to a greater extent than recent message.

Our timing didn't permit us to examination out Easy House's yum cha but nosotros did halt yesteryear for dinner. The bill of fare runs to to a greater extent than than lxxx dishes - fried entrees, soups, tofu, vegetables, lots of mock meats, hot pots, rice as well as noodle dishes. Many of them were familiar from other Chinese-style vegetarian menus, but nosotros constitute a span of new dishes to order.

The vegetarian roast goose ($14.80) was made primarily of layered edible bean curd skin, amongst a few finely chopped mushrooms as well as other vegetables tucked inwards betwixt to boost the umami element. The curd was melt-in-the-mouth tender as well as perfectly contrasted amongst a crispy-battered shell. The accompanying sauce was to a greater extent than sweetness than sour, but nonetheless welcome.

We doubled downwards on deep-fry amongst the tabular array salt as well as pepper eel fillets ($16.80). These didn't deviate from the glutenous faux-fish I've eaten elsewhere but I wasn't disappointed - there's something almost electrical virtually the seasoning that I can't imagine replicating at home.

The Easy House atmosphere is a niggling stark, as well as to a greater extent than customers seemed interested inwards takeaway than eating in, but nosotros received real helpful as well as timely service. The bill of fare is extensive as well as the character as well as cost of the dishes nosotros tried compares favourably amongst the Chinese-style mock meats we've eaten elsewhere. I promise nosotros tin laid upward up other reasons to catch again, ideally for yum cha adjacent time.

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Easy House has already earned weblog love on definatalie.com as well as Delicous Encounters.

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Easy House
8/90 Markeri St, Mermaid Waters QLD
(07) 5572 8808
veg dishes $4.80-18.80
facebook page

Accessibility: There's a small-scale footstep upward into the eating seat (see photograph above) as well as tables within are quite crowded. We ordered at the tabular array as well as paid at a high counter. We didn't catch the toilets but I noticed about other diner borrowing a key, presumably to access them elsewhere inwards the mall.

Vintage Espresso

March 18, 2013

Michael made a cursory search for nearby cafes that powerfulness serve us breakfast on Mon forenoon as well as upwards popped Vintage Espresso at Mermaid Beach. On sight, I could barely believe it: this cafe could accept been airlifted as well as deposited straight from Melbourne's inner north. (More likely, my feel of south-east Queensland is vii years out of appointment as well as such cafes thrive all over Oz.) The interior is vintage through as well as through, from the slice of furniture as well as wallpaper to the crockery as well as copious (but non cluttered) knick knacks. This much orangish as well as brownish commonly strikes me equally dowdy. Maybe it was the white walls, the expert status of their wares or the Gold Coast Sun streaming in, but hither it was positively cheerful.

I was cheered, too, to consider another cafe offering iced chai ($6.50). I am likewise optimistic. This 1 was the sweetest, to the lowest degree spicy version I've encountered yet. Peeps've actually gotta form out out a means to inject around ginger and, I dunno, actual tea into these things. Michael's apartment white offered to a greater extent than satisfaction.

Glutton for penalty (and sugar), I backed it upwards amongst an lodge of banana breadstuff ($5.50). This, I tin recommend - thick as well as gently sweet, amongst a expert stair out of toasty walnuts.

Michael ordered the Spring Harvest ($15), a procession of good poached eggs, roast tomato, mushrooms, polenta bake, spinach as well as pesto - all fresh as well as heartily enjoyed, including the tomato plant (!).

Game for more, he followed upwards amongst a kale, apple, grape as well as cucumber juice ($6.50).

There's enough on offering for vegetarians at Vintage - additionally fruit, muesli, French toast, to a greater extent than eggs as well as avocado mashed amongst feta - but vegan options are less obvious. Gluten-free dishes aren't marked either but are relatively slowly to identify. I liked that the toast bill of fare extended beyond sourdough to fancy fruit, bagels as well as something pumpkin-based. The service was pleasant as well as the kitchen didn't piece of occupation out us waiting likewise long. Vintage Espresso accept clearly pose equally much assist as well as science into their nutrient equally their fit-out.

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There are positive weblog posts close Vintage Espresso on your local markets, green been, Girl Who Does Lunch as well as Espresso Escapades, as well as thence a mixed 1 on Taking Care of Breakfast.

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Vintage Espresso
1/43 Alfred St, Mermaid Beach QLD
(07) 5527 7878
veg breakfasts $3.50-15.50
facebook page

Accessibility: The cafe is split upwards degree - tables out front, upwards a stride as well as counter degree as well as upwards a span to a greater extent than steps to an elevated dining area. Tables are somewhat crowded inside. We ordered as well as paid at a medium-height counter, though nutrient was served to our table. We didn't catch the toilets.