Kensington

What a day!

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Today was intense.

I work with Fry’s Family Foods and one of my jobs is to help run stands and exhibits at shows. Today marked the return of the Animal Aid Christmas Fayre to Kensington Town Hall and I got to take Fry’s to the masses. It was intense.

The event was packed solid with thousands of compassionate people, all jostling to get some tasty food and support the animal charities in attendance. Animal Aid do a faultless job putting this event on and I think it would be lovely if you followed them on Twitter.

It was a wonderful day full of happy faces. I was completely worn out from running the stand for Fry’s but the endless stream of friendly greetings from the crowd kept me on my toes and feeling upbeat.

I am indebted to the incredible volunteers from Animal Equality who helped with staffing the Fry’s stand. I honestly could not have done it without them. Please follow this fabulous group on Twitter.

Another crucial component of the day was Sara of Pomodoro E Basilico. Sara cooked from 9:00am until 4:30pm non-stop so we had delicious bolognese to hand out to hundreds and hundreds of people. She was a powerhouse and you should all follow her food business on Twitter.

Now I need my bed. I’m worn out.

FGV and Sara samples Sara holding herbs show standYou can also follow Fry’s Family Foods on their UK Twitter account.

coach trip bottom

 

 

Cake spreads

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I have delightfully-good news for the vegan cake lovers of London.

Remember when I lost my mind over the fact Lujuria Vegana cakes were being sold in Whole Foods Market Fulham? Check this post for all the glorious photos.

Since that blog post, it appears Lujuria Vegana creations have spread to Whole Foods locations all across the capital. On tweeting about seeing them in the Kensington store, I have received responses from people telling me they had also seen them in Piccadilly and Camden.

Toni of Lujuria Vegana had mentioned to me the vegan desserts would be creeping across London later this year, so it appears later is now!

Get out and get the best vegan cake in Europe.

As seen in Whole Foods Market Kensington

Life after Saf

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If you have walked past the empty interior of Saf inside Whole Foods Market Kensington this week, you would not have been able to miss the following sign.

Sign of things to come
Sign of things to come

I got a little bit excited by this visual announcement, dreaming of the possibilities. Could it be a vegan bakery? Or a Mexican counter?

I asked a Whole Foods team member to explain all, but the only information I could squeeze out of them was that the space is set to be home to a pasta bar. No details were given on how vegan-friendly the options will be.

I’ll keep you updated as the details roll in. In the meantime, take a moment to remember one of the finest vegan eateries to ever grace the capital. RIP Saf.

Post Saf

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We are living in a post-Saf Restaurant & Bar world. It is a tough fact to face, but it’s the truth. London lost one of its finest vegan eateries and London Vegan Drinks lost a dependable source of pre-drinking dinner.

Attendees to London Vegan Drinks will now need to turn to Whole Foods Market and its food providers for sustenance. Here is what you can look forward to eating during the February event.

  • vegan pizza with vegan cheese
  • vegetable quesadillas without cheese or sour cream
  • veggie burger & chips without cheese (these are not cooked on shared grill or deep fryer)
  • jacket potato without cheese
  • vegan beer, vegan wine, vegan cider

As for the WOK station counter, they will have the following vegan options:

  • Tofu with peanut sauce (Sweet Chilli Sauce, Peanut Butter, Gluten Free Soy Sauce, Lemon Juice, Water and Rice Vinegar)
  • Broccoli (seasoning with Gluten Free soy Sauce, Rice Vinegar, Cooking Sake, Sugar, Sichuan peppercorn and Dried Red Chilli Peppers)
  • Courgette (seasoning with Gluten Free soy Sauce, Rice Vinegar, Cooking Sake, Sugar, Sichuan peppercorn and Dried Red Chilli Peppers)
  • Aubergine with hoisin sauce (soybeans, sugar, water, salt,  vinegar, garlic)
  • Mixed vegetables (bean sprout, carrots, sweet corns and edamame)

Not a bad eating line up at all, right?!

See you at London Vegan Drinks this Thursday.

Saf set to close

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I would like to offer you the choice of hearing the good news or the bad news first, but to be honest I only have devastating news.

I am decidedly depressed to break the news that Saf Restaurant & Bar located in Whole Foods Market Kensington is set to close forever.

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World’s best burger

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BAD NEWS UPDATE:

The following information was just posted in the comments at the bottom of this page. Sad news for epic vegan burger fans.

MJ says:

This burger has been discontinued!!!! We were so upset having trekked all the way there to find out that the suppliers no longer work with the restaurant?! As a result, there are no veggie or vegan options on the menu 🙁

Here is the original post on this burger:

A long time ago, there was a burger like no other. Before central London was torn in half by the Crossrail construction, meat-aversionists would swarm on Soho to feast on this burger. Its status was legendary.

But as the machines moved in to build the rapid transit railway, the fast food outlet serving the burger was forced out by the Government. Maybe you remember it? RedVeg was a paradise of deep fried potato, breaded mushrooms and the tastiest vegan burger patty on the planet.

Not long after the Soho location was shuttered, the Brighton RedVeg location was also forced to shut its doors following dwindling fortunes. I was so in love with their burger, I made a special trip to Brighton on their closing weekend and ate what I thought was to be one of the final RedVeg burgers ever served. See here.

But have I got news for you?!

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Saf’s what I’m talking about

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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.

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Brunch in a Royal Borough

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PLEASE NOTE: since this was written, the owner of the cafe has been convicted of animal cruelty. Read the update here: http://tinyurl.com/qy6qatz

If you ever find yourself waking up in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea with a rumbling belly, you won’t have far to travel for a hot vegan breakfast.

Just a quick stroll toward the Holland Park end of the area will reward you with a plant-based meal from Down to Earth on Kensington High Street.

Down to Earth Kensington
Down to Earth Kensington

If you know anything about this part of London, you will be aware of how expensive it is to live, drink and eat in Kensington. Down to Earth is no exception. Our vegan fry up was delicious but carried the hefty price tag of £7.50. That might not seem like a huge figure to some readers, but the food on the plate was not piled high.

There was a lot of what appeared to be Taifun vegan sausages, coupled with a bit of pepper and mushroom. This was topped with two slices of house-made ciabatta. My meal was tasty however I felt there was an over-reliance on the sausage. I would like to see the sausage reduced in favour of cooked greens or even some beans to bulk the meal out.

Vegan breakfast
Vegan breakfast

The restaurant doubles as a deli and there is a decent selection of vegan items available, including Vegusto cheese and inSpiral kale chips. The interior is spacious and light. I highly recommend booking and asking for a window seat as Kensington is a hotspot for people watching in London. On the downside, I discovered the hard way that a Sunday morning hangover doesn’t mix very well with the large number of families frequenting the cafe with small children.

Attractive & spacious interior
Attractive & spacious interior

The Down to Earth menu contains an impressive selection of vegan options and a huge range of fresh juices, so I am definitely up for making a few more trips. I am especially tempted by their raw and gluten free mains.

Visit Down to Earth online

Friends reunited

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London can be a beating.

Living in such a huge city of course has its advantages, but you can also get swallowed up in the sheer scale of things. I have friends who live on the other side of the city and I can get through an entire calendar year without seeing them. Everyone is busy and it can take hours to get across town.

One victim of London’s gigantism is Saf. This 100% vegan restaurant is one of the finest places for plant eaters to dine out in the capital, but I rarely make it along. One of the last times I visited was for this blog post from April 2011. That is far too long between visits.

This week I decided to bridge the gap between myself and Saf. I slipped in on my own for a quick lunch and my choice of main was exquisite. I adored my Summer Risotto featuring  organic Arborio rice with a miso cream, fresh broad beans, grilled courgettes, roasted garlic and saffron all topped with a shaved fennel salad.

£11 is a fair chunk to pay for a main meal but the quality and freshness of my meal warranted the price tag. It was delicious and felt as though someone had really considered the combination of ingredients.

Risotto at Saf
Risotto at Saf

I am so glad I have reconnected with Saf. I promise I won’t let London come between us ever again.

Visit Saf online