V Rating: Super V Iku is a successful chain of healthy vegetarian takeaway restaurants. It’s like the Sydney vegetarian equivalent of McDonald’s. Only better.
I recently hopped in the buzzing queue in the food court in the MLC Centre at Martin Place. Laid out in front of me in all of its macrobiotic, organic, gluten-free options glory, were salads, rice balls, wraps, soup, hot casseroles, pasta dishes, and dessert. I felt healthy and virtuous just looking at the food. Despite the myriad temptations, I couldn’t go past the takeaway mixed salad for $8.50. There were ginger noodles, steamed vegetables, white beans with mixed seeds, beetroot and cabbage in a vinegar dressing, and sesame brown rice, topped off with the house specialty creamy tahini dressing. The salad looked and tasted spectacular, and although it was a filling meal it didn’t leave me with a sleepy carbohydrate low come 3pm. The Iku menu changes weekly, though you’re always guaranteed of finding favourites like black rice pudding. Most stores open from lunch until dinner, but the central city outlets servicing the white collar crowd shut by 4pm. The size of the resturants (and opportuniy for eating in) varies. The Darlinghurst store is very big, Glebe has a peaceful courtyard, while the MLC Centre is just a counter operation within a busy food court. Iku also has a catering business, and distributes a range of food (including the aforementioned creamy tahini dressing) throughout health food shops. Iku doesn’t flaunt its vegetarian credentials, selling itself on the health benefits of its food, rather than its meatless menu. It’s a godsend for vegos and vegans who want a quick, tasty and stress-free lunch, and proves once and for all that vegetarian food can be sexy.
Comments:
13 Comments posted on "Iku Wholefood - Sydney City, Vegetarian Takeaway, Super V"
tara bethune-leamen on July 5th, 2007 at 11:37 am #
this sounds like heaven.
val on August 16th, 2007 at 11:24 am #
Does anyone know if they use egg in their rice balls?
oliver on December 5th, 2007 at 7:13 pm #
Iku is 100% Vegan, so no eggs used in anything including the rice balls! This is my favourite place in the world to eat out!!
sophia on May 20th, 2008 at 2:03 pm #
Does anyone have the recipe for the rice balls.Ilove them.
Darren on August 19th, 2008 at 4:43 am #
I used to make the rice balls in their Waverley kitchen, but it’s been so long I can’t recall what we put in them. Mainly diced organic vegetables (carrot, celery etc), and short grain brown rice, deep fried. Some sesame seeds wouldn’t hurt either.
Diana on September 1st, 2008 at 10:57 am #
Does anyone know if or where I can get a recipe for the divine tahini salad dressing?
Kate Pounder on September 1st, 2008 at 6:05 pm #
I don’t know about the recipe, but you can buy the dressing from health stores in Sydney - i.e the Health Emporium on Bondi Road. That will have the list of ingredients on the back…
Diana on September 1st, 2008 at 6:42 pm #
Oh really Kate? That’s awesome. I’ve only just returned to Sydney after 6 years so I had dreamed of that dressing for a LONG time. Thanks!
Claudia Crause on September 12th, 2008 at 3:10 pm #
Iku is great! The glebe store is so far my favourite and I eat there most days during the week. Heavily carbohydrate based but the food is always fresh and healthy and the restaurant has a great atmosphere. Highly recommended for veggies/non veggies/health foodies.
Emily on July 31st, 2009 at 8:08 pm #
Oh my gosh, does anyone have any idea in the slightest how to make the Bancha Slice?
suzanne on May 8th, 2010 at 9:27 am #
Stephanie Willarton who started Iku has a great recipe book out called “Nourish” with some of the favourites mentioned! It’s self published her website is http://www.nourishforlife.com.au
suzanne on May 8th, 2010 at 9:43 am #
oops sorry double checked my info i don’t think stephanie willarton started iku but her cookbook is all about wholefoods and has similar types of divine recipes her tempting tahini dressing is as good as iku! big call i know but true! i love her recipes they are delicious, gluten free and even a non chef like me can make them
Oliver on May 21st, 2010 at 1:00 pm #
Suzanne, the original chef and co-founder of Iku is Holly Davis. She was born in Britain and made her way to Australia via Japan, which is where the macrobiotic and Asian influences in Iku come from. She also has a book out called Nourish. Perhaps that is where the confusion comes from?? I think Stephanie Willarton might have been ‘inspired’ in creating her book… Post a comment
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