Nestled in the heart of Brunswick Street Fitzroy, Madame K’s it is at the epicentre of a number of veg friendly eateries competing for your patronage. But it is absolutely one of my personal favourites.

Upon entering, the first thing that grabs you is what a pretty place it is. The Asian decor is warm, simple and striking. You are also always greeted with a smile and made to feel very welcome. It’s a tiny space but somehow you don’t feel crowded, even when it fills up. It’s especially sweet at night with the flicker of little candles on each table.

The menu is modern Asian and it’s big! Some of the entree choices are Roti with Peanut Sauce, Steamed Mushroom and Chestnut Wontons or Chive Dumplings. You can then select between salads, soups, noodle dishes, rice dishes or curries. Gado Gao, Tom Yum, Nasi Goreng and Penang Curry, just to mention a few. There are a number of menu items that include meat substitutes. Love them or hate them, they are done very well at Madame K’s. I am usually not a fan and tend to stick to whole foods, but after recommendations by a friend, I recently tried their Crispy “Prawn” Salad and was impressed. I use to be a big seafood lover and their crispy battered “prawns” made from yam were absolutely delicious. You would be hard pressed to know they were veg.   The curries are a standout for me though. The Penang Curry is mouth watering with vegetables and tofu in a rich, sweet, creamy, fragrant sauce. It’s served with your choice of jasmine or brown rice.  Leave room for dessert though. The Pumpkin Balls in Coconut Soup (pictured) use to be my standard order, but is sadly no longer on the menu. There are still plenty of gorgeous options though.  The  Tempura Banana with Agave, Almond and Vanilla Ice cream is delicious. Or try the Warm Black Sticky Rice with Lychee.

The entire menu is vegetarian. Most of the dishes are vegan though and many that are not, can be easily adapted.  Just let the staff know as you order. There are gluten free options too.  The dishes are visually appealing, have texture and offer diverse flavours,

They recently added a function room upstairs which is stunning and seats up to 40 people. It’s the perfect space for a special occasion with friends and family.  I used this recently for my birthday. I was not asked for a minimum total spend for the night like many restaurants do, the service was exceptional and the bills were done for each table for individuals and couples. This made paying at the end a refreshing ease!

The only cons I have found are that some dishes can be a little inconsistent at times and they really need to crank up the aircon in hotter months   These though are far outweighed by the location, ambiance, gracious service and gorgeous food, which keep me coming back again and again. I have also taken non veg family and friends many times and it never ceases to impress.

This little place gets busy and it does a roaring takeaway trade with the locals, so do book ahead for night reservations.

Easily one of my favourite places to eat and I love that my bill comes in a book about NEMO.

Cuisine: Specializing in Modern Vegetarian Asian cuisine

Address: 367 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

Hours: Sunday:  12pm-3.30pm and 5pm – 10pm.

Mon: Thursday:  5pm – 10pm.

Fri:  12pm-3.30pm and 5pm – 10pm.

Sat: 12pm-3.30pm and 5pm – 10pm.

Website: http://www.madamksvegetarian.com.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madamekvegetarian?fref=ts

Coffee:  Beraldo