While I didn’t really want to still be continuing with my Lockdown Eating series, it has at least resulted in some delicious meals! A few weeks ago I treated myself to the Vegan Feast from Mabu Mabu and it certainly was a feast!
Mabu Mabu is an indigenous owned restaurant, cafe and catering company with a restaurant in Yarraville and Federation Square, as well as a range of pantry items. I had never had the chance to try their food before, but had heard good things! So, when I saw they were doing delivery of 2-person Feasts (with cocktails!) for $145 (plus delivery) I jumped on an order. It’s safe to say I wasn’t disappointed!
The Mabu Mabu feasts are heat-and-serve style and they do a vegan, pescatarian and meat option each time. Whilst they say they serve two I very easily got three serves out of it, and probably could have made it four!
The week I ordered included an excellent combination – sides, salads, veggies, a yam lasagne, roasted purple potatoes, damper, you name it! Seriously, look at how much food came in those boxes – I was slightly overwhelmed when I brought them into my kitchen – but in a very good way!
The salads in particular were really interesting and delicious – a watermelon salad and a sea succulent slaw. The slaw was packed with texture and had a really interesting, tart flavour. The two salads made for a really great fresh counterpoint to some of the richer flavours in other dishes.
The brussels spouts were another favourite of mine. Served with red onion, macadamia cream and pickled karkalla – how can you go wrong! I have to say, getting to have all the flavour of charred veggies but only needing to heat them through is certainly something I could get used to!
The charred corn was another excellent example of this, and the salt bush chimi churri it came with was SO good. It was hard not to just eat the sauce straight from the pot!
Two of the Mabu Mabu dishes were highlighting yams – croquettes and lasagne – and I’m a huge yam fan. My poppa used to grow them and have them ready for us when we’d go back to New Zealand to visit, so I’ll never turn down a yam dish. Both of these were excellent, so I was a very happy camper. I’m also always happy to see cauliflower on a menu, so it’s safe to say this desert spice grilled cauliflower was another favourite!
In case I had any room left there was still dessert to come! Pakalolo with coconut panacotta, roasted macadamia, hibiscus syrup and native currants – yes please! A perfect, not super sweet, way to end an excellent meal.
It’s safe to say I was very happy with my Mabu Mabu order! I loved all the indigenous flavours and ingredients and there certainly was no shortage of food. Throw in some cocktails and a bottle of hot sauce – how can you go wrong!