about the cafe, food and atmosphere

When I grow up, I'm going to find a home in a narrow alley running off a hip, busy street in the western part of the CBD. My joint will be a tiny oasis in the middle of the city's hustle and bustle, with mismatched retro furniture inside and a cosy garden with lots of dappled sunlight outside.

Every first Wednesday I'll screen an obscure film and invite all my friends around to watch, although they'll be dropping by all the time anyway to peruse the book store and clothes swap I'll have going on (and sponge off my WiFi). I'll organise some bands to play in my living room every now and then, and get some arty folk to periodically hang their work on the walls. Then, to top it all off, I'll have someone come in and cook me up not only delicious local, ethical, organic food, but also vegetarian, vegan and raw options for those with eclectic eating habits.

Until then, I'm going to set up residence in Bliss Organic Garden Cafe, because Bliss ticks all of these boxes - and at moment the only 'rent' I have to pay is $3.50 for a coffee.

By Stephanie Lyall

http://www.fivethousand.com.au/eat-drink/bliss-organic-garden-cafe/

Article published 17th Feb 10

But my favourite find was Bliss Organic Garden Cafe. I’ve heard about Bliss many times, and know that some fantastic vegan cooks have worked there (Vegan Ambrosia). I was delighted to find Bliss was just a five-minute walk from my cheap dive hotel. I chatted to the owner and discovered that the vegetarian cafe had gone 100% vegan just two months earlier. YES!!

In addition to pancakes and amazing-sounding fry-ups, there were two fu scram dishes on offer. I ordered the scrambled “eggs” on toast, which promised ’silken tofu pan-fried with mushrooms, served on organic Turkish pide’.

Bliss Organic Cafe's scrambled 'eggs'

Wow. Like, seriously, ZOMFG. Scrambled eggs are something I ocassionally miss, and this dish quenched that craving. I was expecting a tofu scramble-style dish, which although oft-called ‘vegan scrambled eggs’, doesn’t usually quite hit the same spot. These totally did – the texture was spot on, the mushrooms were diced up really small to add a bit of bite, and liberal use of cracked black pepper made them very scrambled egg-like. So amazing. The toasted pide was really yum too, though there was a bit much of it. Also, the coffee was fantastic.

Bliss Organic Cafe's soy latte

I was so taken with Bliss that I went for dinner there on the Friday night as well. Although I had been intending to try their famous Bliss Burger (almond, lentil and red bean burger with onion jam and garden salad in a rye bun – yum!), I was seduced by Brussels sprouts! Or, more particularly, roasted Brussels sprouts with apples, caramelised onions and pine nuts, served with herbed mashed potato. Could this dish be anything less than amazing?

Bliss Organic Cafe's roasted Brussels sprouts

Let me tell you, it was pretty damn special. However, the apple flavour was a bit too on the sweet side – as it was, it would make an outstanding side dish or entree. As a main, I think it needed something a little salty, or maybe some fakn bakn to offset the caramelised sweetness. I polished off everything on the plate regardless, even the curious addition of grapes and goji berries to the mash and pickles. I wanted to try their raw lemon slice with vanilla icecream for dessert, but I was too full. Next time.

Except Friday nights, the cafe is only open during the day, and as well as breakfast have a range of burgers, wraps, salads and sandwiches for lunch. Also they have some fantastic and decadent cakes and desserts. The menu is marked with gluten free, raw, and onion/garlic free available options, and they welcome discussion about dietary requirements. Plus they list who their organic suppliers are. The kiddie menu is really cute, with a mini-burger, toaste, and baked beans on offer for just a few bucks each. It’s a really great space, with two seperate eating areas and a garden courtyard. Bliss is awesome.

Lisa Dempster, a writer, editor, and the publisher at Vignette Press, also the director of the Emerging Writers’ Festival

http://www.lisadempster.com.au

Bliss Organic Cafe is a brilliant addition to a bustling central market dining region. It has a very earthy feel to the place, and it just seems natural to eat there. The food is always fresh and, being vegan, extremely healthy! They do a great signature 'Bliss burger', with a nutty patty, salad, sprouts, onion jam and tomato sauce, on a rye bun. If you're near the central markets and feel like something fresh, then visit Bliss (beware: Carnivores steer clear!)

Rhiannondh from Cumberland Park, 18 November 2009

http://www.womow.com.au/biz/Bliss-Organic-Garden-Cafe-Adelaide/

Merkel Marmaduke is not a vegan or particularly fussy about organic food. Fair Trade is an important attempt to redress the inequalities of trade in commodity goods like coffee, tea, sugar, nuts and chocolate. In his pursuit of hot chocolate knowledge, Merkel visited the Fair Trade Australia website and this is where he discovered the Bliss Café.

Merkel was most pleased to find that there were four hot chocolates on the Bliss Menu. He could have chosen the regular, the Chilli and Cardamon or the Peppermint and Lavender but he selected the Ginger Hot Chocolate as he had not experienced that before. It came in a glass with a metal handle with a good froth on top and sprinkle of chocolate. The drink was an earthy ginger flavour. This was not richly chocolaty but was a tasty, warming drink. The ginger hot chocolate and the other flavours cost $4.50.

Merkel looks forward to returning to try the other flavours. Even if you are not a vegan, organic, fair trade enthusiast this Café offers something different for the hot chocolate lover.

Merkel Marmaduke, 16 September 2009

http://hotchocolatedarkdesires.blogspot.com/2009/09/bliss.html