London

Gluten free Japanese secret supper

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So, you are hunting around for a niche dining experience. Think you have seen it all? Think again. Leading London-based secret supper club expert The Vegan Ronin is hosting a special lunch that will have you redefining your understanding of the word exclusive.

Before I explore the actual food component of this limited event, I want to quickly let you know only five people will be able to book a space just in case you want to skip ahead of my ramblings in order to book instantly.

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OK. Down to business.

The Vegan Ronin proudly presents a five course gluten-free Japanese lunch. Oh yes!

In an intimate setting, the fortunate and tiny group of diners will be served the following menu:

  • Lotus chips, yuzu spinach salad, seared daikon, ginger-miso aubergine and Japanese potato salad
  • Tofu course: fresh tofu, yuba, agedashi dofu, ganmodoki (Buddhist tofu patty), tofu sesame salad
  • Tempura zaru soba with all the fixings
  • Traditional meal ender of mixed miso soup, rice and fresh pickles.
  • Sesame brittle and daigaku imo (candied sweet potatoes fries)

Make haste and get on over to the booking page. Once you have registered, you will receive notification on how to secure your booking.

  • When: Saturday 25th January, 2014 – 1:00 -4:00 pm
  • Where: Finchley Central, North London
  • Cost: £35 pre-pay donation
  • Drinks: A Japanese aperitif is included – BYOB permitted

See my own personal experience of eating at a Vegan Ronin event.

Cheese and cheese

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Following years in the vegan cheese wilderness with little more than Cheezly to keep us alive, vegans in the UK are absolutely swimming in the stuff. A new dairy-free cheese seems to pop up every month. I don’t know where it is all coming from. I like to think of it as a cruelty-free cheese revolution.

Two brands that are new to me (but I’m already familiar with due to greed) are both found in the legendary London vegan boutique and grocery haven known as Vx.

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Eat like an Egyptian

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Unless something drastic happens such as a Veggie Grill opening in Soho or a Native Foods Cafe popping up on Regent Street, I will probably never again eat vegan food in another central London location other than Koshari Street.

Koshari Street is what vegan London has been lacking. Affordable, quick and incredibly tasty food to eat on the go. Every single person I know who has eaten there cannot sing its praises loudly enough. It is beyond game changing. It is the best vegan food in central London.

The sign says it all
The sign says it all

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Tasty tasty

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You know about London Vegan Drinks taking place in Whole Foods Market Kensington this Thursday, right? No? It takes places on Thursday December 19th, 2013 between 6pm and 10pm. We normally have more than 100 friendly people in the room.

So now you know. Read more about it here.

But there is something you would have no way of knowing and that is the amazing line up of companies coming along to let us sample their vegan products on the night. Check them out:

Vintage Roots with vegan sparkling wines
inSpiral with vegan cakes
Dip Society with vegan dips
CoYo with vegan ice cream
Booja Booja with vegan truffles

Come along to London Vegan Drinks this week for a tasty, social event like no other on the planet!

Eat in Soho

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Can you believe it? I’ve only just made it into one of the longest-standing and most-loved vegetarian restaurants in London. Shame on me.

Mildred’s of Soho is one of those places I always told myself I would get to one day. It was always just around the bend. Days turned into weeks turned into years and I still hadn’t put my fat foot through their doorway.

A few weeks back, I decided to break the drought and discover why Mildred’s is such a popular eatery for people deciding to give meat a miss.

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Looking good and feeling fine

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I don’t often write about pop-up events not related to food and/or beer but I have no problem making an exception for one of my favourite cruelty-free skincare companies.

Leading up to Christmas (and a little bit beyond as well), festive shoppers who care about their skin AND animal welfare can shop ’til they drop in the Premae Skincare pop-up store just off world-famous Carnaby Street.

I have written about this vegan skincare company previously, so it is no secret I am a huge admirer of Clare Eluka and her ethical products. Clare is one of the hardest working business owners in the UK and I am continually thrilled to see the professional advancements she is making and hear about the never-ending platitudes piling up for her range.

Face balm by Premae
Face balm by Premae

If you are looking for a festive gift for a loved one, or just want to give the range a try for yourself, pop into the pop-up soon. Support an independent, ethical business for Christmas and beyond!

The Premae pop-up store is located in unit 2.8 of Kingly Court on Carnaby Street. The closest Underground station is Oxford Circus.

New vegan kicks

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UPDATE: This cafe has now closed!

Have you been along Oxford Street in central London lately? Longstanding businesses are being turfed out as the area gets dissected by the Crossrail tunnel project currently tearing up that part of the city. Shops are closed or closing and it is a sea of discount retailers mixed with scaffolding.

It’s a bit of a sad visual but something good has come of this messy situation. London just got a new vegan cafe!

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Box it up

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Vegans have got a good life in London. We can dine in fancy restaurants like Saf. How about cake delivered straight to your house? Sure thing. Vegan gourmet hot dogs are another treat and don’t even get me started about Cookies & Scream in Camden.

Yes, life is grand. But there is always room for improvement and expansion. Enter food delivery service The Urban Kitchen.

Before I dive into telling you how delicious the meal was I was sent to review, I would like to state up front that this caterer is not a vegan company. That being said, all of their vegan dishes are clearly marked online and they are very approachable people. If you are wondering about any ingredient or element of a dish, get in touch with them.

Now, down to business.

Delivered with style
Delivered with style

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Up in Archway

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Some of you probably think that if a restaurant in London is serving vegan food, the FGV must have been there. Right?

Sorry to disappoint, but even after all this time eating and reporting back to you there are still eateries that have escaped my fat clutches. Loving Hut in Archway was one such destination and I was constantly being asked for my opinion on their food. I couldn’t take the harassment from curious vegans any longer, so I made a special trip to the north London restaurant just to get you all off my back.

Just like Loving Hut locations the world over, the Archway version serves a completely vegan menu and is staffed by followers of the Quan Yin Method (Google exists for a reason, people). The menu is much more extensive than the recently-closed Camden branch but I do believe the Edgware location still holds the title of most gigantic Loving Hut menu in the world.

Josh and I ordered like the professional eaters we are. Wanna see what we got our teeth into?

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