I Don't Eat, I Devour

Newtown appears to be the home of low-key vegan Mexican restaurants serving cheap and cheery set menus and good time margaritas. Since my visit to Calle Rey , I have found another restaurant cut from the same cloth. So, let them battle it out, shall we?  Within walking distance from one another (but not so close as to be breathing down each others' necks), both Calle Rey and Vandal serve $30 set menus filled with guac, tacos, corn and all the good stuff one expects at a casual Mexican restaurant. Except everything is vegan - not that those restaurants shout it from the rooftop. Both are what I'm calling "sneaky vegan restaurants" - the kind where the strong flavours and sauces disguise, rather than advertise, the fact that none of what you eat came from an animal.  Is a Mexican meal even complete without guac? Always a crowd-pleaser, this is a simple and refreshing way to start the meal.  Spicy and juicy, with a generous shaving of vegan shredded mozzarella (I'm g...

Last week, I gave a vegan restaurant a low score on the basis that it is way overpriced and too reliant on sodium-heavy sauces in order to create flavour. That doesn't mean I am against vegan restaurants - in fact, I am very curious about them, and although I am not a vegan, I see a reduction in the consumption of meat as a positive thing for animal rights and for the environment. This week, I have a very, very exciting vegan restaurant to review: Calle Rey.  This Mexican-style restaurant / bar is serving vegan food so good you barely notice they are vegan. It operates on a seven course meal system that is not only vegan but also gluten free, and the only thing you can order a la carte is its impressive range of beverages, which are largely alcoholic. Both the food and the drinks are incredible.  Placer de Tarde, $8 The Placer de Tarde is a mocktail - usually not something I gravitate towards (what's the point?), but I was pleasantly surprised by this coconut milk and fresh st...

Bodhi is a Sydney vegan institution - it follows the Buddhist tradition of not only eschewing all animal products, but also onions, shallots and the likes. It was serving vegan food in Sydney since before veganism became mainstream, so it is no wonder that it receives such rave reviews from devotees.  Half of the restaurant is outdoors, so when you book, it is important to indicate your preference. Some people enjoy having their meals in fresh air, while others, such as myself, prefer not to have a side of sun damage with my meal.  Shitake mushroom deumplings, $12 One thing Bodhi is known for is vegan yum cha, which is served at lunch. A couple of the items pop up in the dinner menu under the heading of "oriental taps". I am personally not offended by the term "oriental", but it is still an interesting and arguably bold choice from the Caucasian owners, especially as some Asians are quite offended by subtexts that run along with the term "oriental".  Socia...

I came across a video of Alibi on one of those "top places to take a friend in Sydney" YouTube videos and was immediately captivated by the impressive, dramatic cocktails - they looked nothing short of magical, with over-the-top presentation: liquid nitrogen haze, flower garnish, kitsch bottles (one of them came in a gun!), the works. Already intrigued, I consulted Alibi's website and discovered that the food is designed by Matthew Kenney, an American celebrity chef who specialises in vegan cooking and has no less than 12 cookbooks to his name. Not only that, they have an 8 course degustation menu boasting of very interesting and creative dishes. As a flexitarian who reduces meat intake for environmental and moral reasons, I'm always keen to discover how non-animal products can be cooked to rival traditional fine dining. Let's start with the drinks. Though the kitchen is vegan, the bar isn't. Apart from Alibi's creative cocktail offerings, there is qui...

Yulli's introduction on Google kind of makes you want to poke your eyes out: 'creative vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes, plus craft beers, served in a quirky dining room'. When I see description like this, half of me wants to say 'hell no', while the other half absolutely longs to try it out. Given last week was vegan week, the longing, pining half won. (read about my unsuccessful attempt to be virtuous at http://idonteatidevour.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/amber-tries-veganism.html ) Mixed chips of lotus root, sweet potato, taro and beetroot served w/ aioli, hot salsa and rosemary salt, $12.50  Although this dish is technically not vegan because of the presence of aioli, a vegan can still have it. Lightly battered tempura-style, the very first dish proves my point in my vegan post about how being vegan or vegetarian doesn't automatically make you healthy: this dish is pretty salty and oily. Was it good? Absolutely. I like that Yulli's has take...

Plant based burgers - who knew they would ever take off? Well, apparently they did, because Soul Burger in Randwick turned completely vegan a while ago and has been serving soy-protein patties ever since. Straya Mate, $16 The 'Straya Mate consists of lettuce, tomato, grilled pineapple, guacamole and beetroot sauce, along with the dreaded soy protein 'beef' pattie. Overall the burger is quite enjoyable, but mostly thanks to the other ingredients apart from the main act. The soy protein pattie is dry and crumbly, and although not offensive, I think I would have disliked it but for the abundance of sauces and other ingredients to distract me from the taste. American Badass, $16 This is a monster - apart from the plant-based 'beef', this burger also comes with hash brown, onion rings, caramalised onions and veggie slaws, as well as mustard and ketchup. I think whether or not you enjoy these plant based burgers really depends on what you look for in a burger...

The vegan bandwagon has been well and truly powering along for a couple of years now, and there are more options than ever for those who choose to adopt a plant-based diet. I am not a vegan, but I have been curious about the new crop of vegan restaurants popping up in the trendy suburbs of Sydney and am keen to discover how they are able to attract food-lovers while denying patrons any animal product. Prior to the vegan diet becoming popularised, one of the main reasons why I turned my nose up at vegan food is that they often try to fake animal products instead of allowing vegetables and fruits to speak for themselves. The sound of 'imitation beef' or 'no-meat steak' was quite off-putting to me, because being as familiar as I already am with tofu, I simply don't think they pass off as meat. However, the repetoire of vegan chefs have expanded well beyond soy products, so it's time to give vegan food a fair try.  Let's start with 'mylk'-based d...