tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36181113171358820942024-03-08T06:58:43.348+00:00Lustrous MusingsVegan food, cocktails and various ramblings from a UK bloggerStevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.comBlogger175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-59796776132405149532014-04-16T07:40:00.000+01:002014-04-16T15:30:26.255+01:00The Gallery Cafe (Bethnal Green, London)A couple of central line stops further than I normally go, The Gallery Cafe's both not that far from The City and perfectly located for visiting along with the V&A Museum of Childhood (which is free and highly recommended). <br />
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I've been a couple of times in the past year - food, price, waiting time and service all reasonable.<br />
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As the name suggests the food and set up is cafe style. Everything's vegetarian and mostly vegan. They've a mixture of communal and individual tables, with a small outside space. On our most recent visit we had a couple of vegan pizzas, which including drinks came to about £20:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/gallerycafe2.jpg" border="0"/><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/gallerycafe1.jpg" border="0"/>Liberal serving of Cheezley and sensible amount of toppings. Fresh dough and crispy base - not stunning but above average.<br />
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I'll both return and happily recommend it - whether you're in the area already or fancy a change from the usual Z1 dross.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-35204934607788095612014-04-16T07:30:00.000+01:002014-04-16T15:12:22.997+01:00Ruby Tuesday's (Greenwich, London)A bit of a non-post here - apologies! Ruby Tuesday's isn't a cafe, restaurant or even a shop. It's worth both a mention however and definitely worth a visit if you're ever in the area.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/ruby1.jpg" border="0"/>Ruby's is a cake stall on Greenwich market. Why the fuss? Because the cake is good - really good! Everything's vegan and with plenty of gluten free options too.<br />
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We got a selection of their wares, including a slice of this Lemon, Raspberry & Pistachio cake:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/ruby2.jpg" border="0"/>Which was amongst the best vegan cake I've ever had - in London and beyond. Visually appealing, perfect texture, good flavour and not too sweet (the frosting being more creamy than like eating a bag of sugar). <br />
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If only every coffee shop in the country (or even just one in every town) had vegan cake this good, I'd be very happy. And fat(ter)!Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-48588478910868135332014-02-23T21:31:00.000+00:002014-02-23T21:49:36.039+00:00Hummus Bros (Holborn, London)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/hummus1.jpg" border="0"/>I've been subconsciously avoiding Hummus Bros since it opened. Not because I don't like hummus (I do), but because I eat enough of it already - both at home with decent bread (ciabtta, focaccia, pitta etc) and as the staple "I'm desperate" option with a pack of long life pitta - two things I'm sure to find in the middle of nowhere's village shop.<br />
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I've eaten a lot of good hummus in 14 years of veganism, including some that <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/houmous.html>I've made myself</a>. Inevitably I've also had my equal share of bad (cheap supermarket) hummus too.<br />
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Hummus Bros is a hummus cafe - every dish revolves around a generous bowl of the stuff. You add the toppings of your choice and eat it with pitta bread. It's a simple formula but difficult to get excited about. <br />
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I like hummus however, so eventually I gave it a go. If anyone's going to serve good hummus it's a cafe that specializes in it, right?<br />
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It turned out that the most expensive hummus I've ever bought was also the least garlicy, salty, olive oily I've ever tasted. In fact I couldn't really taste anything, other than chickpea and tahini. Very disappointing!<br />
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Their toppings include omni items - though vegan options are listed on their website and staff pretty clued up it's a shame they're not marked on the menu in store. It's also a shame that their falafel isn't vegan (what's with that?)<br />
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I opted for mushrooms and sundried tomatoes as toppings - both of which were good.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/hummus2.jpg" border="0"/>No complaints about the fresh pitta either, other than that there wasn't enough of it to eat all of the hummus with!<br />
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All in all, it could have been better. <br />
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I'll try a different branch at some point (they're a chain) and hope their hummus has more flavour (assuming it's made in house that is). Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-957567144935306922014-02-23T20:32:00.000+00:002014-02-23T20:35:37.112+00:00The Coach & Horses (Soho, London)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/coach1.jpg" border="0"/>I've known about The Coach & Horses since it opened a couple of years ago, but was put off trying by crappy reviews.<br />
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Having visited a couple of times recently I can definitely see where they're coming from - whilst it's great to see an all vegetarian pub in London with oodles of character, the quality of food could be better.<br />
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The dining room is above the pub - you have to ask downstairs whether there's space, then ascend a staircase behind the bar. It's all a bit rough around the edges, but in a charming sort of way. The pub itself serves non-vegetarian drinks and is rammed most evenings. The dining room's a bit more relaxed and oozes character - high ceilings, curved wall, open fireplace, bare floorboards etc. Mostly candle lit too, so I apologise for the quality of the photos!<br />
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They seem to have a good clientele - foreign tourists during the afternoon for 'afternoon tea' (which looks good but bought in) and the usual vegetarian restaurant sort of folk in the evening.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/coach4.jpg" border="0"/>On my first visit I had their infamous tofuish and chips - the second a burger. <br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/coach2.jpg" border="0"/>Where else can you get vegan fish and chips with a pint of cider? (no where that I'm aware of). First impressions very good - shame the peas aren't mushed with mint, but it's the Coach and Horses not Mildreds.<br />
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On closer inspection however, the chips were crap (bought in, poor quality potatoes, not well cooked) and the tofu unpleasantly fishy tasting. I've had tofu fish elsewhere that's been battered tofu with a hint of nori, but this was a full on fishy taste that was more of an endurance than pleasure to eat (I must confess I that failed to eat it all).<br />
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Dessert was carrot cake, which tasted a lot better. Dense and not enough frosting, but a reasonable effort (without wanting to spoil the rest of this post it's the best thing I've eaten there).<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/coach3.jpg" border="0"/>The second time I visited I went for their burger. Same crap chips but a decent enough looking bun.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/coach5.jpg" border="0"/>Ever the eagle eyed vegan that I am I checked that they'd not included hallumi, which of course they had:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/coach6.jpg" border="0"/>Yuck! I'm glad I check these things..... Having waited for another meal to be made I was more concerned about missing my train than eating dinner, so skipped the free dessert they offered me. Mistakes happen and I appreciated the gesture. <br />
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The burger itself wasn't that great. Having blogged 2 excellent burgers today I know I'm not just being picky. It was mediocre at best - like the tofuish I left half.<br />
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To summarize: I like everything about The Coach and Horses, except for the food. As a restaurant above a non-vegan pub (there are better places to drink in the area) that doesn't make for a compelling reason to revisit. I'll give it another go in a year or two - hopefully they up their game in the meantime. Until then however there are better places to eat within a short walk.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-36148136542579677072014-02-23T17:56:00.001+00:002014-02-23T18:06:47.482+00:00Boston Tea Party (Birmingham)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/btp1.jpg" border="0"/>The general rule is that I don't (willingly) do non-vegetarian places that don't already have vegan items marked on their menus. Whilst I've had some fantastic food in omni places that don't, more often than not it's disappointing.<br />
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I've known about BTP for some time, but was put off by conversions with people who've worked in other chains such as Wetherspoons, who've told me categorically not to eat there. Veganisable in theory or not, just don't even try.<br />
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I was pleasantly surprised by BTP's efforts to cater for vegans however - not only do they have things marked as vegan on their menu but seem to be options in their own right (i.e. not a vegetarian dish with ingredients removed). They've redwoods rashers & sausages for their breakfasts and have soya spread available for toast. The staff seem clued up and as Birmingham's not exactly brimming with vegan choice, the more the merrier really. <br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/btp2.jpg" border="0"/>Decor's impressive and unique. Some of it's a bit odd, but on the whole they've done a decent job of creating a brand.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/btp4.jpg" border="0"/>Our burgers were homemade and tasty, fries also good (we're told cooked separately). I'm not a total fan of their beetroot burger, but it's good to try something unique. They do veganisable kids options too and there were plenty of families around.<br />
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Spectacularly we managed to miss the fact that they've a vegan cake option - not sure what happened there!<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/btp3.jpg" border="0"/>Overall I was impressed - I've eaten far worse vegan food in vegetarian places; it's good to see mainstream places taking veganism seriously and doing a good job. Would definitely recommend it and will revisit when the opportunity arises.<br />
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Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-19130018565533848992014-02-23T16:56:00.001+00:002014-02-23T16:56:11.339+00:00Stereo (Glasgow)I'm still not convinced that Glasgow is the most <a href=http://blog.peta.org.uk/2013/08/glasgow-named-most-vegan-friendly-city/>vegan friendly city</a> in the UK. It doesn't take a statistician to realize that London has more v*gan cafes and restaurants than Glasgow, or for that matter Brighton too. Peta aren't known for being right about many things - perhaps they got it wrong this time too?<br />
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What I do like about Glasgow is several all vegan places*, as opposed to mostly vegetarian with vegan options (which may or may not bare any resemblance to the description). Edinburgh definitely fits more in this bracket.<br />
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Stereo's a good looking bar in the centre of Glasgow with an all vegan food menu, vegan drinks (Sam Smiths etc) and *the standard non-vegetarian ones (Guinness etc). <br />
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Service was friendly but chaotic - it wasn't clear whether it was table service or not. Still, it was good to see an all vegan eatery mostly full on a week night - other cities could do with something similar.<br />
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The food itself was alright but could have been better. The menu is focused more around tapas than the usual starter / main course, which is understandable given the type of venue. I chose a couple of tapas items to start then went for a pizza for main:<br />
<blockquote>Vegetable Tempura - crispy battered seasonal veg with ponzu dip - £3.75<br />
Garlic Bread - 2 pieces freshly made with our Stereo baked bread - £2.60<br />
Haggis Pizza - with muhammara (spiced red pepper and walnut), tomato sauce & olives - £8.00</blockquote>I took the liberty asking for vegan cheese on my pizza - a snip at 60p extra. <br />
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The tempura was rustic. A slice of sweet potato, mushroom, red pepper and half a carrot - deep fried in chip shop batter. The carrot was still quite crunchy and it wasn't that great. Rind in the ponzu gave an overpowering, slightly unpleasant aroma and taste. I wouldn't order this again.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/stereo1.jpg" border="0"/><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/stereo2.jpg" border="0"/>The garlic bread's bread was lovely. You could tell it'd been made with love rather than by a machine. That said though it was basically toast with vegan margarine and the very slightest hint of garlic. It could easily be improved with a bit more garlic and seasoning - it's possible I just got unlucky.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/stereo3.jpg" border="0"/>I've got to be honest - the pizza could have looked more appetizing. Their pizzas are served 'flat bread' style - i.e. not traditional dough but tasty all the same. The real star of the pizza though was the muhammara, which was simply stunning. Really good flavour with a sensible amount of spice.<br />
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It could be improved however (both aesthetically and in terms of flavour) by adding cheese, which ironically I had ordered and paid for but didn't get. If I order this again I'll make sure it comes with cheese. <br />
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There was a choice of 3 desserts - 2 cheesecakes and a sticky toffee pudding. I went with a chocolate raspberry cheesecake & icecream for £3.50:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/stereo4.jpg" border="0"/>This I also liked. It wasn't on the same level as cheesecake from Dandelion & Burdock, but then vegan cheesecake generally isn't. Personally I'd happily pay a pound extra for a taller slice.<br />
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I like Stereo as a venue but wasn't blown away by its food. I may have caught them on a bad day, as it it could be pretty good with not a lot of tweaking. Next time I'm up in Glasgow I'll try someplace different, but would give Stereo another go if staying nearby. Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-31771083912748558942014-02-23T16:03:00.000+00:002014-02-23T21:54:17.559+00:00V Revolution (Manchester)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/vrev1.jpg" border="0"/>V Revolution is like what <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/vbites-brighton.html>V Bites</a> would be, if it were good.<br />
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Products you can buy from any healthfood store and cook yourself at home for a fraction of the price - why pay someone else to do something you can effortlessly do yourself?<br />
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It's a reasonable question, but if done right in a place with friendly staff and good atmosphere then I'm all for it. It's good to leave the house (from time to time), meet people etc. Not everyone who goes there will be vegan or for that matter inclined / able cook themselves (they could be at work or out shopping).<br />
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The problem I have with V Bites is that it isn't done right. So how's V Revolution any better?<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/vrev2.jpg" border="0"/>V Revolution's a cafe to the north of Manchester City Centre. Parking's easy (although expensive) and the area not unpleasant. They've pitched it as a record store, deli and cafe, though in reality it's a cafe with some chillers, shelves and a few records at the back. They've concentrated their deli selection on hard to find, high ticket value items rather than replicate H&B. It's like Vx but less cramped and with more cheerful, friendly, northern speaking staff.<br />
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The menu's similar to <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/red-veg-brighton.html>Red Veg</a> (what's with the whole revolution / red thing?), but without the fries, onion rings and full on fast food experience (burgers wrapped in paper, fries in cardboard, plastic tray etc). Unlike Red Veg however there's place to sit (without elbowing the person next to you), 50s diner inspired decor, sofas and decent lighting. It's also still trading, which is always good.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/vrev3.jpg" border="0"/>I think they could be missing a trick by not going for the full Red Veg menu / experience, but they were busy enough when I visited and perhaps this is planned in time.<br />
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The food I had was good - no complaints. I had a chocolate milkshake (rich and icecreamy) for £3.50 and a (Frys) burger for £4 (which I ordered with extra cheese (Violife?), bacon (Redwoods) & a 2nd patty (I'm greedy like that)). <br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/vrev4.jpg" border="0"/>I've eaten the same a million times before (we've a section of our freezer affectionately known as the Fry's drawer), but I don't think £4's unreasonable (I've eaten many crap burgers at other cafes costing way more). <br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/vrev5.jpg" border="0"/>The only slight disappointment was that they were out of their special of the day (double chicken burger), which is confusing considering that they had plenty of packs of Frys chicken burgers in the chiller. They also had 4 of their 6 milkshakes unavailable and even more tragically - no cake. Fellow bloggers & locals report this as being a regular occurrence, which is kind of sucky. I hope teething problems more than an underlying issue.<br />
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I Like V Revolution - I'd definitely go again and wholeheartedly it to others (especially as <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/1847-manchester.html>Bistro 1847</a> was so shonky). I hope they sort out their stock issues and sell more things with time (fries, rings, breaded mushrooms etc) - there's no reason why they couldn't become the chain that Red Veg intended (but sadly never managed) to be. Next branch in Birmingham please!Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-54728893890246028312014-01-19T21:23:00.001+00:002014-02-23T16:59:33.830+00:00Basilico (Limehouse, London)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/basilico1.jpg" border="0"/>18" wood fired vegan pizza? Yes please!<br />
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Basilico's a chain of non-vegetarian pizza delivery shops across London. They've 2 vegan options marked on their menu - a margarita and a roasted vegetable pizza (we opted for the latter).<br />
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Forty five minutes after ordering we had an 18" with 2 drinks delivered to The Isle of Dogs for under £20 - enough for two hungry adults and one hungry toddler (with a slice left for breakfast!).<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/basilio2.jpg" border="0"/>The base was fantastic; actual glutenous Italian bread with great flavour. The toppings were fairly generous, though not as generous (or adventurous) as <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/mr-singhs-handsworth-wood-west-midlands.html>Mr Singh's</a>. It was good to see the cheese go right the way to the edge of the crust (as oposed to within several inches of it like <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/pizza-face-brighton.html>Pizza Face</a>). The brand they use (Violife) is alright warm, but tasted fantastic cold the following morning.<br />
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Overall we were really impressed. We'll definitely order from them again and recommend that Londeners give them a go. Despite the lack of options it's my favourite takeaway vegan pizza in the UK so far. Basilico takes Pizza Face, bends it over and gives it a good spanking!Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-48483584858574425622014-01-12T22:51:00.003+00:002014-01-12T22:53:58.151+00:00Amico Bio (Holborn, London)As if one mediocre Italian restaurant wasn't enough, last year a 2nd branch of Amico Bio popped up on New Oxford Street (half way between Holborn and Tottenham Court Road tubes).<br />
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I visited shortly after it opened in May and liked it even less than the Cloth Fair branch. Oppressive decor, loud electrical buzzing throughout the meal and a clueless waiter who explained to everyone that it was his first day. The starter was disgusting:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/amicoh1.jpg" border="0"/>What was supposed to be "Potato gnocchi with aubergines and rice milk mozzarella" was like eating glue. It had next to no flavour, other than the harsh taste of herbs. <br />
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Second course tasted alright:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/amicoh2.jpg" border="0"/>But bore little resemblance to its description of "Mixed vegetables & seitan kebab, yoghurt & cucumber dip". <br />
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The veg had been chopped too finely to have been cooked as a kebab; tasting more like an underseasoned fajita as a result. The yoghurt & cucumber dip was nowhere to be seen - for a restaurant with vegan meat, cheese and cream I'm unsure as to why they don't have soya yoghurt.<br />
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When I returned in July things had improved slightly. I decided to keep things simple and go with their "Pizza with tomato and mozzarella" which actually looked pretty good:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/amicoh3.jpg" border="0"/>I know that some vegans like the mozzarella they use, but for me it's just a bit too yucky.<br />
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Dessert of "Peach with red wine, limoncello liqueor and carrot cake" however I actually enjoyed:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/amicoh4.jpg" border="0"/>The carrot cake is the best thing I've ever tasted at Amico Bio - it was really nice! If only the portion wasn't tiny, I could have happily eaten a man sized portion. The peaches in wine was a little weird, but tasted alright and I'm led to believe is traditional.<br />
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I love Italian food and I can see what Amico are trying to achieve. London needs a good vegan Italian restaurant - there's no reason why Amico couldn't be it. In two visits to each branch so far however it's been underwhelming to say the least. <br />
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I hope the situation improves and will pop back sometime in the next few months. I'll blog an update if things are better.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-1953195679918082602014-01-05T21:42:00.003+00:002014-01-05T21:42:35.123+00:00Blazing Salads (Dublin, Ireland)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/blazing1.jpg" border="0"/>Blazing Salads is a cross between deli and well stocked health food shop. Within a minute's walk of Cornucopia it's a good option if you're pushed for time or want takeaway.<br />
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I picked up a slice of pizza and piece of apple pie from there the last time I was in Dublin. Both survived 9 hours in a laptop bag admirably - the pics below were taken just before shoveling them into my gob and going through security at the airport.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/blazing2.jpg" border="0"/>The pizza was great, but much more quiche like than pizza. How it didn't get mashed to pieces in my bag I'll never know, but it's a testament to it's suitability as excellent picnic food.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/blazing3.jpg" border="0"/>The apple pie didn't look so great (which I'll put down to my handling rather than Blazing Salads' prep), but also tasted good.<br />
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I'll definitely give them another go when staying in Dublin next - I may even push my luck further and buy the day before for breakfast at my hotel.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-70331282681125692372014-01-05T14:48:00.000+00:002014-01-05T14:48:47.144+00:00Scoop (Soho, London)Scoop is a chain of 3 "gelato parlours" (that's icecream shop to you or I) in Covent Garden, South Kensington and Soho. Having been to the Covent Garden branch previously I was tempted in through the door of Soho on the promise of vegan churros.<br />
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I ended up going a few times last year - a short walk from wfm / Picadilly tube it's convenient for grabbing something cool in hot weather (which does happen occasionally in London). It's also an alternative dessert destination after visiting somewhere like Beatroot around the corner that doesn't really do pudding.<br />
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As is often the case at such places it's the sorbets that are vegan rather than icecream. It is good quality sorbet though, so you won't feel too hard done by. Cross contamination's a definite possibility so it's worth staying vigilant whilst they're serving your order - I've heard from other vegans that they've messed up in the past.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/scoop1.jpg" border="0"/>Their churros are good, but like most places I was told the chocolate sauce isn't vegan. Thus I've opted for chocolate sorbet instead when I've had them:<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/scoop2.jpg" border="0"/>I like Scoop. It's one of Soho's better places. Vegan icecream, toppings and better separation would be very much welcomed in the future, unless someone opens the London branch of Lula's Sweet Apothecary here in the meantime!Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-62893768871804645012014-01-05T14:21:00.000+00:002014-01-05T14:22:44.103+00:00Wild Food Cafe (Covent Garden, London)Wild Food Cafe's a half raw, half vegan cafe up a set of stairs in Neal's Yard, Covent Garden. Having visited shortly after they opened in 2011 and had the most revolting raw soup ever, I decided not to blog about them until I'd given them a chance to redeem themselves.<br />
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I wasn't overly excited about returning though, so it took about 2 years before I gave them another go. Pushed for time I ordered:<br />
<blockquote><b>Olive & Shiitake Burger - 10.5</b><br />
shiitake, olive & jeruselem artichoke burger with dairy free pumpkin seed cheese, superfood ketchup, tomatillo salsa verde, baba ganush, Dijon mustard, lettuce in a sourdough focaccia burger bun served with baby leaf salad</blockquote>The kitchen's open plan and seating cramped, with tables set up canteen style. The people sitting next me spent forever talking about crystals, which nicely sums up the (aging) hippy vibe of the place. <br />
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I couldn't see the point of eating cooked bread with raw filling, so paid £1 extra for a raw cracker instead:<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/wildfoodcafe1.jpg" border="0"/>Instantly I wished that I hadn't - whilst it was well presented it meant you couldn't pick it up and eat it like those dining around me. Also, I love sourdough focaccia - what was I thinking?!<br />
<br />
I would go back and try different things, particularly if I was with someone who wanted raw food. London's better food for less however in walking distance of Covent Garden, so it might take a while before I'm in the mood again.<br />
<br />
Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-57196566862958398282014-01-05T12:32:00.000+00:002014-01-05T12:40:18.631+00:00David Bann (Edinburgh, Scotland)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/bann1.jpg" border="0"/>David Bann's an upmarket vegetarian restaurant in Edinburgh city centre, a 10 minute walk down the hill from the castle.<br />
<br />
Its menu's squarely vegetarian with only a single vegan dessert option. I was looking forward to trying their "Chilli Pancakes with Sweet Potato, Courgette & Chocolate Sauce" main but it was sold out. Instead I opted for:<br />
<blockquote><b>Salad of walnut gnocchi, beetroot and smoked cheese - 7.65</b><br />
Gnocchi with roasted walnut, beetroot, sorrel, watercress, salad leaf and Ardrahan smoked cheese. With maple, lemon and mustard dressing. [V]<br />
<br />
<b>Aubergine, chickpea and cashew koftas - 11.90</b><br />
Spicy koftas of roasted aubergine, chick pea and toasted cashews in a spicy aromatic coconut, courgette and tomato sauce. Served with coriander rice, pineapple chutney and mint yoghurt raita. [V]<br />
<br />
<b>Orange jelly on lemon cake with coconut rum sorbet - 5.60</b><br />
Orange segment jelly sitting on lemon cake and topped with homemade coconut sorbet. Served with lemon dressing and Amaretto soaked figs. V</blockquote>([V] is vegan option)<br />
<br />
A particular bug bear of mine is vegan options which in no way represent the description of the dish I ordered. Like for like replacements are perfectly acceptable (though it's preferable for them to be marked on the menu), substitutions disappointing (especially considering that the price is never lowered or portion size increased), but totally different is just misleading:<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/bann2.jpg" border="0"/>So I'm not entirely sure what I had for starter. Some kind of fritters I think - definitely not gnocchi (which ironically is easy to make vegan).<br />
<br />
Faced with a choice of stir fry, risotto or curry for main I went with the latter. It was alright (on a par with a local curry house), but not what I'd expected to eat at a restaurant in Edinburgh:<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/bann3.jpg" border="0"/>Figs <a href=http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/fig-wasp.htm>creep me out</a>, so I left them. The rest was alright - jelly and icecream made to look fancy: <br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/bann4.jpg" border="0"/>My meal at David Bann was perfectly pleasant and I would go back. The staff were friendly and prices not unreasonable (assuming they're inline with omni places in Edinburgh). <br />
<br />
The food was fairly uninspiring - not terrible like some reviewers claim but not sensational either. In Brighton speak it was more "Food for Friends" than "Terre a Terre". More (adventurous) vegan menu items would be appreciated when I return.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-43792063821411295242014-01-04T16:19:00.000+00:002014-01-04T16:26:15.785+00:00Pizza Face (Brighton)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/pizzaface1.jpg" border="0"/>Whilst on a pizza posting spree, it's only fair to mention Brighton's vegan friendly takeaway also.<br />
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Pizza Face is an omni pizza chain with branches in Kemp Town (Brighton) and Hove. They stock Redwoods vegan cheese, which can be substituted for normal for £1 extra. They've a separate vegan menu available on Mondays & Tuesdays (with fake meats as well as cheese) - it's too bad they don't do this on a weekend.<br />
<br />
We visited at 10.45pm on a Saturday evening in November, towards closing time of 11pm. We ordered a couple of pizzas, garlic bread and tub of Boho Gelato sorbet to eat at our hotel nearby. We've heard rumours that they can deliver directly to the beach, but it was a bit chilly for that!<br />
<br />
I'm not entirely sure why the garlic bread came with rosemary and it needed about 10x the amount of garlic on for my taste, but the bread itself was really good:<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/pizzaface3.jpg" border="0"/>The pizzas however we're so good. With all the rave reviews about Pizza Face from people we know, hopefully we just got unlucky. Either way, the amount of toppings on both our pizzas was pitiful:<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/pizzaface4.jpg" border="0"/>Having paid extra for vegan cheese there was hardly any on there, with a good few inches around the edge completely bare. Even the amount of tomato sauce was stingy. Compare this to somewhere like <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/mr-singhs-oldbury-west-midlands.html>Mr Singh's</a> where you get toppings right to the edge (not to mention two 12" for £13.49) and you'll understand why we felt a bit short changed.<br />
<br />
We left half our pizzas each to move onto dessert. We often do this and eat the other half the following morning (pizza improves with age!).<br />
<br />
I love <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/perfect-mojitos.html>Mojitos</a> - they're easily my favourite cocktail. For a drink with so few ingredients it's impressive how badly people manage to screw them up however - they typically range in bars from mediocre to undrinkable (with exceptions - I found a stunningly good mojito bar in Leith last year). Sadly Boho Gelato's mojito sorbet falls into the inedible camp - we managed about of third of the tub between us before admitting defeat and leaving it to defrost. I don't know if the ingredients had been mixed wrong or what, but it tasted disgusting.<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/pizzaface5.jpg" border="0"/>I want to love Pizza Face, but it's all a bit to 'meh' for me - the halves we kept went in the bin. I hate giving places a bad review and it's possible that towards the end of the shift we got unlucky. I'll try and give it a go on a Monday / Tuesday night some time - hopefully on vegan night things will be a lot better.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-39406167458406172362014-01-04T13:51:00.001+00:002014-01-04T13:51:39.571+00:00Mr Singh's (Handsworth Wood, West Midlands)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/handsworth1.jpg" border="0"/>The Handsworth Wood branch of Mr Singh's shares the same menu as West Bromwich (formally Oldbury - <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/mr-singhs-oldbury-west-midlands.html>click here for review</a>), but is larger and has a proper seating area.<br />
<br />
It's awesome to see a vegan friendly pizza restaurant, especially one that's full of customers - even mid afternoon on a Saturday. Pizzas are served in black pans similar to Pizza Hut's - they've really gone all out for that authentic experience.<br />
<br />
We've had takeaway from there a few times now (there's free onstreet parking round the side), but haven't dined in yet. The quality's been consistently good and I'd definitely recommend it:<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/handsworth3.jpg" border="0"/><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/handsworth2.jpg" border="0"/>(this time you get not only the steering wheel but my fat belly and leg too!)<br />
<br />
If I'm being totally honest though (which I always am!), we have been slightly put off returning recently, due to an unfortunate ordering mix up. I *always* say vegan (several times) when ordering - often to the point of looking like a bit of a freak. Mix ups are rare and do happen - I'm also good at spotting non-vegan things before eating them and politely questioning whether they're sure. In the case of Mr Singh's they've claimed several times (at both branches) that the garlic bread can be made vegan using vegan cheese, which we've ordered several times as a result:<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/handsworth4.jpg" border="0"/>Last time however the cheese on it clearly wasn't vegan and when questioned was told it was vegan (several times), then that it wasn't but it was my fault because I hadn't specified vegan when ordering (I had, and the pizzas I ordered at the same time were made correctly). Whilst they reluctantly agreed to remake another member of staff (the owner?) was tutting and the whole situation was rather awkward. I'd like to say that they've not lost us as customers, but equally I'm not sure how quickly we'll be returning.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-40971210552374155302014-01-04T12:59:00.000+00:002014-01-04T13:01:39.625+00:00Down to Earth (Kensington, London)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/downtoearth1.jpg" border="0"/>Down to Earth's an organic cafe & restaurant, roughly half way between Kensington High Street tube and Olympia (walkable from each). All vegetarian; about half the menu is raw.<br />
<br />
I had lunch there a couple of months back - a welcomed alternative to Saf or Wagamama where I normally end up. As you'd expect (given the area it's in); Down to Earth is as posh as vegetarian cafes come - sandstone exterior, chandeliers and marble tables inside. Prices are sensible though and inline with most other raw cafes / restaurants. Staff were friendly and waiting times low - it was about 1/3 full when I went.<br />
<br />
Raw meals are pre-prepared and displayed behind the counter. Whilst it's good to see what you're getting, you could taste the fact that they'd not been made to order (or at least properly chilled prior to service). They are definitely fresh, but not quite fresh enough. I opted for their lasagne, described as "marinated courgette pasta strips layered with portobello meat, rich tomato sauce, herbed cashew and yellow pepper cheese and pesto served with a side salad":<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/downtoearth2.jpg" border="0"/>I really enjoyed the lasagna part. Not as much as 42Raw's, but it was by far the best thing I ate whilst there. Not so keen on the salad, but I'm generally not that keen on salad in general (unless it's covered in oil / sauce or in a bun with a burger).<br />
<br />
I love carrot cake, which is probably why I was disappointed (to the point of leaving half) with the dessert:<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/downtoearth3.jpg" border="0"/>Raw cheesecake <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/aloka-brighton.html>can be fantastic</a> but fruit/vegetables mushed together with agave and spice in the guise of sponge cake doesn't really work for me. I did my best to eat the frosting from the centre and ditched the rest.<br />
<br />
I don't love Down to Earth (yet), but will try it again. They do an evening menu (no prices on the website) so I might give it a go and opt for a cooked dessert next time.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-42109186833657457152014-01-03T23:08:00.003+00:002014-01-03T23:17:23.800+00:00The Royal Oak (Tetbury, Gloucestershire)The Royal Oak's a newly renovated pub in the Cotswolds, randomly co-owned by the organiser of London's Asparagasm (monthly vegan dining club).<br />
<br />
Whilst not fully vegetarian their menu includes several vegan options - they've even vegan beers and Booja Booja icecream with vegan marshmallows! I expect that given the location they'd have difficulty staying in business if all vegetarian - it's useful however to have places where you can dine with omnis occasionally, without them whinging and moaning the entire time :)<br />
<br />
The interior's large with an upstairs dining room as well as bar area on the ground floor. It's been renovated tastefully and looks as good as any premium pub/restaurant - there isn't even a hint of crusty hippy cafe about it. When we visited on Sunday lunchtime with vegan friends it was over half full with diners - they've obviously a good local following.<br />
<br />
My starter (Artichoke Salad with Sunblush Tomatoes, Olives and Tofu) was really nice. It wasn't anything adventurous, but all the ingredients tasted fresh, flavoursome, well seasoned and exactly how they should (i.e. it didn't taste like a pot of Sainsburys antipasti had been dumped on a plate). I'd eat it again, and again, and again.<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/tetbury1.jpg" border="0"/>The main (Nut Roast with Pistachio Gravy) didn't quite hit the spot. I like pistachios, but they'd have worked better in the roast rather than floating around my plate. The potatoes weren't fantastic and there was an overall unvegan taste to the dish. It was like it'd been made by a completely different person to the starter (which is entirely possible) - next time I'll try something else.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/tetbury2.jpg" border="0"/>Dessert was Chocolate Crème Brûlée with a generous side portion of Booja Booja icecream:<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/tetbury3.jpg" border="0"/>I really enjoyed the dessert - almost as much as the starter. I've only ever had vanilla custard based crème brûlée in the past - whilst I prefer vanilla on reflection it's good to try new things. The icecream portion (not pictured) was HUGE. I don't actually know how they're turning a profit on it.<br />
<br />
Staff were friendly throughout our visit and prices reasonable. We spent several hours there in the end and would definitely return. It's good to see an omni place doing vegan food well - as well as catering for the likes of you and I they'll inevitably introduce more people to vegan food without them consciously thinking about it, which is as good an advertisement as any. <br />
<br />
I've said <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/red-lion-gt-bricett-suffolk.html>this before</a>, but every village should have a v*gan pub.<br />
<br />
Looking at their website they've impressively decent looking B&B rooms for £95 a night - we may have to try one out sometime when in the area :)Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-56787783616899844722014-01-03T20:37:00.001+00:002014-01-03T21:39:44.368+00:00Mr Singh's (Oldbury, West Midlands)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/singholdbury3.jpg" border="0"/>You know you're terrible blogger when places close down before you write the post.... Luckily in this case it's because they're gone up in the world (well, The Midlands anyway) to a new, smarter looking branch in West Bromwich. Whilst Oldbury is more convenient to get to (a mile from M5 J2) and had easy onstreet parking, the branch there was more than a bit shabby looking (see above!).<br />
<br />
Mr Singh's is a vegetarian pizza chain with an unmistakable Indian twist - dhania pizza anyone? More exotic menu items (Tandoori Paneer etc) aren't suitable, but they've 8 vegan pizza options include Vegetarian Supreme, Pepperoni, Coriander and Sausage. Prices are reasonable, waiting time around 10 minutes and service friendly.<br />
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Dips are free and there's a slight discount if you order 2 pizzas the same size and remember to ask for it - they won't prompt you if you forget!<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/singholdbury2.JPG" border="0"/>(yep, that's a steering wheel - classy I know)<br />
<br />
The cheese and pepperoni they use appears to Redwoods - if I had to guess the sausage I'd go with Linda McCartney. Several other items on the menu are marked vegan, including hotdogs, nuggets and burgers (I assume Fry's given the description, but haven't tried them). The rest of the menu is vast - it's too bad some of the other choices aren't marked as vegan too.<br />
<br />
I turned vegan before I had the chance to eat much takeaway pizza, but @cherrivalentine assures me that their bases are pretty much the same as you'd get from any takeaway - more spongy than glutenous, almost like they're raised with bicarb rather than yeast. If it were my choice they'd use a more Italian bread like recipe.<br />
<br />
Like all good pizzas the flavour of their's improves with age (i.e. it's perfectly reasonable to eat the leftovers for breakfast!). The pizzas look the part (even the box they come in gives that true takeaway experience), but the toppings could be more varied - most of the options are variations on the same theme / set of ingredients. I recommend starting with something like their pepperoni and adding extra toppings (pineapple etc). They also don't mind if you ask for less chilli (the default is HOT).<br />
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I would recommend the Oldbury branch, but it's too late now ;-)Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-51876390163089810212013-12-31T12:25:00.004+00:002013-12-31T12:41:54.046+00:00RAW (Bayswater, London)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/raw1.jpg" border="0"/>It seems social media really is everything these days when it comes to launching small businesses. While some of the least significant manage to generate thousands of Facebook likes, others slip quietly into existence - their potential clientele completely unaware.<br />
<br />
How can it be in 2013 that a vegan restaurant open in an upmarket London hotel without anyone realising? I made the mistake of booking a table when I visited in November, which turned out to be completely unneeded as I was the only diner. <br />
<br />
Their restaurant's a room (+outdoor seating) within La Suite West, just round the corner from Bayswater tube station. According to the website they do cooked non-vegetarian breakfasts too - I don't know whether this is in the same restaurant or elsewhere.<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/raw2.jpg" border="0"/>Arriving around 5pm I opted for their afternoon tea, which they describe as "a quintessentially contemporary vegan alternative to this Great British tradition. With a combination of designer finger sandwiches, home made scones served with coconut cream and fresh strawberries, followed by a delectable selection of home made pastries."<br />
<br />
<center><b>A Selection of Finger Sandwiches</b><br />
<br />
Grilled Portobello | basil pesto | cherry tomatoes<br />
Hummus | cucumber | rocket | red onion slices<br />
Tofu scrambled | spicy guacamole<br />
Roasted butternut squash | cream of artichoke and truffle<br />
Roasted spinach | garlic | aubergine | cauliflower mousse<br />
<br />
<b>Warm Home Made Scones | fresh Strawberries | whipped Coconut cream<br />
<br />
Mini Chocolate & Coconut Raw Cake | Mini Sesame Halva<br />
<br />
Your preferred choice of Tea or Coffee<br />
<br />
£19 per person</b></center><br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/raw3.jpg" border="0"/>Like similar restaurants they do cooked food too - their afternoon tea is firmly in this category. Whereas Metrodeco's comes all at once, RAW's comes in 3 courses. I ordered a mocktail too, which turned out to be a good addition.<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/raw5.jpg" border="0"/>The sandwiches were beautifully presented and I enjoyed the majority of the flavours (I'm not and never will be a cauliflower fan!). They weren't particularly big thou, the equivalent of about 2 slices of bread between them. <br />
<br />
I commented on Metrodeco's post that you should arrive hungry and plan to eat dinner late - at RAW (depending on your appetite) you should be slightly peckish and have dinner lined up soon after...<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/raw6.jpg" border="0"/>The scones were tiny. They look reasonably big in that picture, but trust me that's my dodgy iPhone camerawork! They tasted good, but for the sake of a few pence worth of extra mixture could have been a lot more impressive. <br />
<br />
In comparison, the bowl of coconut cream that they came with was massive - enough for several people. It seemed homemade (which is nice), but the consistency wasn't quite right - more shiny and gelatinous than creamy. It tasted good though, and having spread as much as I could on the scones resorted to surreptitiously eating the rest with a spoon (it's not like there were other diners to offend!).<br />
<br />
So far, so good. I was definitely ready for the "delectable selection of home made pastries" now.<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/raw7.jpg" border="0"/>Either that's the world's largest raspberry or the world's smallest looking plate of food. Sadly it was the latter (note the size of the fork on the left). I did wonder whether the pastries were coming in phases, but it seems that's your lot. They were ok - raw truffle on the left, chocolate coated halva in the centre, some sort of cake on the right. <br />
<br />
RAW's got a lot going for it - nice part of London, good building, decent crockery/cutlery etc. With a few refinements and less stingy portion sizes their afternoon tea could be really good. <br />
<br />
Next time I'll try their restaurant menu - if it involves the ability to sit outside in summer then all the better. I might plan a backup option though, in case I end up leaving hungry!Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-34595996714615916772013-12-30T13:29:00.000+00:002013-12-30T13:30:45.740+00:00The Quay Arts Cafe (Isle of Wight)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/quay1.jpg" border="0"/>I don't often review non-vegetarian places, but then the Isle of Wight's not exactly awash with vegan choice. It's worth ringing The Quay Arts Cafe if you're staying there for any length of time, their menu changes regularly and you could come up trumps.<br />
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Located in a former industrial building its interior's large with plenty of tables. From the outside you could certainly miss it if you didn't know it's there. Parking's free onroad outside - we had no problem finding a space at lunchtime in summer.<br />
<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/quay2.jpg" border="0"/>On the day we went there was only one vegan main - salad. They seemed accommodating though and offered to veganize vegetarian things on the menu. We both went for Mushroom & Thyme Pasta:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/quay3.jpg" border="0"/>Presentation was nice and flavours good. It lacked the creaminess of it's vegetarian counterpart however and wasn't quite balanced as a result. I can see how dishes designed to be vegan by them could be good though, which is why we'll give them another go when in the area next.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/quay4.jpg" border="0"/>Dessert was some kind of iced tray bake. It was coffee flavoured, sweet and chewy - unlike anything I've had before.<br />
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Service was friendly and prices reasonable - 2 mains, 2 cakes and drinks came to about £20.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-12308500276887148432013-12-30T12:51:00.000+00:002013-12-30T12:51:41.117+00:00Aroma (Lyme Regis, Dorset)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/aroma1.jpg" border="0"/>Having been somewhat of a vegan wasteland previously, Lyme Regis has gained not only a vegetarian restaurant (more on this in another post) but coffee shop serving vegan food too. With vegan sorbet available in the seafront at Rinky Tinks (they don't label it - it's a case of requesting to see ingredients, but generally they've 3 flavours available); Lyme's actually not a bad choice to visit for the afternoon.<br />
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Aroma's at the bottom of the high street, opposite the town museum. They've a few tables and play space for toddlers at the back. Selection of vegan items isn't vast and there are non-vegetarian options too, but you can tell from the menu that they're aiming towards the allergy free market and have a good understanding of what's what. Food is very much cafe style - expect good coffee accompanied by a cooked breakfast, sandwich, wrap etc. There's no pretension of being a restaurant when it's not, which isn't a bad thing.<br />
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We enjoyed our iced soya lattes and falafel pittas:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/aroma2.jpg" border="0"/><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/aroma3.jpg" border="0"/>Pricing's sensible and service friendly. They're welcoming of kids and have menu options to suit. There wasn't any vegan cake on the day we went, but apparently there sometimes is.<br />
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We'll certainly return in the future - if they have one or two more vegan options and always stock at least one vegan cake it could become a firm favourite.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-41462204926197150722013-12-30T01:02:00.001+00:002013-12-30T11:41:01.781+00:00The Orrery (Ryde, Isle of Wight)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/orrery1.jpg" border="0"/>The Orrery is without a doubt The Isle of Wight's finest vegetarian cafe. <br />
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As The Isle of Wight's only vegetarian cafe however this isn't overly surprising - it's also the worst.<br />
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If weirdness were a metric used for rating eateries, The Orrery's off to a good start. I've not taken acid before, but if I ever do I expect The Orrery's decor to feature heavily. With highly patterned walls, ceiling, mirrored tables, working planetarium and 'God Slot' (their word's not mine!) it's Alice In Wonderland meets wtf.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/orrery3.jpg" border="0"/><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/orrery2.jpg" border="0"/>At the back is what can best be described as being a smutty postcard museum. The only <s>punters</s> visitors we saw for it were more than a little scary looking (we tried not to make eye contact and pretended we hadn't seen them). <br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/orrery4.jpg" border="0"/>Talking of visitors, despite being the only people dining the guy behind the counter was turning other customers away. I've never seen anything like it - everyone who came through the door was talked into leaving, with excuses including a lack of strawberries available to use for cream teas. Behind the counter is also the kitchen, and whilst the word vegan appeared on the specials board against three curries, it was absent from the (sticky) printed menu. Ordering falafel pittas involved reading ingredient labels ourselves, followed by an extortionately long wait. <br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/orrery5.jpg" border="0"/><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/orrery7.jpg" border="0"/>What finally came was alright. The falafels had been mushed up inside which was a little odd, and no overly useful as we'd planned on giving some of them to our toddler. Taste was good though and the sweet chilli sauce worked well. <br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/orrery6.jpg" border="0"/>Unfortunately none of the cakes / biscuits seemed to be vegan so we didn't stay for coffee. <br />
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I get the impression that the The Orrery could be made good with not a lot of work - better service, cleanliness and choice of vegan options (properly marked on the menu). A browse through TripAdvisor reviews describe much the same experience that we had.<br />
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Would I recommend The Orrery? I guess that depends on how long you're staying on The Isle of Wight and how hungry you get. We went self catering and cooked most our meals ourselves. In the space of a week we ate at Pizza Express no less than 3 times (sad I know) and having done our big shop in Tesco found a Waitrose by accident towards the end of the week (which the Internet said didn't exist). <br />
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I guess what I'm trying to say is: The Orrery's alright, but not great. Don't go expecting too much, or a short wait. Take a book, kindle or something to do. Take something to wipe the table with too.Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-71322872932717181062013-12-29T23:52:00.000+00:002013-12-29T23:53:56.536+00:00Loving Hut (Camden, London)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/lovingcamden1.jpg" border="0"/>You know you suck at blogging when places close before you post about them. At least I can cast some light on why it might have closed.....<br />
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Having visited other branches of <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/loving-hut-brighton.html>Loving Hut</a> in the UK and North America the Camden one was the worst by far. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either - similar prices to <a href=http://lustrousmusings.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/veggie-world-revisited-bletchley.html>Veggie World</a> but with vastly inferior food. <br />
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I ordered a couple of dishes when I visited in September - 'Chicken' Satay Skewers and 'Steak' in black bean sauce with noodles. There wasn't a kitchen so to speak - behind the till was a small work surface and cooker.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/lovingcamden3.jpg" border="0"/><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/lovingcamden2.jpg" border="0"/>The skewers looked good, but were cold inside and almost certainly the frozen ready to cook type available in Chinese supermarkets (similar to those we sometimes buy from Wing Yip in Birmingham). The sauce wasn't peanutty enough and had a texture as if it'd been made up from powder.<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/lovingcamden4.jpg" border="0"/>The 'Steak' in black bean sauce looked alright but tasted like a medium priced stirfry from Tesco. Tasty, but more student food than eating out food.<br />
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It's never good when v*gan places close and I know several people who loved the Camden branch of Loving Hut. Perhaps other menu items were better, I caught them on a bad day or Veggie World's given me an unrealistic expectations of the level that other Chinese(esque) restaurants should aspire to. <br />
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I'm not ready to give up on Loving Hut yet - their hotel in Austria looks very promising indeed. Will post a review if and when we make it over there :)Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-37512697736669204732013-12-29T20:49:00.000+00:002013-12-29T23:22:32.144+00:00Cakes 'n' Treats (Camden, London)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/treats1.jpg" border="0"/>I like cakes & I like treats. London's lacked a good vegan coffee shop for years now, so what's not to like? <br />
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I visited Cakes'n'Treats back in September, during its opening week. My experience was hopefully that of teething problems and not a reflection on normal trading. That said, it was dreadful enough to deter me from returning since.<br />
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Exhibit number #1:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/treats2.jpg" border="0"/>Cake shouldn't look like that! It's not unreasonable to expect a vegan cake shop to be able to cook vegan cake properly, surely? The flavours were OK, but either the mixture was wrong or it was undercooked - if I'd make cake looking like that I'd have been too embarrassed to serve it. The person who owns the shop seems to make good looking cakes to order (if Facebook photos are anything to go by) - I hope they don't look like mine did when cut into!<br />
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Exhibit number #2:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/treats3.jpg" border="0"/>At £3.90 their "Hazelnut Crunch Macchiato" is more expensive than the largest equivalent at airport/motorway service branches of Costa/Starbucks/Nero, independents (which tend to be cheaper) or any restaurant I remember visiting. It was terrible.<br />
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I couldn't taste hazelnut (syrup or otherwise). Assuming it was meant to be a latte macchiato (it bore no resemblence to caffè macchiato); there was no attempt at layering, other than beany tasting macrofoam floating on top of beany tasting coffee. What really 'topped it off' though was the sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts. WTF? Why would you want hazelnuts in your mouth whilst drinking coffee? It makes no sense and for me it totally didn't work.<br />
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I want to like Cakes'n'Treats - I hope their products have improved since my visit in September. I want them to succeed, which is partly why I waited several months before creating this post or writing on TripAdvisor / Facebook. Please, someone tell me things have gotten better since?Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3618111317135882094.post-29009942955555965792013-12-23T13:37:00.002+00:002013-12-23T13:39:29.960+00:00Tall Poppy Foods (Birmingham)<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/tall1.jpg" border="0"/>Tall Poppy Foods produce something the Midlands has previously lacked - decent cake. At the West Midlands Vegan Fair (where naturally we conducted a survey of cake on offer), their cupcakes was both cheaper and in a different taste league to the main competition (which I don't know about you, but I find horrifically sweet).<br />
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They sell impressive looking birthday cakes etc via their website and have stalls at festivals, markets etc. For a while they also had a 'hole in the wall' style counter, which we visited shortly before it closed.<br />
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I'm not being funny, but the location sucked. If it were somewhere central we'd have been regular customers, but Selly Oak's just a bit too far from, well, anywhere we'd normally go. They've a large student population, but I don't know how much students spend on vegan cake and they'd have to sell a lot at their prices to survive. <br />
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We got an impressively large haul of cake and cookies on the day we went for not a lot of money:<br />
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<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/tall2.jpg" border="0"/>Some of the ones that made it home:<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/tall4.jpg" border="0"/>We also got a jack fruit burger, which I thought was revolting but @cherrivalentine enjoyed. Blurgh!<br />
<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;" src="http://media.offline.org.uk/blog/tall3.jpg" border="0"/>I really hope to see Tall Poppy Foods set up business again, someplace with more passing trade. <br />
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I'd also like to see their cakes appearing in health food stores and coffee shops (e.g. Urban) if they decide not to have their own presence (hint hint).Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17574473847026617580noreply@blogger.com0