Greenlicious,
Unit A-G-12, Block Allamanda,
10 Boulevard, Sprint Highway,
PJU 6A, Petaling Jaya.
Tel: 03-7724 1109
Business hours: 11.00am to 10.00pm (daily)
Pork-free.
ORGANIC food is no doubt gaining popularity in recent years due to better health awareness, but there are still some who cringe at the mention of the word “organic” thinking that the food must be dry and bland.
Greenlicious, a cosy and trendy organic outlet in Petaling Jaya, was set up to debunk that myth while encouraging more to eat organic food.
The journey to a change of perception starts from the moment one steps into the restaurant. The elaborate use of wood from floor to ceiling, reminiscent of a cottage, immediately warms one’s heart.
Sweet finale: Lee about to relish his personalfavourite Tau Foo Fah.The neat, clean-cut interior suggests that this is the place to cut the frills and savour only true flavours.
The restaurant offers Asian delicacies, mainly Malaysian, Japanese and Chinese dishes.
About 30% of the dishes are non-vegetarian while the rest are categorised as Vegan/ General Vegetarian/Healthy Vegetarian/ Vegan + Vegetarian, to meet customers’ different needs such as not having dairy products, onion and garlic in their food.
The restaurant uses different sets of utensils to prepare the meat and vegetarian dishes. In the spirit of being honest with customers, the menu also details how organic the dishes are.
“It is very difficult to be 100% organic but we are trying our best,” said restaurant owner Jessie Lee.
Lee and three other friends, including a doctor with a passionate interest in dietetics, started the business.
Apple Vacations’ group managing director Datuk Desmond Lee-San joined them soon after he learned about the restaurant’s mission and commitment.
“Like travelling, eating is a way we experience life. I am touched by the efforts they put into serving healthy food and educating diners because they see this as a social obligation,” Lee said.
Indulge in some of the local perennial favourites such as Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rice and Curry Mee, but rest assured that the more you eat, the healthier you become.
Coconut milk is replaced with cashew milk, the rice is infused with vegetable juices while the chicken is fed with friendly bacteria.
“We visit the suppliers’ farms and check on the fertilisers to ensure that the ingredients sourced are truly organic.
“It was difficult when we first started, and we had to wait in queue for a long time to establish the chain because these good suppliers are highly sought after,” Lee said.
Lei Cha King (Hakka Pounded Tea) appeals with an interesting mix of vegetables that offer contrasting textures while the Japanese Ramen, its taste approved by Lee who is particular about the authenticity of Japanese dishes, is flavourful even though the soup is prepared with only miso and vegetables.
“The dishes are concocted by our nutritionist partner. He also makes himself available if diners want to consult him about dietary matters,” she said.
While health benefits are promised, the flavours offered by these delicacies is not compromised either.
Flavourful:The Japanese Ramen is flavoured with miso and vegetables.Lee said the team went the extra mile to serve the best flavours. For example, they had experimented with close to 100 eggs to make the perfect Japanese poached egg.
“Our kitchen team starts work at 9.30am to be ready in time for lunch. The sauces are homemade and the brown rice is soaked for hours to achieve the best texture and nutritional value,” he added.
Other interesting delights are Vegetarian Sashimi made with konjac and tinged with carrot juice, Pumpkin Balls that make healthy and yummy snacks and Egg Roll that appeals with a good mix of fresh, crispy vegetables.
Do leave some room for dessert and try out its very own version of Tau Fu Fah — Lee’s personal favorite. The light, smooth soy bean pudding is made with kanten (an ingredient extracted from seaweed) for a healthy push. It is served with chia seed and black sugar for an enhanced flavor.
The restaurant has also introduced kaiseki cuisine (Japanese traditional haute cuisine) for catering, to pamper diners with chef’s specially designed delicacies based on ingredients available on that day.
This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.