I’ll pay you to cook for me

Fed by Water is more amazing than ever

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My blog almost broke from heavy traffic when I wrote about Fed by Water switching over to a 100% vegan menu.

During a visit to the restaurant yesterday I discovered that the menu has not only become completely plant based, it is now also one of the best collections of vegan food you will find anywhere on the planet.

If you are a vegan in the UK, you need to make it your mission to eat with Fed by Water soon and then often.

See my meal from last night. Everything was beyond superb.

STUNNING focaccia freshly baked at @fedbywater in London.

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Yas! Panna cotta for the ultimate #vegan win. At @fedbywater in Dalston.

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Yes, the food tasted as good as it looks. Maybe even better. The fact that the round pizza was inspired by me is the icing on the cake.

Almost everything you see in the photos above is made in house by the restaurant. The cashew cheeses used throughout the menu are phenomenal, the pizza bases are unmatched and the seitan should be award-winning.

Follow Fed by Water on Instagram and dine with them often.

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London pub goes meat free

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This is a bit unexpected.

Just around the corner from where I currently reside in Brentford/South Ealing is a rather gorgeous pub called The Lord Nelson.

The pub has a particularly attractive beer garden and some awesome entertainment, but what really sets it apart from other watering holes in the city is the fact that every now and then it goes meat free.

With a chef who used to work at Vanilla Black now in charge of food, The Lord Nelson is taking an unusual step for a London pub. Or maybe it isn’t so uncommon now. Do you know of any pubs in the UK doing meat free nights or weeks?

The Lord Nelson has its current meat free menu running until July 23, 2016. Ask to see the special vegan version of the menu when you dine.

Now for some photos!

Drinking a pale ale by @littlecreatures_hk at @thelordnelson #vegan #beer

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Mock duck curry at @thelordnelson in Brentford #vegan

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Pulled jackfruit with a chilli sauce at @thelordnelson in Brentford #vegan

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

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My first Zizzi visit

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My blog post about the vegan menu at Zizzi a little while back blew up big time. People love reading about vegan pizza!

I wrote that first post while I was still in Mexico, so one of my first jobs to get done upon my arrival in London was a trip to my local Zizzi.

Oh my!

Checking out the #vegan menu at @wearezizzi in Chiswick right now!

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Guzzling this #vegan berry cider by @aspalluk at @wearezizzi in Chiswick

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

This #vegan pizza at @wearezizzi is DELICIOUS. Check out that @mozzarisella melted all over!

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Vegan cider and vegan pizza? I was in heaven.

I thought the pizza was one of the finest I’ve had in a long while, but not pictured here is the rather dull vegan garlic bread. It had no discernible flavour. We thought we had been given plain bread and, when we asked our server, we were told the kitchen had rubbed garlic across the bread. It must have barely touched it!

The bread was the only disappointment in an otherwise gorgeous meal. The Mozzarisella cheese is perfection when melted.

Yay for vegan options at Zizzi!

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New vegan street food in Mexico

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Mexico is too intense. The speed at which the vegan scene is expanding is mind-boggling.

Today I found out about a new vegan hamburger and hot dog stand called Pan D-Monium that opened only two months ago.

Situated in the Roma Norte district, Pan D’Moniun is serving up simple yet delicious vegan comfort food near the corner of Colima and Orizaba.

Check out these photos.

Brand new #vegan burger and hot dog stand opened in Mexico City just two months ago. Pan D’Monium. #cdmx

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

How about this awesome hot dog with fries at Pan D’Monium in Mexico City today? #vegan #cdmx

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Fab #vegan burger at Pan D’Monium in Mexico City today. #cdmx #romanorte

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

My first trip to eat at this street food stand will certainly not be my last. The food was inexpensive and tasty while the people running the business couldn’t have been nicer.

You can like Pan D’Monium on Facebook.

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Is this the best new vegan eatery on the planet?

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To be genuinely impressed by a new vegan eatery is a rare occurrence. Yes, I know many places do a good job of feeding us compassionate people and a good job is often just what you need. I’ll even return to a café that does a good job.

What I want to talk about here is when you dine with an establishment and they blow you away. The service is exceptional, the decor is gorgeous and everything you try from the menu is above average.

People of the Internet, please meet Elk Bistro of Mexico City.

Elk Bistro is a joint venture between super talented chef Veronica and the owners of vegan grocery store, VeganVille.

The bistro opened mere weeks ago in conjunction with the second location of VeganVille but you would be forgiven if you thought the eatery was a long time established. Every single part of what they do had been polished to perfection before they opened the doors to diners.

The central courtyard is immaculately renovated with a grand Canary Island date palm towering over proceedings. Cutlery and tableware is stylish, while the friendly people looking after you make you feel like nothing is too much trouble.

And now the food. I can’t do it more justice than the following photos.

Just dined in the most gorgeous #vegan bistro/deli in Mexico City called Elk. #cdmx

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Toasted bread with sunflower seed salsa at @veganvilleelk in Mexico City. #vegan

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Delicious horchata and agua de papaya at @veganvilleelk in Mexico City. #vegan

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Gorgeous lentil and chard soup at @veganvilleelk in Mexico City. #cdmx #vegan

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Stunning pad Thai with tamarind and soy sauces on the side at @veganvilleelk in Mexico City. #cdmx #vegan

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Wheat steak, crunchy wedges and BBQ sauce at @veganvilleelk in Mexico City. #cdmx #vegan

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Almond milk vanilla flan with pistachio at @veganvilleelk in Mexico City. #cdmx #vegan

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Every dish placed on my table at Elk Bistro has been exquisite.

Dining with Elk is made even more special by the fact that you have to walk through a 100% vegan grocery store to exit. Talk about exit through the gift shop!

VeganVille is stacked solid with vegan cheeses, meats, pantry items, personal care products and more. There is even a cute deli/takeaway food counter positioned at the front of the store. It is an extension of Elk and it is here where you can pick up gorgeous cream cakes and ham and cheese croissants before you depart.

If you have been considering a trip to Mexico City, Elk is the last piece of convincing you need.

Follow Elk on Instagram.

All photos in this post originally appeared on my FGV Instagram feed.

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Clothing-optional vegan pop-up in London this weekend!

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Post by:

josh panel

Well here’s something you don’t see very often.

This Saturday and Sunday there is a pop-up sauna in South Tottenham with vegan food provided by The Magic Cauldron and the Facebook page for the event says that swimwear is optional! Housed in a converted horse trailer, the sauna is open to all interested people and towels can be hired for £3. Interested yet? If not, then let me tell you about the food.

The Magic Cauldron will be at the pop-up event providing 100% vegan food. Here’s the flyer for the event:

magiccauldronflyer

It all looks and sounds divine:

  • Baked turmeric falafel
  • Red Cabbage Vietnamese Rolls
  • Sweet potato, carrot & courgette fritters
  • Creamy roasted red pepper curry & rice
  • Roasted beetroot & fennel hot lentil salad

So if you’ve always fancied getting your kit off and getting stuck into some tasty vegan food, then this weekend could be right up your alley!

Like The Magic Cauldron on Facebook.

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Vegan pizza at UK chain

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Alex is a reader who wants you to know about his experience at Zizzi. In case you haven’t heard, Zizzi is a restaurant chain with 140 locations around the UK and they are now offering vegan cheese as a topping option in every restaurant.

They also now serve vegan pasta, vegan wine and vegan desserts.

This is HUGE news and Alex is going to tell you all about it:

After hearing on Facebook about the new vegan cheese available at Italian restaurant chain Zizzi, we headed to the Exeter branch for date night.

The standard menu had vegan options clearly marked with a Ve symbol and our server brought us the “Allergen” menu which has a “Vegan Menu” page. Not a huge selection of vegan options but the revolution is the vegan cheese. No more dry, half empty pizzas.

As we had not booked and promised to give back the table within an hour, we just ordered olives for starters with some Prosecco. A nice touch is the little “Did you know?” box on the menu that tells you all of their wines are vegan except for a few listed. The Prosseco was lovely.

Of course for the main course we had the pizza. You have to pretty much build your own, starting with a Margarita and adding your selection of toppings. I went for artichokes and caramelised balsamic onions, my partner had mushrooms.

When the pizza arrived they looked exactly like the other pizzas, so we both simultaneously asked the server if they were vegan. Another nice touch here, Zizzi put little green stickers on the plates for vegan orders so you can be reassured you’re getting the correct thing. The pizza was brilliant. This is the Italian style thin crust pizza not overloaded with topping so you could easily have a starter and a full pizza and not be too full to order a dessert.

My caramelised balsamic onion topping was great with lots of sweet flavour. The “Mozzarisella” cheese is very creamy in taste and texture but does not take away much from the flavour of the pizza. In texture it does lack the stringy texture some people might associate with pizza, but for me that is more something for deep pan style pizza, loaded with toppings, which this is not.

No dessert for us this time, but a few vegan options based on sorbet are on the menu. Next time we are in town we will probably stop for an afternoon coffee and try the vegan nectarini which is a nectarine with scoops of coconut & mango swirl gelato.

zizzi vegan pizza

You can view the full vegan menu from Zizzi online, search for your nearest outlet here and thank the chain for their vegan-friendliness on Twitter.

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Hottest new vegan burgers in London!

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Post by:

josh panel

A couple of weeks ago I saw something on Twitter about a new veggie burger pop-up at Brick Lane. I reached out to Hot Boyz Veggie Burgers and discovered that they are 100% vegan. Their food looks delicious – check out some pics from their social media channels:

The Hot Boyz are in Town! If your around come down!! Brick Lane Upmarket #vegan #vegetarian #foodies #foods #foodie #foodporn

A photo posted by Hot Boyz Veggie Burger Joint (@hotboyzvburger) on


Hot Boyz Veggie Burgers will be at the Sunday Upmarket in Brick Lane this Sunday from 10am-5pm. Go along, check out their burgers and report back!

Like Hot Boyz on Facebook or follow on Twitter and Instagram.

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Review: Bar Bombón in Philadelphia

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Post by:

josh panel

Last month I was in Philly and was keen to visit a vegan Puerto Rican/Latin-inspired restaurant that opened last year called Bar Bombón. A browse of the menu sounded promising so I headed downtown together with my brother, sister-in-law and two nieces.

We had a hard time picking from the menu so quickly did the most sensible thing and ordered pretty much everything available. There was five of us and we were hungry. Don’t judge! Here’s a breakdown of what we had:

Bar Bombon - dips and chipsSalsa Roja, Salsa Verde y Guacamole with fried corn tortillas.

Bar Bombon - fried yucaYucca Frita with Maduro sauce

Bar Bombon - empanadasEmpanadas de chick’n and beef

Bar Bombon - tequila seitanTequila Seitan Skewers

Bar Bombon - enchiladasEnchiladas de ‘pollo’

Bar Bombon - brussels tacosBrussels Sprout Tacos with fried avocado

Bar Bombon - broccoli tacosBroccoli Tacos

Bar Bombon - cubano clubCubano Club Sandwich

Bar Bombon - galletteAnjou Pear & Squash Gallette

Bar Bombon - tres lechesTres Leches Cake

Bar Bombon - arrozXocolatl rice pudding

I wish I could say that everything was delicious but we all left feeling slightly underwhelmed with the food. There were some standout items (the fried yuca, Cubano club sandwich and the incredible Tres Leches cake) but everything else seemed to be somewhat lacking in flavour and composition. I hate to be too critical because I’m sure that much time and love has gone into creating these dishes but I really didn’t feel like my expectations were met at Bar Bombón.

Add to that the Center City Philly prices, and I don’t think any of us would head back there in a hurry.

Except for that Tres Leches cake which was truly memorable.

Visit Bar Bombón online, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter or Instagram.

Newcastle vegan restaurant expanding

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A wonderful, pioneering vegan café is looking to expand in size and vision but they need our collective strength to do it.

The Painted Elephant is a cosy eatery perched in Newcastle city centre. They serve mouthwatering savoury food and ever since it opened, the restaurant has served as a vital hub for the vegan community in the city. The owners even allowed me to bring live music into their gorgeous venue when I passed through with my Vegan Roadshow.

Amazingly, it is the only 100% vegan restaurant in Newcastle.

The owners of The Painted Elephant have done an exceptional job to not only keep a fledgling restaurant open, but to also make it thrive. It now enjoys a solid following of regular diners that allows the restaurant to pay its overheads, but the plans for expansion are going to need a bit extra.

The owners need to raise £20,000 in order to move on with their plans, which include creating:

  • gourmet vegan food powered by local farmers and producers with a weekly changing, seasonal menu and low food mileage
  • a licensed bar serving infused liquors made from our excess fruits and herbs – nothing wasted
  • home grown herbs and salads cut for the plate
  • handmade vegan cheese on the menu and available to purchase and take home
  • all food waste composted to grow more deliciousness
  • locally foraged ingredients
  • regular themed tasting menu events with many-coursed meals, themed music and decor
  • great alternative music
  • up-cycled decor by local artisans

What the money will pay for:

  • the deposit and a couple of months rent on the new property (separate kitchen and bar area, possibly multiple floors!) to get them started – they’re looking at some of the beautiful railway arches near central station
  • a kitchen made from refurbished appliances and up-cycled fittings
  • growing and composting equipment, including an almost-instant (3 hour) composter for all food waste
  • paint and wall hangings
  • plumbing of sinks, etc
  • beautiful plates, glasses, crockery and more from UK artisans and small businesses
  • creation of new jobs for the local vegan community

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This is our chance to support an independent business, help them grow, watch them support local fruit/vegetable producers and celebrate as they create strength, jobs and security in their community.

This is an important campaign and an incredible chance for you to be a part of something very special. Keep a 100% vegan business independent, help people in Newcastle have a vegan centre they can be proud of and, most importantly, save the lives of animals by giving the northeast a truly compassionate alternative.

Click here now to donate to the expansion campaign and help make The Painted Elephant an even more integral part of Newcastle’s vegan scene.

Follow The Painted Elephant on Twitter and Facebook.

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