March 11, 2022
We noticed a new veg*n restaurant pop up on Sydney Road late last year on our regular walks to and from the local supermarket. We've not really been eating in at restaurants, and it took us a month or two to think of ordering delivery from this one. Now a month or two beyond that, we were ready to visit for a quiet, early dinner at Paradisescape.
The casual and cheerful fit-out with exposed bricks, block colours and decorative plastic plants fits a common theme in the local veg*n restaurant scene, calling to mind Mamma Says, The Origin Tales, Brother Bon and Loving Hut West Melbourne. The menu spans familiar but welcome territory, too: steamed bao and battered cauliflower 'wings' to start, burgers and wraps, superfood bowls, stir-fries, gnocchi and a parma. An arepa plate is more unusual, and the mock fish tacos seem to be an emerging veg*n trend - if I hadn't spent the week eating home-made lentil tacos one of these would have my immediate choice. It's all overwhelmingly vegan - an extra-cost egg on the bibimbap and cheaper default-dairy on the coffees seem to be the only exceptions. Gluten-free options are similarly well-marked and cover almost half the menu.
Ultimately I chose two entrees in lieu of a main. The steamed Korean bao ($8.50) was a tasty but messsssy bundle of eggplant tempura, kimchi, pickled pink cabbage, chipotle mayo and fresh coriander.
The chicken dumpling ($10.50) filling didn't make a strong impression on me, though its dipping sauce was terrific! Salty, sweet, spicy and aromatic with ginger and alliums.
Michael revisited the stir fry Peking duck with noodles ($20), which we'd already enjoyed as a delivery. It's a filling plate featuring Hokkien noodles, a variety of thinly-sliced vegetables, mock-duck strips and a sauce that's sweet, sour, and lightly spiced.
In our home-delivered meal, we were also impressed by the cauliflower wings with miso-maple sauce, and a massaman curry of mock chicken and assorted vegetables. In the short term, it'll most likely be through takeaway that we continue to explore Paradisescape's menu. It's nice and kinda funny that our local neighbourhood is now bracketed by them another casual vegan gem, The Origin Tales.
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Paradisescape has received positive coverage on messy veggies.
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Paradisescape
51 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
9492 2888
Accessibility: There is a shallow ramp on entry and a decent-width corridor through the centre of the restaurant, but most tables are densely packed together. There is a mixture of low tables with backed chairs and high tables with backless and backed stools. We ordered at our table and paid at a high counter. We didn't visit the toilets.
Miso maple sauce on the cauliflower you had as takeaway sounds amazing. And those noodles look so good.
ReplyDeleteSusan, your anticipated favourites are my precise favourites. :)
DeletePleased to hear about another great mostly-vegan place in Brunswick. On your recommendation I went there with Faye for lunch this week and really enjoyed it. I loved the cauliflower wings and the burger and chips. Would love to return as the menu is full of interesting meals.
ReplyDeleteJohanna, I'm so glad that you and Faye had a nice time there! Yes, plenty more for us all to try across the menu. :)
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