Eat Drink KL: Going Vegan @ Raw Cafe Ampang

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Going Vegan @ Raw Cafe Ampang

Raw Cafe launched a new menu this month, introducing a nice range of mostly vegan recipes that make this a standout stop for nutritious lunches.

When the cafe opened last year, its sandwiches were simple, stuffed with mushrooms and tomatoes. Now, customers can savor slices of organic granary bread thickly slathered with coriander hummus, garlic-roasted veggies and toasted seeds (RM15).
Earlier entry on RAW Cafe: February 9, 2011.

Gluten-free penne, with spinach, basil pesto sauce, extra virgin olive oil and sweet peas (RM18). Tastes kinda like a Hakka 'lei cha' interpretation of pasta.

Potato rosti pancake, warm and comfortingly soft, topped with a dreamy-creamy sauce of cashews, thyme-infused mushrooms, soy and lemon sauce (RM13). Raw's offerings supply minimal-guilt carbs that'll help folks power through their workday.

Multi-grain toastie with bananas and a house-made spread of raw hazelnuts and soy (RM7). Potentially an acquired taste; its relatively coarse texture and not exactly crowd-pleasing taste make this less accessibly flavorful compared to, say, a peanut butter toastie.

Savory and sweet muffins (RM7) are available; the former is a blend of organic wholemeal and white flour, spinach and non-dairy cheese, while the latter comes with cranberries, toasted oats and pumpkin seeds.

All this might be a prelude to more: Raw's plans to start a full restaurant have been percolating for nearly two years, but it might be achingly close to becoming a reality.

And of course, Raw has become famous in KL for its coffee. Aeropress and syphon versions should be offered here within the very near future.

Wrap up the meal with something sweet: cookies-and-cream ice cream affogato or crepes topped with apples, pecans and chai-spiced syrup (we'll be back for that!).

Real and Wholesome (RAW) Cafe,
Wisma Equity, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
Mon-Fri, 730am-730pm; Sat 9am-6pm.