The Australian Veg Food Guide, 2011

Dempster, L (ed.) 2011, The Australian veg food guide 2011, aduki Independent Press, Brunswick, Vic.

Compiled by aduki Independent Press with a stable of food reviews The Australian veg food guide carries 200 reviews and specialises in eateries who are vegan and vegetarian friendly or who are primarily vegetarian. The guide is divided by state and by geographic location within each state and in alphabetic order for each range  Each pages holds a review of one eatery containing the following details: eatery name, address, phone number and where applicable a website listing. Average prices for entree, main and where applicable sweets. Also indicated at the top of each listing are the opening hours of the eatery. An overall rating is given, as well as individual ratings for food, service, ambience and value. Written reviews contain the reviewers impression of their dining experience, recommendations of food to select and more specific information such as whether booking are essential. The bottom of each page contains symbols to easily identify the degree of vegetarian options on the menu, offering vegan and/or gluten free, licenced or BYO and which credit cards are accepted. Most importantly each listing throughout the guide identifies the cuisine such as Asian, Ethopian, Italian, Vietnamese, etc. The size of the guide, measuring 15cm x 10cm makes it easily transportable in a pocket or bag for easy quick reference. J.S.

Sweet And Sour Fork blog

Ming 2011, Sweet And Sour Fork, weblog, viewed 29 April 2011, <http://sweetandsourfork.blogspot.com/>.

Ming, a university student, is a food blogger and gastronomic adventurer who only began the Sweet And Sour Fork in February this year and already attracted 2415 pageviewers to her blog. Ming’s blog includes reviews of Melbourne's CBD restaurants, cafes, multicultural cuisine venues, and cheap eateries. Ming’s true passion for food is evident from her postings, which reflect her social life of eating out with friends. V.O.

Lentil as Anything

'Lentil as Anything' 2011, Wikipedia, wiki article, viewed 29 April 2011, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentil_as_Anything>.

This article in Wikipedia reviews a group of Melbourne based organic, vegetarian restaurants, Lentil as Anything, with an extensive variety of ethnic cuisine, ranging from African to Asian cooking. The article reveals that restaurants are part of a multicultural non-profit organisation, which provides support and training to people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. The authors observe that despite applying a unique operational concept based on a 'pay-as-you-feel' philosophy, the restaurants still depend upon the generosity of their patrons and suppliers. Numerous volunteers not only contribute their time and skills towards the restaurants’ functionality, but also participate in live music performances or artworks donations. From my own visitation to one of the restaurants at the Abbotsford Convent, the combination of peaceful surroundings of the beautiful gardens and a great food on a budget leaves an unforgettable impression of unity of a local community spirit. V.O.

Rice Bar (But Not Only Rice)

This bustling corner cafe has had several short-lived incarnations in the past at its current location but it has really hit its stride in the last few years being known as Rice Bar (But Not Only Rice).  There's not a lot to distinguish Rice Bar from other similar Asian cafes around Melbourne : the ever-present flasks of Chinese tea, the extensive laminated menus and the utilitarian design of the dining room. But perhaps the thing that makes Rice Bar stands out is how it lets its dishes speak for itself.

Being in close proximity to the University of Melbourne, Rice Bar has a regular stream of international students through its doors despite the appearance of competitors in recent years.  Their menu, which has changed very little over the years boasts the familiar standard dishes (Singapore noodles, Beef in black bean sauce, etc.) but refreshingly Rice Bar also offers something different for the more adventurous, among them pan mee, a noodle soup served with mushrooms and anchovies or bak kut teh, a popular Chinese dish of pork ribs, slow cooked in a spice-infused tea broth.

Only after several visits to Rice Bar can you gain appreciation of another of its virtues: consistency.  It's easy to pick out favourites from their extensive menu of Malaysian, Indonesian, Hakka, and Cantonese dishes.  Regular patrons of Rice Bar know that such favourites will rarely ever drop in quality.  Most main dishes are priced at around the $10-12 dollars and portions are generous.  

All in all, Rice Bar's variety in their offerings and consistent quality keep the regulars (such as myself) coming back.  The service is almost always fast, friendly and accommodating, regardless of the time of day or how busy they get.  You'd be hard-pressed to find a place you'd be willing to frequent... except maybe, another Rice Bar.  W.V.