I attended a business lunch with a few mates and a few of vendors yesterday. After strolling past many of the great restaurants on Clarendon (which are myriad), at the suggestion of my friend who'd eaten there previously, we decided on Shakahari.
I should explain that I do love veg, and that many, MANY years ago in my youth I was a vegetarian, however I was a bit crestfallen at the thought of eating vegetarian that day, as I had my mind set on seafood and am always in the mood to indulge my carnivorous leanings. That said, I'm also typically in the mood for a new food adventure, which turned out to be a good thing, because instead of a veto I capitulated. And I must state that I owe a debt of gratitude to my friend, he couldn't have made a better suggestion.
Everything on the menu that day looked intriguing, but the lasagna was what caught my eye from the get-go. To make a long story short, all of our party ordered something different, and after a brief wait filled with active conversation, things got quiet with the quickness once the food arrived. Spaghetti, lasagna, laksa, tofu satay and biriyani were all devoured in short order. And I can say without risk of hyperbole that my lasagna was the best lasagna I've ever eaten in my entire life, protein or no protein. And it was not only vegetarian, but vegan and gluten free; all of which are qualifiers that aren't important to me, but made the dish all that more impressive due to the constraints that they place upon a chef to deliver rich and nuanced flavours. The hot and cold salad elements served with the meal were equally impressive.
I can't wait to return to sample the rest of the fare I witnessed at our table that day, as well as the rest of the menu. read more