Archive for the ‘Super V’ Category
V Rating: Super V Badde Manors is a much-loved vegetarian cafe at the Sydney University end of Glebe Point Road. Arranged on an acute corner, it’s hard to miss with windows and walls flying out in all directions, and a shop sign featuring a large bronze sculpture of two cherubs proudly flanking a coffee machine. Inside, there are deep red walls, old fashioned wooden chairs, and tables with peeling paint. The cafe is brimming with nooks and crannies to lose yourself in. Combined with the art deco light fittings, mirrors and hexagonal tables, grainy black and white and sepia photos, and precarious stacks of second hand books, you almost feel like you’ve stepped into the parlour of an eccentric aunt or an artlessly bohemian university pad. The patrons are equally eclectic. On Saturdays it’s over-flowing with people, perhaps because it’s just over the road from the fabulous and busy Glebe markets. There are students, academics, goths, artists and Glebe locals. It’s the kind of place that provokes right-wing columnists to sneer about green-voting, latte-sipping inner west types, which is just another reason to love it. Badde Manors is a cafe rather than restaurant. The house specialities are European cakes, home made gelati and sorbet, and some unusual hot drinks (I have it on good authority that the sahlep is highly memorable). I like the fact that it doesn’t make a big deal about being vegetarian, or rely on this as it’s only selling point. There are also unpretentious light snacks and more substantial dishes, for example foccacia and Turkish bread sandwiches, ‘authentic’ bagels, daily soup, pasta and mains specials. It is vegetarian, but makes an effort to include some vegan choices. Although I liked the sound of the bagel with mushroom pate, grilled haloumi, fresh tomatoes and spinach, but chose to have the chef’s special salad of the day. It came with iceberg lettuce, corn, cucumber, tempeh and tomato. It wasn’t an exciting dish, but it made a healthy, satisfying lunch. Badde Manors has been a Glebe fixture for over twenty years. It has a strong sense of community, and is famous as the birthplace of the Cafe of the Gate of Salvation, Sydney’s popular non-denominational gospel choir. A great place to savour cakes, coffee, and conversation, any visit to Badde Manors is usually memorable.
V Rating: Super V We only just found Baihe Vegetarian Restaurant. Like many good Beijing restaurants it is hidden down a hutong (alleyway). After our search on bicycles through the busy streets we were happily met by an oasis of calm, soothing background music and Buddhist literature. We walked through a sunny courtyard and dining room before settling in a comfortable corner in a room at the back of the restaurant. We perused the menu to find a range of beautifully presented Chinese dishes with faux-meat substitutes. The menu is all in mandarin but photos are provided. We weren’t always exactly sure what we were ordering but it was unfailingly tasty each time!
On our first trip to this restaurant we had a light lunch of fresh salad with cucumber, capsicum and mint with a sesame oil dressing and tasty smoked firm tofu served with a chilli and sesame sauce and brown rice noodles with a chilli oil dressing. The tofu dish was a little oily, but still a refreshing change from the usual heavy, oil ladened chinese food I had eaten so far. On subsequent visits we had more substantial meals with dishes such as faux-deep fried pork ribs (complete with pretend bone made of some soy product!) with a mushroom and pineapple sweet and sour sauce and stir fried pork sausage with fresh beans. One clear stand-out dish was the somewhat mysterious, but utterly delicious, dish of mushroom chunks with a sweet apple and chilli sauce presented on a hot plate with roasted peanuts, dried chillis and spicy peppercorns. The flavours were strong and contrasted excellently with the burnt taste of the chilli, the sweet sauce and the peppercorns. I am not sure what type of mushroom was used as our mandarin phrasebook stopped short at simply “mushroom”. However, it was a firm textured mushroom that gave the dish a real meaty feel. Baihe restaurant also serves freshly ground coffee and a large range of organic teas however these are relatively expensive from 20 yuan a cup. - Anth of Temporary Dwellings
V Rating: Super V After a beautiful first week of marriage, we reached our last day in New York. Determined to pack as much in as possible, we went on a fascinating and funny Greenwich Village Literary Pub Crawl run by the very talented Bakerloo Theatre company. It was a highlight of our trip, combining both our loves: books (me) and beer (Andy). Actually, I also love beer, so I was a double winner! As we had a pressing date with books and pubs, we had to rush to our lunchspot, Counter an organic wine and martini bar, and vegetarian bistro.
We got off near NYU and negotiated the East Village streets, jumping over mounds of greying snow and ice water puddles, rushing past shops selling Russian clothes and record stores until we hit the modern storefront of Counter, all sans serif fonts and no capitals here please. The decor was promising. The front quarter of the room had large, circular bar and (faux?) leather armchairs cosily arranged around small wooden tables. Out the back, Counter became more 50s diner, with fancy laminated green tables, banquettes, and art on the wall. Counter is vegetarian, not vegan, which sets it apart from many of its upmarket competitors. There are some dishes with cheese, albeit rennet free. All the food is organic.
We were only after a quick lunch, and I felt soaked in calories after a week of the New York high life, so I ordered the vegetable white bean soup with basil pesto. Andy went for the veggie burger with a side of seasoned wedges. My soup came without bread, and was light and reshreshing. The pesto was mixed through the soup, rather than served on the top, and so it flavoured it with the slightly sweet, slightly bitter basil. I was a little disappointed by the lack of flavour - I like my soups to have a strong, distinctive base, and thought it needed more salt.
Andy’s burger was a generously sized, and served as a large, white bread roll, cut in halves, with a meaty pattie of mushrooms and seitan and some salad on the side. It seemed the ideas was to put the burger together yourself, then squeeze it with a vice-like grip and hope, vainly, that it would fit into your mouth. I was a bit disappointed by the burger. White bread just does not do it for me, and the burger could have done with more salad to make it less dry. The seasoned wedges were the highlight of the meal, however, and came with a yummy sour cream.
Counter is a gorgeous venue, but in the late afternoon it didn’t have the easy chic of Gobo, or the bohemian charm of Candle 79 or Caravan of Dreams. However, in Counter is famous for being an organic wine bar and I have no doubt that it at night it would make a fantastic bar and bistro. Sadly, our time in New York was at an end and there was no time to go back.
V Rating: Super V We had heard a little about the “raw food” movement before visiting New York but, it not having put down roots in Sydney, we had no direct experence of it. We chose to visit Pure Food and Wine in the Gramercy district for dinner as it offered a menu entirely centred in the “raw food” tradition. It also came highly recommended by our waitress at Candle 79.
Put simply, proponents of “raw” or “live” food do not serve food that is cooked in any way. In the food preparation process, nothing is raised beyond the temperature of 118 degrees fahrenheit or about 45 degrees celcius (agreement about the temperature may vary slightly). The raw food movement is underpinned by the philosophy that cooking destroys or otherwise interferes with enzymes, minerals and vitamins in food and that food is on the whole healthier served raw.
The distinctive thing about Pure Food and Wine’s founder and raw foodist pin-up girl, Sarma Meingallis, is that she wanted to lift raw food out of the underground and show that it could be gourmet, fun and sexy. Pure Food and Wine epitomises this ethos. The restaurant is ultra sophisticated and hip - in fact, the most hip of the all the places we visited in New York - with a luscious red interior lit by flickering candles and a gorgeous bar (and, perhaps more importantly, gorgeous bar staff). The menu is imaginative, challenging pre-conceptions about the limititations of raw food by offering dishes which are traditionally cooked, like biryani, ravioli, and lasange. Proving that raw foodists can be civilised and savvy, there are also a range of organic wines and cocktails on offer.
Our appetisers comprised a “ironbound island sea vegetable salad” with hatcho miso dressing, wild atlantic wakame, avocado, and chimichurri sauce, and raw cauliflower “samosas” in which the wrappings were made from dehydrated whole wheat served with a tamarind sauce and chutney. The combination of wakame and avocado is a real favourite of mine - I think their textures and flavour are great complements - but given both ingredients are usually served “raw” this dish didn’t showcase the ingenuity of raw food to the same degree as the samosas. I thought the samosas were the best dish of the night, and intuituvely made the best case for the health benefits of raw food. It was certainly a pleasant change to have a samosa with a fresh, light outer casing, rather than the usual, comparatively greasy exterior.
For mains, we had a very rich lasagne in which thin-cut zucchini slices substituted for pasta and filling was a mix of tomato sauce, basil pesto, and pureed vegan ricotta which had a hummus like texture and nutty flavour. We also had a chef’s special which featured shitaake mushrooms mixed with other ingredients I didn’t catch (but which sounded delicious when recounted by our efficient waitress), wrapped in paper and dehydrated and served with raw endive slices and figs.
Years ago I read Anthony Bourdain’s celebrated culinary-gonzo work “Kitchen Confidential”, set largely in New York City. The author writes about the tricks and traps of the cut-throat Manhattan restaurant trade and the extremes behind the scenes that diners never lay eyes on. Bourdain himself is an exponent of the French school of cooking that depends on rich flavours, most notably truffles, plenty of butter and cream and pate prepared from goose liver. Unforgettably, Bourdain also makes clear his own loathing of vegetarians, vegetarianism and all vaguely associated follies. Ironically, out of all the vegetarian restaurants that we visited, Bourdain would probably have been most at home at this one. The food was so infused with rich flavours that even Bourdain may have felt comfortable tucking in there. Our food was so full of pungent flavours – of superconcentrated mushrooms, truffles, pesto and tomato, among others – that at times it bordered on the overwhelming. Was this overcompsensation of a kind? That would be a harsh judgement. However lovers of food that is light would find it harder going. I came away intrigued by the possibilities inherent in this peculiar art form, but not entirely convinced. It certainly stands out as unique among our dining experiences on our honeymoon. Kate was less convinced, but for me for the sheer originality and the enterprise in popularising a new and confronting style of vegetarian cuisine, it was another New York Super-V experience.
V Rating: Super V With our time in New York drawing to a close, we made a beeline to the East Village. Home to NYU, the area is filled with everything the young, urbane student needs, like (relatively) cheap restaurants, dingily lit bars, and small shops spruiking everything from socks to records.
In amongst this carnival of learning and poseurs, is a quiet oasis called Caravan of Dreams. It’s a small kosher, vegan restaurant, tucked slightly off the main drag, which also dabbles in organic and raw (or “live”) food.
Caravan of Dreams is the kind of place where I want to write my first novel. It’s offbeat, quiet, and warm-hearted, filled with the comfortable silence you fall into when your among close friends. The decorations have a gypsy touch, and because the restaurant is just below street level, it has a homey cave-live feel. Not only does Caravan of Dreams have atmosphere in spades, it also has great food. Choosing from the brunch special, Andy had the macrobiotic plate, but I had the good sense to know that the breakfast burrito was the real business.
Brunch started with a surprise green salad with a lime, tamari and ginger dressing. I’m not usually one for lettuce, but with the delicious, non-oily house dressing I lapped it up.
The burrito was magnificent. It was filled with scrambled tofu, grilled vegetables, and black beans in a whole wheat tortilla, and topped with guacamole, salsa and vegan sour cream. Every other time I’ve had scrambled tofu I’ve been disappointed - there’s too much tamari and it overpowers the rest of the dish. Here, the scrambled tofu was only lightly flavoured so it had the consistency and (in a good way) blandness of egg. Kudos also for the authentic guacamole and sour cream.
Andy’s plate came with grilled tofu, tahini, pinto beans, brown rice, and blanched vegetables. It was light and healthy, but I think my burrito won hands down.
Out of curiosity, we ordered a serve of live bread. Because raw foodists believe that you shouldn’t heat food above about 110 degrees Fahrenheit, “live bread” is dehydrated rather than baked. It emerged in quite thin slices, and because of the dehydration tasted like toast. It was best with hummus because this countered the dryness. Caravan of Dreams is an eclectic restaurant, from its design down to its menu, but somehow everything comes together to create a lovely, comfortable experience. If I were a New Yorker, this is the place I’d come to while away time and give thanks for living in such a great city.
V Rating: Super V Sometimes you walk into a restaurant and fall in love. It doesn’t matter what the food tastes like, the atmosphere alone is sustenance enough. That was my first reaction to Candle 79.
Candle 79 is the upmarket sister restaurant of the famous Candle Cafe. It’s a vegan restaurant, which may seems out of place on New York’s ritzy Upper East Side. But Candle 79 holds its own. It’s accolades include being voted “best vegetarian” restaurant in New York, plus it was recommended to me by Jim at Vegan Friendly NYC as the best place for a romantic dinner. Jim had the good oil, because of all the restaurants we visited in New York, Candle 79 was the most romantic. The downstairs area of the two storey townhouse hosts a long bar and booths, but upstairs is where it’s at. A large window looks out onto the street below. The night we were there, a large bouquet of flowers sprayed out in the centre of the window, adding a touch of colour and life to the snowy scene outside.
Our good first impression was cemented by the waiting staff, and the manager Francesca, who were friendly, attentive and good fun. As Candle 79 came a few days into our New York festival of eating, we just couldn’t squeeze in an appetiser. To compensate, we ordered a main each (I refuse to call this an entrée, as Americans do), and two side dishes of mashed garlic potatos and broccoli. Apparently Candle 79’s chef, Angel Ramos, is famous for his seitan. The only reason we didn’t try this as we’d been eating a lot of seitan over the last couple of days. Instead, I had the cumin crusted tofu served on saffron harissa couscous, eggplant-spinach-tomato ratatouille with preserved lemon. The dish was interesting - the tofu came served in two large pieces atop the what was otherwise a Middle Eastern / mediterranean themed dish. I liked the tofu - it had a light slightly spicy crust which contrasted nicely with the soft and smooth texture of the tofu. People who aren’t used to, or dislike tofu, may have been a little confronted to get such a large piece. Then again, those people probably wouldn’t have ordered this dish in the first place. My favourite part was the cous cous (large beads) and (drum roll please) preserved lemon. This is a real love it or hate it ingredient, but I’m firmly in the gimme all you got camp and thought it added a lovely bite to the soft, mellow taste of the cous cous and vegetables.
Andy ordered the glamourous sounding Ancho Seared Tempeh with a roasted sweet potato purée, sautéed kale, leeks, fennel salad, pomegranate reduction, and mole sauce. By all accounts, it was delicious. If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you might note that I have a fondness for potatoes, particularly of the mashed variety. You could even say they are the yardstick by which I measure a restaurant. On this count, Candle 79 stacked up – the potatoes were creamy and soft, and had a lovely flavour thanks to the garlic.
Although the dishes were large, and we were quite full, we couldn’t resist the dessert menu. I had a pumpkin crème brulee with ginger ice cream, while Andy had the ice cream sampler, which included chocolate and peanut flavours.
The impressive thing about dessert was that it was all vegan, but you wouldn’t have known that from the taste. I was a bit dubious about a pumpkin dessert, but pumpkin gave the dish sweetness without going overboard. The ginger ice cream set it off perfectly, adding a spicy, fresh touch.
Towards the end of the evening we got talking to a waitress and mentioned that we were in New York on our honeymoon. Next time we saw her, she brought out two glasses of champagne and delicious strawberries in a chocolate dipping sauce. Adding to the generosity, as we were leaving, the manager of Candle 79, Francesca gave us a copy of the popular Candle Cafe cook book as a wedding gift. It’s the only cookbook I picked up in the US, so in addition to its tasty recipes it’s also nice to have a memento of our vegetarian tour of duty. Of all the restaurants we visited in New York, Candle 79 was the winner for atmosphere and service. Its nearest competitor for food was Blossom, which I thought it easily trumped. Whether you have a couple of days, or a couple of years in New York, Candle 79 should be on your list.
V Rating: Super V Never has one meal been so highly anticipated. The first “serious” meal of our honeymoon, we had planned to eat at Millenium some three or four months ago after learning that it had been named the best vegetarian restaurant in the United States. We had even chosen our hotel based on the fact that the Millenium was housed inside the Hotel California . I can’t remember a meal where the bar had been set so high before we’d even arrived in the country. The Millenium had itself contributed to this sense of high expectation by choosing quite coincidentally the only night that we were in San Francisco to offer its monthly prix fixe degustation “aphrodisiac” themed dinner. And this on the first night of our honeymoon in the United States, no less. Kate looked appropriately glamorous in a sleeveless black silk dress – and I didn’t look too bad myself – as we went downstairs and were seated in the Millenium. The setting was beautiful, a chequered black and white floor, a vintage bar in the centre of the room, and long, hanging lights covered in netting. While there was an option of having wine-matched courses, neither of us felt like drinking a lot, and so we opted for 2oz “tasting” sizes of French and Californian wines to accompany our meal. At about a third the size of a regular glass of wine, this was ideal, and something I wish more restaurants offered. It’s no exaggeration to say that Millenium is the best vegetarian restaurant I’ve ever eaten at, and their aphrodisiac dinner is one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Full stop. The meal began with two appetisers: an oyster mushroom and pink grapefruit ceviche, and an avocado-jicama salad, crisp tortilla wedges, aji chile-green olive vinaigrette, and sea vegetable caviar. Traditionally, ceviche is a Peruvian marinated seafood salad that’s served cold. Millenium’s substitution of oyster mushrooms was a masterstroke, because the texture and absorbency of the mushrooms was a great alternative to seafood. The pink grapefruit was served to the side, and made a refreshing complement to the main salad. The avocado-jicama salad was my favourite dish of the night. The consistency of the avocado was incredibly light, but the dish had a lot of flavour thanks to the chile-green olive vinaigrette which the avocado accentuated. Jicama is a vegetable from South America. In this dish it was cut up into small cubes and mixed in with the avocado. Although it’s a vegetable, it looks opaque, and was quite moist like a melon. It didn’t have a strong taste, but gave the avocado some structure. Most impressive, the avocado was topped with what looked (and tasted) like caviar, but was derived from sea vegetable. The next course was edamame gnocchi with grilled oyster mushrooms, tatsoi, ginger caramelized chippolini onions, sweet miso-Jerusalem artichoke coulis and shiso pesto. The bronzed, ginger onions were lovely mixed in with the dish, and the gnocchi was well matched to a dish that had largely Asian flavours. This was followed by a light, refreshing sorbet of cara cara-coconut to cleanse the palate. We had a choice of mains, including stuffed truffled roulade. This consisted of french lentil and black chanterelle ragu, roasted chesnuts, black truffle butter, smoked pimenton cream, roasted maitake and exotic mushrooms, sauteed broccoli di Cicco with currants and pine nuts and mushroom syrup. This dish was very rich thanks to the truffle and smoked pimenton (ground, smoked chillies) cream, but it was perfect for a cold winter’s night. The other main was berber spiced Chickpea-nettle wot, a Ethiopian Injera crepe, seared brasicas (a cross between cauliflower and brussel sprouts), preserved lemon, almond and mint and beet habanero chutney. A wot is an Ethiopian stew, and it’s traditionally served on the savoury Injera crepe, which has a light, fairly fluffy texture. My favourite parts of this dish were the brasicas, which I hadn’t tried before, and the preserved lemon which is quickly becoming one of my favourite ingredients for the bite it adds to dishes. Dessert was a very light, soft chocolate mousse with cocont vanilla bean cream, wonderfully spicy ginger-chile tuile, and acai-chocolate sauce, and served with love potion #9… One of the things I loved about Millenium is that each dish incorporated ingredients and often techniques I’d hadn’t tried before, like jicama and brasilicas. This was partly due to the availability of ingredients and the influence of Central and South America, which doesn’t often make its way to Australia. But it was also a tribute to the daring approach that Millenium takes to its food, and their belief that vegetarian, organic food can also be gourmet and innovative. Right down to the last touches – the friendly, and knowledgeable staff offered us two complimentary glasses of champagne and a final plate of chocolate truffles complete with celebratory candle to blow out to mark our special occasion – the experience was an absolute delight. Not only did Millenium meet the ludicrously high expectations that we set for it, it blew them away. It was an instant Super-V and, more than that, the best top-notch fine dining vegetarian restaurant that we have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. |
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