T H E
GOOD F O O D
‘Nothing with a face’-value Matthew Michaelis
A husky yet soft voice speaks [voiceover]: ‘The following story is more like an incredible tale than it is a restaurant review’. I can imagine this narrative playing out on the big screen, and the marketing: ‘A futuristic, quirky comedy’. The synopsis would go something like this: ‘A genius vegan scientist travels back in time to the 70s where he invents world-changing medical equipment and lives off the royalties as he hitches from one place to another, often shoeless, searching for himself in the future, in the past and in present time…’ This is an eatery that comes with a short story and an initial advisory note for the conservative diner – there’s a pot of gold at the end of this rickety rainbow – and it’s the food (bear with me). The above synopsis is more like a proper introduction than a figment of my imagination – it’s mostly true (with the exception of the time-travel bit, although I do wonder sometimes). The person I’m speaking of is Marijonas (‘Mari’) Vilkelis: the creator, cook and gentle philosopher behind the 20,000 Cows vegan restaurant in Lismore. There may be a few folk out there who already know this eccentric ageing hippy. He’s the Santa Claus of the metaphysical, the gift that keeps giving. Personally, I met Mari when I was around 15 years old (a few decades ago). My older brother had earlier given him a ride to Sydney and I became acquainted by default. He visited me on his way up north, back when the term vegan was not a familiar tag and the philosophy attached to it was neither understood nor tolerated. He’d been an award-winning scientist – an inventor of medical machines that were sought after – but he sought after something else. When you come across an individual in your life who transcends societal norms it can be confronting or cathartic. When you meet a fringe dweller who is an extraordinary person, it doesn’t take too long to recognise the fact. Mari is both extraordinary and mystifying at the same time. He is the quintessential vegan, but his commitment does not come from politics; he is not primarily motivated by anger about the status quo. Some time in this man’s life he recognised that death and abuse shouldn’t be accepted, absorbed into or made to seem okay in one’s daily life. My entree into veganism was through Mari and my pet sulphurcrested cockatoo, Claudius. This was a wild unclipped bird that lived in a sizeable cage in my home when I was a teen. Mari on a visit was offered a fried egg and promptly suggested I might climb into the cage and he’d feed me my eggs through the wire. He
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then promptly released the bird from his prison (it took me three hours to return him to his detention) and left me a-wondering about the insanity of it all. Three months went by and then a parcel arrived addressed simply to ‘Claudius’; the padded envelope contained a brand-new set of wire cutters with no return address or sender. Mari, I imagined. Well, many years later and the only thing that’s changed is that the money from royalties ran out and a restaurant was created in its stead. Thirty-seven years have passed since my cockatoo escaped his cage and here I sit tasting a surprisingly sumptuous menu prepared by Mari at 20,000 Cows. Entrees were ordered and my guest and I slowly took in the ramshackle decor. It reminded me of a teenager’s shared flat, needing a good long visit
from an energetic older sibling to Yemen. It comes here on an oval plat- Top: Mari the gentle philosopher behind 20,000 Cows. Above left: vacuum and set things right, do the ter, a shallow-fried pastry, like a punt, Mellawah encircled by a lake of good and rich tomato sauce dishes, paint the walls and wash the long and majestic, floating on the Red Above right: Served on a sizable platter, the alu kofta, green dahl and throw covers. This place is not to be Sea. The top-deck is filled with a diced cashew sauce Photos Matthew Michaelis judged by current restaurant stand- cooked mushroom topping, the lot pea dahl, each crowned with a fabu- my heart though to think that people ards; there is munificent goodness plump and encircled by a lagoon of lous cashew sauce. The whole affair like Mari exist and their attempts at waiting and certainly not the sort that good and rich tomato sauce with a was pleasingly presented with picture- balancing the world are recognised is dictated by fashion and face value. deep chilli spike to it. The sauce was perfect iceberg lettuce cupping a fresh and welcomed by many as a gentle The menu cover states the philoso- too hot for my friend, but I love the salad all flecked with edible flowers. reminder of our need for temperance, phy of ‘Ashram’, Mari’s keen statement spicy, so I sweated through it. Alu These dishes came with the feeling compassion and kindness. kofta is a crisp potato dumpling that’s that you really couldn’t expect any and firm credo: Q 20,000 Cows All animal products are intention- been deep fried instead of boiled. more care. Vegan cuisine. From 6.30pm ally omitted from food prepared and Four delicate examples of these croI’m a writer on food and as such Wednesday–Saturday served on these premises. Known GM quettes were brought forth on a size- all the goodness and shenanigans 58 Bridge Street, Lismore ingredients are also excluded. Ashram able platter. The alu kofta enjoyed a from farm to plate must be attended Phone: 6622 2517 is the proclamation of sanctuary or good steeping in an exceptional green to and fairly dealt with. It does warm Booking advised but not necessary haven for all beings. This ashram announces this Japanese | Italian | Raw proclamation... … The numerical figure (20,000) denotes a symbolic estimate of creatures that, consequent to the ashram project, … have never existed. The world is therefore void of their servitude, suffering and death. Thank you for helping make the world a little gentler. Hence the 20,000 Cows. Here the menu is 1 large with choices from international, Indian 72 Burringbar St. Mullumbimby and Middle Eastern fare. Mellawah is a dish @ the Bowlo 18-20 Marvell St, Byron Bay that originates in the
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The Byron Shire Echo October 14, 2014 17