Maybe you thought you’d have to give up on the joys of small plates of dumplings delivered sporadically to your table on a Sunday morning if you went vegan? Well we’re here to tell you that Bodhi Restaurant Bar in the city has your yum cha cravings covered. The only thing missing is the rumbling trolleys, but in exchange you get to eat your cruelty-free sui mai out under the shade of a giant fig tree in Cook and Phillip Park. Mother nature approves. All the classics are there, in some form or another. Tender stems of Chinese broccoli are dressed in soy, but not oyster sauce; it’s faux-meat in those pan-fried Peking duck buns; and bean curd comes wrapped around minced mushrooms and peas instead of pork in the tofu puffs. Fresh rice paper rolls will spring clean your palate before you stuff crunchy little orange balls filled with diced pumpkin and tofu into your gob. Mango pudding and pancakes circulate on the trays, but instead of cream they use a vegan cream cheese. It’s still light and fluffy but not as silky as the OG version. Our favourite bit is that you can also get your booze on because no animals were harmed in the making of the house sem-sauv blanc. There are fruity, fresh cocktails with a slight Asian accent and a wine list that’s cheap and cheerful.
Check out Time Out's guide to the best vegan restaurants in Sydney.
