There's a new VegeRama vegetarian restaurant recently opened in West End - diagonally opposite the Gun Shop Cafe and Roundabout Cafe. I recently went to the opening of the newest addition to the VegeRama brand a few weeks back - just before the big storms in Brisbane. It seems I'm frequenting this place a bit, as I also took my sister there a few days later, will be there for a friend's birthday on the weekend, and want to share the photos from my dinner there from last week.

It's great to have somewhere (finally) in Brisbane that I would class as a date-night restaurant. I know that my friends who drink alcohol have always wanted a place they can have vegan food with their vegan wine or beer. It's also really great to see the contrast between this new mainstream-friendly restaurant - especially when you compare the decor and quality of food to other vegan places in the area.

 

My good friend from NYC, Ethan Wolf was in Australia visiting his girlfriend Georgie from Fremantle, Western Australia. Luckily he also made his way across to the East Coast and I got to hang out with them both for an afternoon, night and the morning of my birthday. We went to early dinner last Wednesday night with one of their Sea Shepherd friends, Brett.

Ethan ordered the Samosas x 3 with peach chutney and fragrant Indian-style carrot salad AU$9:

Georgie ordered the Crispy Tostadas topped with spicy guacamole, corn and black bean salsa, shaved fennel, coriander and chilli threads AU$11:

The menu is not entirely vegan, but all you need to do is specify that your meal is to be vegan and alternative meal ingredients will be used. This also applies to gluten-free. There's 49 options on the menu!

The entrees and mains all came out around the same time. I ordered the Tempura battered zucchini flowers stuffed with lemon risotto on top of chilli ricotta served with celeriac, fennel and orange remoulade AU$20:

I'm not sure what the vegan substitute for the ricotta was. Quite a small meal.

Luckily Ethan ordered the VegeRama Burger with a spiced black bean patty, wholemeal bun, Japanese slaw and beetroot slices served with rustic potato fries and aioli AU$17:

 Brett ordered the Japanese Tensu stir-fry with snow peas, carrot, panko crumbed tofu and soba noodles AU$15:

 Georgie ordered the VegeRama green stir-fry with broccoli, capsicum, snake beans, kale and cashews with tempeh and brown rice AU$15:

 I'd had the same meal at the opening and I likened it to my favourite dish, Mostly Greens at VegieBar in Fitzroy, Melbourne.

Here's another photo - this time inside:

Ethan and I both ordered a vegan chocolate mousse each, which was really good. Consisting of black forest reduction, star anise poached cherries, and vegan white chocolate parfait AU$12:

Next time you want to impress someone, take them here. Next time you want to have vegan alcohol with a vegan meal, go here. Next time you want to show your non-veg friends that vegan restaurants are more than hippy hangouts with mock-meat meals, take them here. Probably see you there.

Check out the other locations, catering and cold press juice range.