the terrace restaurant at MLC

A school hospitality training restaurant may seem an unlikely place for vegan food, but you would be wrong. With some advance notice on booking, The Terrace Restaurant at MLC have always come up trumps, though I suspect they could dish up something pretty good without any notice.

They have always treated me well on my transition from omni to vegetarian to vegan.  The school runs a VET hospitality program, training in both kitchen and front of house.  The food is reliably good and it is also ridiculously cheap. The service is sometimes a little nervous, but these young women are learning and this is part of the joy. This is the next generation of chefs and waiters and I’m happy to be part of their learning. I like that they are learning to deal well with people who have specific dietary requirements without any of the raised eyebrows or sighing that you sometimes get in other restaurants. Those places could learn a thing or two from these respectful and helpful teenagers.

Anyway on to the restaurant and the food. You have to order a minimum of two courses. As a vegan you won’t get a choice.  Mains are $14 and the entrees and desserts are $8. There is no alcohol but they do a good range of mocktails at around $5. There is nice linen and cutlery and the tables are well spaced.

My family and I eat here regularly for a birthday or other occasion and have never been disappointed. In the interests of full disclosure, I should say that my sister teaches at the school. This is how I learnt of the restaurant in the first place. It is a pity it is not more well known.

In the past, I’ve had food ranging from a felafel platter to substantial warm salads. The food is often made up of the side dishes from the other courses, and sometimes prepared especially. But even when getting side dishes, the food is excellent. This time I had a specially made amuse bouche of a small pizza with roasted pumpkin and caramelised onion followed by minestrone for entree. I finished off with a mixed vegetable platter of hummus, tabbouleh, a beautiful nicoise salad, some braised red cabbage and eggplant with a grilled king oyster mushroom. All of the food was delicious, well presented, well seasoned and with an edge of refinement, not just veggies plonked on a plate.

This is a good place to take your omni friends and also to be able to eat well yourself.

It is always a pleasure to dine here.

The Terrace Restaurant
Krome Dining Room
Methodist Ladies College
207 Barkers Rd, Kew, 3101
Lunch only. Alternate Thursdays and Fridays during term
Bookings through www.trybooking.com/GUWC
Enquiries: terrace@mlc.vic.edu.au