Bocas Group Team Opens a Vegan-Centric Gastrolab in Doral

Welcome Laborejo (or "laboratory" in Esperanto) to Doral. The city's first vegan-centric gastropub is set to open this Sunday, July 7.

The concept was dreamed up by Bocas Group team. The eatery is dubbed a "lab" because menu items are geared toward a particular molecular outcome.

In other words, if a guest needs to sleep better, speed up their metabolism, or detoxify, there are offerings claiming to do just that.

"The menu was developed with consciousness in mind," executive chef Mario Da Silva says. "The menu is vegan-centric with vegan options like our shiitake ramen and eggplant tacos, to name a few. There are some pescatarian options like our tiraditos, and vegan options with pescatarian add-ons like our CO2 smoked lentils that you can add snapper or salmon to. The idea is to educate the public on how vegan food is delicious and nutritious, and eventually we can eradicate the fish from the menu altogether."

The fish is wild-caught, and the produce is locally sourced and organic.

The menu is broken down into appetizers, soups, main dishes, signature makis, poke bowls, tiraditos, drinks, and desserts. Items will rotate based on seasonal availability.
Offerings include the likes of organic "kra" ($12), or okra halves in an almond tempura with Asian blood orange sauce; pumpkin cream soup ($12) with pumpkin cream, fresh corn, shiso leaves, panko, and pumpkin seeds topped with a mushroom confit toast; cauliflower wok rice ($18), featuring wok-smoked Basmati rice with asparagus, scallions, and peppers flavored with seitan and broccoli in a Chinese spice sauce; and the Beyond gastro burger ($18), including vegan bread topped with Beyond Meat, garlic cream, grilled romaine lettuce, and roasted tomatoes, served with turmeric and paprika potatoes.

The menu also offers beer, wine, coffee, juice blends, and desserts such as the chocolate indulgence ($14), a vegan chocolate cake filled with chocolate ganache, hazelnuts, Speculoos cookie crumble, raspberry sorbet, and a touch of Togarashi spice; and the ananas comosus ($15), made with fresh pineapple brunoise with cardamom, coriander, poppy seeds, cinnamon crumbs, pineapple, turmeric, mango, and ginger sorbet, with a light foam of orange liqueur.

"Our juice blends are all named after what they do for your metabolism," Da Silva explains. "For a diuretic, try the Squeezer. For a faster metabolism, try the Speed Up, and so on. The food also lists its molecular name, and under many of the dishes we explain how they help your body."

Laborejo. 7800 NW 25th St., #15, Doral; 786-391-1583; laborejorestaurant.com. Monday through Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.