Lentil As Anything

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  10     

This place is amazing, so inviting and such good value. Leaving it to the customer to pay what they believe their meal is worth is a great idea, especially when the food is so delicious! The soy chai I had was one of the best I've ever tasted. Will definitely be back next time I'm in Melbourne!

Jul 26, 2011 

6 Average

Food  7      Ambience  2      Service  7      Value  8     

Am also a tourist keen to check out this generous new concept. The huge curries were lovely but the okonomiyaki was tasteless and soft (there was no cabbage in there). Unfortunately the ambience affected my appetite. There was a lot of stale air, grime and incense indoors and when I moved outdoors a few aggressive pigeons flapped onto my table and tried to steal from my plate. I think I came on a bad day.

Jul 09, 2011 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

As a tourist to Melbourne my friends and I decided that this place was a must see place. The staff were absolutely fantastic! so friendly! 3 of us dined there. Tried the soups, corn and a singapore noodle soup. So delicious and flavorsome! then had a mixed curry plate, with a beetroot curry and a potato curry and another. It was so good, came with yogurt sauce, rice, salad and naan.

Brought some infused vodka and shared with the waiter. Felt a bit sorry for the other waiter who looked 12 and had a broken arm. Did not get pressured at all by staff to pay generously. Seriously wish the Sydney area had something like this.

Aug 30, 2010 

3.8 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  5     

Ok food if you're new to vegetarianism/veganism but really nothing special.

The service has been pitiful everytime I've been. Once I waited almost an hour, finally asked the waitress where our meal went and she said "oh sorry, I forgot"... we waited another half hour before the food came. Expect this.

The "pay what you think it's worth" option is rubbish. I've always found them a bit overbearing as they will watch you as you're putting the money in the box. (Not sure if they still use the box or you have to hand it to them.) Anyway, maybe pass by this place, I don't think it's really worth the trouble (unless it's dead quiet and then you can hope your meal will arrive within half an hour!).

Jul 27, 2010 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Everyone is always bragging about this place. Menu is always very limited (only a few things). The only real things saving this place are the "pay whatever you want to" attitude and the fact that it caters to vegan/vegetarian diners.

Not hugely fussed. Tiny little venues, but a nice atmosphere. Nice service, but didn't enjoy the food. Each time I've been (with friends) the menu has offered "curried vegetables" of some description.

Jul 19, 2010 

8 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  8     

I've been once and have only tried one dish, so I won't judge too harshly. However, I'd been looking forward to the vegan okonomiyaki for about a year as I heard rave reviews from many friends (mostly omnivores).

The pancake itself was undercooked and a little bland. None of that crispy golden outside I enjoy at cheap Japanese takeaways. The "lentil sauce" sounded interesting, but was a bit tasteless, more like a mild sweet chilli than traditional, flavoursome okonomiyaki sauce. But the tofu mayo was amazing, I liked it better than most regular mayos!

Service was casual and friendly and I look forward to returning and trying some other dishes.

Jun 03, 2010 

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  10     

We wanted to love everything about this place as we're so impressed with what they're trying to achieve, so we were delighted when our mixed curry plate for 2 turned out to be brilliant. We'd never have thought to make a curry from beetroot, and it was delightful, heavy on cardamom seeds, gorgeous colour. We ordered too much but managed to pack it in, good flavourful dressing on the Vietnamese salad, it didn't taste very Vietnamese but it was lovely anyway.

Chai was a bit weak, like spiced hot milk but we didn't care. Having said that if I'd have looked in on this place without knowing anything about them I probably would have run a mile, it looked like it could do with a deep clean but we were fine, the food was fine, everything was lovely. Very happy making.

Feb 08, 2010 

7.8 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  10     

Can't get any better value than deciding what to pay! We both had chai tea which I really didn't like but my partner finished up for me. He had the dhal and rice and found it good. I got the Vietnamese salad and really enjoyed it, it was tasty and fresh.

Service was normal, really everything was just like a normal vegetarian cafe but with a box to put your money in at the end!

Oct 30, 2009 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  10     

I'd like to volunteer to help out, I'm a little disadvantaged as I'm partly disabled, standings a problem for long periods, but I'm a good driver and a retired youth worker [docs] and I ran a specialized school for young people in need and helped intergrated young people back into main stream schooling, also counselling families and the mind works great so I'd love to assist if needed, if not goodluck in the future and I'll continue to support the cafes.

May 01, 2009 

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  9     

This is a sweet little place. We went for lunch (wrap choices) so we didn't really get an overall picture of the food. Having said that, very nice wraps and a worthwhile experience generally. Would love to return for dinner!

Sep 03, 2008