This week, we’ve been staying home and staying safe, getting delicious, plant-based meals delivered straight to our door. Thanks to Soulara, a Sydney delivery service, we’ve been sat on our couch enjoying a week’s worth of delicious vegan dishes.
If ever there were a time to look into meal delivery companies, now would be it. Self-isolation has got many of us sick of cooking the same homemade meal day-by-day. For those who can afford it, a sign-up delivery service like Soulara makes a great alternative.
And what about the menu itself? Well, if you’re interested in trying Soulara delivery in Sydney, we’ve compiled a list of the dishes we tried, with a rating out of ten for your convenience. Fresh, fragrant and full of good veg, here are our thoughts on each one.
Mushroom Bourguignon with Black Garlic Mash – 9.5/10
The Mushroom Bourguignon is hands down our favourite. A plant-based version of the French dish, Beef Bourguignon, it combines a hearty mushroom base with rich black garlic, red wine and mashed potato. The chunky vegetables absorb the flavour of the sauce, with strong notes of mixed herbs thyme, rosemary and oregano coming through.
All-in-all, it’s a hearty, rich and wholesome choice. We couldn’t have picked a better accompanying dish to snuggle up on the couch with Netflix on a rainy night! And where did the 0.5 come off the rating? Well, simply because we wished there was more of it. Never-ending mushroom bourguignon, yes please.
Mystic Black Rice Pudding – 8.5/10
One of the more exotic items on the menu, the Mystic Black Rice Pudding is a Japanese-style of dessert. Not overly sweet for a dessert, it’s an interesting one to throw in with your mix. The pudding comes with coconut and lemon-infused black rice, topped with cashew and pistachio nuts.
It can either be served hot or cold, but we think it tastes better hot. The delicious coconut notes are prominent, and the flavour profile could be considered a bit of an acquired taste. When we first smelt and tasted it, we were unsure how we felt about the unfamiliar taste. However, it grew on us (massively) and the pudding soon became seriously moreish.
Bodhi Bol – 8.5/10
The Bodhi Bol is totally mouthwatering. It is a bolognese alternative that simply tastes so fresh. A rich tomato capsicum base really carries this dish, and the black lentil beans make a nice alternative to meat with their chewy texture. Not to mention the sauce-to-pasta ratio is on point. The dish is served with a nice al dente rigatoni pasta and large chunks of ‘cheezy’ nutritional yeast-roasted zucchini.
Soya: Edamame & Black Fungi Udon – 8/10
Another delight, the Black Fungi Udon happened to be the first Soulara Sydney delivery meal we tucked into. We were impressed with the udon noodles and how well they retained their perfect texture despite being packaged up. They offer a bite with an eloquent balance of soft yet chewy.
The noodles are also sesame-infused and, with plenty of black sesame seeds throughout, it comes as no surprise that sesame is the stand-out flavour. Yum, we love sesame. Another dish influenced by Japanese cuisine, the Black Fungi Udon combines noodles with umami black fungus and shiitake mushrooms, edamame and puffed tofu.
Roots Unearthed Red Curry – 7/10
You can never really go wrong with a curry, can you? Curry is food for the soul, and the Roots Unearthed Red Curry saw no different. It was a fragrant Thai red curry packed with tofu and seasonal vegetables, served with rice noodles. The vegetables had a nice chunk to them, similar to the bourguignon. Broccoli, zucchini, green beans and capsicum were all thrown into the mix. In saying that, we’ve definitely had punchier curries. As spice lovers, we would definitely have liked a little more of a kick from the chilli.
Unlike our top favourite bourguignon, the curry’s flavour is a lot lighter on the palate. It is not so rich and heavy, which is perhaps why it sits to the bottom of our list. We love big and bold flavours most of all. The red curry also piles on more calories and carbs than that of the bourguignon, again taking off more points. It’s still a well-rounded and tasty meal though, and this is all subjective opinion, so we think a 7 fits appropriately.
Overall, we would like to conclude that, as meat-eaters, we are highly impressed with Soulara’s vegan selection. The flavours are really on point. Menu items are both rich and fulfilling, with perfect portion sizes. If you’ve tried Soulara or this post has inspired you, we’d love to know what you think! Slip us a DM at @the.adelaidian on Instagram.