Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I tried the Tofutti cheese slices a few years ago and after taking a few bites I had to check that I'd definitely removed the plastic wrapper because that's what it tasted like I was eating. Never again!

I checked Woolworths Online yesterday and sadly they don't have any plain tofu either. I'll have to put my letter-writing hat on too!

Erin, bad tofu is an excuse to get take-away tonight... Zambreros, perhaps? Although you will have to put your pants back on! :-)

Thanks! I'll send them an email this weekend too. Hopefully if enough of us speak out, they'll re-stock the shelves.

You have no idea how much Zambreros I've had lately! There's one like two minutes away from my house, it's dangerous territory.

I'm going to email Woolies too, but the whole thing doesn't make sense. I'm sure there's some explanation other than 'it wasn't selling well'- I'd like to hear what it is.

They only seem to have an email address for complaining/'enquiring' about the online shopping part of their website. I don't want to be one of those dicks that gets outraged on Facebook, but... I kind of want to be exactly that. I've become everything I ever hated.

I put my ranty pants on! Feel free to comment on it and make it look like I have friends/am not just a crazy person complaining on the internet.

In better news, those new (at least, I think they're new) Leda arrowroot biscuits are awesome. Boyfriend thinks they're plain and gross and for old people but fork him, they're great dunked in tea (I am not helping my 'they're not for old people' case, am I?).

far out erin, it took a while to find your post! but i commented :)

Erin, I can imagine! When I was staying in Brisbane, Guzman Y Gomez was only a two minute walk from the hotel, so I ate far too many burritos and nachos during my stay (the vegetarian options on the menu are vegan-friendly sans cheese). :-)

I'd love to get my ranty pants on too but I don't have a facebook account. I'll try to call Woolworths tomorrow; I'll let you know if I find out anything. I imagine there's probably something more to it too, but I have no idea what it could be!

I love the Leda Ginger Nuts (they're perfect for dunking in tea), so I'll have to try the Arrowroot biscuits too. I made the chai-spiced snickerdoodles from the PPK today but I'm not sure whether they've turned out quite right... I'm not much of a baker!

LittleChicken - I've not found many "vegetarian/vegan friendly" restaurants on Urbanspoon particularly vegetarian/vegan friendly, in all honesty. I can't remember what I've already commended you - but for something special, contact the chef at either Urbane or Spring and do a vegan degustation!

Woolworths responded to us... Apparently the reason there has been no tofu is because they're taking over with a "Macro" brand tofu, which will be stocked from this week:
https://www.facebook.com/woolworths/pos ... ment_reply

I was wondering whether that would be the case. I went to a different Woolies (one near work) yesterday and the tofu shelves were bare, but there were a ton of new Macro veggie burgers- like five different flavours. I'm glad tofu will be back, but I kind of resent the focus on premade stuff. Not all vegans want prepackaged burgers, some of us like to cook from scratch just like omnis do!

Exactly. Especially when the prepackaged burgers are bland and crappy.

I kinda resent that Woolworths are taking over all of the little brands with their "Macro brand" stuff. I do appreciate the increased range, however.

Yeah, Boyfriend and I were just discussing it and we're probably going to start doing our weekly shopping in one hit (I'm really bad at thinking ahead so I can do this!) at a place in the city, just because you actually have choices there. I originally really liked the Macro stuff because it made it so much easier to get things that was previously kind of hard to find (like red quinoa), but it really sucks that it's pushing out other brands. I think there's a way to balance having both a good homebrand range AND giving people choices, but they've missed the mark.

I feel the same, Erin. I loved Macro initially until I realised that other brands were slowly disappearing. The only Leda biscuit still remaining at my local Woolworths is the Arrowroot; the rest of the range has been replaced by Macro alternatives. I'm appalled that Woolworths are creating a monopoly on the tofu; surely that's against ACCC regulations? I wonder how affordable the Macro tofu will be; with only their brand available, they can essentially charge as much as they like!

By the way, if that's what you write with your ranty pants on, I think I need a pair! :-)

Thanks Matt, I'll definitely keep Urbane and Spring in mind for next time!

Before we left, I contacted a few of the places listed as vegan-friendly on Urbanspoon, and much to my delight found that both Steamed and Ben's Alibi are genuinely vegan-friendly. Steamed have a dumpling called Zen which is vegan and Ben's Alibi were able to put together a vegan meze for me, which was delicious! Guzman Y Gomez was very close to our hotel, so we ended up having quite a few meals there too. I certainly didn't go hungry in Brisbane! :-)

I'll see how it is when it arrives in store. If it sucks, I'm starting a fortnightly trip to the Asian grocery in the valley to stock up ('cause the white man never uses enough coagulant in the firm tofu anyway!)

Um, I haven't bought it for ages (or from the health food store when I needed it) but when did TVP disappear from the major supermarkets?

No TVP? No tofu? What the hell?

World Vegan Day Melbourne, who's going??!

Just went to Woolies and they have Macro soy cheese now. Of course it's not vegan (casein ahoy!). Still no tofu.

I didn't go, because I was too busy stressing about my new job (starts tomorrow) and getting some work-appropriate clothes, but my housemates and a bunch of my friends went. They're all queer and mostly ambiguously gendered, and hung out in some little queer enclave or something for a while? I feel like they're often pretty noticeable.

Was it fun? It sounded like there was gonna be heaps and heaps of delicious food there!

ha, every time I passed Queer Space I thought geez I'd like to go and have a nap on the those comfy cushions in the shade. I was sitting nearby under a tree now and then but still came home with a sunburnt face. It was a really good day, food options were great and I finally got to try Enlightened Cuisine, Fritz Gelato and a vegan lamington. But the choc croissants sold out early so I missed out :(

Flights are booked, money has been paid, vacation is coming! As a change of plans we are going to NZ for three weeks instead of the initial Australian plan. We are renting a campervan in Auckland and driving around the North Island. Yay!
We'll be doing a lot of our own cooking so I'm not overly worried, but if anyone wants to recommend a really great place to eat out in Auckland or Wellington or any other major or minor place around the island, let me know, thanks!!
Also, if anyone wants to meet up sometimes somewhere, I'm up for it.

When are you travelling, Anek? I'm in Auckland and have a few vegan mates in Wellington. New Zealand is an awesome place for a road-trip, and conveniently tiny enough that you can pretty much get to anywhere you want!
We never eat out, so I'm not much use on that, but will think if I have any tips....

I saw the soy cheese at my local Woolworths too. It's such a shame they didn't make it vegan! There's still no tofu at my local Woolworths either; imagine the uproar if meat wasn't available for a few weeks while they changed brands!

I don't shop at Woolies, except to buy soy milk (the macro one is my favourite brand), but it really chaps my hide that they're removing choices just so their macro stuff sells better. What's wrong with offering a range of tofu? Not all tofu is created equal - there are some brands I don't like.

BTW...what's everyone's favourite tofu brand? Mine is Nutrisoy because it's mild with a firm, but not chalky texture, & I can buy the big 700g block from Chinatown for about $5.50.

The soy cheese was "omega 3 soy cheese" before, wasn't it? I think all the new macro brand stuff is old stuff, rebranded.

I prefer different tofus for different things - I love the soft, but firm of the Nutrisoy, I love the hard, brittle-ness of the green organic one for other stuff.. the only one I'm not in love with is Kingland.