We are not Vegans but do value the health benefits of a plant based diet. We also don’t mind trying anything. We’d heard plenty of good things about Paperbark restaurant in Waterloo and we were keen to check it out. We booked and went on our Anniversary, for it is the sort of restaurant you go on special occasions.

Paperbark offers a plant based menu highlighting natural Australian ingredients. There is an 8 course tasting menu for $85. and with matching wines for $65 on top. We opted for for the condensed version, which is 4 dishes. The $55 for 4 courses seemed very reasonable to us. The restaurant also has a small bar menu of you’re more keen for a drink and small bite to eat.

They also have wine and cocktails and we were impressed to see and all Australian wine list, with all vegan, and low intervention wines. We opted for a cocktail, the Old fashioned. Really well composed and presented nicely. Also tried a lemon Myrtle soda, good for the non drinkers.

We are normally fans of ordering bread and Paperbark uses our favourite, Iggys. However on this occasion we couldn’t go past ordering a bar bite before our degustation. The Salt and vinegar and sherry flakes churros are by far one of the best things we’ve eaten this year. Essentially a huge potato filled “churro” the salt and vinegar seasoning. So Moreish! Dip it in some Vegan aioli and you will really like this!

On the degustation, we begin with the Paperbark ‘schnitzel’ mushroom was a nicely crumbled mushroom, seasoned with finger line and served as thought in looked like a rock on the plate. Very cool.

The second dish was the Asparagus with mountain caviar tonburi from Japan and a soy emulsion. The asparagus is served with parsley oil.

Enoki with apple, kohlrabi, chestnut and black garlic was the main dish, a superb arrangement of mushrooms that enabled the flavour of each mushroom to shine.

The dessert was visually a standout. The beautiful raspberry sponge was served with Dehydrated raspberries and a strawberry gum sorbet and a Pepperberry buckwehat. It was light and refreshing and a great dessert overall.

We found the food here to digest well and we we full, yet didn’t leave feeling like we had overeaten. Even being big eaters, we found the drinks, a bar bite and 4 course degustation to be suitable. Already planning a return!

The venue itself is stunning, wooden features and beautiful native plants. Throughout the dining experience, I kept commenting on how much I loved this dining space, in particular the plants.

Playing music that we’d describe as Modern funk calypso remix. The ambience was relaxed and the restaurant was super busy on the night we visited. Our waiter was superb. He knew the menu inside and out, had a great demeanour and did super well, looking after a number of tables the evening we were there.

A great restaurant did the vegan and non vegan diners alike.

Paperbark

8/18 Danks St

Waterloo

https://www.paperbarkrestaurant.com

Hours

Closed Monday and Tuesday
Wednesday 6pm-10pm
Thursday 6pm-10pm
Friday 6pm-12am
Saturday 1pm-3:30pm then 6pm-12am
Sunday 1pm-3:30pm