Madame K's Vegetarian

There might be an abundance of vegetarian restaurants up on Brunswick Street, but Madame K's is one of the best (and there's another branch in Williamstown for westsiders). With a menu that isn't to be trifled with, you'll have to go in accepting that you'll be beat before you even start — you simply can't try everything in one visit. All the Southeast Asian favourites make an appearance — from laksa and pad thai to massaman curry and steamed wontons. But there's a key difference between these dishes and any neighbourhood Asian restaurant — every dish is vegetarian. Madame K's uses vegetables, tempeh and wheat protein to create the 'meats' for its dishes — including BBQ duck and slow-cooked lamb. For dessert, you can tuck into roti with banana filling and homemade berry sauce, coconut mousse or black sticky rice. Madame K's Vegetarian offers BYO wine and beer.

Images: Tracey Ah-kee