Forget the cronut, there’s a new patisserie kid in town, and what’s more, it’s 100% cruelty free!
When Gerald Lewis opened Choco Kebab Cafe in Buġibba two years ago, he couldn’t have imagined how it would become vegan Malta’s worst kept secret. Beloved by both plant-based eaters and omnivores alike, it’s definitely the go-to place to grab a bite to eat if you’re craving big portions of all of your veganised favourites!
Their “pulled pork" style jackfruit burger has asserted itself as the stuff of legend, and their outrageous vegan loaded crêpes have been keeping customers coming back for more since Gerald introduced the vegan menu options in April this year, following the advice of his daughter who thought it might be a good idea, and, boy, was she right!
Here’s where the game changer comes in. Gerald has just created the vegan kannolo, the ultimate Maltese version of the Sicilian-style crisp pastry tube piped with sweet creamy goodness and finished with crushed pistachios, icing sugar and syrup, which go down a treat with a cup of coffee! This comes after perfecting his very own version of vegan ricotta, using a secret blend of plant-based milk, and the crowds are going wild. They’ve quickly become bestsellers amongst diners fancying something sweet after their mega-ciabatta or burger and fries, and we can see why!
Gerald, who used to be a clothes designer has become somewhat of a culinary scientist when it comes to food, and his ricotta breakthrough has even seen him dabble in vegan pastizzi! “It took a lot of experimentation to get the texture and flavours just right”, he tells Guide Me Malta.
“Customers love the sweet flavour after a good meal and, as our foods are quite good portions, the kannoli are a perfect size to finish a good meal" he concurs.
What’s next in the pipeline for Buġibba’s Choco Kebab Cafe, we wonder? And we’re not disappointed! Gerald tells us he’s busy perfecting vegan pies fit to battle their meat-filled counterparts, just in time for the colder weather. We can't wait to wrap up and head down to Choco Kebab Cafe for a soul-warming pie to comfort us in the months to come…followed by a vegan kannolo of course!