Expatriate Lifestyle

If anything, I’m over qualified to write this review. The number of dishes I haven’t tried at the Yogitree can be counted on a mitten, and any new additions are spotted, ordered and usually approved almost as soon as they hit the menu. Why the enthusiasm? Because, barring a few rare, under-par occasions, the organic eatery in the Gardens mall has been excellent across the board.

There have been a few tough chicken moments, the odd long wait, and, of course, the hummus. But for a health-conscious meal, it can’t be faulted. And following a slight lull in the benchmark standards at the end of last year, things had picked up admirably on a recent visit. The homemade pasta and juicy tomato sauce (with added organic chicken, obviously) was better than before; the pure vegetable soup (a broccoli broth this time) was fresher than ever; and the beef burger, complete with crisp, crunchy coleslaw (edible even for the biggest coleslaw naysayers) and fluffy potato wedges, back to its flavourful best. Even the hummus now makes a great appetiser, with unburnt cuts of toast talking over from blackened predecessors.

The setting is, almost, as you’d expect from an eatery like this: airy, light and open to lounging with a drink from the extensive list of fruit smoothies, juice combinations and teas and coffees. I say almost because attached to one side of the dining room is a cosy, wooden boutique selling specialist yoga clothing and equipment. It’s a great resource for regular stretchers and confirms the natural, relaxed vibe that runs through the place as a whole. But there’s no elitism here; everyone is welcome. The kids menu proves popular with the young ones—just don’t tell them that it’s healthy!—and weight watchers will love the restaurant’s approach to listing each serving’s ingredients and origins. In fact, the only mystery surrounding the Yogitree is why it’s so often empty.