Westgarth Books & Cooks Cafe

December 4, 2011

Edit 19/12/11: Unfortunately the cafe department of Westgarth Books has closed! Their chef is evidently available for domicile catering too events.

I'm certain I've commented earlier on the frightening achieve too speed of Melbourne's vegan telegraph. As presently every bit Westgarth Books announced that they were incorporating a vegan cafe too becoming Westgarth Books & Cooks cafe, K too Toby pose together a posse of Melbourne veg*ns to banking concern jibe them out. The gang at Westgarth are all the same sorting themselves out, they were a chip overwhelmed when a grouping of 8 of us rolled inwards for breakfast. They were brusk a few carte du jour items too were by too large a chip disorganised, but they struggled on cheerfully dealing alongside our massive order. The nutrient took ages to come upward out - they're clearly all the same working out how to run a cafe, too thence for right away I'd recommend turning upward inwards pocket-size groups only.

The carte du jour looks impressive - a duet of dissimilar breakfasts (big too small), a curry too a noodle dish, pasta, nachos, a selection of 4 or 5 raw-ish dishes, too unopen to over-the-top desserts - all vegan. I actually wanted to endeavour the large Aussie breakfast (toast, smoked tofu scramble, spinach, mushroom, beetroot relish, $17.50) but that was 1 of the dishes they weren't doing yet. Instead I decided to outset the twenty-four hours alongside something fresh - a raw papaya salad (scented papaya, tossed alongside organic carrot, pumpkin, light-green edible bean too tomato plant salad, garnished alongside crushed almonds too cashews, fresh chilli, garlic too household raw dressing, $15).

This was stunning - super fresh, loaded alongside nuts too crispy vegies, all covered inwards a tangy too spicy dressing. The exclusively downside was the tiny orangish pieces scattered throughout alongside the rind all the same on them - perhaps I should bring merely eaten them rind too all, because picking each slice out too eating them off the rind was a chip of a pain. Otherwise, this was amazing - delicious too healthy.

Cindy had existent problem making upward her mind, eventually settling on a breakfast dessert - the fool of the twenty-four hours (seasonal fruit compote layered betwixt dollops of ice-cream, custard too cake, $10).

Look at that! It was basically a massive sundae for breakfast. Cindy seemed fairly happy alongside her selection - at that spot was a proficient mix of fruit, loads of cakey goodness, custard too ice-cream alongside a cherry on top. The cashew-based ice-cream was outstanding, the smoothest she's always tasted.

Everybody else at the tabular array was happy alongside their dishes (see K's review for to a greater extent than detail), coffees were okay too service was friendly too gracious. But slow. Really, actually slow. Still, they acknowledged the delays yesteryear offering us gratis tea top-ups too a plate of delicious passionfruit-iced yo-yos to compensate.

K does) that they cater excellently for coeliacs, fifty-fifty offering gluten-free waffles! Once they carve upward themselves out a chip this could last a competitor for Melbourne's best veg cafe.

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Typically, the veg-blog scene hasn't wasted whatever fourth dimension - In the Mood for Noodles too Words @ Random bring already blogged virtually it, spell @ah_blake has been at that spot three times already!

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Westgarth Books & Cooks Cafe
77 High Street, Northcote
snacks $3-$5, meals $9-$18
facebook page

Accessibility: There's a tiny footstep every bit y'all enter, too things are a chip crowded inside. Ordering too payment happens at a medium-high counter.

Cafe Lua Ii

Update 27/1/2019: Cafe Lua has permanently closed.

December 10, 2011

Cafe Lua - it's close, never equally good packed and, importantly, serves upwardly peachy food.

I ordered the pumpkin too chia seed pancakes topped amongst a yoghurt, lentil too spinach salad, amongst sumac too crimson onion ($13.50)

The waitress told us that these pancakes are based on an Ottolenghi recipe, too then naturally it offers a peachy combination of flavours too textures. The pancakes were quite dense but non at all heavy, piece the salad was a wonderful fresh too good for you lot topping.

Cindy turned downwards all the fancy bill of fare items, instead going for a straightforward mushroom too cheese toastie ($6.50).

This was precisely what she was looking for - a elementary but effective start out to the day.

We're even too then making inroads into Cafe Lua's bill of fare (in item there's a vegan too gluten-free smoothie that Cindy's keen to try, piece I'm eyeing off closed to to a greater extent than savouries), but everything we've sampled too then far has been great. The staff were friendly too helpful again, too the java is consistently good. Cafe Lua is the local breakfast alternative we've been waiting for.

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Read nigh our commencement see to Cafe Lua here. Our review hasn't prompted equally good many other bloggers to banking concern tally it out, although Melbourne Coffee Review attain got given it the thumbs up.

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Cafe Lua
Cnr Elgin too Drummond Streets, Carlton
9348 1118
veg dishes $6 - $15
http://www.cafelua.com

Accessibility: There's no stride equally you lot come upwardly inward too the cafe is spacious too well-lit. Ordering takes house at the table, amongst payment at a lowish counter. We didn't banking concern tally out the toilets.

Raspberry Lemonade Slice

December 10, 2011

quinoa salad amongst Western Farsi dried lime, spell I tried something new. another recipe I've used before. This landed me inward troublesome portioning territory. It took 2 packets of biscuits to spread a base of operations inward a 22cm-square baking tray, yet I could direct keep filled the tray amongst my raspberry topping twice over. I tried baking the excess raspberry lemonade mixture inward ramekins, in addition to they made passable puddings, but inward the recipe below I've halved the topping quantities hence that it should tally the piece to a greater extent than neatly.

I was non attentive plenty amongst oven temperatures in addition to times either, hence direct keep the ones below every bit a guide only. Michael had been busily baking sweetness murphy in addition to I only shoved this inward without a glance at the dials. (Silly, empty-headed Cindy.) My piece emerged blackened at the edges amongst unsightly chocolate-brown craters on top, an unappetising gloopy texture in addition to work solid pocket on the baking paper. I did non direct keep fourth dimension to refrigerate it; it was even hence warm every bit nosotros arrived at the potluck. I was embarrassed to direct keep it to the table, non to the lowest degree because at that topographic point was already a perfect gingerbread menage amongst a Curly Wurly scrap sitting smugly on said table.

Miraculously, this piece received to a greater extent than than only compassion compliments. Some people expressly praised the texture. I'd timidly sliced upwardly only one-half of it, yet people were coming dorsum for seconds in addition to carving it upwardly further. One of my closer friends admitted that he wasn't expecting much when he showtime saw it, but he was ultimately rattling impressed (and helped himself to a substantial extra component to examine it). I gauge it takes to a greater extent than than my petty fail to ruin raspberry lemonade.

Still, if you're going to seat it correct adjacent to a gingerbread house, a piffling to a greater extent than aid in addition to maybe a sprinkle of icing saccharide wouldn't hurt.

Raspberry lemonade slice
(adapted from this slice)

crust
360g gluten-free kokosnoot biscuits
2/3 loving cup margarine, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 loving cup rice milk

topping
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cups gluten-free patently flour
zest in addition to juice of 2 lemons
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
three egg whites
1 egg

Preheat an oven to 180°C in addition to describe a piece tray (mine was 22cm square) amongst baking paper.

Make the crust past times crushing the biscuits inward a bowl. Stir inward the margarine, vanilla in addition to rice milk until good combined. Spoon the mixture into the baking tray, smoothing it out amongst the dorsum of a spoon to evenly encompass the base of operations of the tray. Bake the base of operations until only golden, nigh fifteen minutes.

While the base of operations is baking, laid upwardly the topping. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, lemon zest in addition to salt. Puree the raspberries inward a blender or nutrient processor, hence press them through a sieve in addition to into the flour mixture. (Discard the seeds in addition to muck left inward the sieve.) Stir the raspberry puree through the dry out ingredients until they're good mixed. In a split upwardly small-scale bowl, lightly whisk the egg in addition to egg whites together. Add the eggs to the raspberry mixture, whisking thoroughly to combine. The mixture volition survive rattling liquid, but persevere. When the base of operations is ready, pour inward the raspberry mixture in addition to furnish it to the oven to bake until set, upwardly to l minutes.

Chill the piece thoroughly inward the refrigerator to laid it earlier slicing.

Grandstand Gourmet Hot Dogs

January 2016: Doing a chip of weblog tidying upward in addition to it looks similar this house has been closed for ages.

December 17, 2011

When nosotros posted virtually Snag Stand, twitter outburst into life amongst hot-dog recommendations. My optic was specially caught past times Astarlia's recommendation of Grandstand Hotdogs, promising of really expert vegan hot-dogs for $6. So amongst the combination of a sunny twenty-four hours in addition to some rare spare fourth dimension during the pre-Christmas craziness, Cindy in addition to I wasted no fourth dimension inward checking it out.

Despite (or because of) the sunshine, Birrarung Marr was pretty deserted, pregnant no queues at the hot-dog stand. The card provides a broad diversity of dogs, from the straight-up ketchup in addition to mustard version, to less conventional approaches (e.g. Thai in addition to Malaysian-inspired hot dogs!). Cindy is a staunch traditionalist - she doesn't fifty-fifty recall onions actually belong on a dog, in addition to hence she ordered the classic version ($6).

The veg sausages hither are much less fancy than those on offering at the Snag Stand; nosotros suspect they're Sanitarium build hot dogs. Still, stuffed into a white bun gyre in addition to slathered inward sauce in addition to mustard, these are much closer to a traditional hot-dog than the fancy-schmancy versions served upward at Snag Stand. It's all pretty basic - cheapo dawgs inward cheapo buns amongst loads of condiments. Still, for $6 she had no existent complaints.

I went a chip to a greater extent than upmarket - the Bavarian comes amongst pickles, warm sauerkraut, onions, sour cream in addition to mustard (and a few bonus napkins!). Despite all the additions, this is all the same exclusively $6, making it i of the ameliorate value hot dogs unopen to - Lord of the Fries charges $8 in addition to the Snag Stand closer to $10 (although the appallingly-named 'Massive Weiners' inward Prahran patently has a $5 veggie human foot long!). All the accompaniments arrive difficult endure to swallow this amongst whatsoever dignity, but nobody's actually shopping for dignity at a hot-dog stand. Sauerkraut is a specially fantabulous add-on to a hot-dog, in addition to this whole parcel worked really well. I'm keen to larn dorsum in addition to endeavour out the chilli-dog inward the not-too-distant future.

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Tummy Rumbles were reasonably positive when they visited (some iii years agone now!), in addition to I can't discovery anybody else who has bothered to review them.

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Grandstand Gourmet Hot Dogs
Birrarung Marr (behind Federation Square), Melbourne
vegetarian hot dogs $6
http://www.fanaticalfoodie.com.au/ (be warned, their site doesn't seem that upward to date)

Accessibility: The hot domestic dog stand upward is on the highly accessible path that runs along Birrung Marr. Ordering in addition to pick-up occurs at a high counter. There are common benches in addition to steps unopen to to sit down on, but non a nifty bargain of shade.

Helados Jauja

12/05/2016: The Helados Jauja squad accept announced that they volition non hold out renewing their lease. We'll fille them!

December 17, 2011

The Carlton cease of Lygon St has long been studded amongst gelaterias, but Michael late observed the opening of a novel H2O ice creamery of note. Tucked betwixt 2 spruiker-fronted restaurants, Helados Jauja offers Patagonian icecreams as well as chocolates. Flavours rotate regularly but the dominant subject appears to hold out rich as well as milky: nosotros saw dulce de leche inwards multiple guises as well as others spiked amongst coffee, tea as well as chocolate. The dairy-free fruit sorbets are to a greater extent than culturally diverse, manage towards the tropical at the moment, as well as include durian.

Cupfuls don't come upwards inexpensive (Michael's serve inwards a higher house laid him dorsum $8.60) but they're undeniably luxurious, made from the best ingredients as well as whipped to a gorgeous silky, just-a-tiny-bit-stretchy texture.

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Helados Jauja has already won fans on the blogs The moving beast as well as MoMo & Coco.

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Helados Jauja

254 Lygon St, Carlton

9041 2927
H2O ice cream cups $4.70-10.60
http://www.heladosjauja.com.au/

Accessibility: The H2O ice cream counter is a unmarried pace upwards from the primary footpath, addition an option ramp. Small stools are arranged nether a tree out front. There appears to hold out to a greater extent than seating within but nosotros didn't depository fiscal establishment fit it out properly.

Cooking For Christmas

With Christmas coming upwardly this week, we're pulling a few seasonal recipes out of the archives. If you lot haven't planned your bill of fare for the 25th yet, perchance something hither volition induce got your fancy!

nut roast, seitan roast or tofurkey is a meat-free, gravy-friendly alternative.

pudding bites cater to a broader crowd - the recipe includes vegan too gluten-free adaptations. I've also tried gleeganising White Christmas slice, albeit amongst less success.

a pretty tasty cupcake, amongst pretzel antlers too a Jaffa nose.

All that said too linked, we're hardly Christmas traditionalists. When planning our contribution to the trouble solid unit of measurement meal, nosotros focus to a greater extent than on crowd-pleasers that tin live made inwards advance.

In 2006, nosotros fried upwardly spicy veg burgers too an uninspiring tater salad.

In 2007, I won a few fans for my non-sausage rolls.

In 2008 spanakopita was the star, too nosotros shared a half-dozen to a greater extent than favourite recipes amongst trouble solid unit of measurement over the break.

pizza too ice cream. (Meanwhile Lisa made our vegan sausage rolls!)

In 2010 I hosted again, too nosotros picnicked on salads too chocolate.

This twelvemonth we'll live guests inwards a trouble solid unit of measurement home, attempting to repose the stress past times contributing a veg dish or 2 piece non commandeering equally good much of the kitchen. We're leaning towards salads similar the eat-anywhere quinoa salad, green couscous, mango too kokosnoot rice salad, quinoa avocado salad, or the quinoa salad amongst Farsi dried lime, paired amongst a pan-fried poly peptide similar braised tofu, pomegranate tofu or soy bombs. Johanna GGG too Carla induce got also been discussing Christmas menus on their blogs.

Carla's conduct to surviving the trouble solid unit of measurement roast. Hopefully, though, you'll create far ameliorate than survive; sharing a fresh, tasty repast too the companionship of those you lot love.

Miso-Curry Pumpkin

December 18, 2011

One of the many gifts I showered Cindy amongst on her recent birthday was Maesri offers a vegan friendly curry glue inwards a dismiss that we’ve grown quite fond of. We made a few tweaks, largely to role upwardly vegie box ingredients – doubling the size together with replacing the kale amongst a pile of lettuce leaves together with the coriander amongst basil together with parsley.

I was worried well-nigh the pumpkin peel beingness every bit good chewy then I ended upwardly overcooking the vegetables a fleck – the pumpkin inwards item went a fleck soft together with lost its shape. Luckily the tofu was prissy together with firm, providing to a greater extent than or less textural variation. More importantly, the whole matter tasted fantastic – the combination of white miso together with cerise curry glue is divine, together with the pumpkin together with greens simply soaked upwardly the flavours. This was a nail hitting at the potluck together with may yet last remade at abode to bargain amongst the half-pumpkin yet sitting inwards our fridge.

Miso-Curry Pumpkin
(adapted from a recipe inwards Heidi Swanson’sSuper Natural Every Day)

700g pumpkin
1/2 loving cup olive oil
150g white miso paste
two tablespoons Thai cerise curry glue (we used Maesri)
500g tofu, cubed
8 pocket-sized potatoes, quartered
four tablespoons lemon juice
50g mixed lettuce leaves
120g pepitas, dry out roasted
i bunch basil, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
Handful of chives, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Cut the pumpkin inwards half, scoop all the seeds out together with chop into 1cm thick one-half moons (half of our pumpkin was roughly 700g, adjust based on pumpkin size).

Whisk together the miso, olive fossil oil together with curry paste. Take roughly one-half of this mixture together with combine it amongst the tofu, pumpkin together with potatoes inwards a large bowl. Get your hands inwards at that spot together with brand certain that everything gets good covered inwards the sauce.

Add the lemon juice to the remaining sauce.

Lay the sauced-up veggies out on baking trays together with roast. We ended upwardly roasting them for well-nigh 45 minutes – this was belike a fleck every bit good long. Stick the recipe's recommendation of thirty minutes, but brand certain you lot depository fiscal establishment agree upwardly on things regularly together with toss to brand certain everything gets its part of roasting.

Once the vegetables are roasted, popular them into a large bowl together with combine them amongst the remaining sauce, the lettuce leaves together with herbs together with the pepitas. Stir everything thoroughly (but gently if you lot desire your pumpkin slices to retain their shape!) together with serve. We had ours at room temperature together with it was yet wonderful.