Meat is murder… eat falafel

Yes, I am overweight. Sure, I am a homosexual. Certainly, I choose to not eat animal products. For people who know me well, it also wouldn’t have been a surprise to see a reference to musical icon Morrissey crammed into my self-deprecating blog title.

Morrissey (a)live in Leeds 2009 (Flickr credit: Man Alive!)

Since my early teen years (and I have been around for a while), I have been comfortably obsessed with all things Morrissey and The Smiths. If you are a disciple like I am, there is no need for me to convince you. If you are anti-Morrissey (or worse still… indifferent!), I’m not in the habit of trying to convert you. For the purpose of this blog post, let’s agree that I love Morrissey and I exploit any opportunity to celebrate his contribution to popular culture and animal welfare.

Both Morrissey’s musical talents and his concern for animals came under the spotlight in London this week as UK-based The Smiths Indeed played a tribute show at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in order to showcase the classic LP, Meat is Murder. This masterpiece by The Smiths was released 25 years ago and The Smiths Indeed are touring far and wide in celebration of the pop long player.

My Smiths Indeed ticket stub

The evening was a roaring success as the pop pretenders played Meat is Murder in full for a few hundred grateful punters and returned for a second set later in the evening to deliver a handful of well-known fan favourites from across the original band’s back catalogue. One of the most moving renditions of the evening was the aforementioned album’s title track. Meat is Murder is a song that has lost none of its horror and still packs a phenomenal punch. It clearly informs the listener how animals are murdered for people to be able to eat meat.

The evening could be marked successful on the merits of the concert alone, but you can rely on the FGV to work cruelty-free food into most situations.

Mr Falafel - vegetarian falafel in West London

Prior to the show, I hit up a small eatery located at the entrance of the Shepherd’s Bush Market. Mr Falafel serves up Palestinian-style falafel in the most delicious combinations. I enjoyed the Deluxe Falafel Wrap featuring fried aubergine, fried florets of cauliflower, tahini, salad and pickles. I opted for the medium sized wrap and it set me back £4… decent value indeed. I would have struggled to get through the large version.

Falafel wrap, chips and tasty mango amba sauce

Being the ultimate over-eater, I of course placed an order for chips on the side. The person working behind the counter was extremely accommodating to my questions regarding veganism and pointed out the sign above the store menu highlighting how every item in the cafe (except the feta) is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. He even offered me a free bowl of delicious amba, a mango sauce usually served with falafel, that perfectly complimented my hot potato chips.

Deluxe Falafel Wrap at Mr Falafel

Mr Falafel is a fantastic location to remind yourself that you don’t need to “savour the flavour of murder” to be well fed.

Mr Falafel New Shepherd’s Bush Market entrance, Uxbridge Road, Shepherd’s Bush, London W12 8LH

Hours Monday – Saturday 11:00am until 6:00pm  Nearest Underground station Shepherd’s Bush Market, Goldhawk Road or Shepherd’s Bush