FIVE FEASTS
BEST PLATTERS TASTE
WHAT do Portland, Berlin and the Gold Coast have in common? They are the only three cities in the world to have dedicated plant-based marketplaces, putting us at the forefront of cruelty-free dining.
Ours is called The LC Miami and the brains behind the project, Abbey Jones, says despite there being a strong focus on vegan and plantbased living, they don’t want to be pigeonholed into being only for vegans.
“We don’t want to be known as a vegan business,” she says. “The menu is 100 per cent plant based but we want people to know the venue for the experience. We want the focus to be on good food.”
And the five vendors she has hand-picked as the headline acts are sure to do her proud, with many already winning the tastebuds of a wider audience, with cuisines ranging from ramen to bakery treats, pizza and kebabs.
I Like Ramen is among them, owned by Miami locals Bob Douglas and Ashleigh Andrews. What started as a random pop-up at Bine Bar each week has now extended to plant-based ramen, po’boys, kimchi potatoes and more.
Gigi’s Pizzeria has come all the way from Newtown, Sydney, where it garnered attention after switching from a regular pizzeria to plantbased in 2015.
Next is Flour of Life Bakery, adding a food group that seems almost impossible to offer to those avoiding dairy products, but owner Steve O’Brien has found a way to recreate all your favourite treats from fresh bread to “meat” pies to sweet tarts, doughnuts and even pavlova.
The LC’s original addition is Burgers Vs Kebabs, which has a fairly self-explanatory offering. What customers might not know is this, too, is Steve’s project.
“The only vegan kebab you can get is falafel and I’ll tell you what, I’m sick of having dry, falafel kebabs that are God knows how old,” he says.
“To the best of my knowledge there are no other vegan kebabs in Australia, so this is completely new territory.
“We’ve made a vegan seitan and seasoned it to make it kebab-ish — give it those Middle Eastern flavours. A lot of people are coming in and saying it reminds them of the last time they had a kebab, which for many people is years and years ago.
“And for the burgers, lots of people are doing vegan burgers, but our main difference is the sauces. They are remarkable.”
The last piece of the LC puzzle is Flora by Greenhouse, from the “cruelty free and killing it” duo that founded Greenhouse Miami and Coolangatta. While the other stores are primarily lunch and evening trade, Flora is open for breakfast and lunch daily with morning muffins, breakfast boxes and a cabinet piled high with salads and other healthy goodies.
Steve says even being a part of the concept is an honour. “It’s a really cool vibe and a really cool place to be.”
The LC, 2176 Gold Coast Highway, Miami