A Taste of Class: Get your va va voom back at Vivo

By Lindsey Turnbull

It’s a bit of cliché to say that we are looking to get a bit fitter and eat more healthily this time of the year, but that is exactly what we are doing right now. So, a trip up to Vivo located on Northwest Point Road in West Bay, seemed like an obvious choice for Sunday breakfast.

I’m not a stranger to this restaurant because our daughter is a big fan of vegan food (though not quite there as a vegan as yet). Vivo is not a wholly vegan restaurant but it caters brilliantly for vegans, as well as vegetarians, those who eat gluten free, those who choose organic produce and anyone who is looking for an eco-friendly and sustainable place in which to eat.

I love the fact that it is tucked away incongruously on the ocean front and that you really wouldn’t know it was there and you certainly would know how great it was unless you were ‘in the know’, so to speak. If you haven’t eaten here before, you will be knocked out by the gorgeous ocean views (or massive waves that were breaking during our visit), a big draw for me as a lover of al fresco dining.

Breakfast choices were all vegetarian but not all vegan, so thankfully eggs were on the menu. We started our meal with a cup of their Cococcino, a signature cappuccino made with homemade fresh local coconut milk. I am more of a ‘hot milk with a dash of coffee’ kind of coffee drinker, so extra coconut milk on the side was in order as the coffee was quite strong but never-the-less delicious when extra milk was added. Other beverages to choose from include a great selection of juices and delicious-sounding smoothies - Purple Smoothies with wild blueberries, banana and coconut milk (homemade), White Smoothies made with apple, banana, cinnamon and coconut milk and Tropical Smoothies, with pineapple, papaya, mango, banana and coconut milk.

I toyed with the idea of their omelette - two local eggs with tomatoes, mushrooms, local bell peppers, onion and spinach, served with a side of fresh salad and toasted homemade bread, but, really, eggs and bacon is a traditional Sunday breakfast, whether you are looking for an all American or a full English, so I was excited to choose their version, Eggs & “Bacon”. I was presented with a lovely looking plate of two perfectly fried local eggs, coconut bacon, sautéed potatoes with moringa and toasted homemade bread. While the coconut bacon was clearly not your average slice, it had a satisfying crunch, a nice depth of smoky flavour and went brilliantly well with the eggs and potatoes. It also lacked the grease of normal bacon and therefore left me feeling full but without the guilt of consuming naughty fried food.

Their Avocado Toast was another great choice in our group - two slices of toasted homemade bread topped with sautéed mushrooms, local avocado and toasted sesame seeds. On the sweet side of the equation, their Coconut Pancakes, made with homemade coconut flour, cashew cream, cinnamon, almond and vanilla essence and topped with homemade berry compote, were also deliciously tasty, especially as they were served with a small side of sticky dates and a cute mini plate of Chef’s seasonal jam. They were also beautifully presented – a treat for the eyes.

At the end of the meal, we felt we had eaten heartily and healthily and looked forward to the rest of our Sunday feeling quite pleased with ourselves that we had managed to stay on the healthy eating track.