A Newtown Dining Experience

This weekend, I enjoyed a wonderful night out in 

Newtown at Lentil

As Anything as part of a casual birthday celebration. We were blessed with great food and a great atmosphere in the hubbub of one of cities more vibrant and busy suburbs. Situated just a two minute walk from the Newtown train station, Lentil as Anything offers a unique dining experience whereby all culinary preferences are pretty much accounted for!

When you walk into Lentils, you are greeted at the door by friendly hosts (volunteers) who are incredibly helpful and always generous with their time. Volunteering as a waiter or as a hand in the kitchen is always a night filled with fun and excitement, as I have come to appreciate.

A group of busy students, we were grateful for the time to catch up and relax in such a unique atmosphere. Lentils operates under a 'pay as you feel' philosophy, whereby patrons evaluate what their awesome experience was worth after they eat their meal, and then contribute accordingly. This is a policy that really depends on people's honesty.

It is a real privilege to be able to experience a place like this which cherishes generosity and an open heart. The upstairs space is very private - you almost feel that you are a world away from the busy chug-a-chug of the city. To top it off, there were even fireworks to be heard during the night, which made it even more special.

The food was so tasty, it was hard to choose which dish to load one's plate up with. There was a beautiful potato curry, dhal, two different types of salads (a tabouli and a coleslaw), falafel, naan bread, eggplant curry, delicious rice and pappadams. I enjoyed a sip of an Irish Cream and a Moderate Mary on the night, which were both very nice. I have never really been a fan of Tomato Juice (or tabasco sauce, for that matter!), but I really enjoyed the interesting flavour. The Irish Cream was particularly nice though - the coconut milk gave it a really rich flavour. Lentils is an alcohol free space, which creates a very family friendly atmosphere.

One of the great things about Lentils is the absolute lack of judgement that the restaurant operates under. The down and out can come and have a meal alongside the high flyers, and there is nothing stopping this! Being part of a 'safe-space' is the most rewarding and heart-warming experiences that you can have.

There are a series of incredible artworks that line the walls of the restaurant. These are often by local artists, and are always very interesting and often have a poignant human rights conscience. There are also some great movie experiences to be had - there is an initiative known as 'Popcorn as Anything', whereby films are shown in exchange for a donation. These are ethical films that often encompass an important human rights or ecological message.

One of my favourite things about Lentils is the concept of the 'Footpath Library'. This operates under the idea that we should be able to share great pieces of literature with each other. People leave books in a designated bookshelf within the store, and then other interested readers are free to pick these up. When they get a chance, the recipients are encouraged to return the favour and leave a book in exchange.

We had a great time just savouring good quality, wholesome food. When eating food like this, it is hard to picture how we have such issues with regards to healthy, sustainable eating. It just goes to show that something can come out of nothing, and that is the case for Lentil As Anything.