Hari's Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurant ~ Indian - Ultimo

Hari's Vegetarian Vegan Restaurant make's you forget there's no meat in your meal and gives you healthy brownie points in just a few bites.

Hari's Vegetarian is one way you can eat like a vegan without having to feel like you have to buy into a whole new lifestyle. You can choose to eat it because it actually tastes pretty good. The food is fresh and brings out the best parts of eating a vegetable laden meal. There's also fried things and sweet things to bring down the pompous healthy eating level a notch. Many of the dishes are gluten free as well.

On the flipside, we can't help think about the movie Scott Pilgrim vs the World where there's a section in which Scott must battle Todd the vegan and then (spoiler alert) defeats by giving him milk. There's a side to vegetarianism and veganism that really does go too far, and I'm sure Gwyneth and co really do think they have vegan super powers.

While we do love a healthy serve of vegetables in our meals, sometimes the vegan message can be a little off putting with all the 'better than thou' posturing that goes along with it. Hari's does a great job in settling the fight between righteousness and tastiness.



Rice paper roll $3.50. This is the fattest rice paper roll we've ever seen. Filled with shredded cucumber, capsicum, beansprouts and large slices of avocado on top, a really fresh and veggie filled lunch option. Served with a sweet soy sauce.



Fried tofu steak $3.00 and kofta balls $1.00 each. Some little deep fried morsels to try and make your meal a little less healthy. They are served cold and go well with a good dollop of house made tomato sauce. Sometimes there's also fried cauliflower florets for $1 each as well.



Teriyaki tofu salad $6.00 (small), or $9.50 for a large serve. Squares of hard pressed tofu mixed with just cooked broccoli (so it stays a little crunchy), spinach leaves and sesame seeds in a light teriyaki sauce. Eating something like this makes you feel all vegan virtuous (in a good way).



Vegan Samosa $3.00. A crisp fried shell filled with mashed potato and peas and a good filling extra if you get a salad. There's a nice blend of tumeric and non spicy flavours. Hot chilli and fiery spices aren't used in this cooking.



Mixed nut and berry ball $2.50. This is like Christmas fruit cake without the cake. A squished together ball filled with nuts and fruit and possibly a little sweetener to make it all stick together.



Quick meal $8.00. There's a quick option to eat from the hot food in the bain marie of love, choice of one vegetable curry, an extra shot of dhal and a pappadum. Broccoli and zucchini curry was the curry du jour.



Hari's meal $10.00. Two vegetable curries, an extra shot of dhal and a pappadum. The curries on this day were a tangy tomato based mix of pumpkin and eggplant and a creamy curry of zucchinis sliced in long strips.



Large salad plate ($9). Mixed vegetables with quinoa & anti pesto (not vegan, it had some cheese in it). The salads here are fresh and filling.



Large salad plate ($9). Half teryiaki tofu salad & pesto salad. Mr Shawn felt so good after these he skipped all the way home.



Sweeties! Many of these are gluten free so now there's absolutley no excuse. The sticky date balls for $2.50 are incredible, and we've got our eye on the lemon puddings below.



Vegan chocolate brownie - about $3.50.  Yum. Not everything has to be healthy, you know.



Hari's Vegetarian is at 157 Broadway, Ultimo. Phone: 9212 1010. We love how they have kept the old shop front window intact, it's the only one left along this strip of shops.