Transformer. More than meets the eye. To wit: an all-vegetarian, occasionally vegan, restaurant eschewing the mock-meat roulette. This refined spin-off to the casual fun times of the 30-year-old Vegie Bar boasts a kitchen intent on creating its own oeuvre of plant-based cuisine. It’s a winner in the aesthetic stakes, the striking old factory smartly retooled with the double attractions of abundant greenery and sympathetic lighting. Dishes play either to trends (avocado and bean tacos with Mexican chilli and fried spring onion fuzz) or by their own rules (coconut labne saddling up with chickpea panisse and grilled zucchini, or fried silken tofu with wakame and a wild froth of carrot dashi). And that’s not forgetting a two-speed drinks list where ayurvedic elixir shots rub shoulders with good-times cocktails. Vegie Bar-style service doesn’t match the amped-up food and surroundings, but one thing’s for sure: the revolution rarely tasted so good.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide
Wine: ★
Gourmet Traveller’s star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars, reflect reviewers’ first-hand experiences. The best-rated restaurants form our national Top 100. Our wine ratings, from zero to three stars, are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
