Not What you might expect
“I never realised how close you were” is something we hear often, and it’s understandable. Our little piece of rural paradise seems a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but in fact we’re just 20 minutes from Fourways and maybe 30 minutes from Bryanston. We like to think our lunch buffet and à la carte menu are worth the short drive!
“Is this really vegan?” is a common question when people who were perhaps a little sceptical about plant-based food try a dish like our current special: baked mushroom with vegan cheese and Napolitano sauce. It’s an adaptation of a longstanding favourite from our neighbours, Casalinga Ristorante Italiano, and the Leafy Greens version is just as delicious.
“You really serve sushi?” ask some of our first-time diners – and we tell them that yes, we do – our dragon roll sushi is the real deal, only without the fish of course. We’re big fans of all the other ingredients, including pickled ginger, wasabi and avo. Generous portions mean that you’ll leave satisfied as well as delighted.
“I can’t survive on just leaves” said one gentleman recently – before he’d opened the menu. He chose quite a few dishes from the menu as he was convinced he would otherwise leave still hungry. It was quite a revelation – to him and to us – to discuss his experience afterwards, when he was requesting that the rest of his food be packed for him to take home (in one of our recyclable cardboard containers – one more area where we’ve cut out single use plastics).
Our vegan and vegetarian dishes are so nutritionally dense that many people find that a little goes a long away, so even if you arrive famished, you won’t need to eat all that much to ensure that you depart satisfied. You can even pick up a wonderful takeaway coffee from The Green Bean Roastery as you leave for that not-so-long drive back to the office.
“I think there might be a mistake on my bill” query some folks, politely, when they see how much their meal has cost. Not because our staff can’t count, but because the misconception that you have to spend a small fortune for a healthy meal seems to be a widely-held one. As we grow most of our own ingredients, and we don’t have to transport them anywhere, we’re able to pass on these savings to our friends and customers and offer great value organic, plant-based meals.
When you think what an unhappy meal from a fast food joint can cost, we like to think that money spent on nutritious, nourishing food is an investment not just for today, but in your longer-term health.