high tech burrito ii: adventures in substitution

I've blogged previously about High Tech Burrito in Glenferrie and, embarrassingly, that review is actually up on the front window at High-Tech, above a giant sign calling for the attention of vegans and vegetarians: all their burritos can be made vegan or vegetarian.

My most recent forays to High-Tech have been an expedition to find out how well these meaty burritos translate to vegan.



My first modified burrito was, on recommendation from the counterhand, the Thai Chicken burrito, subbed with tofu and with no cream. This burrito, served in a tomato flavoured tortilla, was amazing. The curry had a great flavour, and was a little spicy, and I loved it. It was just like eating a red curry from the local Thai restaurant, but in a burrito. I definitely want to eat this again.



Also on this visit, I once again sampled the salsa and cornchips, mostly because I think one particular lunch companion, who ordered them, is obsessed with them. The chips are made on the premises, and there's something about them that is totally delicious.



My second burrito attempt was the Yellow Curry Shrimp, with veggies and tofu subbed in. This was okay, but nothing exciting. The curry flavour was a bit mild and the vegetables didn't really suit it. Probably won't try this one again.

Also on this visit, I discovered that people who work on Glenferrie Road get a discount! And also that there's a special, cheaper menu for students.

I'm so pleased with this whole substitution thing, and am definitely looking forward to future visits where I explore these options more.

GF options are available

High-Tech Burrito
838 Glenferrie Road
Hawthorn

plush pizza vi

It has been a long time between visits for me to Plush Pizza, about five or six months. I went there twice recently, and as I gazed upon the menu I realised I had never, in all my visits, tried the margharita pizza!



It was good, but nowhere near a favourite, and I will be honest I picked most of the greenery off, and found that the garlic was a bit overwhelming. And with the owners selling, at this point no one knows if it will continue as an amazing vegetarian eatery, or change in to omni hands, so for now I will continue stuffing as much satay pizza in to my mouth as possible.




Previous visits: one, two, three, four, five.


Plush Pizza
85 Burwood Road
Hawthorn

GF options (including bases) available

dangerously close cupcakes at cupcake central, hawthorn

Recently, due to a random conflation of circumstances, I started drinking coffee.

Also recently, as I blogged about previously, Cupcake Central opened near my office, and sells at least one type of vegan cupcake a day.

So every now and then, I drop by to pick up a coffee and/or a cupcake. They've got bonsoy going on, too, which is just the best.

I'm trying to restrict myself to one cupcake a week, but I will be honest, some weeks you just need more than one, and this was one of those weeks.



Monday I picked up a soy latte and a peanut butter and chocolate gluten-free and vegan cupcake. I took a mug from the office kitchen, because I don't have a keep cup, and they were a bit confused about me having a mug! But that was fine, and then it rained in my coffee on the way back to the office.

Fi has a post (to which I can't link, as LJ appears to be down) about the chocolate peanut butter cupcake, and how it was nothing special. I absolutely must disagree. I thought the peanut butter to chocolate ratio was just perfect, and the icing complemented it wonderfully. To work out who is right, and decide which cupcake is better (the peanut butter chocolate or the red velvet), we have decided that we have to adjourn to Cupcake Central and sample them both at the same time; however to do this Cupcake Central would have to make them both on the same day. Maybe if more people eat vegan cupcakes they will do this?



Last night I had to go to a work thing until 2030, so I allowed myself a consoling late afternoon cupcake (and then, later, a cone of poutine from Lord of the Fries). Available was the chocolate chocolate (gf), which is a good, serviceable cupcake.

I am really enjoying having Cupcake Central so close: I just wish they'd bake more than one vegan flavour per day, so I could have a choice!



previous visit.


Cupcake Central
Shop 7, 672
Glenferrie Road
Hawthorn

cupcake central, hawthorn

(please note: this post contains blurry photos)

On Thursday, I found out that this new cupcake place, recently opened near my office, sells a vegan cupcake! I wasn't at work again last week, so I then spent the whole weekend watching as what seemed like everyone in the world adventured over to try this vegan cupcake! My jealousy grew.

So today, even though we were full from our spud lunch, Emilly and I ventured through the rain for cupcakes.

There is only one vegan cupcake currently available at Cupcake Central: the red velvet cupcake.


i know it's blurry icing - it's focused on the cake!

I have never had a red velvet cupcake before, though I know that many people love them, so I can't really compare it to that. It was nice. I had been warned that it was a bit dry, but the icing helped with that, as I sort of mushed it in to the cake.

Speaking of mushy, whilst I try to open my mouth wide in order to fit the whole cake, icing and all, into my mouth, here is what Fi does:



SHE SQUISHES IT.

The cupcake was good, though it could be more flavoursome, but at $3.80 a cupcake, probably only an irregular treat. Which is good, as it's right beside the train station and I'd have to walk by it EVERY DAY.

I'm thinking of baking my own red velvet cupcakes so I have something with which to compare it.

Cupcake Central
Shop 7, 672
Glenferrie Road
Hawthorn

gujarati, hawthorn

My preference, when I'm at work, is to bring something from home, leftovers from the night before or something. But sometimes that's not possible, and at those times it's handy that there are some possibilities around. I've tried Penang Coffee House (not good enough for a repeat), and High Tech Burrito (totally delicious). But my favourite might well be Gujju's Cafe and Chaat House, which is nearly the closest restaurant to my office.

For $5 I can grab two curries from the bain marie and some rice, and this is sufficient for a filling lunch. On the day of this photo there were four totally vegan options; I went for a yellow dahl and a cauliflower and potato curry.

Cheap and easy and delicious!

There is also Gujarati Rasoi around the corner from Gujju's; it is also vegetarian and apparently cheap and delicious, and I plan to give it a go soon!


Gujju's Cafe & Chaat House
424 Burwood Road
Hawthorn East

penang coffee house, hawthorn

I plugged toy camera (an IXUS 55) in to download some photos, only to discover there's photos on there from a month ago! Early in May we adventured over to Hawthorn not, as we usually would, for Plush Pizza, but to try out the noms at the Penang Coffee House on Burwood Road.

I had been really looking forward to this. I'd heard it was cheap, and that there was vegan laksa available, and I am still on my quest for a good restaurant laksa suitable for vegans here in Melbourne. If you have any recs, please share them with me!

Anyway, Penang noms. Oh Penang, love of my heart, with your hawker foods and your strong Hokkien influence and your delicious fun times.

At Penang Coffee House, I found and located the laksa, and refused to share.



It was not that great. I mean, it was a perfectly serviceable noodle soup, but it was a bit bland, and not at all spicy. The noodles, curry and tofu that Danni and Jo shared were much better. The sayor loday had a rich flavour, and the stuffed tofus were fresh and delicious, and the noodles (I think a mee goreng) were tasty but a bit lacking in wok hei.



Despite my laksa disappointment, I would give Penang Coffee House another go; in fact, I plan to order takeaway tomorrow.

ETA: well, I am eating my lunch now, and I just remembered another thing I didn't like about Penang Coffee House: THERE IS PINEAPPLE IN MY NOODLES. I'm out.

Penang Coffee House
549 Burwood Rd
Hawthorn

vegan muffins at haddon's cafe bar, hawthorn

Something that may result in me spending lots of money has happened.



I've discovered that a cafe quite near to my office sells AT LEAST THREE different types of vegan muffin, every week day.

Pictured here is the carrot and sultana, which was light and fluffy and delicious, and due its size, not bad money-wise.

There was also a fruit cake sort of thing (that my colleagues keep refering to as a lumberjake cake), and an orange looking thing.

I have run out of fruit and lunch is still two hours away. Can I resist the lure? Well, I guess we'll find out.

(I'm pretty hungry)

I understand the coffee is not bad, too, if you're in to that sort of thing.

Haddons Cafe Bar
Serppels Lane
inside the Swinburne University campus, near the Engineering Building
Burwood Road
Hawthorn

plush pizza v, hawthorn

Saturday night saw us back at Plush Pizza, introducing Christine to the greatest vegan pizza that Melbourne has to offer.



We went for the satay pizza, the tom yum pizza, the ben special, and a garlic pizza. OH YEAH. This was, however, a little bit too much food for us - three larges and a medium between four people (Jo came too), as it turns out, is too much to eat in one sitting. But we took it home, so that's okay!



Previous visits: one, two, three, four.


Plush Pizza
85 Burwood Road
Hawthorn

GF options (including bases) available

plush pizza iv, hawthorn

We've actually got plans to go to Plush Pizza tomorrow night for dinner, so I thought I'd better blog this before I get too far behind.



Continuing in our campaign to try every pizza on the plush menu, our last visit featured the Aztec (mozzarella, a mild chilli mix containing mixed beans, red onion and capsicum, sliced roma tomato and a sprinkle of cheddar. Garnished with and slices of fresh avocado) and the Potato Swoon, which tasted like eating potato gems on a pizza (something to which I am not adverse...).

The Aztec was very delicious. I'm finding that I'm really enjoying pizzas with mushy, heavy, saucy toppings. This had a little tiny bit of spice, and the avocado went on afterwards, giving a cold contrast to the spicy beans. Really good! Definitely a competitor for the top pizza.

The potato was good as well, I hadn't envisaged something like potato gems (rather than potato slices), so that was cool.

Previous visits: one, two, three.


Plush Pizza
85 Burwood Road
Hawthorn

GF options (including bases) available

high tech burrito, hawthorn

I have got to go to less restaurants for a bit! I know, I know. And I have stopped! In my defense, a) ate this two weeks ago, and b) am feeling a bit unwell so want to make an easy post!

After you bookmark this post, and then try this burrito, you will thank me for it!


disclaimer: burrito pictured belonged to Danni, some weeks before I visited

High Tech Burrito is just down the road from my office! Usually I try to take leftovers for lunch, but after all the hanging with parents and stuff this wasn't really possible, so I went to High Tech Burrito.

They have a range of things (mostly burritos), and you can mix and match and they know what vegan means! Tofu can be swapped in to replace any meat. Under pressure, I went for the California, which had lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo, black beans, brown rice and salsa. It was delicious!

It is a little bit of a hike from my office (ten minutes walk) but it is worth it. Will nom again!

I am not sure about their gf status!

High Tech Burrito
838 Glenferrie Road
Hawthorn

plush pizza iii, hawthorn

I keep forgetting to blog about our most recent visit to Plush Pizza!



This was Tuesday last week, after my parents and my sister went back to Perth. I was not feeling well, and considered suggesting that some errant family member had left me with a cold!

So anyway, as I wasn't feeling very well we only shared one large and one small pizza between the three of us. We picked the primavera pizza for the large, and (OF COURSE) the garlic for the small.

The primavera was okay, but nothing special. A perfectly servicable pizza, but if I'm going to go to a vegetarian pizza place I don't really want pizza that I can get at any old pizza place.

Still want to try the chunky and the aztec. And some other things.

Previous visits: one, two.


Plush Pizza
85 Burwood Road
Hawthorn

GF options (including bases) available

plush pizza ii, hawthorn

We only went to Plush Pizza two weeks ago, and it's on the other side of the city, but last night we were in the mood for pizza and didn't want Mr Natural, we didn't want to drive to Eat Pizza, so we rang Jo to see if she was doing anything and trekked right on back to Hawthorn.

Jo, having tried all but three of the pizzas on the menu, insisted that Danni and I pick different pizzas from our previous visit.



I didn't hesitate before ordering the Tom Yum Pizza. It was totally worth it! From the menu: Mozzarella, button mushrooms, red onion, capsicum, sliced roma tomato, fried tofu and Thai tom-yum sauce. Garnished with fresh coriander. It wasn't quite like eating tom yum on a pizza but it was very delicious! A++ will order again. And I really enjoyed the fresh coriander on top, which is a big thing for me!



Next up, the Verdi, one of the three that Jo had not previously tried. This was okay. Jo and I liked it well enough, but wouldn't be clamouring to order it again. Danni on the other hand, loved it. From the menu: Mozzarella, pesto, semi-sundried tomato, roasted capsicum, rocket leaves, olives and fried tofu. The pesto was tasty, but the rocket was shriveled and dried from its time in the oven, and I didn't enjoy its crispiness.



Both times we've been now, I've ordered a small garlic pizza, in lieu of actual garlic bread. It's pretty good! Dry and crisp and garlicy, it's delicious!

Plush Pizza
85 Burwood Road
Hawthorn

GF options (including bases) available

plush pizza, hawthorn

We've had some terrible to excellent experiences in pizza since we went vegan, but I will be honest - all of those experiences were at home, rather than at a store. I think that our recent pizzas of awesome are a testament to that. We just hadn't had a fantastical, amazing pizza from a pizza shop.



That changed on Saturday, when we ventured over to Plush Pizza with Jo.

It was amazing. AMAZING. Featured here is the Satay Pizza (because penguins love pizza) and, at Jo's insistence, the Ben's Special. Not featured is the garlic pizza I ordered in lieu of garlic bread.

The satay pizza featured fried tofu, red onion, mushrooms, and roast zucchini with a satay sauce. It was fantastic. I would have eaten it all by myself, not sharing it, if I could have. I really want to eat it again. A lot.



The Ben's Special was surprisingly tasty. It had balsamic vinegar, which is an instant face pull for me, I find it an unpleasant addition to just about anything. So it was to my surprise that rather than being defeated by a pizza featuring balsamic vinegar, I found it blended really well with the avocado, tomato, mushrooms and mozzarella.

The prices at Plush Pizza are a little on the expensive side, but it is definitely worth it for an amazing vegan pizza. And the venue is cosy but friendly, with comfy seating and some nice looking mirrors. And postcards. And it comes recommended by others!




Plush Pizza
85 Burwood Road
Hawthorn

GF options (including bases) available

glenferrie hotel, hawthorn

The only pub I've been to since we moved to Melbourne is the EBC. This seems a bit ridiculous, I know. I did go to the Workers once for a craft fair, I picked up the greatest necklace ever for Danni, and some awesome vintage scarfs.

So I got to try out the Glenferrie Hotel for the Christmas party. There was one thing on the menu I could eat without modification, and since I was in a pasta mood I decided to go for it. Just a plain pasta with mushrooms, but the addition of caramelised red onion in the sauce gave it a depth that meant I scooped up all of the sauce at the end.



Nothing special, but a perfectly serviceable meal (and alcohol paid for by the company).

Glenferrie Hotel
324 Burwood Road
Hawthorn