March 26-30, 2008: Queensland Cuisine

Tom Phat. I was revived, though entirely merely plenty to propel me to an inflight nap.

Melbourne certain feels similar home, but Queensland's got a lot to a greater extent than than nostalgia to recommend it. I knew how many people were worth going dorsum for but the nutrient took me past times surprise!

August 5-8, 2009: Brisbane

A brief run trip to Brisbane gave me a corking chance to accept a quick run through the vego scene there. It's booming, with 2 novel veg-only tiffin places popping upwards inwards the CBD since I'd end visited. First up, VegeRama (1/300 Queen Street, weekday lunches only). It's basically a vegie hot box place, with a broad alternative of curries, stir-fries as well as other treats to select from. I couldn't teach past times the burger (which was vegan) - a marinated tofu pattie, with a satay/hummus sauce, grated carrot as well as beetroot, as well as other salady bits as well as pieces on a wholemeal bun ($8 ). It's pretty tasty, but maybe a footling pricey for what is actually a rattling uncomplicated sandwich. Still, the remaining options at VegeRama looked worthy of investigation, as well as it's fantastic to encounter a veg identify sitting inwards a nutrient courtroom alongside all the other horrors.

Trippytaco. The filling was a footling on the bland side and, spell the sauces were dainty enough, a flake of zing was missing. Perhaps I should stimulate got ordered something else - Sanitarium was overrun when I visited, with almost all the tables amount as well as a queue of takeaway customers snaking out the door. It's worth noting that the bill of fare doesn't supply whatever assistance for vegans, as well as fromKuan Yin (198 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley) is perhaps the best value mock-meat eating theater inwards Australia. For $10, I got this:

homemade version (I'd charge per unit of measurement them slightly inwards a higher identify La Panella), as well as the dagwood domestic dog was pretty corking besides (let's human face upwards it, I was merely excited to hold upwards eating a vegie dagwood dog). The markets themselves stimulate got changed since nosotros used to alive nearby - lots to a greater extent than stalls inwards seemingly less infinite = a rattling crowded morning.

Finally, it was fourth dimension for a take in to an erstwhile favourite: Govinda's (99 Elizabeth Street). It's Krishna food, but it's Krishna nutrient done good as well as done cheaply (between $6 as well as $10 all you lot tin eat).

Throw inwards a run of 4 direct sunny days with temperatures inwards the mid-twenties, as well as it's plenty to brand you lot intend well-nigh moving back...

August 19-22, 2009: To A Greater Extent Than Of Westward End, Brisbane

Perhaps you've noticed the declining frequency of spider web log posts appearing hither these terminal vi weeks. (Hopefully yous haven't noticed a pass upwards inwards enthusiasm inside those few posts; nosotros nevertheless love doin' what nosotros attain here.) There was that holiday, in addition to so nosotros accommodated friends for a few weeks spell they searched for a to a greater extent than permanent Melbourne dwelling theatre - their contrasting eating habits altered our own. Michael disappeared to Queensland for most a calendar week in addition to I worked long hours, subsisting on soft tofu tacos in addition to brightly wrapped items that could simply barely last described every bit food. I was working towards my ain trip to Queensland, where I wanted to pack every bit much family, friends in addition to nutrient every bit I could approximately a conference.

And I did. I saw former theatre unit of measurement friends, novel babies, people I've known since nosotros were children ourselves, in addition to I was utterly spoiled with their dwelling theatre cooking. Chocolate appointment cake, sesame-crumbed felafel, cheesecakes in addition to gnocchi, afternoon teas in addition to punnets in addition to punnets of new-season strawberries. All the spell the Sun shone, unseasonably hot.

Have yous attended many conference dinners? I've been to a dyad of crackers, but many to a greater extent than disappointments. (It must last hard to conform an accessible venue, entertainment, in addition to simultaneously serve pleasing meals to several hundred delegates.) This fourth dimension a few colleagues in addition to I decided instead to pass what nosotros could bring on that conference dinner, on a smaller but exceptional dinner elsewhere.

It started at the Lychee Lounge. This bar was opened upwards on Boundary St for all the years that I lived inwards West End, yet I never stopped inwards for a drink. Its hip cocktail lounge style, mutual inwards Melbourne, wasn't my scene - I was a frugal full-time student, to a greater extent than casually dressed than the stilettoed girls visible out forepart (still am) in addition to the Pavilion across the street offered cocktails at one-half the toll on Dominicus evenings.

I tin terminate at nowadays confirm that it's a lovely spot to settle inwards with friends, drinks in addition to fifty-fifty a few snacks. The cocktail bill of fare is extensive in addition to non unreasonably priced - I sampled their signature drink, the Lychee Lounge Martini, with lychee-infused vodka, lychee juice, triple sec, a squeeze of lime in addition to a frozen lychee garnish ($13). The snacks are deliciously pretentious - I couldn't larn plenty of the beloved in addition to shichimi crushed white patato chips, served with love apple tree jam in addition to lemon mayo ($7).

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The top dog event, though, was dinner at Mondo Organics. Having enjoyed a few brunches in addition to i terrific cooking cast at Mondo when I was a local, I was looking forrard to this meal. I e'er remembered their efforts to cater for vegans in addition to coeliacs in addition to with their devotion to local produce, it seemed a proficient selection to percentage with some interstate vistors too. The Mondo folks got us started with an amuse bouche of blended beetroot in addition to caprine animal cheese with a acidic boot in addition to slender spelt breadstuff side.

One of the evening's specials was truffled in addition to scrambled duck eggs served with puff pastry - a deliciously rich dish.

Another memorable entree was the spelt ravioli filled with Stilton in addition to quince, walnut crude in addition to opal basil ($18) - the nutty crispness on the exterior perfectly offset the oozing cheesy filling.

The featured vegetarian top dog of the flavor was sweetness white patato gnocchi with tallegio, peas, enoki mushrooms in addition to oloroso sherry ($28). I was straightaway impressed with the depth of flavour inwards the stock-like sauce - it's a flake of a rarity when there's no meat involved. The gnocchi were shine in addition to silky, in addition to the peas in addition to mushrooms worked well. I surprised myself past times setting aside much of the cheese; it was simply every bit good intense upwards against that sherry-soaked sauce.

Across the tabular array nosotros tried 2 of the desserts. First up, orangish bloom dumplings with poached orange, whipped vanilla tofu in addition to pistachio ($14.50). Though they looked similar piddling doughnuts the dumplings had a course of pedagogy heaviness that reminded me of a flourless orangish cake; everyone loved the pistachio-flavoured fairy floss garnish.

More impressive nevertheless was the amaretti-crumbed goat's curd cream cheesecake, served with fig compote in addition to vincotto coulis ($14.50) - a stunning, slightly sweeter option to finishing upwards with a cheese platter.

Our meals at Mondo were unrelentingly rich. There were a dyad of little disappointments alongside the dishes in addition to some overindulged stomachs past times the terminate of the night, but these were eclipsed past times wonderful entrees in addition to actually creative desserts.

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A cheaper agency to process yourself inwards West End is to caput to Three Monkeys Coffee in addition to Tea House. The rambling rooms offering plenty of nooks to percentage secrets in addition to enormous slabs of cake with a friend. Further out dorsum is a leafy courtyard, where yous tin terminate sip tea in addition to play backgammon.

Air-conditioned indoors in addition to well-shaded out back, it's i of the coolest, calmest places to last inwards the superlative of this city's summer. And inwards spite of the heat, I couldn't bring felt cooler or calmer afterward my fortnight catching upwards with Brisbane.

February 28, 2010: Caravanserai

rosewater-tinted version goose egg else is quite equally spectacular.

I don't know that I've ranted likewise much nigh it on this spider web log but the vegetable stack is i of those dishes that oftentimes appears equally the sole vegetarian selection on a menu. (It seems to accept been superseded past times gnocchi and/or risotto inwards recent years, but that's but about other story...) Though these are occasionally tasty, they are to a greater extent than oftentimes bland in addition to poorly cooked, in addition to they are a sign that the resident chef has no dearest or imagination for their vegetarian customers.

Not in addition to hence at Caravanserai! Their Sebze ($22.50, described equally a stack of chargrilled vegetables) is i of 3 vego options. And it is fabulous. The eggplant slices in addition to mushroom are meltingly tender in addition to deeply flavoured. The smothering Lycopersicon esculentum sauce didn't excite my eyes but it was an only dissimilar storey i time it hitting my gustation buds - it has but the correct complementary tang of vinegar. Fried strips of haloumi in addition to a wedge of polenta add together richness in addition to farther contrast, in addition to there's a trivial fresh greenery to perk it all up.

Dining at Caravanserai isn't cheap, but the nutrient is made amongst help in addition to the servings are generous (I challenge anyone in addition to everyone to complete the banquet!). Vegans in addition to gluten-free folks are catered for, in addition to service is unremarkably expert - on this nighttime nosotros had a terrific in addition to savvy waiter.

Address: 1-3 Dornoch Terrace, West End QLD 4101
Ph: (07) 3217 2617
BYO
Price: veg mains $22.50
Website: www.caravanserairestaurant.com.au

March Iii & 5, 2010: Atomica

Espressohead side yesteryear side door, but eventually Atomica charmed me amongst its consistency too quality.

It's a small-scale cafe too it's hard to honour a tabular array on the weekend (perhaps to a greater extent than or less other disincentive when I was a local?) but on my recent watch to the neighbourhood I had the luxury of stopping yesteryear for breakfast on weekdays.

food bling, Hungry Kittens too Gustoso.

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.