I stumbled into a vegan-friendly grocery store in Manchester a few weeks ago and it was all so surreal and unexpected. I’m a bit lost for words.
I’ll try my best.
vegetarian
Tempeh on Leather
There must be something about Leather Lane that attracts the veggie food crowd. This curiously-named London street is now home to not one but two vegetarian sandwich stalls. Get eating down Leather Lane!
A short while ago I wrote about the glorious sandwich I enjoyed from Killer Tomato and now the Mexican sandwich stall has company in the form of a vegetarian Indonesian-style tempeh vendor, located on the opposite side of the lane.
This is a brand new business with a few kinks to iron out, but you can’t fault their enthusiasm. The owner makes his own fresh tempeh (a rarity in the UK) and it is fried and seasoned right in front of you on the stall.
All you have to do is pick your fillings, pay your money and eat a delicious tempeh wrap.
Word of warning: even though the stall is emblazoned with the words ‘100% vegetarian’, they bizarrely have a sauce that contains real fish. The owner told me he cannot find a replacement for this ingredient, which doesn’t sound completely believable to me. My pal Messy Vegetarian Cook conjures up all sorts of southeast Asian cuisine requiring fish sauce and her stuff is delicious. She has even shown me a bottle of vegan fish sauce she bought in London.
Get along for a tasty treat, but remember to voice your rejection of the fish sauce.
Nothing to eat
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?
People, meet Orchard Vegetarian Kitchen.
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.
Eat well in Soho
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’s is 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.
Get to Soho to eat well!
Eat in Soho
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.
Friends reunited
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.
I am so glad I have reconnected with Saf. I promise I won’t let London come between us ever again.
Visit Saf online
Best-in-Show at LVBF 2013
The sun burned bright. The beers flowed liberally. People adored the BBQ. Karaoke raised money for Sea Shepherd. That’s right, people. London Vegan Beer Fest was a raging success enjoyed by almost 300 people on Saturday July 13th, 2013.
I have much to share with you all (including photos), but I have taken time out of my LVBF comedown to share some important information with you. Beer lovers, I present the audience favourite beverage as voted by the attendees of London Vegan Beer Fest.
Drum roll.
So fresh and so clean
Before we move forward, we often have to look to the past, so I wanna ask you to cast your mind back to one of my most controversial posts.
My article about The Gallery Cafe in Bethnal Green is infamous. People still talk to me about it and the content divides many vegans. Heck, somebody even referenced it recently in an article about why vegans should feel comfortable eating oysters and mussels! It is the blog post that won’t go away.
Read the original post here if you like, but in a nutshell I questioned why The Gallery Cafe fried their vegan burger in the same oil as halloumi and if this was a compromise of the vegan status of the food.
Mystery writer Lomez tantalises
I am thrilled to welcome Lomez to the fold as a guest contributor to Fat Gay Vegan. This post about eating vegan in the Netherlands is a fascinating and entertaining read that will leave you desperate to get to the land erroneously known as Holland.
Take it away, Lomez.
Ah, the Netherlands, more commonly (and incorrectly) referred to as Holland. Land of tulips, clogs, cycling, Gouda, Edam, Leerdammer… (for those of you so deep into veganism that dairy doesn’t exist, the last three are cheeses.)
My partner and I have been to the Netherlands a few times over the past year, and we’ve managed to eat vegan throughout. We’ve learned so much on our travels, and have so many vegan tips, that it’s difficult to know where to start!
So why don’t I begin with the best? If you only go to one restaurant in the Netherlands, go to Veggies on Fire.
That’s so Ravens
Josh is jumping in again with his take on our eating experience at a vegan restaurant in California. You are all going to be fans of his writing and you won’t want me back!
Take it away, Josh.
A couple of weeks ago FGV and I were on our way to Portland, driving up the Northern Californian coast, marvelling at ancient redwood trees and gasping at stunningly dramatic coastal roads. On our way, we stopped to stay with our friend Susan in delightful Mendocino, a picturesque period town overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Not only is Mendocino visually charming, it is also home to the luxurious Stanford Inn which incorporates the legendary Ravens’ Vegan Restaurant. Of course there was no doubt about where we were heading for dinner!