The road from Timișoara’s city centre to Green Aware is not exactly pleasant. A busy boulevard, with two lanes in each direction, and the far too hot weather for mid-October. It's two o'clock and I'm thinking of going to the closest park first, to write the first draft of the previous restaurant’s review. But I decide first to check out the program first.

The exterior roller blind is half pulled and you are greeted by the "Sorry, we're closed" sign hanging on the open door. Inside there is nobody. I stare through both windows and someone probably notices me. Judging by the apron, it looks like the chef, who informs me that they closed early, because they are going to a festival. It is the very festival for which I came all the way to Timișoara, but I still express my regret that I cannot have the full restaurant experience. I refuse the takeaway offer and the invitation to return on Monday, since I will have already returned home by then. Hearing this, the chef invites me in to have a portion of the daily menu. After making sure I am not bothering them during preparations, I happily accept to have some oyster mushroom soup.

Bright and welcoming interior design

Inside, only one table for 4 people is in place. Some white-painted wooden chairs with green cushions on them are aligned next to the wall. The drawings on the walls inform you that this place is only serving vegan, healthy food. 

Îmi aduce supa tot bucătarul, care imediat după aranjează ceva în cutii, în camera de lângă. Simt că sunt în plus, dar încerc să mă concentrez pe supă.

The cook brings me the soup, then starts to pack something in the next room. I feel a bit like an intruder, but I'm trying to focus on the soup. It's a regular soup with vegetables and cashew cream, with pieces of oyster mushrooms.

Before eating, I notice the cutlery. They are beautifully shaped and appear to be made out of copper. Later on the owner reveals that it is actually fake copper, but they still look refined.

Preventing food waste, a priority

I start eating. Unlike other oyster mushroom soups I've eaten, this one is more nourishing. It has grated carrot in it, diced red pepper and probably onion too. Since I am sensitive to the food waste subject, I can only appreciate the way it was made. Normally, in this kind of soup, the vegetables are only boiled to flavour the soup, then removed.

Într-un coșuleț, lângă farfurie, sunt 5 pâinici. 2 din făină albă și trei din făină integrală. La cât sunt de mici, mă aștept să nu fie prea crescute. Însă mă înșel. Cea albă este pufoasă în interior și cu o coajă rumenită potrivit.

Such an unexpected and pleasant interaction

Right before finishing my meal, a young woman looks through the restaurant’s still half-pulled roller blind. She enters and asks the lady co-owner if she can stay. The latter replies that only if it doesn't bother me to sit at the same table.

I'm actually happy to welcome her, Luiza, to my table, as I now feel less strange not being the only guest. She also orders the soup and we have a very pleasant conversation. We discover that we both studied journalism and that we have many common interests. We talk about journalism, food intolerances, mould in old houses and our repulsion towards the events organising industry. We stay more than planned, since the owners approve.

One more snack and something sweet

We also order dessert, but while waiting for it, the lady co-owner brings us some grilled cashew cheese slices. The aromatic crust wraps the soft interior and a subtle taste of fermented vegan cheese invades your mouth. Then comes the simple refreshing dessert: cooled baked apple, with chocolate on top, very affordably priced at only 6 lei.

Plecăm mai târziu de 3 și jumătate, ora până la care e de obicei deschis Green Aware. Pe seară, am avut ocazia să mai mănânc o dată de la ei, în cadrul festivalului menționat, LA PAS. Din nefericire, prinsă în interacțiunile cu oameni dragi mie și în discuții, am uitat cu desăvârșire să pozez mâncarea.

Not many options, but pretty decent ones

During the festival, I decide to try out their pizza and I’d dare say it's one of the best vegan pizzas I've ever had. A true Neapolitan pizza crust, made from organic flour, fluffy and crispy on the edges. The melted homemade cashew cheese is blending nicely with the other ingredients, such as the organic tomatoes and the arugula I chose instead of basil. I like it so much that I think I'll order it again the next day. 

Dar mă înșel, căci duminică aleg un bol vegan cu salată de vinete, brânză, chiftele de năut, salată și pâine. Aparent clasic, are câteva elemente care-l diferențiază. Salata de vinete conține morcov și gogoșari cubulețe și se potrivește de minune cu pâinica proaspătă, după care tânjesc, căci o termin cam repede. Brânza rumenită, aceeași încercată în restaurant, este așa gustoasă și ușoară că aș putea-o mânca în cantități generoase. Salata este diversă, conține kale și alte frunze fragede, dar mi-ar fi plăcut să simt prin ea niște semințe coapte și poate și un dressing mai dens și mai dulce-acrișor (sosul de rodie ar fi complementat splendid). Cu chiftelele din năut sau linte m-am chinuit nițel, căci erau cam dense și seci, rămâneau în gât. O singură dată mi-a plăcut falafelul, la un restaurant din București în care au reușit să le facă pufoase.

Reasonable pricing compared to quality

The prices at the festival are a bit higher than the restaurant ones, which I can understand. But their weekly menus seemed super affordable - 42 lei for the large one and 32 lei for the small version, 17 lei for the daily soup, 32 lei for the main course, 8 lei for dessert. I'm glad they exist and that they manage to survive in a market dominated by omnivore restaurants.