Cooking à la GiGi

In an effort to switch up our typical Friday night dining out, my girlfriend and I booked ourselves a cooking course experience at a cute little café on Monkland: Café Juicy Lotus. The evening called for Mediterranean cooking and we were more than happy to take the trip. We were fully aware that the little resto catered to more a vegetarian crowd and to be honest, this added to its appeal. Challenging our taste buds to a meat free meal turned out to be a winning effort.

Upon arrival, we felt the warmth of Gigi’s establishment and her methods. The modest café provided us with a cozy homely feel and genuinely welcoming staff. We joined our fellow cooks in an equally quaint kitchen for some serious hands on cookery. The menu for the evening: a parsnip potage topped with cranberries and sliced almonds, a quinoa pomegranate Tabouleh, and finishing off with a hearty Shakshuka paired with homemade black olive sourdough bread. As if this was not enough, we were also treated to lovely cocoa energy balls rolled in coconut shavings to end our meal. Our wonderful host for the evening, Gigi, made the experience incredibly enjoyable with her comical view on life and genuine love of food. I was really impressed by the simplicity in these dishes, and their unbelievably mouth-watering flavours. I am proud to announce that I finally know how to chop my garlic up right. I’ve got to thank my girl Gigi for that!

Xo Dom Appetit!

fresh spices and herbs

parsnip potage with cranberries and almonds



pomegranite quinoa tabouleh and shakshuka