There’s a new vegan restaurant in town! Such excitement.Here are some deets:

The Details

Location: Shop 1, 210 Hutt Street, Adelaide

Phone: 82150013 or 0429 035 004

Bookings: Probably a good idea! Everyone’s getting on it.

Facebook: Click here to visit the Pure Green Vegan Restaurant Facebook page and check for opening times.

Atmosphere

So, before I get to the food (ie ‘The Important Bit’)  let’s talk atmosphere:

Those amongst us who are veterans of the vegan dining scene most likely aren’t expectant of the bright and refreshing newness that Pure Green Vegan provides. While shiny ‘just out of the box’ Stanley Rogers cutlery isn’t necessarily a benchmark for fanciness, the tables greet you with placemats in warm reds and yellows, as of yet free from the wear of overuse, decorative coasters, and are set to accommodate an entire three course meal, an experience which is new to me as of yet amongst Adelaide’s vegan eateries. Not that I would make the faux pas of rejecting the beauty of up-cycling, it was just ‘different in a good way’.

 

The dining area, located at the top of the staircase, is well decorated with an eclectic mix of Asian-inspired and modern artworks. As such, it reflects the menu quite nicely. I was quite tickled to enjoy my meal under the watchful eye of a very friendly looking metal giraffe.

Overall, the atmosphere is a friendly one. You want to stay and eat. You want to please the smiling genial staff who are tripping over themselves to make you happy. So you are shown to your seat, provided with water promptly, handed a menu and prepare to order your feast.

This particular occasion was my second visit to Pure Green Vegan. Last time I had ordered the gnocchi in pea purée. Unfortunately, I didn’t take a photo of that, but do not despair because it was a wonderful new dish for me to experience and I can almost guarantee I will order it again in the future so I can share it with you.

So, let’s start eating!

Drinks

So far as I know, Pure Green Vegan may be the first fully licensed vegan restaurant in Adelaide. The drinks menu consists of an assortment of vegan beers and wines. This time around I chose a Coopers Premium Light. It arrived at the table quick-smart, and it looked pretty snazzy. My dining buddy ordered the Wild Fox Rosé, which I know to also be quite delightful (this was my drink of choice on my last visit).

Entrée

For entrée, Cecilia and myself both ordered the ‘Pakoras’:

Pakoras – Wonderful Fritters made from fresh seasonal vegetables, a beautifully spiced Batter and deep fried till crisp, and served with our Chef’s own sweet and spicy Tomato Sauce $12                 

Apologies in advance for having tucked in before remembering to take a photo. You will get two fritters, as opposed to one and a half…

There were several very strong points about this dish. I could identify multiple different vegetables in the mix for a start; no “quick, chuck some potato in and hope they don’t notice!” malarkey going on here. The batter was light and not applied in a heavy handed manner. I was also very much in love with the sweet and spicy tomato sauce. There were some small pieces of actual tomato in there, and the flavour was very refreshing, giving it a delightful homemade feel.

Main

For the main part of the meal, I chose the ‘Thai Stir Fried Vegetables’:

Thai Stir Fried Vegetables – Seasoned vegetables tossed in a wok with our Chef’s own Combination of sauces and spices, served with rice makes this a lovely lunch     $12                                                

I very much enjoy Thai flavours and this dish was no exception. I’m using this word too often in this review, but it was again refreshing. The sauce was light but full flavoured. I appreciated the liberal addition of coriander leaf into the stir fry, as it is one of my favourite herbs and I tend to be fairly heavy handed with it in my own cooking. My only complaint is that the rice was a bit dry, but admittedly, I like my rice a little overcooked.

Cecilia ordered the Tex Mex Quinoa Chilli ($22.00) and was quite impressed with the use of quinoa in this manner. Here’s a pic I snapped sneakily while she was distracted by the garlic bread ($5.00 I think).

Dessert

Oh wow. We’re almost done already. For dessert, I thoroughly enjoyed a ‘Tapioca Pudding’:

Tapioca Pudding – A beautiful Pudding with the flavours of Coconut and Tahitian Limes Topped with Macadamia Praline makes this dessert our Chef’s Favourite $11

Well my friends, the Chef sure knows how to pick a favourite! Crunchy praline complements the taste of nutty macadamias, paired exquisitely with warm, creamy tapioca pudding and just a subtle hint of lime. Such balance. This was simply divine! I had to concentrate really hard not to just inhale it straight out of the cute little glass.

Conclusion

While the prices are just slightly higher than some of the other vegan fare around, the experience is definitely worth it. Visit Pure Green Vegan’s Facebook page to peruse their menu in advance. Go try it once, I guarantee it won’t be the only time!