Having felt unwell most of the day and feeling too lazy to cook (more often than not I prefer to cook my own dinner), I was craving a light and healthy meal with vegetables, so I took to my Urbanspoon wishlist and scoured near-by restaurants. I re-read the menu of the Veggie Kitchen and quickly decided that they would provide my dinner for the night. The owners of Veggie Kitchen are two sisters, Rosalie and Elaine, who moved to Australia from Taiwan ten years ago. Rosalie who was taking orders and serving came over to talk to my mother and I while we were waiting for our food to be prepared; she told us that she had only learnt about coeliac disease and gluten-free requirements a year ago after the opening of the restaurant in Mid-August, and had received many enquiries about gluten free dishes. Veggie Kitchen is super accommodating to those who live gluten free, with a great understanding of the risks and danger of cross-contamination. Rejoice! The restaurant is quite small, with Taiwanese (i’m assuming) lettered wallpaper covering the walls. A large paper hanging light is the feature of the space.
We ordered takeaway stir-fried black rice ($12.80 – $13.80 with egg) and sweet and sour tofu ($12.80). I was eager to try the black rice after previously researching it as I’d never heard or come across it before. Corn, carrot, capsicum, shredded lettuce and tiny tofu cubes were included instead of the traditional pork or chicken. The overall flavour was mild, but at the same time very tasty. It was oily like most Asian stir-fries, but I enjoyed it just the way it was. I thought the black rice had the same texture of white rice, rather than brown. The sweet and sour tofu however, wasn’t something I’d order again. The sauce was a slightly thick, almost slimy consistency with a light tomato sauce taste. The home-made tofu was soft, and the potato cubes were a nice touch, (though I only had one piece because I’m not supposed to eat potato) and the carrots, broccoli and pineapple pieces were complimented nicely by the sauce.
As another Urbanspoon reviewer, Angie, put it: the owners ‘are trying to spread the word about healthy eating and vegetarianism in a (sic) honest and dedicated way’. With so many other gluten free options available, I will definitely order from or dine at Veggie Kitchen once again!
*as stated above, I ordered take away. All photos were taken at home and transferred from takeout container to bowl. Sweet & Sour tofu photographed without broccoli and carrots.
