Saf’s what I’m talking about
Almost every day. That is how often I get emails or tweets asking for my London vegan dining recommendations.
Of course I don’t mind giving my opinion. The belief that my view matters is the self-centred reason I write a blog. However, I was getting a bit tired of saying that I thought London wasn’t a patch on other international cities when it came to vegan cuisine. Sure, we have some OK places to eat plant-based food but I was never overly impressed the way I have been by Gentle Gourmet in Paris or Vedge in Philadelphia.
Well, finally we have something in the UK capital that I am more than happy to recommend. Vegans and vegan-curious, say hello to the re-imagined Saf Restaurant & Bar menu.
I have eaten at Saf in the past (and have even written about it almost two years ago) but it wasn’t on my heavy rotation list of restaurants. When I received an invitation to check out their new menu, I was keen but guarded. I wanted the food to get me excited on its own terms.
I shouldn’t have worried about being disappointed. The new Saf menu is in a class of its own in London. I actually enjoyed the tasting I was offered so much, I went back the very next day with my pal Roxy for another lunch at my own expense.
Take a look at some of the new dishes that impressed me enough to agree on the spot to host a vegan New Year’s Eve supper club in the restaurant (more on that later).
All day vegan fry up is impressive at Saf
Roxy loved this ramen rice noodle bowl with kimchi side
Cosmopolitan
Sauerkraut dumplings with spicy plum sauce
Definitely my favourite – vegan burger with cashew cheese & chilli fig jam
Vietnamese tempeh Bánh mì
Gorgeous, unique dessert of white chocolate dumplings with vanilla ice cream in cinnamon broth
I honestly would struggle to come up with another vegan restaurant in London doing food this tasty, inventive and exciting. Of course I always welcome advice to the contrary, but I think this current Saf menu is the best in the capital.
Now, about New Year’s Eve.
I was so blown away by the new food options in Saf, I agreed to host a vegan supper club on New Year’s Eve in the restaurant. For just £30, diners will enjoy a fizzy welcome cocktail before sitting down to a gorgeous three course meal with a choice of two options per course.
The entire restaurant is being closed for this event, which will run from 7pm until 10pm with the idea that most people will want to catch up with other parties/friends/family as midnight strikes.
Check out the tickets for my New Year’s Eve party here.
Visit Saf online
Oh my gosh, this place looks incredible! I can’t wait to try it, although deciding what to order may be a problem…!
I’m sure I’ve been to Saf before but for some reason can only vaguely recall it, the new options look awesome though and worth remembering 🙂
x
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This is good to read. The last couple of times I’ve been I’ve been a bit disappointed and thought it wasn’t up to the same standard as the former Old St. restaurant. Looks like there’ less of an emphasis on raw food on the new menu? Not sure if that’s good or bad…
[…] have got a good life in London. We can dine in fancy restaurants like Saf. How about cake delivered straight to your house? Sure thing. Vegan gourmet hot dogs are another […]
Table booked for the girlfriend’s b’day! 🙂
Saf is very hit and miss. Had some wonderful food there in the past and then some not so good meals. Yesterday had as my mains the ramen noodle bowl with kimchi and chili. Kimchi is an acquired taste and clearly I don’t have the taste for it, as I left half of my meal. I do applaud them for trying to be inventive, but we now have to wait three months for them to change the menu!
PS I’m not a wine connoisseur but I had the red biodynamic wine and it was very good.
I’m also in the miss camp, sorry. Went there for lunch yesterday to try out the new menu because I so want to love them – I was absolutely devoted to their Shoreditch branch. I really don’t know what it is there, but I’ve been there five times and it’s just not up to scratch and certainly not up to the standards they claim they embody.
The Sauerkraut dumplings were fine, but drowned in a vat of plum sauce which was quite overbearing. For mains I had ordered the Vietnamese Rice Paper Roll. Now I do eat a good bit of Vietnamese food and I know what they can be like: fragrant, light, delicious, with lots of shredded veg and herbs alongside the noodles and tofu.
This was stone cold. I know they are not served warm or hot but this one came straight out of the fridge, where it seemed to have hibernated for quite a long time: a big, cold, stodgy roll with a filling that chiefly comprised cold, stodgy noodles and a few flecks of carrot. Accompanied by a loveless few salad leaves drowned in a slightly too sharp mustardy dressing.
I sent it back and found it really difficult to make them understand what was wrong with it.
The green tea was good though.
Sorry, maybe it’s just some bad energy between me and that place. Your dumpling picture looks a lot nicer than what I found on my plate 🙂 Give me Manna, the Gate or Midred’s any day.
[…] am decidedly depressed to break the news that Saf Restaurant & Bar located in Whole Foods Market Kensington is set to close […]