It takes 20 kilograms and 10 varieties of fresh vegetables, cooked down in a giant pot for more than 10 hours, to create David Nguyen’s healing pho.

The generous bowls of soup are bulked up with slippery rice noodles, whole vegies and tofu. Customers top them off with zesty Vietnamese basil leaves, crunchy bean sprouts and a squeeze of lime.

The Nguyen family has paid homage to its hometown of Saigon and shared its love for nutritious vegan food through Golden Lotus since 2015.

The restaurant was designed to evoke feelings of peace and calm, with deep green walls and traditional paintings of flowers signed by a Buddhist monk. In case you forget where you are, “Veganism is magic” is written on the wall in gentle pink lights.

The recipes are derived from Nguyen family memories, taking influence from their home country and travels across Asia. Try the vegetable dumplings or the sizzling tofu, eggplant and abalone mushrooms cooked in a Vietnamese clay pot.

In keeping with the nourishing theme, drinks stick to teas and fruit sodas, though you can BYO wine for a fee.