I typically find it disappointing when I go to a place recommended to me as vegan, that turns out to largely cater to omnivores but have vegan selections, or to understand what ‘vegan’ means. Doesn’t count in my book.
That said, Yulli’s Bar in Surry Hills was a pleasant surprise. I’d been told by friends it was great; I was also thankfully warned that it was busy, and hence had a reservation. We did have to sit outside on what as possibly the coldest, windiest day in the history of Octobers in Sydney, but such is life. And while Yulli’s caters primarily to vegetarians, they had a vegan menu, which included more than one option for each course, which is honestly about all it takes to make me happy in life.
The mixed chips plate, consisting of pumpkin, beetroot, taro and other unidentified deep fried goodies, was crisp and delightful with a side of seasalt, although I do subtract points for their forgetting the ‘vegan’ nature of our request and serving a tzatziki like sauce. I was sad that it was quite so spare – approximately 30 ‘chips’ for $13.50 – but it was also delightful.
We chose to follow this up with ginger and leek dumplings, and a falafel plate. To be fair, these were also sparse; four dumplings and four falafel does not a hearty meal make, but they were also wonderful. The leek dumplings were definitely my pick of the night, steamed and tender with an amazing plum sauce. The falafel were also great, if not quite my thing; I have an uneasy relationship with coriander, and they were laced with it. Served with a spicy relish and pineapple, wrapped in betel leaves, they were an unusual treat.
It’s worth noting that all of our selections were from the entree section of the menu, which might explain the scarcity of actual food on our plates; however, neither my girlfriend or I could see the point in ordering Pad Thai or a Vegetable Sambal when we were trying to branch out and try something new. Still, judging by other’s plates, servings of mains continued to be small.
On balance, it was a lovely meal and a pleasant experience. However, the dark room and somewhat haphazard service take away from what was otherwise quite lovely. And we had to stop for vegan icecream on the way home, so factor that into your budget.
417 Crown Street, Surry Hills
9319 6609
