The Commoner Ii

Edit 22/02/2016: a mushrooming event this year, Michael ultimately reserved a tabular array at The Commoner.

Sydney Reruns

June 1-2, 2018

I simply had a whirlwind weekend inwards Sydney alongside a friend! Circular Quay was showing off its Vivid projections yesteryear night, in addition to nosotros followed the early on nightfall alongside a dyad of early on dinners at restaurants nosotros already knew in addition to loved.

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On Fri nosotros eased into my kickoff visit! The vegan Vietnamese bill of fare is nonetheless a proficient one; nosotros grazed on steamed dumplings in addition to fried wontons ($6.80 per plate) in addition to tentatively folded our ain lemongrass mock-beef in addition to tofu rice newspaper rolls ($16). The highlight was likely the bubbling vegan fish stew inwards ginger mushroom sauce ($16.80). Next time: the Chef's Special vegan duck.

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Our Sabbatum nighttime take in to vegan yum cha. We dived into the mocktail listing ($14.50 each, the sweet-and-sour toilet-cleaner-blue Just My Imagination is pictured above) in addition to ordered in addition to then much deliciousness to share! The BBQ buns ($9.50) were lighter than usual, in addition to I loved the gua bao bun 'slider' ($17) stuffed alongside common salt in addition to pepper 'chicken', Malay peanut sauce, cucumber in addition to herbs. The laksa ($25) was hard to divide, but perfect comfort nutrient on a blustery night.

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Though nosotros would accept gladly eaten at Bodhi iii to a greater extent than times, nosotros checked inwards to a few novel eateries too; they're upwardly next.

October 22, 2009: Indya Bistro Ii

Edit 22/12/11: Indya Bistro is straight off closed. It's been replaced yesteryear approximately other Indian eating theater called Ganesha.

Our start experience was sure enough pleasant enough, as well as we'd received comments indicating that the carte du jour has expanded since then. It has indeed - there've been a few alterations to the entrees (no to a greater extent than Bombay fries!), spell the divulge of primary courses to pick out from has almost doubled. If anything, it looks a picayune to a greater extent than similar the typical Indian takeaway carte du jour as well as a picayune less similar a modern reinterpretation of Indian cuisine. Nevertheless, the odd as well as irresistable gobi florets ($7) are all the same at that topographic point - hooray!

The Diwani Handi Delight has been renamed the mixed vegetable sabzi as well as goes for $3 less ($15). It all the same tastes great, with Mike deeming it his favourite of the night. This is high praise, since all of us agreed that the paneer as well as spinach please ($15, a long-term Indian favourite with the group) was in all probability the best we'd e'er tasted - it was terrifically creamy as well as in all probability dreadfully unhealthy! The novel malai kofta ($15, approximately other of our Indian repast yardsticks) was also lovely. We mopped those thick, delicately spiced sauces with basmati rice ($4), garlic naan ($4) as well as kashmiri naan ($4).

On paper, I wouldn't get got expected to larn an Indya Bistro regular - the vegetarian options aren't likewise dissimilar from the norm as well as damage a few dollars to a greater extent than than usual. But they're easily the tastiest inwards the neighbourhood! Next fourth dimension we're inwards the mood for Indian takeaway, we'll almost sure enough survive ordering it from Indya Bistro.

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You tin hand the sack read well-nigh our previous watch to Indya Bistro here.

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Indya Bistro straight off get got a website: www.indyabistro.com.au.

Healthier Halava

Breakfast series usage xvi
August 19, 2012

Our vege boxes conduct keep of late tended towards to a greater extent than fruit than vegetables. Though I faithfully conduct keep an apple tree to operate each day, bananas in addition to oranges pile upwardly inwards the fruit bowl, alluvion onto the table. Peeling in addition to freezing bananas delayed the occupation a while, but they notwithstanding needed eating. It's besides mutual frigidity for smoothies in addition to I wasn't inwards the mood for my usual banana baking... somehow I hitting on the persuasion of mashing bananas into halava. 

This truly proved the perfect remedy for my reservations almost the master copy recipe. The bananas' sweetness in addition to smoothness meant I could cutting the carbohydrate yesteryear to a greater extent than or less other half, in addition to the butter yesteryear almost every bit much. The texture's different, too. Fresh out of the saucepan this halava is mushier in addition to less fluffy than the original, in addition to and thus it stays soft in addition to silky afterwards days inwards the fridge.instead of setting to a grainy fudge.

I've been eating my breakfast pudding alternately amongst a mug of hot tea or a drinking glass of mutual frigidity milk.

Healthier halava
(adapted from this recipe)

iii 1/4 cups water
1/2 loving cup brownish sugar
40g sultanas
grated zest of ii oranges
100g butter
1 1/2 cups semolina
1/3 loving cup walnut pieces
3/4 loving cup dates, chopped
iii bananas

In a medium-large saucepan, stir together the water, sugar, sultanas in addition to orangish zest. Bring them to the boil, amongst a dyad of stirs along the means to dissolve the sugar, in addition to thus plough the oestrus off in addition to laid upwardly aside.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over depression heat. Add the semolina in addition to gently roast it inwards the butter for twenty minutes, stirring regularly for fifty-fifty cooking. Add the walnuts at the 10-minute mark. It should odour cracking 1 time it's done!

Gradually pour the carbohydrate syrup into the semolina, stirring every bit you lot go. Keep stirring the pudding, letting the grains soak upwardly all the liquid. When it's all absorbed, crush the bananas in addition to plication them in, in addition to thus stir inwards the dates. Cover the saucepan amongst a chapeau in addition to conduct keep it off the heat, allowing the pudding to steam similar this for almost 10 minutes earlier serving.

January 30, 2010: Penang Affair

pizza in addition to Indian weren't going to hitting the spot, went exploring for Thai or Vietnamese places instead.

It's ever difficult to detect restaurants that deliver, in addition to hence Steph's review, it was clear that Penang Affair would endure feeding us for the night.

We ordered 2 entrees in addition to 2 mains: jump rolls ($5.90), tofu goreng ($6.90), the char kueh teow ($10.90) in addition to approximately spicy tempura eggplant ($16.90). Everything was real satisfactory: the tempura eggplant was the standout, sprinkled alongside lilliputian chilli pieces in addition to seasoned liberally alongside 5-spice powder, these were wonderfully tasty fifty-fifty without the plum sauce that came on the side. The char kueh teow hitting the spot also - lots of vegies in addition to tofu amidst the saucy noodles - every minute did the jump rolls, which were crispy sauce vessels every minute per usual. The tofu goreng was a chip of a disappointment, the description (Deep-fried fresh tofu pieces layered alongside slices of cucumber, edible bean shoots in addition to topped alongside satay sauce) was meliorate than the result, which was a chip heavy on the rather gluggy satay sauce for my taste. Still, for nearly $40 nosotros got plenty nutrient to feed us for nearly five person-meals in addition to all delivered straight off to our door. Score!

Editted 08/03/11: Brian from Fitzroyalty has late reported that Penang Affair has closed.

Address: 325 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Ph: 9419 7594
Licensed in addition to BYO
Price: Vegie mains: $10.90-$16.90, entrees: $5-$10.90
Website: www.penangaffair.com.au

Invita Ii

September 10, 2011

usual precursor but alongside a fine home-made ane nether our belts, nosotros made our trip after as well as stopped yesteryear Invita for lunch. This is an outdoorsy vegetarian cafe, perched along the market's Therry St side, where what you lot encounter is what you lot get. You social club as well as pay at the counter as well as abide by a spot where you lot can. Most of the bill of fare items are pre-made as well as visible inward their display illustration alongside the total gene listing marked on every special - super-helpful for all mode of dietary requirements!

Michael zeroed inward apace on the Vegani pie ($9.80, including salad), a spelt-based crust stuffed alongside tofu as well as a diversity of vegetables alongside a little sum of spiced kokosnoot gravy.

It's no meat-pie imitator, but tasty on its ain terms. Michael complimented the salads betwixt mouthfuls -a edible bean mix, a light-green salad, as well as a hspicy carrot ane alongside plenty sauce to acquit across the whole plate.

Having ingested a hearty savoury breakfast as well as to a greater extent than of late caught wafts of the market's jam doughnuts inward the air, I ate cake. The Chocolate Cake Especial ($5.95) had a overnice density to it, as well as reminded me of the unproblematic iced chocolate cake that my mum most unremarkably made for birthdays when I was a kid. The ingredients list, though, was almost solely different! Though it's based on chickpea flour, almond meal, soy milk as well as vegetable oil, its vegan as well as gluten-free condition could easily wing nether the radar. My chai latte ($3.40) was pretty skillful too.

Invita actually hitting the spot for us on this visit. While it's totally vegetarian as well as has lots of salubrious options, it's non besides crunchy - I imagine that the well-stocked display illustration attracts plenty of omni eaters on their marketplace rounds, too. Umbrellas as well as partitions offering only a niggling shelter from bad weather condition as well as marketplace bustle, but it's a overnice spot to balance your weary legs as well as create total your breadbasket earlier heading abode as well as filling your refrigerator alongside Queen Vic produce.

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You tin read close our kickoff view to Invita here. Everyone else blogging Invita since has enjoyed it though many authorities notation little flavor flaws, encounter tummyrumbles.com, The Daily Veg, We Dare Food as well as Green Gourmet Giraffe.

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Invita
76 Therry St, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne
9329 1267
cakes $3.50-6, veg lunches $9-14
http://www.invita.com.au

Accessibility: This cafe has the same apartment paving every bit the pedestrian walk out front. Tables accept average-to-crowded spacing; ordering as well as payment occurs at the counter. There's no straight attached toilet, expect elsewhere or then the Queen Victoria Markets.

Garagistes Ii

April, 2015: Garagistes has shut down. 

January 16, 2013

After The Airloom, getting MOFO started alongside Los Coronas, Cindy in addition to I snuck away before the opening black political party genuinely heated upward to endeavor our luck at Garagistes. We went early on The Airloom, last year in addition to yet had an hr to facial expression (there are no bookings, naturally), thus I wasn't feeling real optimistic when nosotros wandered upward at 7:40pm. But stunningly (as alongside The Airloom, Cumulus a few days earlier) nosotros were seated immediately!

The recent fires inward Tassie had affected quite a few of Garagistes suppliers, thus the a la carte options from terminal yr had been replaced alongside fairly inflexible 3- or 5-course laid menus. We called ahead in addition to were assured that they had a vegetarian version although later a quick chat alongside staff on the night, it was clear that they genuinely weren't going to live able to cater for vegans (this may modify equally things render to normal though, thus if you're a vegan feeling similar a fancy repast I'd grade them a telephone band in addition to double-check).

The fit-out hasn't changed since our terminal see - it's the same trendy industrial interior, alongside exposed beams in addition to big communal benches (I heard individual downward the tabular array whose friends weren't certain that it was finished). The staff were the perfect residuum of friendly in addition to unobtrusive, although things were a combat wearisome at the start during what was in all probability their busiest 20 minutes. Still, they sorted us out alongside vino in addition to vego menus in addition to left us to ponder. It was a pretty elementary choice: 3 or 5 courses ($50 or $75), in addition to naturally nosotros embraced our vacation gluttony in addition to went alongside the longer one.

Before the repast proper was underway nosotros were served these footling parmesan bites (with onion cream in addition to dried bounding main lettuce) in addition to some lovely breadstuff alongside olive crude oil for dunking.

Dried bounding main lettuce is a cool-sounding ingredient, but it was besides subtle for my tastebuds - lucky for me that parmesan in addition to onion cream are thus delicious.

The kickoff existent dish was the glazed heirloom carrots alongside burnt eggplant, hazelnuts in addition to grains.

In presentation, this was real reminiscent of the carrot dish nosotros has terminal time, although the actual flavours were pretty different. This was all nearly the smoky burnt eggplant, the few remnants of which I ended upward scooping upward alongside my fingers. Because I know how to send inward fine-dining establishments. Once again, the heirloom carrots were in all probability the savoury highlight of the meal.

Next upward were the sugarsnap peas, yoghurt curd, lovage, sunrose in addition to purslane.

This dish was on the meaty card equally well, in addition to fits correct into the Garagistes local/foraged cistron philosophy - purslane land grows inward backyards around Hobart. Weed or otherwise, it's a thick in addition to surprisingly juicy succulent, which was genuinely really fun to eat. The peas were fresh in addition to sweet, alongside a mild curd adding a combat depth in addition to some texture coming from the crumbly parmesan-flavoured pastry shards scattered on top.

Our tertiary course of report was Holy Goat 'la luna' cheese, toasted oat bread, honeycomb, dried leek in addition to caraway seed. This felt weirdly similar a course of report that should sit down betwixt sweets in addition to savouries - the transition course of report that prepares y'all for dessert. Instead, it came out before the primary course.

Regardless, it was outstanding - the cheese inward detail was to driblet dead for (we shall live purchasing some for our ain enjoyment inward the not-too-distant future). Salty cheese in addition to sweet, delicious dearest are a superb combo, in addition to the slivers of oat breadstuff in addition to dried leeks were overnice additions. 

Next came our heartiest dish: oyster mushrooms a la plancha, wearisome cooked duck eggs, tater mousse in addition to dried olives.

This. Was. Rich. Two incredibly gooey duck eggs, thick tater mousse in addition to some chewy mushrooms in addition to olive crumbs. The duck eggs were a combat much - I'd convey happily settled for 1 in addition to some to a greater extent than mushrooms inward house of the 2nd (although to live honest, I did cease upward eating Cindy's second, thus they can't convey been that bad). 

After a footling interruption to permit everything settle, our dessert came out - nosotros tried to engineer a dessert swap where 1 of us got the huckleberry dish that came alongside the three-course card in addition to the other got the rule option, but Garagistes didn't desire to play along thus nosotros both got the same dish: cherries, raspberries, fenugreek cream, carmine currant granita in addition to frozen sable (which is basically shortbread).

The frozen shaved shortbread was fascinating - y'all could barely touching it before it crumbled away to nothing, but it yet somehow provided some shortbready goodness. The berries in addition to granita hidden away nether at that topographic point were first-class equally good - light, fresh in addition to tangy. H5N1 refreshing cease to a pretty impressive meal. 

We were real happy to convey some other shot at Garagistes - this was in all probability a to a greater extent than impressive experience than terminal fourth dimension (partly because nosotros didn't convey to rush off to a gig in addition to skip dessert). It's a shame that they're non genuinely catering for vegans anymore, in addition to the v course of report vego degustation wasn't balanced equally good equally it mightiness convey been, but the nutrient is yet great, the service first-class in addition to the atmosphere overstep notch. It's definitely worth a halt on whatsoever Hobart nutrient tour.

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Read nearly our terminal see to Garagistes The Airloom, here (and grab upward on Carla's send service from the same repast at The Airloom, easy equally (vegan) pie). Since in addition to then The Airloom, The Gourmet Goddess, The Airloom, Fika & Kuidaore convey loved it, spell Hold the Peas were a combat less impressed.

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Garagistes
103 Murray Street, Hobart
(03) 6231 0558
veg snacks $3.50, dishes $14-$19
http://www.garagistes.com.au/

Accessibility: Pretty adept - there's a apartment entryway in addition to the interior is relatively spacious. Bathrooms are accessible in addition to ordering in addition to payment all happens at the table. Most of the tables are a combat higher than usual, but the 1 nearest the door is regular height.

July 12-18, 2008: Chattanooga

The in conclusion destination on my overseas journeying was - bizarrely - Chattanooga, Tennessee. Not an obvious stop-over afterward traversing the UK, perhaps, but ane time again it was piece of employment commitments that brought me there. And if the town of Chattanooga reminds yous of a certain song, perhaps yous tin percentage a gaffaw at my accommodation - the Holiday Inn Chattanooga Choo Choo!

The Chattanooga develop station serviced passengers from 1909 through to 1970, as well as was so converted into a vacation complex. The terminal station is at ane time the grand vestibule of the hotel.

Guests tin remain inwards renovated develop railroad vehicle rooms or the to a greater extent than ordinary hotel edifice at the far destination of the quondam develop platforms.

The platforms stretch every bit paths from vestibule to hotel, as well as the lines bring been filled inwards every bit pretty manicured gardens.

Downtown Chattanooga tin live pretty lifeless. There's a small-scale zone of family-friendly restaurants surrounding an IMAX as well as an aquarium but that's it. There are blocks as well as blocks of tall grayness buildings as well as broad streets without a cafe or clothes store inwards sight. It doesn't brand for peculiarly interesting strolling as well as thus, at that topographic point are rattling few people to live seen strolling. Amongst the ambit clean as well as dreary streets, however, lies the Country Life Vegetarian Restaurant. With its cafeteria-style tables as well as harsh fluorescent lighting it didn't really evoke whatever province life I aspire to, but the gentle staff as well as nourishing nutrient were ample compensation.

The eating seat offers but a yoke of unlike dishes each twenty-four hr catamenia with baked goods as well as a salad bar. The legume-filled fajita with soy sour cream was fantastic, every bit was the tender as well as herby shredded soy chicken. Coleslaw seemed similar a complementary side but I should bring known it would come upwards with triple the dressing it needed - the United States of America of A's master copy salad sin.

Tracy (you recall Tracy? She as well as Lee were my Choo Choo room-mates!) tried ane of Country Life's huckleberry muffins as well as every bit yous tin see, it was larger than her exclusively adult-sized fist. It was soft as well as cakey (particularly for a vegan muffin, which I intend it was) as well as non every bit excessively sweetened every bit I aspect American muffins to be. Indeed, this was to live the healthiest repast that nosotros would swallow inwards Chattanooga... past times a loooong way.

The horror began rattling presently afterward this repast every bit nosotros took an exploratory aspect inwards a nearby diverseness store (you know the variety - they sell junk nutrient as well as plastic materials as well as inexpensive toys as well as shampoo).

Just state no.

No.

NO.

Noooooooooooooo!

Nuh-ugh grfgllll...... can't resist... the lure... of Reese's. The peanut butter loving cup has long been my undoing. H5N1 nasty, nasty American convenience food; amount of sugar, tabular array salt and saturated fat, yet I honey them. Though I saw them on that kickoff twenty-four hr catamenia inwards Chattanooga, I didn't allow myself to purchase a bundle until but a few hours earlier I left. I knew what temptation they'd be, lurking inwards the hotel room.

Of course, breakfast at the hotel wasn't much better. The buffet entreats guests to swallow all that they perhaps can, as well as rattling lilliputian of it is nutritious. Eggs are filled out with cheese as well as ii or iii kinds of meat. Even the granola, yoghurt as well as fruit tasted similar dessert as well as made my teeth hurt. (The promised strawberries were really but jam.) Instead, I retreated to the neighbouring cafe as well as ate sparingly, if non healthily.

Tea as well as a cinnamon roll.

I declined the offering of glaze (i.e. thick icing).

Tea as well as a bagel.

Tea as well as a foursquare cranberry muffin.
Sweeeeeeeet.

I tin run across the nutrient component subdivision of this post service is getting a lilliputian dire, so how virtually an interlude? Check out this serene garden, tucked away past times the river.

Feel the cool breeze against your skin, perhaps it carries a soft tune...
yous are at peace.

That better? Good. 'Cause at ane time I've got to tell yous virtually my repast at Cheeburger Cheeburger, as well as it's non pretty.

Certainly the decor isn't pretty...

... though the kids' meals are variety of cute.

As yous tin in all probability tell, this is the all-American franchised diner experience. It's all virtually burgers as well as fries as well as 75 shiver flavours. And did I lift over-eating? Their Famous Pounder is a burger with 20 oz (that's almost 570 g) of meat - if yous tin complete ane of those, they'll stick your motion painting on their Hall of Fame. And for all those still-growing stomachs out there, there's a smaller burger as well as junior Hall of Fame for the nether 12s.

I was non expecting to swallow much to a greater extent than than fries here, 'cause Chattanooga's non precisely a vegetarian's paradise. Country Life aside, I'd been subsisting on side orders of salad as well as fries, fifty-fifty having to social club ane salad without the measure hot bacon vinaigrette. So I wondered if my eyes were playing tricks when I saw non one, but ii vegetarian options on the Cheeburger Cheeburger menu. I initially planned on a veggie burger but ultimately chose the grilled portobello mushroom sandwich. It in all probability didn't brand much divergence either agency - it was e'er going to live served smothered inwards cheese, on a doughy white bun.

We ordered a one-half serve of fries as well as onion rings as well as received to a greater extent than than the iii of us could hope to eat. The onion rings were an speak disappointment - soggy as well as dripping with oil, they were nix similar the crunchy delights inwards the UK.

Determined to complete the nighttime with but about really enjoyable American junk, nosotros hitting Ben as well as Jerry's for H2O ice cream. They rock.

Perhaps you're feeling a lilliputian stuffed again, hmmm? Let me distract yous with but about pictures from the aquarium - I was rattling lucky to see inwards the even out every bit component subdivision of a piece of employment function. No schoolhouse groups or families on holidays, but a bunch of biologists getting a nerdy nature fix!

The temporary seahorse demonstrate was but spectacular - tin yous believe that seaweed looking affair inwards a higher house is really a body of body of water dragon?! Do a google paradigm search for but about more, you've got run across but about meliorate photos of them than mine.

By the destination of the calendar week I'd had to a greater extent than than plenty of the deep-fried fast-food American experience, but had failed to locate whatever existent Central American or Southern cuisine. But on the terminal forenoon a friend-of-a-friend took a few of us on a curt trip out of town for a province agency breakfast at the Cracker Barrel. (Another franchise - at that topographic point is nary an independent concern to live seen 'round these parts.)

As usual, at that topographic point was an awful lot of meat goin' on - with eggs, with French toast, biscuits as well as gravy. The iii "Low Carb Options!" each consisted of iii eggs, iii kinds of meat as well as a tomato. Diet-licious!

Actually, I managed a super-cheap as well as ample vegetarian breakfast of but about unfamiliar foods: hash dark-brown casserole (with onions as well as cheese), fried apples as well as a biscuit. Though I would bring liked to endeavor but about gravy with my biscuit, the thick white materials harboured chunks of pinkish sausage. Pass. The biscuit itself was groovy though, a low-cal fluffy cloud of a scone. And inwards spite of my new-found fry aversion, the hash dark-brown was pretty tasty.

I didn't intend I liked Chattanooga. The streets seemed soulless, the people obtuse as well as the eating excessive at every meal. Yet it had its charms, likewise - the tranquil as well as surprising sculpture garden, the costless as well as frequent electrical buses, as well as punchy, toe-tapping brass band at the conference dinner. What struck me most was the staggering hospitality of every ane of Chattanooga's citizens - from the suits to the unemployed folks on the autobus - all of them proclaimed their pride inwards their town as well as wished me a wonderful stay. And yous know what? It wasn't bad.