I’m not a vegetarian and definitely not a vegan. While I totally recognize the benefits of a plant-based diet, both for myself and the planet, I love the occasional burger just a little too much to make that leap. (Don’t even get me started on cheese.)
That said, I do limit my meat consumption at home and I often order vegetarian dishes in restaurants. And I empathize with the plight of vegetarians and vegans in South Africa, a country full of rabid meat-eaters.
So when I heard – twice in the same week – about a mysterious takeaway restaurant called the Fussy Vegan hidden at a Caltex garage in Blairgowrie, I headed right over.
I love everything about the Fussy Vegan. I love the name, which is evocative and easy to remember. I love that the Fussy Vegan is hidden in plain sight, sandwiched between a petrol station convenience store and a car wash. I love the branding and the friendly staff and the interesting selection of products, almost all locally sourced. Most importantly, I love the taste of the food.
I showed up around 12:30 on a Thursday afternoon and the shop quickly filled up behind me. I heard one woman say she’d come all the way from Krugersdorp.
I struggled to decide what to order. Everyone around me seemed to be ordering the Beyond Burger, a high-tech vegetarian burger that is supposed to taste exactly like meat. But I couldn’t resist the mac-and-cheese burrito. Then I glimpsed the baked goods in a cabinet behind the cash register and decided to throw in a cinnamon roll.
I waited five or ten minutes for my food, paid the modest bill, and headed to a friend’s house.
I have no idea what this mac-and-cheese burrito was made of. But I do know it contained no meat, no butter, no milk, and – impossibly – no cheese. Yet it was mouth-watering. The sauce was creamy, tangy, and flavorful – not cheesy exactly but equally as good-tasting as cheese.
I devoured the whole burrito in under five minutes. I told myself I would only eat a bite of the cinnamon roll and save the rest for later, but then decided what the hell and devoured that too.
Bam. The Fussy Vegan is a can’t-miss. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, this joint will save your life. If you’re a meat-eater you’ll love it anyway. Go.
The Fussy Vegan is at the Caltex Waterfall on Jan Smuts Avenue, Blairgowrie. Call 060-716-6029.
How have I never blogged about 44 Stanley Avenue, the coolest shopping and dining complex in Joburg, which is only five minutes from my house?
I guess it’s wrong to say I’ve never blogged about 44 Stanley; I’ve mentioned it countless times over the years (see here and here) when writing about specific restaurants or shops that are there. But I’ve never written a dedicated post about 44 Stanley as a destination and it’s about time I did – especially now, with the holidays upon us.
I’ve been dreadfully uninspired lately, struggling to think of anything I want to blog about despite having a long list of great ideas (many of which you, my readers, provided in September). I’m finding it hard to feel positive about life at the moment. But on Saturday Thorsten and I got the chance to visit Indwe Park, an indigenous garden and sculpture park in Braamfontein, and I knew I had my topic for today.
Given this week’s political nuclear bomb blast, it feels like a weird time to publish a light-hearted post about my recent (pre-election) jaunt through the United States. But I’m hoping you’ve have had enough of the U.S. election horror show – I know I have – and are ready (at least temporarily) for some wholesome American travel adventures. If so, please read on about my four-day visit to Maine, the northeastern-most state in the lower 48, with my sister, Susanna.
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It makes me smile, when I see it.