Restaurant Review: Cafe Greenprint

Christy Ma (lolleroll)

  In her quest to find the most delicious restaurants about town, our resident food blogger Christy Ma (aka lolleroll) checks out the latest healthy hangout to pop up in Tai Koo. But will the nutritious, eco-friendly offerings of this all-things-healthy Japanese café be enough to get her taste buds tingling?

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The Venue

Comfortable light green shades, wooden furniture, and quotes dotted on the walls – I was already sensing that Cafe Greenprint would be worth writing about when I saw the entrance. Of course the “healthy” concept was the selling point which attracted me here in the first place, but it’s the, I would say “realistically healthy” or “sustainably healthy” food, that left me impressed in the end. What I mean is that it doesn’t serve organic-only food, nor does it focus on superfood salads, raw diets, or any of those detox fads that have become so popular in magazines and the internet these days. It has added a bit of imagination to real food, and makes sure every meal is nutritious. And the food was delicious.

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The Food

[caption id="attachment_52157" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Tofu Coconut ($105)[/caption]

Set lunch (which costs $100 to $140) is served from 11am to 2.30pm and includes an appetiser, main course, quinoa and red rice, and hojicha. The Tofu Coconut ($105) was the most unsuspectingly yummy dish I tasted at Cafe Greenprint. There were a few sizable chunks of super silky smooth tofu, served in a creamy coconut sauce. It was also a tad spicy. I’ve never tasted this combo before, but it’s definitely not one I’ll be forgetting about soon. It’s HIGHLY recommended!

[caption id="attachment_52154" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Beef Roll ($78)[/caption]

Although the Beef Roll ($78) was not too inventive or surprising, it was still cooked very well and it’s one of the few lunch set options that would satisfy a meat-hungry person. They’re quite generous with the meat, but super generous with the asparagus - making sure you get a lot of fibre.

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Read more! Find more healthy hot spots in our Ultimate Healthy Eating Guide.

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That brings me to an important point: this cafe tries to encourage more nutritious dining. Let’s face it, there are many days we just don’t feel like eating a salad or that side plate of broccoli. But you know the consequences of a lack of fibre is agitating and totally avoidable. To increase the fibre content of your meal, Cafe Greenprint mixes red rice and quinoa into the bowl of rice which accompanies your meal. It also serves a lot of fibre rich side dishes - the Blue Potato and Maple Pumpkin were my favourites. [caption id="attachment_52158" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Uni Pasta ($135)[/caption] They make minor switches like using wheat spaghetti instead of white – although the Uni Pasta ($135) made with wheat spaghetti was only so-so. [caption id="attachment_52156" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Sole Lasagne ($145)[/caption] The set dinner menu is also similar, except with a different variety of dishes, served from 6pm to 9.30pm. The Sole Lasagne ($145) was probably the highlight. It’s made with spinach pasta sheets, layered with fish, and smothered with a refreshing tomato sauce. It was super tasty and satisfying, although not as cheesily filling as the typical lasagne (I approve!). I know “zoodles” are a thang right now and they do sometimes taste good. The Zucchini Noodles ($135) here mimic a tomato sauce pasta, but I thought it was a bit too veggie-intense. I suppose it’s a good choice for those who are looking for a healthy-healthy meal. [caption id="attachment_52155" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Slice of Raw Cacao Cake ($48 - $78)[/caption] A picture says a thousand words. I had my eye on the Slice of Raw Cacao Cake ($48/$78) as soon as I opened the menu. Not all “raw cacao” desserts are good, but you really couldn't tell that this chocolate cake was a healthy version. Ok, to be fair, I don’t really know if the cake is healthy at all – it’s probably not. They say it’s made with sin-free sugar and although I believe natural sugars are better than processed refined ones, sugar is still sugar and too much is still not good for you. The good news is, even if it was a totally sinful dessert, this cake is still a MUST order. There are a lot of must order labels in this post, but for all ginger lovers, you can’t let yourself go before you order the Ginger Matcha Latte ($43). It was super gingery, yet still quite matcha-y.

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The Verdict

While the price tag of the set lunch ($100 to $140) is not super appealing, the quality and taste of the food would definitely make this my regular lunch spot if I worked near Taikoo. Knowing that meals are nutritious is often good enough for me, when it comes to maintaining a healthy (ish) diet. I feel pretty guilty when I eat a huge meal of deliciousness, only to remember that I was consuming 99.9% carbohydrates – but that won’t happen here. I suppose my only tiny complaint would be the prices. You can expect to spend about $150 for lunch and $200+ for dinner, especially if you’re adding on desserts or drinks. I personally think it’s a very reasonable price for what you’re getting, but I suppose it does make you think twice about whether you really want that extra Ginger Matcha Latte! Cafe Greenprint, Shop G016, Cityplaza, 18 Tai Koo Shing Road, Tai Koo, (+852) 3100 0106 

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Still hungry? Check out more of our culinary adventures in the Restaurant Reviews below! Le Garcon Saigon Lily & Bloom Moonshine & The Po’Boys Top 5 Japanese Restaurants The Drunken Pot

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