Balducci's vegan menu is a winner

Plant-based eating has become practically mainstream nowadays. Most good Cape Town restaurants cater to vegans to some extent, but few have gone as far as Balducci at the V&A Waterfront, where they have introduced a comprehensive, stand-alone vegan menu.

The plant-based menu is a personal project of co-owner Ian Halfon, of Slick Restaurant Group. “My wife is vegan and as a family we are looking for ways to live more lightly on the planet,” he says.

The menu isn’t only about eliminating animal products, but also supporting sustainable organic agriculture and using pure natural ingredients, so the vegan menu showcases eco-conscious healthy eating, from smoothie bowls and wraps to gluten-free vegan pizzas, pastas and desserts.

Balducci has set up a separate kitchen preparing the vegan menu to avoid cross-contamination of animal products from their regular menu. It’s stocked with the purest natural ingredients, from cold-pressed local olive oil and virgin coconut oil, to the tastiest vegan cheeses, gluten-free flours and superfoods. Name a special dietary requirement, it seems like they’ve got you covered. And the sommelier has put together a selection of local vegan wines too.

Having kicked off with a trio of sparkling fresh power juices, we tuck into piping hot, Lebanese-style falafel, with a creamy tahini dip. Next is a Trader Joe pizza, with a sauce of peppers, red onions and mushrooms topped with vegan cheese and vegan pesto, on a crispy gluten-free base, so that this omnivore was perfectly satisfied with the balance of flavours and textures.

I’m not usually enthusiastic about gluten-free pasta, but the cashew nut cream sauce was excellent, with smoked mushrooms and marinated tofu, and I was intrigued by the vegan parmesan alternative, a crumbly combination of nuts and salt that adds an extra savoury note of contrast.

A fiery Thai red curry included whole fungus mushrooms, tofu, cauliflower, broccoli, and crunchy bamboo shoots. We also tasted the smokey amaranth black bean sliders that went down well with the vegetarians and vegans of the group, alongside crispy and moreish sweet potato fries.

A rich heart-shaped vegan cheesescake with berry swirls and a fresh, light chia parfait with strawberries and coconut yoghurt were desserts to indulge and delight everyone, no matter what your dietary convictions.

This article was originally published in the Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Property and Lifestyle guide. Visit Yourneighbourhood.co.za