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Bodhi Restaurant Bar: Vegan Yum Cha Sydney

August 25, 2020 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Bodhi Restaurant Bar: Vegan Yum Cha Sydney

Enjoy vegan yum cha in the heart of Sydney at Bodhi Restaurant Bar. Located under St Mary’s Cathedral, diners can relax under fig trees while being served bright, fresh yum cha dishes.

Bodhi is a Sydney dining institution. Perfectly situated in the centre of the CBD, overlooking Cook + Phillip Park, the restaurant and bar features a large outdoor dining area as well as inside seating.

The restaurant opened in 1988 as one of the first vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Sydney, and has been a family-owned and operated business for three generations. Bodhi today is the longest running and largest vegan establishment in Australia.

Bodhi has a strong emphasis on fresh ingredients, with a company ethos of “do no harm”, and “minimize your impact”. Their chefs follow aBuddhist vegan cooking philosophy, using no garlic, onion, chives, scallions and leek in their dishes. As a result, the food is quite subtle in flavour.

Bodhi also has a large variety of dishes catering to special dietary needs such as gluten or nut allergies.

The vegan yum cha menu includes dumplings (my fave are the sweet Japanese pumpkin dumplings), fresh items such as blanched fresh kalian vegetables and Vietnamese rice paper salad wraps, steamed dishes, including the delicious green vegetable bread buns, oven-baked/fried/sauteed dishes (the vegetable curry puff is a must-try) and sweets. We loved the adorable custard lava buns shaped like pigs.

Inside the dumplings and buns you’ll find a mix of vegetables, tofu and mock meats. The menu is extremely wide and varied, so even the pickiest of eaters will be able to find something that they like.

We are frequent visitors to Bodhi and always find the staff to be extremely knowledgable about ingredients and accomodating.

It’s a great place to take kids to try some new dishes, too. With the open-air dining area and wide tables with plenty of space in between, it’s an easy place to bring the family and relax.

There is parking under St Mary’s Cathedral nearby, or in the Domain car park. Both have reasonable weekend rates. Read more about where to find cheap parking in Sydney.

Make a day of it – find the best things to do in the Sydney CBD with kids.

Bodhi Restaurant Bar
2/4 College St, Sydney
Hours: Yum cha Wed-Fri 11am-3pm, Sat-Sun 11am-4pm. Dinner (a la carte) Tue-Sun 5pm-10pm.
https://www.bodhirestaurant.com.au/

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Vegan High Tea at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney

March 27, 2017 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

I’m thrilled to be trying what I think is the first 100% vegan high tea in Sydney, at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel. While I’m not vegan myself I am vegetarian and more than happy to eat vegan where available, so this high tea was an exciting one to try with a friend who is lactose and egg-free.

Eating high tea when you have a dietary requirement like this is often a major hassle (it’s even a major hassle if you’re vegetarian!) and it’s wonderful to see hotels like the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney cater to people of all dietary requirements (they also serve a gluten-free high tea and kids’ high tea!).

A new vegan chef is behind the additional high tea menu. Chef June Liu joined the Radisson Blu Plaza Sydney after working for several years in other iconic vegan restaurants in Sydney and Sydney’s Inner West. She is passionate about vegan cuisine and healthy eating, which is evident in the new menu.

High tea is served on an elegant three tier stand in the relaxing Lady Fairfax lounge area. We are first brought a “welcome drink” of watermelon and red berry that is delightfully refreshing and a touch fizzy.

Tea orders are taken and we select from a menu that includes classic choices as well as more interesting ones such as the Queen Of Hearts Tea that I select. The menu describes it as Light spice of delicate, young rose buds atop the sweet full ness of China black tea.

Soon after, both the tea and food arrive.

Savoury items
Spiced lentil pies
Stuffed Moroccan pumpkin flowers
Sweet potato and cashew empanada
Grilled zucchini, asparagus and hummus sandwich
Avocado, alfalfa sprout and Spanish onion sandwich

The savouries are excellent. I’ve commented before on how well the Radisson Blu does these, and the vegan delicacies were no exception. It was so novel to have three entirely different pastries I could eat! My fave was the empanada – a touch of spice and filled with creamy pumpkin. The sandwiches were delightful triangles of light produce on fresh bread, exactly what should be served with a high tea.

Sweet treats
Chocolate cake with beetroot frosting
Salted caramel cheese slice
Mango passionfruit cake
Chocolate and hazelnut slice with lychee and raspberry
Tutti-Frutti jelly

Roasted pumpkin and herb scones with soy cream and jam

I was pleased to see the scones were large and fluffy, with the same dry taste and texture that a scone should have. The soy cream was a wonderful addition as it’s rarely possible for people who can’t eat lactose or dairy to be able to enjoy whipped cream when dining out.

The sweets section was a delight for the senses with the gorgeous chocolate cupcake topped with the most delicious beetroot (again, SOY!!) frosting, and a mango cake that packed an incredibly fruity punch. The jelly was a bit tougher than I had imagined it would be (not sure what it was made with – pectin perhaps?) I don’t eat gelatine and was happy to know I was able to eat the jelly, even if it was a bit unusual texture-wise.

The salted caramel slice was very much like a little mini banoffee pie with the banana on top – a delectable morsel that was also super creamy even with no dairy in it.

The vegan high tea at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel is a fantastic addition to the Sydney food scene. I can’t say how wonderful it is to be able to sit down to a high tea and be able to eat everything on the menu, for people who don’t eat animal products for ethical reasons such as me, or for food intolerances and allergies such as my friend.

Traditional high tea
Served with tea and coffee, $54pp

Sparkling high tea
Served with a glass of sparkling wine, $64pp

Champagne high tea
Served with a glass of Moet & Chandon, $74pp

Please note that the vegan high tea requires advance booking. Walk-in guests with no booking who would like to order the vegan high tea may have to wait up to 45 minutes while the dishes are prepared.

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney
27 O’Connell St, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 02 8214 0000
Online
Reservations required: communications@radisson.com or 02 8214 0400.
High tea is served daily from 10:30am-4:30pm
Get Directions

Produced in partnership with the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney. All opinions are our own. Additional images thanks to the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney.

Black Star Pastry and Cafe: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Newtown

November 11, 2014 / Inner West, Newtown, Sydney Food / 0 comment

When my Instagram feed became full of images of amazing looking cakes from Black Star Pastry, I put the cafe on my must-do-soon list. And voila, a week or so later, I had the opportunity to drop by the Newtown Black Star to try their famous food for myself.

A little back story: Black Star Pastry was opened in October 2008 by chef Christopher Thé. His focus on baking the perfect (edible) moment and giving people the ability to share it with others has given him a cult following among dessert lovers in Sydney.

The Newtown cafe is tiny and better suited to takeaway. If you visit during the week you are likely to score a cosy window seat. Weekends, however, the queue is out the door.

While the cafe sells a variety of pastries and cakes, the star dish is the Strawberry and Watermelon cake. You can buy it buy the slice for $7, or an entire slab of it to take to a party. The cake is light and fluffy, with a crunch of fresh sweetness given by the slice of watermelon in the middle of the cake.

We also ordered the croissants, which are giant and a bit on the pricey side, but are extremely delicious – light, fresh, flaky goodness.

If you’re visiting with kids, I’d advise dropping by for takeaway and then walking a block back down the street to the playground in the Camperdown Memorial Rest Park.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Black Star Pastry and Cafe
277 Australia St,
Newtown, NSW
Phone: (02) 9557 8656
Prices: $
Hours: Daily 7am-5pm
Get Directions

Vegan & Gluten-Free Fare: Sun In Bloom, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY

August 4, 2014 / Brooklyn Bites, New York, New York Food, Park Slope / 0 comment

One of the best things about New York City is the amazing variety of food you can enjoy to meet any type of dietary requirements you might have. A good friend of mine has a gluten and dairy intolerance, so we regularly eat at cafes and restaurants where her dietary needs are met — and where she has more choice than a salad or eggs.

Sun In Bloom is a gluten-free, vegan & raw food kitchen, with locations in both Brooklyn and Tribeca. We visited their Park Slope cafe for brunch to see if their pancakes measure up when they’re made without delicious gluten. All three adults in our party ordered the Gluten-Free Pancakes with Spiced Germinated Walnuts & Side of Maple Syrup ($11.50), but we each chose different combinations of fruit toppings to go with it.

The pancakes were surprisingly still yummy even without gluten, and the fruit on top was fresh and sweet. We gave Missy E a side of Sprouted Wheat Toast and Sunflower Seed Butter to try, but it was too crunchy for her and so she preferred the pancakes and fruit. At prime brunch hour there was no wait for a table, but when we were leaving the cafe it was quickly filling to capacity. The wait on some of our items was a little longer that I would have liked, particularly since Missy E was being a whiny pain that day and we were desperate to eat and leave! We all enjoyed our brunch and will be back, particularly when entertaining people with special dietary requirements.

Last Bite: A healthy brunch option that caters to the special dietary requirements of vegan, raw-food-followers and gluten-intolerant diners.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Sun In Bloom
460 Bergen St,
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Prices: $
Phone: (718) 622 4303
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-9pm Sat & Sun 10am-5pm
Get Directions

Egg Of The Universe: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Rozelle, Sydney

July 22, 2014 / Inner West, Rozelle, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

If you love wholesome, minimally processed, nutrient-rich meals then Egg Of The Universe is the cafe for you. Situated underneath BodyMindLife yoga studios, yogis are known to leave class then step out into the sun drenched courtyard to fill their bodies with clean, organic food. Egg Of The Universe caters to everyone from vegans to omnivores, and those with gluten-free or dairy-free needs.

At the register, you can grab quick snacks like the Chocolate and Beetroot Cake and Raw Caramel Slice ($5 each). Take a seat in the back courtyard under the Chinese elm tree for the full table service menu.

Lucky us, we found the large back table free for our party of four adults, two toddlers and one baby. Plenty of room for the strollers to park right up at the table, as well as lots of space for our wriggly toddler to run around the tree while we waited for our meals to arrive.

To start with, I ordered the Dandelion Tea ($4), which was delicious. Our table ordered a wide variety of meals: a side of Ancient Grains ($6), Super B.L.A.T (Feather & Bone Smoked Bacon, Leaves, Avocado, Tomato, Aioli, Herbs & Hemp Seeds, $18. Add a Fried Organic Egg $3), Bread/Toast & Butter, $6, Spiced Kicharis (Seasonally Spiced Indian Rice & Lentils with Salad, Tamarind Chutney & Minted Yoghurt, $14), and the Avocado, Tomato (Spelt Sourdough, Hemp, Oregano, Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, &16. Add a Poached Organic Egg $3).

The food is fresh, bursting with flavour, and feels good on the stomach several hours later. No heavy after-effects after eating such wholesome food. Perfectly poached eggs, creamy avocado, fragrant tomatoes and crusty fresh bread. Absolutely delicious. The kids munched on toast and banana bread (that I was too slow to photograph) and happily danced around the courtyard while the adults enjoyed the peaceful ambiance.

Last bite: Wholefoods for the whole family at this laid-back, healthy cafe.
Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes — lots of room for strollers.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: There is a table in the bathroom that can be used a a change table.
Kids’ menu: No.

Egg Of The Universe
711 Darling St, Rozelle
Phone: 02 9810 3146
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-4pm Sat & Sun 8am-4pm
Get Directions

Food Trucks at the Barclays Center in Prospect Heights, New York

June 13, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, New York Food, Prospect Heights / 0 comment

Cool Haus food truck - kid-friendly Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Cool Haus food truck

Here’s some happy news for foodies who usually hunt down food trucks on Twitter: Brooklynites can now catch some of their faves on select weekends—July 6 and Sept. 7—at the plaza outside of the Barclays Center.

Frites 'N' Meats food truck - kid friendly Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York - via Brunchwithmybaby.com — Frites ‘N’ Meats food truck

We wandered on by to check out the food trucks on their opening day, and were so pleasantly surprised to see a great variety of trucks (with no queues) and plenty of seating in the shade. Score! The food trucks out on that day were: Kimchi Taco Truck, (think Korean-cross-Mexican), Treats Truck (the actual truck that serves the Carroll Gardens store of the same name), Coolhaus (build-your-own ice cream sandwiches), Mamu Thai Noodle (a family-owned and operated truck specialising in Thai food), Frites ‘n’ Meats (design your own burgers) and Taim Mobile (gourmet falafels and smoothies).

Barclays Center - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Shade

We were planning to pick up food from a truck and walk with it to Prospect Park. But when we felt an unexpected cool breeze coming through the plaza (on an otherwise stifling hot day), we decided to sit and eat in the nearby plaza instead.

Taim Mobile - kid-friendly food, Barclays Center Brooklyn, New York via Brunchwithmybaby.com — Taim Mobile

I’d been wanting to try Taim in the West Village for ages, so was delighted to see their truck Taim Mobile in attendance. Taim is great for more than just vegetarians like myself—their falafels are gluten-free and cooked to order in 0% trans-fat vegetable oil. All of the items on their menu are vegetarian—most are actually vegan (items with a * on the menu contain either dairy or egg products).

We decided to share a few things—the Mediterranean Platter, $9 (hummus, tahini, israeli salad, green cabbage, quinoa salad and pita), Falafel Side, $4 (six balls) the Date Lime Banana smoothie with soy milk, $5, and Falafel Sandwich, $6.50 (green falafel, hummus, israeli salad, green cabbage and tahini sauce).

In retrospect we didn’t need the sandwich—we had SO MUCH FOOD. We tried our best to eat some of everything, but admitted defeat with groaning stomaches. Note to fellow diners—the platter plus falafels are PLENTY for two people to share, plus a toddler. Miss Cheese tried a bit of everything, and decided she liked the smoothie, pita and falafels best—perfect kid food, by the way.

Barclays Center food trucks - kid-friendly food, Barclays Center Brooklyn, New York via Brunchwithmybaby.com — Loving the soy banana shake.

We let Cheese sit on our laps or on a proper chair since she was too wiggly to stay in the stroller. If your kid sits still you can park them right at the table. We each also took turns chasing her around the plaza while the other parent finished his or her food. There was a lot of shade and plenty of fun things for toddlers to explore (doors and fences and tables, oh my!), so she was actually really reluctant to leave.

Treats Truck - kid friendly Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Treats Truck food truck for desserts.

Last bite: A great variety of food surrounding a shady plaza with tables and chairs. Put the dates on your calendar and make it part of a day trip to Prospect Park.

Barclays Center
620 Atlantic Ave. (between Dean St and Flatbush Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Food Truck Dates: June 1, July 6 and Sept. 7
Hours: Saturdays, 11am-5pm