Sunday, October 29, 2017

Brownie-style chocolate cake
with espresso mascarpone

October 21, 2017


This Ottolenghi club meeting, I made a recipe requested by our host Alice. She'd been browsing recent articles about Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh's new book Sweet, and coveting what is alleged to be the world's best chocolate cake. Alice's oven doesn't currently work and I was glad to supply the cake she craved.

Happily, the world's best chocolate cake isn't the world's most laborious chocolate cake! In fact, you don't even have to cream room-temperature butter and sugar in this version. The process reminded me more of some brownies I've baked, where the butter is melted and everything can be whisked and sifted directly into the saucepan. The two optional (but enthusiastically requested) accompaniments come together just as breezily: the chocolate topping is a one-saucepan ganache (although the recipe also includes a bizarre food-processor technique), and the espresso mascarpone can be whipped in a bowl by hand or briefly with an electric beater. I had both mixtures ready to go in less time than it took the cake to bake.


And how about that tentative "world's best" claim? Well, I can't be sure that it's not the world's best chocolate cake, because I can't recall eating a better one myself. The cake stands tall and dark, with a moist, melt-in-the-mouth medium density. It contains more than a cup of espresso, but that only serves to liven the chocolate flavour and doesn't create an explicit coffee taste. That's in the complex, grainy mascarpone, along with vanilla and cinnamon (incidentally, a half-quantity of this is just about enough to go around).

After a couple of hours in the fridge the cake changes, of course - it's firmer, denser, and the subtler flavours were lost to me. I'd recommend gathering some friends and getting as much enjoyment from this cake as you can during its first few hours out of the oven.

(And if you're after a vegan alternative, my best offering is this recipe.)



Brownie-style chocolate cake with espresso mascarpone
(slightly adapted from a recipe by Helen Goh and published in good food)

cake
spray oil
350mL espresso coffee
250g butter
200g dark chocolate
250g caster sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
240g self-raising flour
30g cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

ganache
200mL heavy cream
3 teaspoons golden syrup
3 teaspoons butter
200g dark chocolate

espresso mascarpone
375mL heavy cream
190g mascarpone
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 teaspoons ground espresso
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons icing sugar


Preheat an oven to 170°C. Line a 23cm diameter springform cake tin with paper and spary it with oil.

Heat the espresso in a large saucepan, and add the butter. When the butter is completely melted, turn off the heat and add the chocolate, stirring continuously until it is melted through. Whisk in the sugar until it's dissolved. Check the bottom of the saucepan and allow it to cool a little if it's still hot. When the mixture is just gently warm, whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Sift over the flour, cocoa and salt, then stir everything together to combine. Pour the cake batter into the springform tin, and bake it for around an hour, until a skewer comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for around 20 minutes, before removing the edge. It's gonna have deep cracks; don't worry about 'em!


To prepare the ganache, place the cream, golden syrup and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the cream starts to bubble. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate, stirring constantly until the ingredients are well combined and silky smooth. Allow the ganache to cool a little, then place plastic wrap on its surface.

To prepare the espresso mascarpone, whip together all the ingredients with a whisk or an electric beater, until soft peaks form.

To serve, transfer the cooled cake to a serving plate. Spread over the ganache and serve the espresso mascarpone on the side.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Crushed puy lentils with tahini & cumin

October 21, 2017


We've been Ottolenghi-clubbing for a good, long while now (our first meeting was Feb 2015!) - it's a great way to sample a range of Yotam's wonderful dishes without driving yourself crazy with preparation. This time around was as wonderful as ever - we had an aubergine, courgette and yoghurt upside-down cake, black miso sticky rice with peanuts and broccoli (both from Ottolenghi's Christmas column) and saffron, date and almond rice from Plenty More plus contributions from me and Cindy. See our facebook page for the full rundown.

I decided to make this crushed lentil dish from Ottolenghi's Guardian column. I'm a big fan of Ottolenghi's dips and spreads, and this one sounded perfect. It combines a relatively simple process (maybe 40 minutes all up) with a superb outcome - the lentil mix is delicious, with a wonderful  thick texture and a nice garlicky, cumin flavour on top of the nutty lentils. This is a perfect introduction to Ottolenghi - fancy and delicious but without a lot of the complicated methods or odd ingredients that characterise a lot of Otto's dishes. We'll definitely make this again.



Crushed puy lentils with tahini and cumin
(via Ottolenghi's Guardian column)

250g puy lentils
30g butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
3 tomatoes, cut into a 1cm dice
25g coriander leaves, roughly chopped
5 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper
half a red onion, sliced finely
4 hard-boiled eggs
olive oil

Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil and throw in the lentils. Cook for 20 minutes or so until tender and then drain and set aside.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for a minute or two. 

Throw in most of the coriander (reserve some for garnishing), all of the tomatoes and the lentils. Cook for another few minutes and then stir through the tahini and lemon juice, about half a cup of water and heaps of salt and pepper.

Turn the heat down and cook on low for five minutes or so, stirring. Roughly mash the lentils with a potato masher until some of them break up and you get a nice thick consistency. 

Serve, with a drizzle of extra olive oil, garnishes of coriander and onion and the eggs. We had ours with bread, but it's hearty enough to eat on its own.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar

October 18, 2017


We've been wanting to visit the Last Chance with our mate Jess for a little while, and until this week the best we managed was Michael and I popping in on the chef's night off. On Wednesday the stars aligned at last and the three of us shared a range of their vegan pub dishes before hitting a bluegrass gig.

The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar is unashamedly a dive. The floor is concrete, the walls are lined with hardcore gig posters, and there's a faint smell of bleach in the air. The kitchen opens at 6pm and the menu is a single page of junk food: six kinds of burger, nachos, a souva, a parma, chips and a chilli dog. Happily, most of them have a vegan option (and everything vegetarian is vegan). How to eat gluten-free is less clear, though the buckwheat salad (!), nachos and chips might be suitable.


The loaded croquettes ($13) looked like the most refined item on the menu (save, perhaps, for that buckwheat salad). They're gooey with bechamel inside, dotted with corn kernels and spicy bursts of smoked jalapeno. I'm not sure that the aioli is really necessary (but yeah, we used it).


The chilli dog ($10) starts with a robust mock-sausage, which gets smothered in spicy beans, onions, salsa, chilli sauce and mustard. I'm a retiring ketchup-and-mustard kinda hot dog eater, so this was a bit much for me, but this will appeal to those who want more.


The vegan chicken parma ($16) doesn't appear to have a meat analogue on the menu, and is ENORMOUS. We were all big fans of the fatty mock meat, crispy-crumbed and topped with mock bacon and cheese. The accompanying chips were more modestly portioned, soft rather than crisp and well seasoned - they reminded me more of oven-baked potatoes than fries. Due to the parma's richness and the portioning, I'd be wary of ordering this on my own - chomping down my third of this one was mighty satisfying, though.


The dish I'd be most likely to order again was the Last Chance souva ($9). It's a doughy little wrap stuffed with braised mock lamb, onions and a few of those soft chips, drizzled with chilli sauce and aioli. It's saucy, savoury, and feasible to eat on your own.

The vegan menu at Last Chance is similar to The Cornish Arms, but they're offering a few nice touches of their own, and lower prices to boot. I reckon we'll be heading back for a burger before you know it.

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This bar has received a mixed review on Kittens Gone Lentil.

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The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar
238 Victoria St, North Melbourne
9329 9888
menu
http://www.thelastchance.com.au/

Accessibility: There's a small step on entry to a flat, open interior. We sat on high, back-less stools, and ordered and paid at a high bar. Toilets are gendered, the men's are down a few stairs; no accommodations have been made with accessibility in mind.

Monday, October 23, 2017

The Merri Clan

Update 04/01/2023: The Merri Clan has become The Merri Bar.

October 7, 2017



We've been seeing references to The Merri Clan all over vego social media for the last few months and finally found a spare Saturday morning to head over to Preston to check it out. It's a casual neighbourhood haunt, with a cafe menu during the day and a bar vibe at night. The fit-out is low-key and a bit ramshackle, but the whole feel is charmingly laid-back. We headed out to the courtyard to enjoy the sunny weather and scope out the menu.

Everything is vegan, including some amazing sounding burgers, a big vegan brekkie, nachos and a good selection of other savoury dishes. There are healthy-sounding smoothie bowls and, for a sweet-tooth like Cindy, there are poffertjes.


The giant, wobbly pile of poffertjes pictured above is the 'fully loaded' snack size (15 pieces, $14) - Cindy shared a few of her snack plate, and I really can't imagine anyone could tackle the meal size (25 pc, $18) on their own. The fully loaded option comes with house made nutella, maple cashew cream, berry compote and candied pecans. Cindy was very happy with her brunch treat - the poffertjes are a puffy, sweet base for the slathering of delicious toppings, with the berry compote cutting through the richness of the sauces. If you can't face the fully loaded option, you can build your own, based on the above toppings plus jam, cinnamon sugar and lemon, butter and maple syrup. It's a very flexible offering and I think a very popular one. 

I ordered the breakfast tacos - a pair of corn tortillas topped with black beans, spiced toasted quinoa, tomato salsa, guacamole, smoked chipotle sauce, lime infused coconut yoghurt and fresh chillies ($15).


These were so laden with toppings that they were impossible to eat as tacos, but luckily they were very, very tasty. The crunchy toasted quinoa was the surprise star of the dish for me, adding texture and spice to the creamy beans and tangy sauces. I really loved these and am super keen to try out more of their savoury options.


The coffee I had was decent, and the outdoor space was lovely. Service was a bit mixed, with some super helpful and friendly staff and some with a bit less enthusiasm, but the food is fantastic and I really liked the atmosphere. We'll be back.

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There a couple of very positive reviews on Veganopolous, but nobody else seems to have reviewed The Merri Clan.

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The Merri Clan
15 Gilbert Rd, Preston
0407 888 626
introfood

Accessibility: There's a flat entryway and a reasonably spacious interior. The outdoor area is a hodge podge of different tables and chairs, but everything is pretty accessible. Toilets are good, including a unisex and fully accessible cubicle.

Friday, October 20, 2017

Bhang

October 5, 2017


We visited the relatively new Bhang after Will recommended it and Tash suggested we all get together for dinner. Michael grabbed a booking just a day in advance and it was packed out when we arrived - it's clearly rapidly attracted fans, even though it's tucked off Sydney Rd in the north of Brunswick. It might be that early flush for a hip new opening, or the reputation of the owners (who also run Tom Phat), ... or it might just be that good.


Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are abundant and well-marked, and with five of us on board we were able to try many of them. The staff kindly adapted our small plate orders to ensure they were portioned just right to go around. Pani puri ($10) are always a blast, but surprisingly upstaged here by the spinach and paneer samosas ($12). This was without doubt my favourite samosa experience of my life! The paneer filling was so soft and rich and savoury, reminding me almost of scrambled eggs, and the pastry was buttery, crumbly and toasty-browned.


The mains didn't quite reach the same heights, but they were consistently very good too. The char-grilled eggplants (bharwan vanghi, $15; top left) arrived first and, once we gracelessly cut them with a spoon, disappeared fast. Will and Michael loved the pumpkin olan best ($16; top right), more for the black-eyed bean curry underneath. The gobhi korma ($16; centre) presented its cauliflower whole and so the spices didn't quite soak through, but I adored dredging garlic naan ($4, not pictured) through its ombre sauce. The mast biryani ($18; bottom left) was steamed with a pastry top, and not nearly as spicy as Will swore it was on his first visit. My favourite might have been the tangy tamarind-dressed salad of paneer, green mango and baby spinach (kache aam ka paneer, $11; bottom right).


Others sampled a range of fancy and unusual cocktails. I was a smidge disapointed that they were all out of dates for the date and almond lassi, but the more conventional mango version ($5) was very pretty. Unfortunately for all its colour it was bland, not even matching the plainer, tangier ones I've drunk elsewhere.


I managed to keep our ordering in check and everyone had room for dessert! The others all opted for the spiced poached pear ($12), which was too firm to handle neatly with a spoon, but made for a beautiful plate with a scoop of masala chai icecream, a ball of coconut halwa, and festive sprinklings of nuts, syrup and colour. I was well pleased with my gulab jamun ($9), a little larger and lighter than they're traditionally prepared, with a matching scoop of chai ice cream and pretty garnishes.

We thoroughly enjoyed our first Bhang meal - it was a little loud and a little flawed, but its best dishes were tremendous and even its lesser dishes were very good. The samosas alone would pull me back for more.

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Bhang has received a mixed review from Barley Restaurant Reviews, and positive reviews from Lips Temptations (freebie)FEED BLOG SPOT (freebie), and A Chronicle of Gastronomy (freebie).

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Bhang
1/2A Mitchell St, Brunswick
9383 2488
food, drinks
https://www.eatdrinkbhang.com/

Accessibility: The entry is wide and flat, but we reckon it's pretty tough from there: the interior is crowded with furniture and dimly lit; most of the dining tables are located upstairs. We received full table service and didn't visit the toilets.

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Annual lab culinary competition

October 2, 2017


There was concern, after a couple of key departures from the lab last year, that the annual culinary competition might be over. Far from it! All it took was a nod from the new director and a couple of emails, and entries were out in force.

Competitors drew inspiration from their gardens and other local ingredients, from famous chefs and family members, from their cultures of origin and even from their jobs. I contributed a plate of Ottolenghi's butterbean hummus, and a lattice-topped cherry pie. For the first time in all my years of competing, I won the grand prize! The judges especially praised the pie's crumbly buttery crust, and one confessed to reaching for it three times in spite of abundant alternative offerings.

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I've also written accounts of this competition in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016.

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Swedish meatballs

September 23, 2017


I brought some lingonberry jam back with me from Sweden this year and it has sat sadly in the cupboard for months waiting for inspiration to strike. Lingonberry jam isn't really used like strawberry or raspberry jam - you don't smear it on toast or have it with scones - it's more commonly used as an accompaniment to savoury food like fried herring, potato pancakes or, of course, meatballs.

While we were in Stockholm last year, friends had made us a classic Swedish meal - new potatoes, (veggie) meatballs, greens and lingonberry jam - it was one of my favourite memories of the trip and I decided to spend a quiet Saturday arvo trying to replicate it. A bit of googling around turned up this recipe on Rabbits and Wolves, which ticked all of my boxes. We paired it with the lingonberry jam, boiled potatoes and green beans. It was a wonderful meal - the meatballs were a bit squishy, but held together pretty well and got a decent char on in our hot cast iron pan. The coconut-y gravy is rich and creamy - perfectly paired with the sweet and tangy lingonberry jam. We'll definitely make this meal again, when Melbourne's winter has me dreaming of a Swedish springtime.


Swedish meatballs
(slightly adapted from Rabbits and Wolves)

300g packet of tempeh
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used a single weetbix, crushed up)
1/2 cup polenta (in place of panko crumbs)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Salt and pepper
Oil for frying (we used peanut oil)

gravy
1/4 cup Nuttelex
1/4 cup flour
2 cups of veggie stock
1 tablespoon tamari
400ml can coconut milk
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ground flax seeds and water together to make a vegan egg. Combine it with all the meatball ingredients in a food processor and process them into a smooth paste. Add more water if the mix is too dry.

Shape the tempeh mixture into small balls (no bigger than a golf ball). 

Heat some oil in a cast iron pan until it's very hot and fry the meatballs on each side until they're nice and browned. We had to do ours in two batches, but it will depend on the size of your frying pan. Remove the meatballs from the frying pan and set aside.

Wipe the pan clean and start on the gravy. Turn the heat down to low and melt the Nuttelex. Whisk in the flour until it forms a roux. 

Whisk in the stock, tamari, coconut milk, mustard and vinegar - add things in slowly so you can whisk it all together well. Turn the heat up and bring the sauce to a simmer. Hold it over a low simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the gravy thickens right up.

Season the sauce to taste and add the meatballs. Serve with potatoes, beans and a generous spoonful of lingonberry jam. 

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Smith & Daughters VIII

Edit 02/01/2022: S+D has had a revamp and is now located at 107 Cambridge St, Collingwood.

September 23, 2017

It's been 18 months since we last blogged about perennial favourite Smith & Daughters. The menu has been completely re-worked, which seems like a good enough reason to quickly write up a recent brunch experience. We were pleased to see freshly squeezed juices back on the menu - I ordered the juice of the day, which was a carrot, ginger and apple concoction ($10), while Cindy went for straight-up OJ ($7.50).


There's no more breakfast burrito or maple bacon pancakes, but plenty of exciting new things to try. I almost ordered the scramble, but we've made it at home so much that I decided to branch out and try the sausage and beans ($19), featuring spicy house-made sausage, white beans, peppers, smoked paprika and saffron.


I loved this - the braised beans were rich and smoky, and the chunks of sausage superb. As always, I'd have loved a second piece of toast for scooping up the goods, but that's a minor quibble.

Cindy surprisingly went past the mulled wine soaked French toast ($18) and the Almond turrón bun ($15) to order something savoury - the Spanish pressed sandwich stuffed with chorizo, peppers, mozzarella and quince paste and accompanied by a handful of crisps ($17). 


Cindy was impressed by this, with the sweetness of the quince paste really shining alongside the spicier ingredients. She also raved about the crisps, which she reckons S & D might make themselves.

Smith & Daughters continue to deliver superb vegan food, lovely service and a great vibe. After nearly three years, I wonder if Melbourne is starting to take S & D for granted a bit. The restaurant was surprisingly quiet on the Saturday morning we visited. The vegan brunch options around Melbourne have obviously improved a lot in three years, and loads of people were at the Deli, but they're changing things up enough that it's still definitely worth swinging by the original.

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You also can read about onetwothreefourfivesix, seven of our previous visits to Smith & Daughters. Since our last visit A Chronicle of Gastronomy, The Rose & Bean, Donut Sam, delightfully tasty and Future King and Queen have all enjoyed S & D, while Howie's Melbourne Food was a bit underwhelmed.
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Smith & Daughters
175 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
9939 3293
brunch menu, drinks
facebook page


Accessibility: The entry is flat and narrow and the tables are pretty crowded. The interior is dimly lit and loud at night. Toilets are located up several steps, are gendered and of standard dimension. We ordered at the table and paid at a high counter.

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Mantra Lounge II

Edit 06/05/2021: Mantra Lounge is now closed.

September 21, 2017



I have an unfortunate habit of eating lunch at my desk; I have a more mobile friend on campus to thank for getting me back to Mantra Lounge after almost three years! It's a little different (with the neon decorations mellowing and the menu becoming 100% vegan) but mostly, reassuringly the same, offering homely veg*n food from bain maries at student-friendly prices.


Their popular lasagna is permanently on the menu, and there's a rotation of curries that you can order in various meal deals. My eyes were drawn to the pie warmer for a sausage roll ($5), and I filled out my plate with tahini-kale salad ($6). It proved to be much more than a scoop of green respectability on my plate - tender and well-dressed, with big broccoli florets, a few sun-dried tomatoes and olives. I could have settled with a glass of water, but the Mexican hibiscus tea ($3) was much more entertaining.

The upstairs seating was very relaxed, and I'm coaching myself to get out of the office and visit more often. Here's hoping I make it back for the Korean BBQ burger, and any one of the other salads!
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You can read about an early visit to Mantra Lounge here. Since then it's been positively reviewed on Veganopoulous and Wandering Mint, and there are mixed messages on Curious Charlie.

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Mantra Lounge
167 Grattan St, Carlton
0433 531 345
food, drinks & desserts
http://www.mantralounge.com.au/

Accessibility: Mantra Lounge has clearly given accessibility some thought - there's a ramp up from the footpath and plenty of space around the counter, where ordering, payment and food pick-up occurs. There's a unisex toilet with wheelchair accessibility signage on this level. There are a few moderately spaced tables downstairs; the stairs themselves are wide and sturdy with a hand rail.

Saturday, October 07, 2017

Handsome Her II

September 16, 2017


After three visits to Handsome Her I've spanned their sweet menu and I'm here to declare my surprise favourite: the granola! After a week-and-a-bit of morning fruit platters in Bali, ordering the dish most resplendent with fruit felt like the right thing to do. There's plenty more to the 'Samantha Ratnam' ($16.50) besides: crunchy, gluten-free grains and flakes glistening with a sweet syrup, nuts, a halo of beetroot coconut yoghurt, your choice of dairy-free milk and in the centre, a proud passionfruit pannacotta served as a popsicle. It's as light and festive as breakfast gets!

As an added bonus, it left me with room to try HH's iced chocolate ($8), a gorgeous icy blend based on almond milk.


Michael was also rather pleased with the Rosa Parks ($19.50): while he didn't think that the beetroot tint benefited the bun, he was roundly impressed by the mushrooms and pumpkin, vegan bechamel & mozzarella, pea puree & fresh salad.


We're thrilled to see this terrific new cafe near full every time we visit - in fact, they were only able to fit us out back this time. It's a little plainer out there at the moment, but it's still plenty comfortable when there's sunshine and food this fun.
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You can read about our earlier visits to Handsome Her here.
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Handsome Her
206 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
8383 7360
drinking, eating, booze
http://www.handsomeher.com.au/

Accessibility: The entry is flat, and tables are densely packed with a clear corridor through the middle of the cafe. Out the back, the ground is a bit uneven. We ordered at the table and paid at a low counter. We haven't visited the toilets, but we noticed a 'wheelchair accessible' sign beside the directions leading to the loos.

Tuesday, October 03, 2017

Ubud II

September 10-15, 2017


There's plenty more to enjoy in Ubud beyond Janet de Neefe's empire. We walked through rice fields with Su, learning about the birds, butterflies, insects and plants of the area. After a bit of research, we agreed to visit the monkeys in the adjacent forest just as they were eating breakfast. We took the Campuhan Ridge walk, and at its end we lazed at Jungle Fish. And, of course, we ate. Here are some other memorable meals from our time in Ubud.
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We met a friend for dinner at Hujan Locale, and eagerly took in her recommendations from her many months living in the city. It's smart and casual and candlelit, with a focus on local produce and a clearly labelled page of vegetarian dishes. We all reveled in the Krupuk plate (IDR70k ~ AU$6.60), a gorgeous sampler of chips (potato, melinjo, sweet potato, cassava, tempeh) and dips (saos kacang/peanut sauce, sambal avocado, terong bakar/roast eggplant, sambal bajak/chilli, sambal matah/shallot & lemongrass). After going separate ways for our mains, we reunited over an oily, crispy open style martabak served with a scoop of Balinese pod white chocolate smothered in salted palm sugar caramel (IDR80k ~ AU$7.60). 


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After chilli for days, we were after a mellower meal, and Sage delivered. The mung bean-based kitchari burger was a surprise hit, one of the best mock-beef-style burgers we've ever eaten (IDR70k ~ $6.60). I still couldn't stay away from tempeh, ordering them Buffalo wing-style (IDR40k ~ AU$3.80), and we found enough room left over for their specialty layered coconut cake and its cloud-like icing.
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We actually booked our entire holiday around an advance reservation at Locavore. We chose their 7-course vegetarian menu (IDR750k ~ AU$71) and were treated to so much more! The official meal was bookended by a half-dozen delicate savoury snacks, and as many petit fours. It was a stunning parade of clever techniques applied to fresh Indonesian produce, served in beautiful custom-made ceramics by smiling staff. The myriad courses were satisfying but not heavy, a refreshing experience all round! This ranks among our all-time favourites in fine dining.
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We visited Clear Cafe when Michael needed another walk on the mild side. Their Indian lentil soup (IDR35k ~ AU$3.30) was exactly what his delicate digestive system needed, and I got in another served of tempeh - this time in the form of a TLT wrap (IDR55k ~ AU$5.20) lined with an unexpectedly nifty black bean humus.


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My biggest regret is not heading into Tukies earlier. It's a charming little spot for a cooling dessert. I was absolutely bowled over by their simple scoop of vegan-friendly coconut icecream, which was garnished with fresh coconut, dried coconut, toasted coconut and candied coconut. If only there'd been more time to try their other fruity blended and shaved-ice drinks & desserts! Even in their absence, we had an undeniably sweet time in Ubud.