• 3
• Pleasant but underwhelming

With the welcome new arrival of the first vegetarian establishment in the Swan Valley, I dined here for dinner with 2 friends, as the dinner menu appeared to be more diverse and interesting than the lunch menu. In retrospect lunch would have been a better option to appreciate the aesthetics of the property; a relatively innocuous front opens to an attractive dining area and a large open plan garden out the back, a drawcard that is better appreciated during the day. I ordered the Shepherdess pie while my two companions ordered Mushroom Risotto and Vegetable Lasagne (not vegan) respectively. I was under whelmed by the pie; It was certainly healthy and wholesome but on the bland side and without accompaniment. For $18 I paid for essentially 3 very cheap ingredients (brown lentils; potato; sweet potato). For that price surely they could have afforded a side salad to go with it? Although my companions had salads with their meals, they were also under whelmed by paying premium prices for middle of the road food. I was a bit annoyed that one of the more interesting items on the menu, the spicy black bean soup, was unavailable that day. Also annoying was the lack of vegan cake; after I was asked by the owner my dietary requirements when I booked (and where I dropped that I was looking forward to vegan cake), they didn't have any on the night. They were quite adamant at first they were about to make a raw apple cake which sounded interesting, but then they changed their mind halfway during the main cause. However the desert they did have, the silken tofu mousse, ended up the highlight of the evening ,being deliciously flavoured and a surprisingly thick texture. It was a good thing we ordered these well in advance, as it turned out they only had exactly 3 left when we asked! To summarise, the restaurant has in its favour the distinction of being the only vegetarian establishment for miles nestles in a pleasant environ and boasting the occasional delicious dessert. In its disfavour are typically WA traits such as high prices for basic meals, a small yet unpredictable menu and service that is slightly vague and distant. Whether or not you'd want to eat here depends on whether the aesthetics of its location compensate for its culinary shortcomings