A little gloss has been rubbed off the image of the socially conscious restaurant, Lentil as Anything, as it goes out of business by the end of February amid deep financial problems and allegations of mismanagement.
The restaurant has no set prices, and everyone is welcome to come for a meal and pay whatever they think they can afford, whether it be a financial contribution or volunteering. At their peak, Lentil as Anything would serve over 1 million meals per year, of which 30 per cent were paid for.
I have eaten there a few times, and as long as you like vegetarian food, you should be satisfied. The last time I ate there, they had bangers and mash on the menu. Typically, the bangers would be meat, but they made them from sweet potato and added mashed potatoes and onion gravy. It was delicious, and I went back for a second serving. I was also happy to leave a financial contribution commensurate with my enjoyment of the meal.
The writing has been on the wall for some time now, and it looks like it won't survive. It has helped many thousands of people, whether local or overseas, with many people who worked or volunteered there going onto other successful lives and careers.