WHO NEEDS MEAT?

AT VISTRO CAFÉ, THE VEGGIES ARE BURSTING WITH FLAVOUR

Walking into the bright, modern space of Vistro, one can instantly sense the health-consciousness of the diners, who are in their comfortable yoga pants, digging hard into mountains of good-looking vegetables while sipping on kombucha.

For anyone who feels uneasy with the idea of chomping down on veggie-packed dishes, you might want to fight the urge to leave and grab a seat because you are about to be served a delightful “meat-free” surprise. When the waiter arrives, ask for a fragrant slab of Truffle flatbread pizza (B320) with vegan mozzarella and cashew “cheese”, followed by Vistro dumplings (B220), which come double-dressed in burnt chili oil and gyoza sauce made with homemade kombucha. You won’t be disappointed.

Inside the two-story building is a no-frills, midsized space with greyish tiled walls alternating with scratched old concrete. Simple, but with a refreshing vibe thanks to the large glass steel windows, which lets in an abundance of light. Plenty of potted plants keep the restaurant fresh and airy... it is almost like sitting in a greenhouse.

The menu showcases what can be done with vegetables and animal-less products with creative interpretations of meat-centric dishes. The Char-grilled portobello steak (B320) is juicy and substantial, the spice-heavy Baja phish tacos (B320) features deepfried tofu and the crispy Old Bay calamari (B240) is made using king oyster mushrooms.

For sugary snacks, grab a Red velvet-baked doughnut (B65) with tangy coconut buttercream or opt for the zesty Orange pistachio (B65), or White chocolate with salted caramel and roasted almonds (B65). More indulgent are the Sticky date muffin with vanilla ice-cream (B190) and the Chocolate mud pie with an Oreo-based crust (B135). All treats, despite their bright and colourful looks, are made with no artificial food colourings and only sweetened with natural sweeteners, such as coconut nectar and dates.

Healthy drinks like cold-press juices and smoothies are big here. But there’s also a rotation of daily mocktails that are just as healthy, made with different flavoured kombucha, starting at B240.

If you come early on a Sunday, enjoy a Vistro lemon pancake (B260) dressed in berry compote, Guaca grilled cheese (B280), and Avocado on waffles (B260) with truffle aioli, all served between 10am-3pm.