Tonic & Grace
63 Glenferrie Road, Malvern
61478714214
Cafe
$$
Food
- Mariachi Bowl
- Captain Gillenstalk
- Nyctophilia
The Good
We were off to an impressive start with the Mariachi Bowl. The vibrant colours of this bowl made way for a an equally colourful and flavoursome experience. The star of the show was no doubt the baked beans, and trust me these were far from ordinary. Well-cooked, textured without being at all mushy, these beans were served with a rich and fragrant tomato base sauce. These flavoursome beans were well accompanied by a crisp, refreshing salsa that was tangy yet sweet. In traditional Mexican fashion, crunchy corn chips, fresh smashed avo and light sour cream were served alongside the salsa. Underneath it all sat a bed of warm, fluffy brown rice that served as the perfect vehicle for holding all the components together. A hearty, and flavoursome feed indeed.
We also enjoyed the bold Captain Gillenstalk. The stunning and unique presentation was definitely something to behold. We then dug into the beautifully sautéed variety of mushrooms. The King oyster mushrooms were meaty, the enoki varieties were almost crisp, while the generous helping of button mushrooms were plump and juicy. Truffle oil was liberally drizzled on top the dish offering an amazing aroma, which was coupled with an indulgent cashew cream and chimichurri sauce that was creamy yet slightly spicy.
We rounded off our meal with the Nyctophilia. The dark chocolate and feta protein pancakes were just incredible. Incredibly spongy with an almost bouncy feedback, with such a moist inner. We found the sweetness of the chocolate well balanced without being overwhelmingly rich, and these soft pancakes perfectly soaked up the dark chocolate sauce all around, it’s soft texture nicely juxtaposed by the crunch of walnuts and almond crumb. This was a seriously good stack of pancakes, gluten free or not!
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
Specifically catering to various dietary requirements, Tonic and Grace offers up a full menu of vegan and gluten-free dishes, all seemingly without compromise.
Everything we sampled today certainly turned the common misconceptions of vegan and gluten free dishes on its head, proving to be flavourful, scrumptious and honestly tasting just as good as traditional recipes.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Definitely. For vegans and celiacs, this is a must try.
Penguineats would like to thank owner Leah for inviting us to Tonic & Grace.
This blog post is produced in conjunction with AGFG.