It's not often that vegan restaurants get reviewed in national newspaper. After The Guardian's restaurant reviewer Grace Dent went to Bonsai Plant Kitchen and gave it an enthusiastic review, getting a table there got a bit tricky for a good few months.
Thankfully, things have quietened down enough at Bonsai that it's now possible to go get a lunch of glorious south-east asian small plates without having to sit on a waiting list with your fingers crossed a table will open up at half past three on a rainy Thursday.
The place is dark and moody - the perfect place for a date with someone you shouldn't be seen with. Which is fine, because everyone in the restaurant is going to be looking at the food and not focusing on who's dating who and whether they should be or not.You order your food by pen and paper - ticking off which of the dishes you'd like from a list, and then sitting back and waiting for a parade of deliciousness to be brought to you, dish by dish.
First up, cauliflower tempura. Behold:
Cauliflower feels like it's had a glow-up in recent years, going from that anaemic, over-boiled makeweight on your roast dinner to either a healthy (think cauliflower rice) or unhealthy (think cauliflower wings) addition to vegan menus. I love cauliflower at the best of times, but if you deep fry it and coat it in spicy sauce, I'm going to be a very happy bunny. Look how gloriously glossy that cauliflower is - it's the veggie equivalent of when, in 80s teen movies, the heroine takes off her glasses and takes her hair down, and the love interest suddenly realises they've been beautiful all along. Cauliflower has always been beautiful, it's just easier to notice when it's dressed up in a gorgeous sauce.
Next up, miso, maple and wasabi glazed aubergine and dirty rice, with mayo, secret sauce, and crispy onions.
Cooking aubergine in a way that makes it turn silky and slippery, rather than rubbery and chewy, is a skill I've not always mastered, so I can rarely resist ordering aubergine when I see it on a menu. This slab of eggplant goodness hit that delightful texture. I couldn't much taste the wasabi, but the miso and maple made a mellow, comforting dish.
I enjoyed the dirty rice more than I feel like I should. There's something about the mayo plus rice combo - it feels a bit wrong, but so right, I guess? Pop a few crispy onions on and you've got that mix of crispy and soft, spicy and bland that's just definitely right.
As well as veg-forward type dishes, Bonsai has a few dishes based on vegan meats. These chick'n skewers were a real surprise:
These two bad lads had been cooked over coals, and the smokiness was so good. Honestly, I can take or leave a lot of vegan chicken, but I would have ordered plate after plate of these and gone home happy. Next time I go to Bonsai - and there definitely will be a next time - I'm going to be raiding the bincho grill section of the menu for more smoky delights.
Mock meat also made an all-star appearance in the 'pork' spring rolls with pickled apples. I don't know if I've ever had pork that was so good - no weird (or particularly meaty) texture, but tasty all the way down. It's buddying up in the pic below with teriyaki tofu with black vinaigrette tomato salsa. Was there much in the way of teriyaki? I don't know. Was it crispy and delicious anyway? Absolutely it was.
Despite having a meal of 'small plates', I was pretty full by the end of the meal. That said, there's always room for dessert.
The creme caramel was the only plate that was a bit of a stumble. It tasted great, but there was a grainy texture that alas missed the target for a creme caramel's classic smooth creaminess.
It took me ages to haul myself down to Bonsai, but it was well worth the wait. Enjoying a succession of great dishes, one after the other, made me feel a bit like opening Christmas presents as kid - getting to enjoy a series of fun surprises. I'm definitely looking forward to going back.
Bonsai Plant Kitchen
44-45 Baker St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 4JN
01273 708089
Sounds lovely. I have always been a fan of cauliflower and am delighted at it being such a star lately. It is also interesting how places can be so popular one moment based on some media report and then the fickle in-crowd moves on the next thing. I would love a place to order with pen and paper! And I was curious if there were actually bonsai plants in the restaurant.
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