Are you into raw foods? I’m not talking about plain fruits and veggies, I’m referring to the real meals and creative ways that raw foods are being used to take vegan cuisine to another level! Raw foods typically include items that have not been cooked beyond 118 degrees Fahrenheit. It is believed that anything cooked above this temperature loses a lot of its nutritional value. After visiting the busy city that is Seminyak in Bali, my husband and I made our way over to Ubud, a tropical jungle retreat. It is an area of Bali surrounded by an array of rice-patty fields, famous landscapes, and temples/shrines scattered throughout.
In addition to its beautiful scenery, Bali offers a much more relaxed and slower way of living than its famous counterpart, Seminyak. My husband and I were looking forward to slowing down a bit, so we decided to visit a local café that was about a 15-minute walk from our Airbnb. Sayuri Healing Food Café was a great introduction to the raw food world. Their menu is quite extensive with a variety of options and a case full of freshly made desserts to choose from after you’ve finished your entrée. In addition to great food, it’s the perfect environment to work on your computer (they’ve got excellent wifi) or simply meet with friends. Their staff is extremely welcoming and not pushy at all. My husband and I spent about 2-3 hours working and munching on food and not once did the staff make us feel as if we had overstayed our welcome.
The café is very open, with a natural setting. I love that you can leave your shoes at the door and walk around the café barefoot. They even have shoes you can slip on for going to the semi- outdoor restroom. The décor is aligned with Ubud’s relaxed and tropical feel, which was exhibited in both their indoor and outdoor seating areas. We initially opted to sit outside where they offer pillows for you to sit and appropriately short tables for you to work or eat. Unfortunately, the pillows were a bit thin, so after an hour, we opted for the traditional seating inside for more comfort.
For my meal, I decided to go with the Lasagna Italian. It’s their most popular dish and after tasting it, I can see why! It’s a zucchini based lasagna with marinara sauce, a creamy nut béchamel, marinated spinach, and raw-mezan, served with a side garden salad.
First, I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the presentation. It actually looked like real lasagna! My first bite sent a “wow” feeling straight to my taste buds. I couldn’t believe I actually liked it! The lasagna was delightfully well seasoned and even cheesy. It was completely reminiscent of a cooked lasagna.
My husband ordered the Pad Thai, which consisted of coconut and zucchini noodles with a sweet tamarind sauce, almond butter chili, veggies, a crunchy topping and a spicy relish.
He really enjoyed his dish and I was still reminiscing about how delicious mine was. As his wife, I’m obligated to taste his food 🙂 I liked his too, but not nearly as much as my lasagna! For dessert, I decided to go with their matcha filled unicorn cake, which was way too cute to pass up. It was so tasty! Perfectly sweet with just the right balance of flavors.
If you’ve ever been curious about the raw vegan food world, I’d encourage you to try Sayuri Healing Food Café in Ubud! It will surely give you a new perspective on raw food. It certainly did for me!
About the author: Desirée is a foodie with a passion for amazing vegan cuisine. When she’s not in the kitchen creating recipes of her own and testing out others, she’s traveling in an effort to find the best vegan dishes across the country and all over the globe! You can find her at I Can You Can Vegan.
