Credited with pioneering vegan yum-cha and pan-Asian cuisine, the folks at Bodhi have 21 years of providing environmentally sustainable dining under their belts. 21 years is nothing to scoff at - and neither are these incredible, award-winning vegetarian dishes.
Bodhi focuses on creating dishes out of organic, locally-sourced ingredients, always created fresh with what is in season. During lunch hours, this practice transfers to the old Chinese tradition of yum-cha, or ancient tea-time. There is no set lunch menu as availability of local, fresh ingredients dictate the daily fare. I dined at Bodhi for dinner, which is served à la carte.
For an entree, I gave the Sweet Yam Tempura Spring Rolls with Sweet Chilli Sauce a go. I may be a bit biased, as I adore yams, but the crispiness of the spring roll with the sweetness of the yam and subtle spice of the sauce was simply perfect. My plate was completely cleaned by the time my main arrived. I had ordered the famous Bodhi 'Peking Duck' (faux, naturally), which was served warm over a salad containing baby spinach, watermelon, coriander, and peanut. All of this was served atop thin layers of a mysterious but tasty Asisan pastry and covered in a citrus soy reduction. The mock duck blew plain old tofu out of the water and I nearly drooled over the addition of the fresh, juicy watermelon to the whole mix.
Dessert was a Lemongrass-Infused Rice Pudding with a passionfruit coulis and caramelised sugar on top. Delightfully sweet and sticky, the rice pudding rounded out my meal and I was disappointed that I was too full to have more than a couple of bites.
The nighttime atmosphere, accented by twinkling fairy lights, was lovely at Bodhi's park-side venue. Retreating under the huge surrounding fig trees makes for a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of Sydney. I can't wait to see what it looks like at noontime.