REVIEW: The Coconut Tree goes back to its Roots with delightful Veganuary menu

January is the month for health kicks, resolutions and trying to do something different – for many that means being vegan curious thanks to Veganuary. Thankfully, The Coconut Tree is making that easy with its new Roots menu.

There are an impressive 21 different vegan options on this month-long special list, with 18 of them being gluten-free.

It’s part of a menu refresh from the Sri Lankan themed restaurant, and Cheeselogs was invited down to the Kings Road branch of The Coconut Tree to try it.

While we were guests to The Coconut Tree, we have eaten several times as paying customers, returning because dining here is an incredibly enjoyable experience.

Here are some of the reasons why we enjoy visiting:

• The food is freshly made, and as The Coconut Tree has an open plan kitchen you can, if you like, watch it being made. There is no hiding place
• The plates are small and mighty. The enamel tableware is similar to what you’d see if you go camping, and each is packed with food. While they may look a little dinky, they are ultimately a bit like tapas: a bit of this, a bit of that, and you fill you plate up nicely
• This means it’s perfect for sharing with your fellow diners, if you are in a party, that means you can split the bill, share the food and try just about everything on the menu
• The prices offer good value for money. Yes, it does add up, but they start at £4. A curry and rice can be yours for £13
• There are no airs and graces here: kitchen rolls is supplied so that people can clean up any mess they make with minimum fuss, the cutlery is canteen style and there are no fancy tablecloths or cloth napkins… what you see is what you get
• There are opportunities to try unlimited dining: on Sundays, a two-hour slot can be booked for £25 per head until the end of April, apart from Mothering Sunday. It comes with free soft drinks and is a pretty generous offer
• And then there is the Cocotails … inspired by Sri Lanka, there is a selection of non-alcoholic as well as more boozy cocktails including The Drunken Sri Lankan which is served in a vessel shaped by an elephant, and the Yaka, which is set on fire as it is served: quite a sight to behold
• Not forgetting the staff. In all the times we’ve had a bite to eat here, they have been unfailingly friendly, enthusiastic and helpful. Service is generally quick, with dishes coming to the table as and when they’re ready.

So, it’s fair to say we’re fans of The Coconut Tree, and have been since it opened here in 2021.

What about the Roots menu at The Coconut Tree?

While The Coconut Tree’s main menu has a great selection of vegan and gluten-free dishes as a matter of course, it’s good to have a special focus on them for Veganuary. It’s an opportunity for people to step out of their comfort zone and explore different ways of cooking.

We were given a selection to choose from including items we wouldn’t normally opt for.

We started with The Coconut Tree’s staple – its Hopper, a bowl-shaped coconut-milk pancake with three condiments: coconut samblol, seeni sambol (caramelised onions with a hint of cinnamon) and lunu miris (a Sri Lankan salsa). The plain version is £4, while one with an egg baked in the middle is an extra 50p, and obviously not vegan.

The best way to eat it is with your fingers – tear a hunk off, dip it into the sauces and away you go.

A great appetiser, it sets the scene for what’s next.

Next came Hot Battered Cauliflower (£8). Looking a little like tempura, these is exactly what it says on the tin… the crunchy cauliflower encased in polenta and with caramelised onions. It had a great bite to it, and it could have done with a dip to go with it.

READ MORE: Just terrific: Sunday buffet at Taste of Tandoori in Tilehurst is a real bargain

The Jackfruit Wings (£7) looked like kofta kebabs. Thanks to its texture, Jackfruit is often used as a meat substitute and it is part of the fig family, as well as being native to Sri Lanka.

If you like the Jackfruit, there are other dishes on the Roots menu that feature it prominently, including a Kotthu (£10) based on the country’s street food staple.

Fat Sister (£6) is a curry where the meat is replaced with chunks of squash, cooked in a coconut cream, curry leaves, pandan leaves and mustard seeds. Delightfully fragrant, the sauce is more liquid than a sauce, and is nicely soaked up by rice – we had the Vegan Fried Rice (£7), and the Paraotta Rotti flatbread (£4).

The intriguingly named Lady’s Fingers (£5) is a Sri Lankan okra salad with tomato, onion, lime juice and crushed chillies. The star-shaped okra was crunchy and this dish had a pleasant bite to it.

The Parippu dhal (£5) was a hit. A lentil curry garnished with spinach leaves, and made with Sri Lankan spices and coconut milk, it was a silky treat that slipped down very easily and could have been eaten on its own.

Among the sides was the Brinjal Moju (£4), a pickled aubergine that was added to the plates as an accompaniment, while the String Hopper (£5) is a steamed rice flour noodle nest with coconut sambol that can be enjoyed on its own if you are just popping in for a lunch. Incredibly tasty and versatile, it is a favourite.

The menu has plenty more to choose from, and dishes that aren’t gluten free are clearly marked. It’s great to have the opportunity to celebrate vegan cuisine in a way that normalises the menu.

We did end up taking our leftovers home, because we were stuffed, but if you are like the Very Hungry Caterpillar and still hungry, well, there are desserts available.

Across our visit, staff kept popping by to ensure the food was OK, if we needed anything else, and just to have a chat. They really do everything they can to make you feel welcome, and they have done when visiting with friends and family rather than in a formal review.

And with such a range of dishes that are different from ‘the norm’, it is also somewhere where you can try something you wouldn’t normally eat. Thanks to the small plate sizes, if it’s not to your liking it’s easy to try something else.

A taste of Sri Lanka, sunny side up in the greyest month of the year and, for January at least, without meat. Can’t argue with that.

The Coconut Tree
64 Kings Road,
Reading RG1 3BJ
0118 338 3921
reservations@thecoconuttree.com
https://www.thecoconut-tree.com/restaurant_bars/reading/

Open
Monday to Thursday, Sunday: noon-10pm,
Friday and Saturday: noon-midnight.

Food served
Monday to Thursday noon-3pm and 5pm-9pm
Fridays and Saturdays: noon-10pm
Sundays: noon-9pm