Louis

Update 15/06/2023: Louis has been replaced by Zetta's Pantry.

December 16, 2021

   

I was able to access a COVID vaccination booster at the Royal Exhibition Building earlier this month. It was a lovely day, the queue was short, and I had plenty of time to wander the neighbourhood and get some lunch. As I browsed Brunswick St, I noticed cafe seating on a side street and saw a sign for Louis. Friend of the blog Steph had recently recommended Louis and I was glad to have stumbled upon it!

Louis has been open 2-3 years, but quietly shifted to an all-vegetarian menu about a year ago - there are numerous, well-marked vegan and gluten-free options. It's full of fun brunch dishes and a couple of burgers with a 'more is more' philosophy. For example, the smashed avo is actualy a 'smooth yuzu avocado mousse' that comes with balsamic marinated cherry tomatoes, sriracha popping balls, feta, dukkah, lotus chips, beetroot tuile, and herb infused oil.

   

As I read the menu, I recalled that Steph especially recommended Louis to me for its sweet vegan brunches - there are equally over-the-top Lotus Biscoff French Toast and Spilt Tiramisu Garden Cup dishes! Alas, on this day I really did just want something more contained and savoury. The plant-based fish bao ($24) served that purpose nicely. They were stuffed so generously that it was impossible to eat them entirely by hand, with lots of pickly Asian slaw, cucumber and coriander giving freshness, a single seared, salty slice of mock-fish and a spoonful of sriracha mayonnaise in each bun.

This seemed like a nice little entrée to what Louis offers - I'm keen to return, hungrier, in the future.

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Most reviews of Louis seem to be freebies from 2018-2019, before the cafe was vegetarian, e.g. WHATEPIEATS, Suzie Scribbles, THEYCALLMEMAGGIE, Linnie Eats All The Food and A Chronicle of Gastronomy.

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Louis

93 Moor St, Fitzroy

9427 2423

menu

https://www.cafelouis.com.au/

Accessibility: Louis has a flat, wide entry. Furniture (low tables, chairs with backs, and benches) is variously spaced across the cafe. I ordered and paid at a low counter (see left side of top photo). Toilets are narrow, ungendered cubicles with a single shared basin. 

Brother Bon II

December 15, 2021

   

Throughout 2020 and 2021 we've been enjoying meals from Brother Bon in our home. They're one of the few restaurants that co-ordinated their own deliveries, and we could always plan out a delicious set of vegan dishes that would extend beyond dinner to a leftover lunch or two. Dark, locked-down nights with boxed foods don't make for the best photographs, so I didn't blog these meals.

The photos within this post aren't my best, either, but I just can't hold off any longer because Brother Bon now serves my favourite ever fish'n'chips!    

   

I ordered this once or twice as a delivery, and I just knew its texture would be even better when I had the opportunity to eat it straight from kitchen to table in the restaurant ($24.90). The vegan fish substitute is banana blossom, which is lighter and flakier than most of the gluten-based mock fishes I've known. The Brother Bon chefs apply a spice rub to the banana blossom before battering and frying it to a dark golden crisp.

   

Both the battered mock-fish and the accompanying chips have unusually good seasonings. I also appreciate that this meal comes with some side salad, mushy peas, tartare sauce and a wedge of lemon to break up the deep-fry-fest. I shared some of my fish around the table and boxed up half of the chips to take home.

   

While I was revelling in an all-time favourite meal, Michael had a very enjoyable Char Kway Teow ($22.50), choosing mock-chicken from the six (!) protein options on offer.

The Brother Bon team have made gradual improvements to their restaurant setting over the years - what once felt a bit like a food court is now more subtly lit and relaxed. The service is excellent, and the menu only seems to get better too. I'm hoping we have many more opportunities to eat in at Brother Bon in 2022.

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You can read about my first visit to Brother Bon here.

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Brother Bon

377-379 High St, Northcote

9077 1335

menu page 1, 2

https://www.brotherbon.com.au/

Accessibility: The front door is very wide and slides, floors are flat and tables are moderately spaced. We ordered at our table and paid at a low-ish counter. We haven't visited the toilets, but I previously spotted a disability-labelled unisex toilet down a wide corridor at the back of the building.

Staple II

Update 12/06/2023: Staple is now closed, but the team are now involved with Croixssant.

December 12, 2021

   

We had a glorious weekend away at the beach mid-December, and the trip home took us through the western suburbs so we swung in to Staple for lunch. Pandemic rules had loosened a little since our last visit, so there was more seating available indoors, and staff remained diligent in their safety practices.

   

The menu had shortened from the four pages we last saw to a still-extensive two pages of bagels, burgers, toasties and specials. Arriving late and hungry, we were easily talked into meal deals with thick herb-sprinkled chips and a softdrink on the side (+$6). Michael chose the Terrie duckie ($16) from the list of toasties and received a neatly packed sandwich of thick-cut bread stuffed with mock-duck, scrambled tofu and mock-cheese, with generous squeezes of teriyaki sauce and mayo, and a garnish of nori strips and sesame seeds.  

   

I had an unexpectedly green-bunned Colonel burger ($17). This was very similar in style and quality to my beloved Origin Tales Zinger Tower, with a thick mock-chicken patty in an ultra-crisp batter, mock-bacon, cheese, lettuce, pickles and mayo.

   

I could barely finish my meal but Michael couldn't resist the 6-for-$15 doughnuts, which we gradually worked through over the following days. My fave was the chocolate-topped one stuffed with a peanut butter cream.

We've since heard a rumour that Staple are closing up their Altona North premises this week and intend to open up something new in the CBD. We'll be keeping a close eye on their socials for news of that in the new year - they're a lovely crew, and they make such fun vegan food!

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You can read about our first visit to Staple here.

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Staple

37 Cabot Drive, Altona North

0493 102 414

all day menu 1, 2

https://staplefood.co/

Accessibility: Staple has a narrow door and flat entry. Indoor furniture was well spaced. We ordered and paid at a low counter. Michael used a unisex toilet that was reasonably spacious (but didn't include handrails or other features) and was located upstairs.

The Carringbush Hotel II

Edit 30/01/2025: The Carringbush Hotel has now closed.

December 5, 2021

   

Our one regular social connection throughout the locked-down months of 2020 and 2021 has been doing the Saturday Age quiz on Zoom with friends. It's lovely, now, to have the opportunity to share a meal with them in person. The all-vegetarian Carringbush Hotel was an ideal location for our mostly-veg*n group.

The menu has unsurprisingly changed since our last visit (most likely for book club or a pub trivia night last summer), but it hits similar beats. It's mostly vegan, with gluten-free and nut-free options well marked. There are fried nibbly things, hearty pub style meals, salads that sound like full, delicious meals, and a couple of desserts. It really was tough to choose what to order!

   

Michael and I shared the dumplings as a starter ($14, pictured top). They're now served fried, with a mango lime coriander dipping sauce. We loved the super-savoury mock-pork and mushroom filling, and appreciated the green papaya side salad.

Michael also took on the deep fried tofu burger ($24, pictured above). It's a challenge to wrap your mouth around, and gets most of its flavour from a great burger sauce. 

   

I was curious to try their riff on a vegan sausage roll ($12). It's a generous portion with lovely, flaky pastry. The interior is dotted with lentils and a bit mushier than I prefer (there might be only one true vegan sausy for me). Again, The Carringbush went the extra mile with a lovely side salad to balance the plate. (And don't worry - there's abundant tomato and hot sauces available to squelch on top.)

The Carringbush sets a very high standard for veg*n pub dining - I hope we'll be able to ease back into regular attendance there in 2022.

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You can read about our first visit to the Carringbush here. It has also won favour on Green Gourmet Giraffe and I Spy Plum Pie.

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The Carringbush Hotel

226-228 Langridge St, Abbotsford

9191 0149

menu front, menu back

https://www.carringbushhotel.com/

Accessibility: There's a small step on entry. We ordered and paid at a high bar. Furniture is medium-to-densely spaced, and mostly low tables and chairs with backs. Toilets are gendered, with slightly wider than average cubicles, but we didn't notice any additional features such as handrails.

Miso caramel cake

December 4, 2021 

   

When Soon-Tzu Speechley tweeted about this cake last month, I googled around for the recipe and kept a tab open. I'd not heard of its creator, Sybil Kapoor, before but she's a well-established chef and food writer in the UK. It took a few weeks before I had the right moment to make her cake, but I'm very glad I did.

The main event here is white miso. It's stirred into a rich caramel sauce, and the sauce is beaten into a buttercream. That buttercream gets slathered all over a plain vanilla butter cake. The entire experience is very buttery!

A few cooking notes: I think the caramel sauce recipe makes almost exactly double the quantity needed for the buttercream, so halve it if you like. I'm actually looking forward to slathering the leftover caramel on icecream later on. Second, I baked all of the cake mixture in one tin because I don't have two matching ones. I gave it lots of extra time and it passed the skewer test when I took it out, but I could see it was still a bit wobbly in the centre and that section collapsed as it cooled (you can see how thick the buttercream is, to compensate, in the photo above). I'll bake the cake longer still next time. Third, I could have put a bit more buttercream between the layers, because there was plenty to cover the top and sides (I'm pretty inexperienced icing cake sides!).

If there is a teeny downside to this cake, it's that you don't get to experience a warm, soft, fresh-from-the-oven piece. Rather, the buttercream sets in the fridge and the cake becomes firm. This texture reminds me a bit of birthday cake, and is its own pleasure.

Miso caramel cake

(a recipe by Sybil Kapoor, available via House & Garden UK)

miso caramel sauce (approx double the quantity needed for the cake)

250 g caster sugar

4 tablespoons cold water

2 tablespoons golden syrup

150 mL double cream

70 g butter, diced

1 teaspoon lemon juice

4 tablespoons white miso 

sponge cake

225 g butter, at room temperature

225 g caster sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

225g plain flour

1 scant tablespoon baking powder

miso caramel icing

1 cup miso caramel sauce

280 g butter, at room temperature

70 g icing sugar

Make the miso caramel first. Place the sugar, water and golden syrup into a medium saucepan and set them over low heat. Swirl the pan occasionally, until the sugar is melted. Increase the heat and and bring the mixture to the boil, continuing to boil until the mixture turns golden brown and ultimately dark brown. Take the saucepan off the heat and whisk in the cream, then the diced butter, and finally the lemon juice. Allow the caramel to mostly cool before beating in the miso paste. Set the caramel aside.

Next, bake the sponge cake. Preheat an oven to 160°C. Line one or two matching round cake tins with baking paper, and lightly spray them with oil. Beat the butter in a large bowl until fluffy, then beat in the sugar. Beat in the vanilla, and then the eggs, one at a time. Sift over the flour and baking powder and mix until well combined. Pour the cake batter into the cake tin(s), smooth over the top, and bake until risen, golden brown, and springing back when lightly pressed. Kapoor recommends 25 minutes for two cakes, and my one cake was still a bit underdone in the centre after 40 minutes (50 might have been better). Allow the cake to cool completely.

Finally, prepare the icing. Beat together the caramel sauce and butter. Sift in the icing sugar and beat the mixture until fluffy and very smooth. If you have one cake, slice it gently through the centre to create two layers; if you have two cakes then you have two layers ready to go. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread it with no more than a quarter of the icing. Top it with the second cake layer. Spread the top and sides of the cake with the remaining icing. Make it as smooth or swirly as you like, but aim to properly seal all of the cake away with icing. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before serving.