Yes, let’s keep those summer vibes, shall we Melbourne? 🏝
Being different is weird. But being different is also PRETTY cool.
I think that being a pescitarian can be seen as something quite odd by many. Yes, why does a pescitarian eat a more plant based or a vegetarian diet but at the same time fish?! So, why not eat meat too since they are eating animals and animal products nonetheless?!
Well, by definition a Pescatarian is indeed a vegetarian who eat fish and shellfish, but not meat. It is also called pesco-vegetarian, a branch of vegetarianism.
There is many reasons why people want to be pescitarians and mostly it is to improve human health, protect the environment and spare farm animals from cruelty by reducing consumption of animal products. But, it is not an all-or-nothing approach.
This venue is located at Thornbury and not only is the exterior impressive and leave the curious eye keen to go inside, but actually they have an actual welcoming sign on the door that catches you attention even more and it is almost an unrefusable offer.
When I arrived I was promptly greeted and Matt, the owner, welcomed me is such a positive and kindhearted way. He is without a doubt a very easy going person and very very talented! And not only does he have a very modern, contemporary and warm venue portrayed by the pink and blue tones on the walls, but it is such an uplifting and relaxing athmosphere, that cleary reflects his waaaaaay more than cool personality.
One very interesting thing I noticed straight away was the cutlery. Now, I’m not a person that really cares about props and I’m definitely the opposite to materialist, but these gold spoons, forks and knives just capture anyone’s attention for sure. They are so SO delicate and elegant that they deserve to be highlighted here and I they give the place a royalty-worthy and chic vibes!
Here’s what we had:
- Dragon’s Breath: I am very picky with my smoothie bowls and I do have to admit that this smoothie (and specifically being a pitaya smoothie bowl which is even more tricky to accomplish!) was amazingly achieved 👏 the consistency was so thick that I was incredibly surprised that after taking pictures for a while, it was still not melting and pleasantly thick. That, not only shows that the venue actually know how to create a proper smoothie bowl but it also says a lot about the ethos is the people that run the place, that are willing to put on effort and please the customer by not cutting themselves short and actually use good amounts of pitaya packs with minimal ice to create such a good blend. They also mix it with almond milk and not other types of milk which is my favourite and definitely increases slightly the sweetness of the combo (but not too much as coconut milk would) and matches perfectly here. Because this blend is thick it is definitely a very good portion and the whole coconut bowl is filled up to the top which again shows the commitment by the venue to please the customer. Toppings are simple but just right - tropical fruits, coconut shreds and the ideal amount of granola/oat combo - and I must’ve met that even though I add a lot more toppings in my own smoothie bowls, the amount of toppings here was ideal as it makes it possible to enjoy the wonderful and enriched tropical pitaya blend.
- Salted Caramel Superfood Toast: I must admit that I was a bit undecided about asking for a toast because we all know that toast can be quite simple and basically, well, ‘just a toast’ but sometimes simple is JUST PERFECT. I honestly don’t even know if I should say that I loved this more than the pitaya bowl because O.M.G. 👏👏👏 I love bread but I’m also dairy and yeast intolerant and I tend to avoid most breads due to that reason. However I am SO HAPPY I gladly accepted Jess’s advice (I always ask for the waitresses and cafe owners advice about what they recommend because obviously they know best! They are the ones that created the menu and get feedback from a lot of customers!). In one word: HEAVEN. Seriously, this was so insanely good that I cannot even describe. The sourdough from a local bakery, was soft and tender with a perfect crunchy crust and I just wish I could eat 1 million of these! I’m seriously not kidding (even though portion was way more than acceptable!)👏😂 it had a tahini spread that was insanely decadent and the pinch of Himalayan sea salt, maple syrup, hazelnut crumbs created the perfect combo and salted caramel mouth-watering flavour. Even the topping choice was ideal here - sliced banana and strawberries - and I wouldn’t change anything about this 👌 flawless indeed!
- Nourish Buddha bowl: nourishing without a doubt! Portion size is again great (as all their other meals) even though it is served in a coconut bowl (that is obviously smaller than a ‘normal’ bowl but due to the ingredients, it is not only extremely filling, but basically screams health in every spoonful. The coconut cream is good and just the ideal amount and the quinoa and sweet potato as main carbohydrates here create such an appetising meal. I do like the chickpeas in the mix but personally I wouldn’t make them spicy or I would like to have the option to have them plain instead. We also added some beetroot hummus that was delightful.
- Miso Salmon Poke Bowl - since when isn’t poke by itself a winner already, right? This dish was not only beautifully presented but it was flavourful and extremely filling! The miso maple topping was good and I loved loved the whole grain brown rice they used. I am a huge rice lover and it takes skill to cook rice - sometimes in can get too mushy or other tones undercooked, but here they nailed it 👌 again, it comes down to personal preference it and I wasn’t a big fan of the spiced chickpeas but the edamame was way more than approved 🙌
- Taco Prawn without spicy mayo and added corn - I decided to ask the for the taco because sometimes it’s actually hard to find venues that use tacos that don’t have dairy and because i haven’t had them for so long and it would be a good thing to try! And wow 👏 wow! I specially asked to remove the spicy mayo and to add some corn as I thought it would pair nicely and give some extra flavour (and also because it would also create an amazing dish to photograph honestly 😂). It worked wonderfully. Definitely a finger-licking moment! Portion again was good and I think that even adding some hummus on the bottom would make this even more incredible and scrumptious!
- Skewers - I adored these! The prawns were king size and the scallops were massive too and both just on point - very VERY well grilled considering it is such a sensitive fish and just leaving it a few more seconds cooking can make them burn quite easily! They came with some lemon slices which were massively appreciated and make the whole meal with an even ‘fresher’ taste. Again, something so simple as some grilled fish providing such a luxurious moment!
- Almond latte - I couldn’t have been happier with my usual almond latte. I actually usually ask for extra foam but I accidentally forgot. But guess what? I didn’t have to! It was like Matt knew EXACTLY how I liked my latte. Latte art was not outstanding but way more than acceptable and honestly the foam matters SO much more 😂 and it had so much foam that I cannot even deal (👏👏👏) and it was so delicious to drink that I don’t really have anything to add besides: nailed it 👌
- Iced chocolate: I didn’t have this drink but from the feedback I got it was tasty and basically as I usually say: YUUUUUUM 😍 it did look decadent for sure and seriously, who doesn’t like chocolate, right?
Like I said, I was welcomed in the most outstanding way and service was beyond amazing. The staff, specifically the waitress Jess, was extremely attentive, friendly and welcoming (she also has be most beautiful eyes EVER 🥰). I also got the chance to meet Matt’s partner, Bianca, who owns a Pilates studio close by and they are seriously, and I mean, SERIOUSLY, such wonderful people. People that put so much passion and have such high ambitions like Matt and Bianca do are with a doubt the people that live the happiest lives. Doing what you love and spending your days content and grateful to live a life you adore is everything and THAT shows in their faces.
I would see this place as an ideal spot and like a little retreat to escape this cold Melbourne that is settling in, as not only do their meals scream summer all over them, but you know that you will be delivered quality and filling food.
Would definitely definitely definitely recommend with all my heart!
So no, I’m not waiting for summer - I’m bringing summer to me and I cannot wait to visit this place again soon ❤️
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