The proof is in the Pudding Shop

WORDS Lisa Johnston PHOTOS Karen Swanepoel

The decor of a new meat-free restaurant in Parktown North is inspired by the textures and colours of Turkey, India, Morocco and Hungary, resulting in an eclectic whirligig of style and flavour.

It took four years to grow The Pudding Shop – and by grow we mean allow the fig ivy to thread its path up the exposed brick walls and the vines to twist a stealthy path through the rafters. But four years was worth the wait to create the fresh, organic indoor-outdoor space the restaurants owners’ Zeus Gusson and Klara Molinaro had envisaged.

“The building was too clean and cold initially,” says Zeus, “It needed time to get that worn look.” The duo had decided that the space should lend an ambiance of love and comfort in a setting that resonates with the nature of their vegan and vegetarian menu. They used nature’s bounty as a backdrop to the restaurant, then added wrought iron chandeliers, rough wooden counters, wooden tables and a mix of brightly painted and antique display and storage cases. The floor was cast in smallish, individual concrete slabs to allow weeds or dandelions to creep through the cracks if that’s what they chose to do. 

The result is a gentle, quirky space that feels a bit like finding a nook in a secret garden where you can curl your legs under you and tuck into a good book. Like a garden, the decor also changes according to the seasons and temperature of the owners’ moods. The space might take on the clean austerity of a winter’s day with white linen tablecloths, white beaded bowls and white roses or the zest and earthiness of an African bazaar, with bright, patterned cloths, mismatched crockery and country flowers.

“Decor is just clothes for your furniture,” says Zeus. Although he adds: “With Klara’s vision, today it might be ‘let’s butternut everything’, but by tomorrow butternut could be the worst thing.”

Their menu is equally eclectic, changing with the seasons and what is fresh and available. Although the focus is on vegan and vegetarian food, they strive to bust the cliché’s of soggy tofu and wilting beansprouts. “We like to be cheeky with our food,” says Zeus. “We like to get away from the obvious and make flavourful, interesting food.”

It’s also not about alienating anyone based on dietary choices. Fish creeps its way onto the menu, as does the option to include bacon in your breakfasts – but these are cooked next door so as to keep the Pudding Shop kitchen strictly meat free. “Some people say we are eclectic, but it’s about respect,” says Zeus. “We don’t want to penalise anyone for their fish or dairy choices.”

The Pudding Shop, behind La Cucina Di Ciro on 43 Seventh Avenue, Parktown North, 061 444 3493, bookings@thepuddingshop.co.za, www.lacucinadiciro.co.za.