I’ll pay you to cook for me

Vegan surge

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Remember when I posted about supporting Fortify Café of Maidstone as they switched from a vegetarian menu to a 100% vegan menu?

James Hooper and his team took the massive step forward earlier this year in order to give their town its only fully-vegan eatery. Of course, many people thought this would be a massive risk and some wondered if a cafe could survive without serving dairy and eggs.

A month into being a vegan business owner, James reached out to me in order to let me know how the finances were shaping up since the switch.

This is what James had to say:

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Veg Bar goes vegan

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Breaking news rarely comes bigger than when a vegetarian venue turns vegan. It’s a big deal around these parts. Just see here and here for recent examples.

We got another one, people!

Veg Bar on Tulse Hill in Brixton has only been open for slightly longer than a month, but already the management felt it was time for a change. As of Thursday May 7, 2015 the south London restaurant and bar will be 100% vegan.

Amazing!

vegbarlogoTo celebrate this monumental shift, I am helping Veg Bar throw a giant celebration on their first vegan day and we want you to be at the party.

All you need to do is reserve a free ticket.

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Vegan surprise

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I can’t keep up with the vegan news.

Facebook users got a wonderful surprise this morning when Plymouth restaurant Samphire Brasserie posted this picture to their profile.

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Do over

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I’ve not enjoyed my few attempts at dining with vegetarian Italian restaurant Amico Bio.

On several occasions, we have been served dairy cheese even after we had explicitly asked for the dishes to be served vegan. If you are vegan or have ever met a vegan, you know we like to check this sort of thing when ordering.

I found myself in the proximity of the Amico Bio location near the Barbican Centre last week. I was in that part of town to watch a group of famous and accomplished Mexican musicians perform a concert of Morrissey and Smiths cover songs (yes, it was as fabulous as it sounds) and needed a quick dinner before the show.

Was I impressed with Amico Bio on this occasion? Check out my thoughts on the meal below.

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Vegan Doncaster

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Compassionate people of the North. You have a vegan outlet in Doncaster.

Get to it!

Just this morning I received a message from Anne via Facebook. Anne is the owner of a brand new vegan cafe in Doncaster called A Bite 2 Eat and she was hoping I could let you all know about it.

So, here we are!

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You can like the cafe on Facebook and keep track of the menu as it evolves. It already includes burgers, chips, cake and mouthwatering pancakes like the ones pictured above.

Support A Bite 2 Eat. It is only just over a week old and is the ONLY vegan food outlet in Doncaster.

Extra note: When I asked Anne if A Bite 2 Eat is 100% vegan she replied, “It is 100% vegan no compromise.”

Amazing!

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Weigh station

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A short while ago I wrote about the fab vegan chicken wrap you can purchase from central London health food store, Alara.

Remember?

I popped back into the shop a few days ago to grab one of these delectable creations only to find they had sold out. FGV tears!

No problem, though.

Instead of devouring the wrap, I marched over to the ‘serve yourself’ food counter and piled a container high with freshly-cooked dishes including roast potatoes, lentil curry, brown rice, falafel, mixed vegetables and a huge, cabbage-filled spring roll. Everything was tasty and the vegan stuff was clearly marked and abundant.

It’s a pay-by-weight kinda place, so I think I ended up spending about £7 on this particular lunch.

20150423_132419Check it out if you are ever in the area.

Alara, 58-60 Marchmont Street (nearest tube: Russell Square)

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Juice Baby Chelsea

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You wanna see something that I absolutely adored eating? I don’t mean it was just OK or it was kind of alright, I mean this thing was fabulous and I want to eat it all the time.

Want to see?

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Cottage pie

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Remember when I wrote about a tasty vegan burger served in a pub by the river?

Well, that isn’t the only vegan dish they do.

Check out my vegan cottage pie served with cooked cabbage and a side order of chips. I love The Old Ship W6 in Hammersmith.

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So tasty

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I scuttled down to Chelsea today to ensure I got my hands on some of Sara’s vegan pizza. Her Pomodoro E Basilico business was serving up as part of the Startisans indoor food market.

Watch the video below to check out the line up of deliciousness!

Which one would you have gone for?

Of course I didn’t settle for just one slice, ending up with the Napoli and the Cisa.

Follow Sara on Instagram to find out where she will be serving next.

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Pizza in Chelsea

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You all know my pal Sara of Pomodoro E Basilico, right?

Sara has created a huge following thanks to her gorgeous supper clubs and handcrafted cuisine such as pizza, pasta, cream filled donuts and tiramisu.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of sampling Sara’s food, you will want to get yourself to Chelsea this Wednesday (April 22, 2015) for the Startisans Indoor Market in Duke of York Square (nearest Underground is Sloane Square). Sara will be hosting her first ever market stall and from the look of the photos she sent me, you won’t want to be anywhere else.

The market runs from 10am until 4pm and the Pomodoro E Basilico stall will feature pizza slices containing Sara’s homemade versions of chorizo, Mortadella ham, Stracchino cream cheese, mozzarella and ricotta. 100% vegan pizza by the slice!

Now for the photos. Don’t freak out.

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