Is it completely unrealistic of me to expect something vegan to eat in a vegetarian cafe? I know I’m not going to get full run of the menu but I should be able to eat at least one item, right?
During the week just passed, I agreed to have a business meeting at Orchard on Sicilian Avenue in Holborn.I had never heard of the location even though it is just around the corner from where I have been hosting London Vegan Potluck for more than two years.
Even though the few people I asked about Orchard told me it wasn’t much good for vegans, I approached with an optimistic spring in my step. When I reached the front door and started to read the menu, my spirits deflated.
Wow. It is over. My mammoth month-long Friday night supper club event known as Around the World with FGV has come to an end.
What a food adventure!
We started with the gorgeously plated Caribbean cuisine of Vegan Peasant, moved on to the hearty Brazilian fare of Essential Vegan, were in awe of the technical skills of The Vegan Ronin during the Japanese dinner and finished up with the mouth watering delights of Thai street food made by The Messy Vegetarian Cook.
Kip of The Messy Vegetarian Cook had a tough act to follow being the last of four world class food designers, but of course she pulled out all the stops for a decadent Thai meal that had everyone asking for more.
Check out the photos below to see the stunning line up of Thai delights and make sure you follow Kip on Twitter to see what she has planned next or to book her services.
Starters – Miang Takrai (bite sized citrussy lemongrass parcels of minced coriander, aromatic mint, toasted sesame and fresh coconut, served with a tangy sweet dressing in wild pepper leaves) and Laab Hed Tao Hoo (cooked salad of spicy sour minced tofu and mushroom dressed with fresh herbs and lime)
Main – Kanom Jeen (coils of thin noodles served with two choices of coconut based sauce: nam ya (thick and spicy) and/or nam prik (rich and sweet), accompanied by an array of side dishes including fresh Thai herbs, vegetables, and condiments)
Desserts – Floating Lotus/Bua Loi (sticky rice balls in warm pandan infused sweet coconut milk and sticky rice with caramelised freshly grated coconut)
Every now and then I like to throw out the following question: who serves the best vegan breakfast in London?
I do my best to bring you all you need to know about vegan eating in the UK capital, but it is nice when you give a little back. Please tell me where I should go in London for a cooked breakfast.
Below is a photo of a recent plate I enjoyed at The Gallery Cafe in Bethnal Green (the setting for my upcoming Mexican supper club). Is this the best vegan fry up in London?
I was perusing the free from aisle in my local Waitrose today when I saw the following product withdrawal sign.
If you are having trouble reading the sign, it states the dairy free chocolate covered raisins by the Fabulous FreeFrom Factory have been recalled due to a few batches showing positive results for milk.
I phoned the distributor, VBites, and was told they had been instructed by the manufacturer to recall the products.
This led me to phone the manufacturer, Winning Ways Fine Foods. I spoke with the wonderfully-helpful Deborah who gave me all the information I asked for (and some I didn’t).
Dairy free chocolate raisins
Deborah explained how a batch of the product had tested positive for trace amounts of casein, a protein found in dairy milk. The quantity was 12.6 parts per million, an almost undetectable level. But because the company is so fiercely protective of their dairy free claims, they ordered an instant recall of the positive batch and two subsequent batches to be on the safe side.
The batches recalled have the Best Before Dates of End Jan 2015, End Feb 2015 and End March 2015. Deborah stated that even though the risk of allergic reaction is incredibly low, the company decided to take drastic measures by recalling all stock that had the slightest chance of containing traces.
Deborah told me that she, along with her colleagues, has been devastated by this recall. The company can only surmise that their dark chocolate that is certified as completely dairy free was melted in or stored in a container that had previously been used to hold chocolate with traces of dairy.
The company is asking anyone with the product featuring the above mentioned best before dates to return them for a refund.
I do feel sorry for Winning Ways Fine Foods as I know how detrimental to a professional reputation a recall can be, especially when the products in question are marketed at the free from sector.
I commend Deborah and her colleagues for the decisive and prompt action they have taken to ensure the tainted product was recalled as quickly as possible. They are assuring all customers that they are doing all they can to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Rest assured vegans and dairy avoiders. The Fabulous FreeFrom Factory dairy free chocolate covered raisins are once again suitable for cruelty-free eaters and the dietary sensitive and we should support wonderful and thoughtful companies like Winning Ways. Rejoice!
Out of all the food outlets I have written about over the years, the following is close to being the best value for money in London. Oh, it also serves incredibly delicious food.
Walking inside the Boiler House of Brick Lane on a weekend day is like stumbling across the key to eternal happiness. Not only will you find the gorgeous cakes of Essential Vegan (see here), you will also be faced with two Ethiopian food stalls that are 100% vegan. How awesome is that?
The following recommendation is for Yemama Gojjo, although everyone tells me the other Ethiopian food stall is just as delicious.
Check it out below. The photos are guaranteed to make you hotfoot it to this weekend food court as soon as possible and with a plate of food costing approximately £5, it is one of the best value meals in the city.
Josh abandoned me a few weeks back for a trip to the USA. As punishment for leaving me alone, I have instructed him to write the following post about one of his favourite food experiences from his visit to Philadelphia. (So many jokes… I am grateful for the post and I love Josh)
It all looks fabulous! Take it away, Josh.
Mi Lah Vegetarian Restaurant in Center City, Philadelphia had been on my to-eat-at list for several months after a friend of FGV’s posted an Instagram pic of her vegan Bánh mì from there and I have been dreaming about it ever since. One day earlier this month while I was in the city of brotherly love, I decided to head to Mi Lah to check out the Vietnamese sub that I had been dreaming about for so long.
Right in the heart of Philly, this 100% vegan restaurant has an extensive menu and some tempting lunch specials. Of course I already knew that I was going to order the Bánh mì whereas my mum decided to go for the fried rice with cashews, tofu and vegetables. We also decided to split a starter of deep-fried mushrooms with an agave-mustard mayo.
All three dishes were outstanding and far exceeded our expectations. The Bánh mì was mind-blowing with delicious marinated tofu coupled with pickled cucumber, vegan mayo and grated carrot dressed with a lime/ginger vinaigrette… all crammed into a light, crispy roll… I’m drooling just thinking about it now.
I regret not making it back to Mi Lah for the brunch menu which looks AMAZING but I’m sure the opportunity will present itself again.
I have mentioned eating at Mildred’s in the past, but a recent meal with friends was so delicious I was compelled to share the latest photos with you.
As you know, Mildred’sis a vegetarian restaurant tucked away on the fringes of Soho. Their menu always contains vegan options and the staff can talk you through the wine list for plant-based libations.
The down side is the cramped nature and noisy atmosphere, so I would advise not going at peak period. It is honestly close to unbearable when it is packed.
But the vegan food options are lovely. Check out my latest feast.
As you can see, I ate well. Dumplings, pie, sweet tart and brownie. Everything was of a very high standard. I do think there is room for improvement in the service department. The attitude from staff can verge on frosty and they are literally running during busy periods, with zero time for being pleasant.
I spotted this in my local Whole Foods Market and I took a few quick photos to share with you all on here. I am hoping someone can tell me if they have used these vegan chocolate making kits and, if they have, if they will tell me about the experience.
All of the ingredients are certified by the Soil Association and the box even has a claim that all ingredients have been tested to be free of dairy, gluten and soya. I really want to try this kit but someone needs to convince me. Is it worth the money?
The Choc Chickbrand has the smaller box targeted at young people and a larger, more expensive pack for adults. They even sell individual top up packs of the ingredients. You can see them in the shots below. The kits look like they would be a fun gift for someone special. I love the fact they use Sweet Freedomas the sugar component.
Coconut-based foods are taking over the world. I literally can’t get my head around how many new coconut products are popping up each week.
One of the leaders of this surge is Bessant & Drury. Th company has been producing one of the best vegan ice creams in the UK for a few years and are now branching into the yoghurt field with their Coconut Co-operative brand.
The owner and founder Steve Bessant generously supplied March London Vegan Potluck attendees with a special tasting of their mango and passionfruit variety of yoghurt. 350 tubs of the stuff were hand delivered to the event by Steve himself!
Coconut Co-operativeMass serving
You can check out Coconut Co-operative on Facebook and follow the company on Twitter.
Other coconut favourites of mine recently have been the milk products from Rebel Kitchen. Not only are these drinks delicious but they have the cutest packaging and graphics I have seen in a long time. Check out their website.
Rebel Kitchen
To wrap up coconut appreciation post, I wanted to make a quick mention of the Trekcocoa coconut flapjack bar. It is chewy and chocolatey and perfect for a snack on the go. It is shown below with both the Rebel Kitchen and Coconut Co-operative products.
There is a lot of vegan cake in London, but is it ever enough? I say no.
Congratulations to the people of Archway in north London. Their suburb is the location of the latest in a long line of 100% vegan cake stalls taking over the street markets of the capital.
A stroll around Archway on Saturday 15th March, 2014 could very well land you with a handful of gluten free, vegan cake if you make time to visit the outdoor market on Holloway Road.
Maria will be working behind the table and selling her homemade creations on a stall called Lilla Gull Cakes. The food-curious will be able to buy brownies topped with caramel corn, savoury muffins, coconut oat balls and more.
The plan is for the home business to be at that location every fortnight before making it more permanent once they are established and have a following.
