The motto of Deity of Miracle is 'Serve with love' and this vegan restaurant aims to provide delicious food that is also healthy. Owner Cathy Tan explains that she wants to "Promote veganism," which she describes as a "New lifestyle for the future, as people become more health conscious."
The restaurant is set in an attractive bale on Sunset Road just before Carrefour. Potted pink frangipani surround the entrance and we climb the stairs to find a welcome breeze flowing through the pavilion which features a whole wall of Laughing Buddha statues. "We want people to feel happy when they are here," says Cathy. The view is quite a dichotomy with Sunset Road on one side, and serene rice paddys on the other. A garden with small pavilions surrounding a pond provides a secluded seating area.
A round of fresh pure juices is welcome, the Kedondong is exceptional, a slightly sour, apple-like fruit sweetened with plum to make a delicious thirst quenching drink. There is also a luscious dark pink Dragon Fruit Juice and a thick green Vegetable Juice, hot choices include Chrysanthemum Tea and Soya Milk.
Chef Bong Jie Long is from Kalimantan and studied the art of vegan cooking in Batam, he tells me that he chose veganism for health and ethical reasons. His extensive menu blends Indonesian, western and Chinese dishes with lots of interesting options that I am curious to try. Evocative names like The Miracle of Happiness and Wealthy of Miracle make me smile. We start with Sup Rumput a thick soup of seaweed and carrot, and move on to excellent Vegan Spring Rolls which are battered, crunchy and served with a hot chili dipping sauce. A refreshing Fruit Salad laden with dragon fruit, strawberries, grapes and pineapple, is followed by Nasi Vegan Bali a tasty cutlet of julienned vegetables wrapped in soy served with rice and zesty green beans cooked in coconut milk. The Nasi Rendang comes as a set, with a rich, sweet and spicy mushroom rendang accompanied by moist tempe (soy bean cake) fried mushroom and singkong – cassava leaf cooked in coconut milk. The serving of Noodles with Pumpkin Sauce is huge, with fat hokien noodles tossed with tempe, button mushrooms and red peppers all infused with the delicate flavour of pumpkin.
Dessert is a range of traditional Es Campur, colourful concoctions of fruit and ice, including a glass of Fruit Salad topped with icy cool syrup, tape, fermented cassava and Es Cendol made with coconut milk. A perfectly cool and refreshing end to a light and healthy meal. \AB
