Monk Bodhi Dharma - Balaclava

At the risk of being accused of geographical prejudice, I decided to check out some of what the south side of town has to offer us Melbourne vegetarian types. After some brief consultations I got the word: Monk Bodhi Dharma is where it's at, so it's where I headed.

Firstly, the location is just COOL, plain and simple. Located in an old red-brick bakehouse nestled in at the rear of 202 Carlisle Street, it is one of a number of enticing foodie joints that has appeared in the fairly recent revolution of this strip, as more and more bohemian hole in the wall coffee shops, eateries and bars are popping up. And what's more - as hard as it is for a northerner to admit it - there is decidedly less of a feeling of pretension in Balaclava than at many of Fitzroy's Brunswick street establishments.

So, what to say about the Monk? Communal dining tables have been a motif of several of the nearby establishments I've been to, and the Monk holds up its end of the bargain on this front. A long, communal workbench-cum-dining table faces the counter, with several scattered private tables for those Green-conscious amongst us who wish to impress on a 1st, 2nd, or even 4th date (never the 3rd!). The all-day breakfast/lunch menu is entirely vegetarian, and majority vegan and gluten free - the Friday night dinner menu is completely vegan/gluten free, and most lunch meals can be adapted on request - and each meal is made from scratch. Sure, it means you may have to wait a few minutes more, but believe me, it's worth it!

The menu spoils you for choice. On this occasion I consulted the specials board and went for the warm vermicelli noodle salad, served with mushrooms, nuts, cherry tomatoes, iceberg lettuce and celery in a luxurious herb, chili and coconut milk dressing ($16.50). It was an absolutely mountainous dish, and was spot on. Not since dining out on street-food in Thailand have I tasted such a lively, invigorating noodle dish - the cherry tomatoes were literally bursting with flavour - and the plus being that, unlike in Thailand, there is NO doubt in my mind that the cook at Monk did not sneak a little fish sauce in under my nose. Whilst only open for breakfast and lunch - except for Friday dinners - this serve, complimented with a delicately flavoured cup of chai, was easily enough to be my meal of the day. 

Oddly enough, perhaps what Monk Bodhi Dharma is most renowned for is its coffee - it's full title is Monk Bodhi Dharma Specialty Coffee and Roastery - which, as someone for whom coffee is an extreme rarity, I didn't try on this occasion. However, if they put as much care into it as they do their food, chai and customer service, it would not surprise me if it got some of you northerner coffee junkies hooked on a regular junket south of the river. I know I can't wait until my next visit on a 1st, 2nd or 4th date (never the 3rd!).

5/5

Trippy Taco - Fitzroy review

So, if you have yet to hear about Trippy Taco, allow me to quote Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from Full Metal Jacket: "What is your major malfunction?!"

But enough of that. Trippy Taco is, as the name suggests, a taco joint on Gertrude street, Fitzroy, offering a take on Mexican street food. And the best part? It is almost entirely vegetarian! I say 'almost', as there has never been any hiding the fact at TT (as those of us in the borough call it) that they use animal rennet cheese. However, on my most recent visit, I discovered that they now offer you the choice of rennet or rennet-free cheese. Or for the more timid vegos amongst us, you can avoid that whole minefield by coughing up an extra 50c for soy cheese instead.

So, to the food. There's the standard mix of Mexicana: burritos, tacos, quesadillas, taquitos, and nachos; as well as a range of mexican beers (sol, corona, dos equis, pacifico, negra modelo, modelo especial), sangria and margaritas in the drinks department.

On this occasion, myself and my companion endeavoured to take a cross-section of what was on offer, starting with the highly regarded Trippy Fries - a basket of shoestring fries served with house seasoning, and the option of sour cream on top. I think it's pretty difficult to wow anyone with shoestring fries, and the results were no different at TT, but the seasoning added a bit of tang and the fries were certainly tasty enough. The real story is in the main event. I ordered a single tofu asada taco, and a regular nachos (both with soy cheese), whilst my companion went for the tofu asada burrito - which I proceeded to eat half of due to its comparable mass to the the guy who ordered it.
Now, I know it's not overly imaginative to both go for the tofu asada filling - not really the cross-section of the menu we had aspired to. Let me fill you in: the tofu asada consists of spicy grilled tofu, salsa, salad, avocado, and a fresh lime wedge to add as you go. Here's a little something you should know about me. I FROTH over fresh avocado and lime! So, really, there was no chance of me looking beyond the tofu asada, and it didn't disappoint. All the ingredients are freshly assembled and tasty enough, with no skimping on the avocado, which seems to be a thing at other taco joints, and the soy nachos proved a winning, cheesy counterpoint to the salady goodness of the taco and half-eaten burrito of my compadre. Possibly the only let-down is that the 'spicy grilled tofu' was lacking in spice. Also, if you have an allergy to hipsters, you best bring an epi-pen because this joint will send you into anaphylactic shock. Me personally, I don't mind the happy-go-lucky scamps. Nor do I mind Trippy Taco and its cheap, generous sized serves of cheesy, salady avocado and lime goodness.

4.5/5