28Oct
Hippo like you belong in the zoo
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For months I’d seen the posts about a ‘top secret’ vegan café opening in London’s Soho district and last week I finally got to check it out. After changing their name from ‘Top Secret Vegan Café’ to simply ‘Vegan Café’, the establishment now seems to have settled for the more memorable (but sappy) ‘Vegan Hippo’.
This was a lunch break from work, so time was limited. My friend and I had a quick flick through the menu and she decided on the aubergine sandwich while I opted for the gyros wrap. I couldn’t resist the sound of spinach and potato pierogis so I also got them as a side. My friend also tried the chocolate cupcake as a starter (why not?). I didn’t try the cake myself but she said the frosting was tasty but the cake itself was quite dry. I think it was gluten free which may explain it… I know one leading vegan bakery in London that won’t keep gluten free items on sale for more than a day because they dry out so quickly.
Anyway – that was probably the low-point of the meal. Everything else was exquisite. The gyros wrap was stuffed with greasy (in a good way!) vegan meat and a zesty, rich sauce and was the perfect cure for my hangover. The pierogis arrived with a delicious yoghurt dip and once again really hit the spot with perfectly seasoned spinach and potato. Pure comfort eating!
The food was delicious and makes me want to go back for more. The interior is a bit weird with a sort of farmhouse-style feel… lots of mismatched furniture mixed with vegan message artwork. Strange. In addition, the menu and ordering process seemed a little clunky but if they keep serving up food this good, they’ll soon hit their stride.
They’ve closed down now 🙁
[…] You can see Josh’s review of the Soho café here. […]