blargh's Profile
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Recent Review
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132 
32 06 November, 2011I havent written a long time for a number of reasons, but Cafe 308 is one of the very few restaurants that I think deserves a review and for people to know what delightful and (supposedly very) healthy food they serve.
I've been to Cafe 308 i think around four times, each time with my partner and usually following a massage at Verita. This restaurant is an extension of Verita and the concept really is to complement wellness and the various therapies Verita offers - i.e. they serve healthy food.
While im not entirely sure that the food is uber healthy given that the salt / sugar / condiment contents remain somewhat high (and you can tell because really, natural and "raw" foods are not particularly tasty) credit must be given to the establishment for attempting to serve a healthier cuisine despite the fact that such cuisine may not be so well received by a significant number of people because of the perceived untastiness and because a large number of vegetarian items. This is afterall a niche market.
Well, these people would find themselves pleasantly surprised (if they would just give Cafe 308 a try) because each time ive been to Cafe 308, the food has been amazingly palatable. I set out below the food that we've had on our visits there and a brief accompanying description of the same:
Mushroom Conomme: "clear broth with shimeji mushroom" - My partner who's a big fan of mushrooms had this, and felt that it was slightly too salty. I had some and well, it was too tasty for a clear broth. My inkling is that the kitchen was afraid people would call this tasteless and then decided to add more salt. which shouldnt be the case! this therefore lost out to Onaka's Mushroom Tea (also a clear mushroom broth but served in a teacup) but i think would be bit of a hit with mushroom fans.
Dip Platter: "(Choice of Curried Garbanzo, Guacamole or Hummus) served with crisp pita bread and vegetable crudites" - I love this - particularly because Cafe 308's bread (this is sliced into thin strips) is so nicely toasted. You get a choice of three dips (a pity you cant have all 3) - and I have had the curried garbanzo (some kind of c bean dip). The Dip Platter also comes served also with an equal amount of carrot and cucumber sticks (crudites) and youre supposed to have this with the dip. The curried garbanzo was subtly flavoured and went very well with the bread and vegetable sticks.
Thai Tofu Salad: "marinated tofu cubes tossed with glass noodle over mesclun salad and herbs with a mildly-spiced thai dressing" - The tofu salad was a typical tofu salad - save that they do have a tendency to heap the dressing (essentially a sweet chilli) on, so ask for the dressing to be served separate. More tofu slices would have also made it a fuller dish.
Hummus Multigrain: "hummus, sun-dried tomato spread, grilled eggplant, grilled zucchini, cucumber, lettuce" - The Hummus Multigrain is a toasted multi-grain containing all the abovementioned, served alongside a little saucer of what they call beans & corn salsa and 4 table crackers. The sandwich itself is amazingly tasty for an entirely vegetarian sandwich - and i think this is largely attributed to the tomato spread (rather intensely sweet, sour and salty at the same time). The grilled eggplant and zucchini were very thinly sliced so the sandwich was very manageable but what equally held my attention was the fantastic beans (kidney) & corn salsa (which i think also contained finely chopped tomato and onions) - this was tangy and sweet and went perfectly with the table crackers.
Sweet Potato Croquettes and Dalcha: "home-made savoury sweet potato and vegetable croquettes served with dalcha, an indian curry made with chana dhal and lentils accompanied by pickled vegetables and garden greens" - If you like sweet potato patties and dhal (think a very mild chickpea curry), this would be a perfect dish. I enjoyed this throughly. Everything came together save for the "garden greens" - essentially a side salad which felt like an after thought plate filler.
Tandoori Chicken with Brown Rice Biryani: "marinated chicken leg grilled to perfection; served with organic brown rice biryani, curried garbanzo, side cucumber salad and mesclun greens" - This was the main i had on my very first visit to Cafe 308. In fact, i had read about it somewhere and this dish was the reason why we even came. Because i was at least assured that the establishment did serve something that i could eat and feel satisfied with. This turned out to be a healthier version of briyani - as stated in the description, but the chicken leg was indeed a chicken leg with skin and fat (the kind that most other establishments would serve up), and the marinade brown, gravyish and slightly salty. I would say that this would be good "induction" main for someone making their foray in to the land of healthy restaurant cuisine.
Prawn Masala Linguine Aglio Olio - "organic pasta with marinated prawns with masala and sauteed vegetables" - I had this on my most recent visit to the establishment yesterday afternoon, and was pleased at how this turned out - a decent helping of sliced vegetables, alot of fried garlic, linguine and deshelled prawns. My only beef with the dish was that it was far too oily (and the oil had gathered at the bottom of the plate) and again the establishment had overcompensated with the amount of masala (or curry) powder went into the dish - this was not one for people on a low salt diet. But it was otherwise perfect for anyone looking for a prawn linguine.
Beef Stew Hunter Style: "hearty stew with button mushrooms, carrots, sweet potato and onions; served with organic brown rice" - Similar to the tandoori chicken, this dish was one of first dishes i came across while reading about the establishment. My partner has had this possibly 3 out of the 4 times we've eaten at the restaurant and the portion size seem to grow bigger each time. The stew isnt as thick as ghoulash, but it is tasty (not overly salty) and makes for a rather big meal if you have all the rice and the side salad that comes with it.
Apart from the food, we havent tried many of their shakes or smoothies (because the drinks do make for a full meal and i am also very particular about what goes into my smoothie) but we did have their banana soy smoothie yesterday and notwithstanding my express understanding that no sugar would be added, this turned out far too sweet. I generally only have unsweetened soy and prefer plain yoghurt, but i think yoghurt or soymilk used by the restaurant is of the sweetened version. In any event, we've had their home brewed ginger and lemongrass tea (with the option of having this sweetened or not) and this was pleasant albeit slightly spicy.
Cafe 308 not usually crowded (except after yoga classes where people come down to buy shakes and other things) so no reservations are required. (I only call in advance because i want to make sure the restaurant is actually open). They have indoor and outdoor seating which is very close to flora and fauna (though beware the heat and funny bites) but the best thing must be that there's always ample free parking.
We really do enjoy the place, though there is quite some way to go before the food served may truly be said healthy. We will keep coming back for sure!
Must tries: Hummus SandwichI also recommend this place for:Type of Meal : Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Healthy Eating, Vegetarians, Take Away, Hi Tea Occasion : Children/Family, Romance/First Dates, After Work Atmosphere : Quiet/Peaceful, Alfresco/Outdoor Dining, Hidden Find Others : Wheelchair Friendly
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combat wombat ahh must try!07 November 2011 10:27 -
blargh yes definitely. and while youre at it - just book yourself in for a massage at Verita!07 November 2011 10:43 - Please login to leave your comments
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