Kingsland Restaurant, Dickson (part 2)

Kingsland restaurant changed hands in recent years and this is one of the new choices that appeared on the menu. The eggplant and tofu is suffused with basil and a hint of chilli. It is one of the best dishes on the menu - try it and we think you will agree.

See also the review from our previous visit .

Kingsland Restaurant - Healthy Vegan Cuisine
Shop 5 Dickson Plaza, 67-69 Woolley Street, Dickson
Ph: 6262 9350

Abell's Kopi Tiam, Manuka

The few vegan dishes available at Abell’s Kopi Tiam in Furneaux St, Manuka are well worth the visit. The tofu and eggplant is divine, but you will need to ask for the vegan version, which is made with a black bean sauce—just so delicious.

Edit: last time we went here we got some conflicting information about the vegan status of various dishes. Confirm vegan status of each dish carefully with the wait staff.

Vegan mee goreng (with flat rice noodle instead of wheat noodle)

Tofu and eggplant in black bean sauce

Au Lac Gourmet Vegetarian Restaurant, Dickson

Au Lac restaurant in Dickson forms something of a pair with Kingsland restaurant since they both specialise in Asian-style vegetarian, though Au Lac tends towards Vietnamese flavours. It seems that everyone has an opinion as to which restaurant they prefer, so you might as well have one too.

The royal noodle soup (below) is a popular dish that comes with a plate of fresh herbs. There are some mock meats used, and it is quite salty, but we enjoy a bit of salt every now and then. If you need to avoid gluten however, the choices in Au Lac are not clearly stated.

Royal noodle soup

Shredded tofu rolls

Perfect Bean Cafe, Florey

Edit: sadly, the Perfect Bean Cafe is now closed.

The Perfect Bean Cafe is located at the Florey shopping centre. What makes this cafe different is that they have made an effort to cater to vegans and those who are gluten-free. These items are clearly marked on the menu. The decor is pleasant and the coffee (with soy milk) is good. This vegan burger had a patty made from beans, and really hit the spot one weekend at lunch time.
 

Vegan burger

Fekerte's Ethiopian Cuisine, Dickson

Update: Fekerte's in Dickson has now closed, however they still have a presence in the food court of the Kingston Old Bus Depot markets.

There are some delicious vegan offerings at Fekerte’s Ethiopian Cuisine, Cape St, Dickson. In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, members follow a strict vegan diet on Wednesdays and Fridays each week and daily in the lead up to Easter, so there's a good range of vegan dishes in Ethiopian cuisine. All mains are served with enjera—a spongy, slightly sour but scrumptious flatbread, and rice. 

Beetroot salad

Mixed plate – spiced lentils and vegetable curry

Lightly spiced pumpkin curry

Kingsland Restaurant, Dickson

Kingsland is the only completely vegan restaurant in Canberra. There is a huge choice of Asian-style dishes with creative use of vegetables, tofu and mock meats. The taste of meat is a distant memory for us, but thankfully, the mock meat doesn't quite mirror that taste. Most of the time you can just forget that it is supposed to represent an animal body part and enjoy it as the food as it is.

Anyway, we prefer the tofu dishes and there are plenty of those to choose from. The stir fried lemongrass tofu (pictured below) is a tasty dish to be savoured.

There is free tea on arrival, the staff are very friendly, and prices are affordable. There are lots of gluten free options, clearly marked on the menu.

The nest

Rice paper rolls

Stir fried lemongrass tofu

Satis Cafe, Watson

Update: Satis is no longer a meat-free establishment as of May 2014. We hope that Satis customers will continue to open their hearts and minds to the daily suffering of animals raised and slaughtered for human consumption. Please choose the vegan options on the menu.

Satis Vegetarian Cafe is tucked away in one corner of the Watson shops. It has a cosy and rustic feel and is often quite busy. You can also walk through to a lovely leafy covered courtyard at the back.

There are a few vegan options, and this is one from the lunch menu. Technically there was nothing melted on this "melt" but the tofu tasted great, and the salad, sprinkled with spices and pumpkin seeds, was delicious.

Gluten free options are also available.

Tofu "melt" and salad. Yum!