Vegie Hut (Vegetarian Restaurant)

Address: 984 Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill, VIC 3128
Tel: (03) 9898 2287

Open 6 days, closed on Tuesdays
Mon - Sun: 12pm to 3pm for lunch, 5:30pm to 10pm for dinner

Website: www.vegiehut.com.au

This is officially my favourite vegetarian restaurant - I actually don't think I need to eat meat anymore because the chef is THAT good with sauces, spices & balancing flavours so dishes are exciting and gastronomically stimulating!

Below: I ordered the mee goreng - standard hokkien noodle with chilli sauce and stirfry combined - NOT. It sure looks the part, but the flavour is a little different (slighty citrus/tangy because pineapple has been used) and denser, a very impressive improvement on its meat counterpart. Absoultely divine...

Above: Laksa with tofu & vegies

Below: Roti Chanai - a stretchy pastry with curry dipping sauce

Below: Fried riceI am in love with this place - thoughtfully decorated with Eastern philosophy scattered throughout the interior, a really warm & homely feel. It's not the easiest place to get to, but the foodgasm is worth it, and the prices are also a selling point (under $10 for a lunch with drink!)

One of my top 3 recommended restaurants in Melbourne!

Au Lac Gourmet Vegetarian Restaurant (Vietnamese)

Address: Shop 4/39 Woolley St, Dickson ACT 2602
Tel: (02) 6262 89922

Open 7 days: Lunch - Tue to Sun 11:30am-2:30pm, Dinner - Mon to Sun 5:30pm-10:30pm

A mix of Entrée & Main:

BBQ soy meat – able to emulate the toughness of meat, served here with satay sauce

Soy chicken drumstick – an aromatic wad of fake meat served on a stick of lemongrass (the ‘bone’ of the drumstick), sweet chilli brings out soy sweetness

Fried soy fish with spicy salt & chilli – salty, with a layer of seaweed (kind of looks like deep fried eggplant from afar) with a fishy taste. This was actually my favourite – it is very different, savoury dish with interesting flavours.

Crab meat pate – crab flavour & aroma present, also emulates an egg-like texture (not quite a spread)

Roast soy duck – crispy skin with a smokier flavour than the real deal served with a sweet plum sauce

Wonton soup – tastes like pork, but I didn’t personally enjoy the extremity of the chives they used in the dumpling.

It was a nice meal – evidently don’t get too carried away with ordering like I clearly did, but the entrees are quite small. I would come back here for novelty’s sake, or just if I want to eat lots without feeling like a carnivorous barbarian.

Also check out the vegetarian pate they import from Europe – great on crackers, and I actually prefer it to the real stuff!

Soulmama (global vegetarian cafe)

Address: St Kilda Seabaths (upstairs, on roof level!), Jacka Boulevarde, St Kilda Beach VIC
Tel: (03) 9525 3338
Trading hours: Open for lunch & dinner, 7 days

Website: http://www.soulmama.com.au/

This is a global vegetarian restaurant, with great indoor views or soak up the sun and overlook the beach out on the deck.

I'm not a drinker but even on this occasion I decided to 'live it up' and try the Blushing Geisha cocktail - an infusion of frangelico, green tea liqueur, strawberries and probably some other crap. I think they just make cocktails better in Melbourne... (in Sydney they're like a mouthful of methlylated spirits or paint stripper).

The ordering system is a little unique at Soulmama - you pay for a ticket where you can choose 3 or more dishes and arrange them in the below fashion (or heaped in a bowl). I chose rice with a choice of 4 mains.

Below: clockwise from left - eggplant & rocket penne pasta salad, brown rice, vegetable bake, teriyaki udon noodles, morrocan lentil pastry roll served with corn & capsicum relish (middle).


Below: clockwise from left - beetroot salad, green salad, tofu/vege stirfy, brown rice, and a vegetable curry of sorts.


Really good, wholesome food. You feel great eating vegetarian because you know its cleaning out & detoxing your insides! For about $17 and a huge plate of food like this - its a great place to chill out (friendly staff btw) and stuff yourself silly with a huge range dishes to choose from.

Zenergy

Green Gourmet (Asian)

Recommendations:

Wonton noodle soup
Sweet chilli/honey potatoes
Mango soy icecream