Conveniently located on East Terrace in Adelaide city lies Siberia Bar and Restaurant – a clean-cut space and balcony bar overlooking the parklands.

Siberia specialise in European cuisine and serve both meat-heavy and vegan food – but we’re here to focus on the vegan side of things. The restaurant have recently created a vegan menu to cater for the increasing demand for plant-based options and in a bid to destigmatise their very gamy menu.

We tested out a few of their new vegan offerings – check them out below!

Entree:

Forest Shroom:

This entree consists of a mushroom julienne/gratin made from porcini, enoki and flat mushrooms with black truffle oil. Think of this dish similar to a pâté – the consistency has a bit more texture to it than a pâté due to some mushrooms chunks here and there, however the overall consistency is quite creamy. A few pieces of fresh bread wouldn’t go astray with this dish. The flavours have a bit of a kick in a pleasant way thanks to the black truffle oil which pairs beautifully with the mushroom mixture. Salt flakes are sprinkled around the edge of the plate instead of on top of the gratin so you are able to reach your desired level of saltiness.

Blue Boat:

This entree includes wild mushrooms, cherry tomato pieces, leek, forest herbs and black truffle oil over one slice of roasted eggplant, more or less in the shape of a boat. For an entree I’d say the serving size is ample – the mushrooms again, are the filling aspect to this dish. Admittedly it isn’t the prettiest looking meal, but the flavour is there – giving off Mediterranean vibes all ‘round. Paprika is sprinkled around the edges of the plate so you are able to reach your desired level of spice.

Main:

Krautwurst:

Also known as the ‘vegan sausage’, the krautwurst are three cabbage leaves encapsulating a filling of cauliflower, tomato, leek, sweet potato, pumpkin and mushroom, topped with caraway seeds, over a bed of wine tomato sauce. This meal is definitely full of flavour mainly from the rich tomato sauce. Think of these ‘sausages’ like a sort of giant dolmade (stuffed vine leaves). The krautwurst is definitely the healthiest vegan ‘sausage’ I’ve had in my time, which is great if you’re on the hunt for healthy vegan food – however if you’re expecting a full on juicy, vegan meat sausage to come out then you will probably be thoroughly disappointed by these very vegan sausages. Alas, the flavours were delicious with both richness from the wine tomato sauce and sweet notes from the drizzling of balsamic vinegar. It’s easy to tell that all of the ingredients used in this meal were fresh, quality products.

Dessert:

Chocolate and Raspberry Mousse:

This dessert definitely does not lack aesthetics – beautifully curated with vibrant layers of raspberry and chocolate mousse, topped with raspberry coulis, foam and powder, garnished with a sprig of mint. However, the flavour and texture were definitely lacking. The mousse was more like a jelly, potentially from the use of soy lecithin as a thickener, resulting in a residual sliminess. Unfortunately the flavours were somewhat on the plain side too. On the plus side, it’s not very sugary which is great if you’re after more of a healthy tasting mousse, and for those with a nut allergy, you’re in the clear here too as oat milk is used for the ‘creamy’ aspect. This is a dessert that kids would potentially enjoy.

Aside from the dessert, I would recommend Siberia if you’re after something a bit different, healthy and in the mood for some mushrooms. However, just a pre-warning to vegans that the decor is not entirely vegan friendly if you’re after a fully vegan experience. Thank you to Siberia Bar and Restaurant for proving vegan options and catering for a range of demographics.

Words by Dale Anninos-Carter

WHERE: 6 East Tce, Adelaide