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It’s a full moon … you know what that means (hint: it has nothing to do with werewolves), The Pudding Shop in Parktown North is opening up for dinner! Nicole, our Joburg.co.za guest blogger, is going to give you a taste of what to expect from their next full moon feast – so get ready to challenge your definition of the term, vegan!
I have a confession (I know I confess a lot of things – if you don’t know about my previous one, please see my review on the Pestaurant) – I love to eat meat, and it’s not something I often do without. So when I heard that well-known vegan restaurant – The Pudding Shop – would be opening its doors for dinner (it usually only opens for breakfast and lunch during the week), I was both incredibly intrigued and slightly apprehensive. Needless to say, my view on veganism would be tested.
I asked my fiancé Brenden to accompany me to the restaurant. The entrance itself makes you feel like you’ve found a hidden gem – it’s tucked away behind a flurry of bushes, almost like a path that’s out of the way. The vibe of the venue is easy and intimate, and the décor is earthy – think natural, dim lighting, lots of green and brown … almost like bringing the outdoors indoors. There’s also an amazing fireplace to keep you toasty warm while you enjoy your dinner!
For the starters, Brenden decided to try out the Pumpkin soup drizzled with olive oil and peanut brittle crumble (R55) and I had the Tartare of cucumber, red onion, tomato, avocado, and smoked salmon, served with biscotti (R75). My starter was earthy – think fresh, green and light, in contrast to the soup which was warm, hearty and full of flavor – Brenden said the taste of the peanuts was appetizingly evident.
For the main course, I opted for the Autumn lasagna with roast beets, roast butternut, wilted spinach and a light tomato béchamel (R105) while Brenden went with the Spicy Malay curry of seasonal winter vegetables, served with coriander scented rice (R95). The curry was spicy, but not something that you would struggle to eat (and the aroma was amazing). With the lasagna, there was a strong emphasis on the beets and the meal itself was extremely filling.
The desserts are made daily so they differ. Brenden and I decided to share the Bread and butter pudding – the taste was different and sweet, and the vegan cream was definitely something worth trying. Prices for the desserts range between R24 and R45.
All in all, the food was colourful and full of flavor, and the experience itself was definitely something I would consider trying again (though I won’t give up my meat just yet). If this sounds like something you’d like to experience, the next full moon dinner at The Pudding Shop is on Friday, 3 July 2015, and the one after that is on Friday, 31 July 2015.
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