Posts in category 5. Restaurant Reviews

Vegan Japanese Restaurant Shrewsbury

Sep17
2017 Written by maggie

Itadaki Zen Shrewsbury

To my delight I as I was walking through Shrewsbury on an unplanned visit, I remembered that there was a new vegan food outlet opened on Fish Street, and it was open for lunch.

Not having had vegan Japanese food before I was looking forward to trying it. We both had a lunchtime bento box at £10 each, plus a glass of wine ( it was a treat after all) and for dessert a chocolate mousse cake.

Served with a cup of miso on the side with a vinegar type dip and soy sauce dip, we tucked in. Not heavily spiced which I liked. We had tempura which was pretty hard to eat with chop sticks tasted great, marinated tofu which was tasty, spring roll hot and crispy, vegan sushi not my personal favourite, but Paul who likes that enjoyed it, salad and beansprouts which were marinated. The bento box was perfect for lunch and very satisfying I could not complain and I would highly recommend. The dessert was OK, not sweet, very small and it lacked a punch. But it was only £4. The wine was very good.

The evening menu looks delightful and I will most likely be back to try that at some point, next time I come to Shrewsbury.

The restaurant is in what looks like an olde world type pub timber frame building which is very pretty, however not much of a nod to the Japanese style. It was also quite dark which is fine for the restaurant, however in the ladies room it was very dark, could not really check my makeup. Plus they need a little bit better extraction for the food smells, when I left and I could smell the place on my clothes for the rest of the day.

Shrewsbury has become a little hotspot for veggies, with the Goodlife Cafe, O’Joy and now this lovely addition. Worth a visit

www.itadakizen-uk.com

Uncle Alberts Veggie Cafe & Ice Cream Parlour

Mar22
2017 Written by maggie

Veggie Cafe Borth Ceredigion

In the little seaside town of Borth, near to Aberystwyth Ceredigion is a compact, rustic ice cream parlour/veggie cafe named after the resident cat Uncle Albert.

The ice cream parlour section is vegetarian with a couple of vegan options. The cafe food all looks homemade and fresh to order with a mix of vegan and vegetarian options.

We tried the all day breakfast, as you can see it was lovely, tasted great and was quite filling. There is a vegan cake option every day. The cafe is friendly and has a community feel.

Its worth a visit if you are in the area.

https://www.facebook.com/Borth-Cafe-Uncle-Alberts-Ice-Cream-Emporium-110191052351591/

Tagged uncle alberts ice cream parlour and veggie cafe, vegan vegetarian cafe borth ceredigion, vegan west wales

Vegan Hippo, Rupert Street, London

Feb26
2017 Written by maggie

Vegan Hippo, Soho

I have wanted to go here for a while, the last time I tried it had a line up the street, so i missed out.

The place is a little bit ramshackle, which is no bad thing, it did seem clean. We had a jackfruit burger and a vegan breakfast (full English). The burger was really nice and came with some kale chips, packed full of flavour. The vegan breakfast was OK but not great. The tofu was a bit bland, the vegan sausage was super firm, the flavour was nice but the texture was too hard for me. Everything else was fine.

www.veganhippo.com

Tagged vegan breakfast london, vegan food london, vegan hippo soho london

The Gate Seymour Place London

Feb23
2017 Written by maggie

The Gate, Seymour Place, London

Not long opened, so we wanted to give it a try as it was just a quick walk from our hotel. We booked for a Saturday night and had fun. The food was well presented, the staff were friendly, and the wine was yummy. All the food worked well, just one dish had an issue which was my quinoa salad, there was only a few grains of quinoa, so I think it was a stretch to call it a quinoa salad. The vegan desserts were really nice too which is a real bonus.

It was so good, we decided to go for a fancy breakfast on the Monday morning. We were really hungry so we both went for a full English breakfast vegan option. Oh dear what a mistake. It took ages to arrive and we were the only customers in the place. When it arrived my heart sank. They clearly have no idea on what a full British breakfast should look like. It was a very mean portion, the one mushroom was OK, a teaspoon of homemade baked beans (which looked like tinned baked beans with some added tomato bits and onion), tofu scramble (bland and heavy with spring onions which was unpleasant), half a sausage cut into 2 bits, 2 slices of tofu with griddle lines on it (this was supposed to be the bacon), bland bland bland, wet spinach yuk, a tomato and a hash brown. All of it was warm not hot and they served it with one slice of toast cut in two, they did not even have any vegan margarine. Just awful at £12 per plate it was shocking. To be fair the staff were very sheepish and understood that it was not up to standard, they had already taken the breakfast off the bill (before we complained) and only charged us for the drinks.

I would love a good vegan breakfast in London, and sadly I am still looking.

Tagged gourmet vegan restaurant london, the gate seymour place london, vegan breakfast london

Crimson Rhino Aberystwyth

Sep26
2016 Written by maggie

Veggie Cafe & Evening Bistro Aberystwyth

If you happen to be in mid Wales try out the Crimson Rhino. It has been open for a little while now and slowly but surely it is getting better and better. They started out really small with some sandwiches and juices, now you can get some full on delicious meals, lots of vegan choices and can even have an evening meal.

The decor has improved and now they have an outdoor seating area at the back which is really great. This is a small business who does nothing but reinvest back in to create a lovely space for everyone who likes yummy reasonably priced food.

Paul tried the veggie burger which was served with a saucy dip and chips, he enjoyed it. I had some sweet potato fries, humous and an avocado. Very good and filling food.

www.crimsonrhino.co.uk

Tagged crimson rhino aberystwyth, vegan cafe aberystwyth, vegetarian aberystwyth mid wales

Vegan London Trip

Sep21
2016 Written by maggie

Veggies in London

I had a little break in London and of course I visited my favourites including Mildreds, Manna and Tibits. However I got a chance to try out a couple of new places and I found the best Vegan dessert I have ever had.

Veggie Pret

I have been wanting to go here since they opened a few months ago as a pop up, they have decided to keep it open and have plans to open more veggie only branches. There is a good choice of vegan options and everything else is vegetarian. I sampled a few items, including the vegan wholegrain porridge, focaccia bread, veggie sticks and humous, vegan yoghurt with fruit and nuts, vegan cakes too. They offer all kinds of non dairy milks. I am so impressed with Pret. You can eat here pretty cheap. I just wish they had a veggie Pret in every town.

Fed By Water

A short run out to Dalston, Kingsland High Street, is an all vegan Italian style restaurant. Prepare to be literally stuffed. The portions are massive. My advice is not to order a starter unless you are really hungry or share it. The food is excellent. We tried the Bruschetta and garlic bread to start ( it was enough for at least 4 people we were just 2) For main I had the tagliatelle with seitan and cream sauce, this was yummy however I could only eat about half, it was so filling. Paul had a classic pizza, he loved it but again could not finish it. We could not manage dessert. The menu is very appealing and I look forward to going again

Mildreds

The best Vegan Dessert I have ever had. It was a vegan meringue with vegan coconut cream, rhubarb and rhubarb sauce. You would not think it was vegan. You have to try this dessert.

I really enjoyed my trip to all the veggie restaurants, Tibits was its usual selection of yummy buffet food, and we had Sunday lunch at Manna which was so tasty. In London veggies are spoilt for choice.

Tagged fed by water vegan italian london, london vegan, manna london, mildreds london, vegan meringue, veggie pret

O Joy Shrewsbury

Jul19
2016 Written by maggie

Veggie Cafe & Bistro

Formerly known as Optimum Joy, the cafe has had a face lift and is now mostly vegan.

We went for lunch, the atmosphere is pleasant, the food choices are quite simple for lunch, with lots of tapas food on offer.

I went for the cashew cheese sandwich, Paul had the Haggis sandwich. Both were served with a little bit of salad and vegetable crisps. I enjoyed the cashew cheese, the bread they use is very tasty, but was very chewy on the crusts. Paul said the Haggis sandwich was tasty and quite filling.

We decided to share a cupcake for a dessert, they looked yummy, however that is the only compliment I can say. It was truly the most awful cupcake I have ever had, the cake was dry and very crumbly like sand, I thought it might be improved by the creamy topping, it was not. I am not sure what was in it, but they seriously need to rethink this.

Vegan cakes are not hard to make, very few veggie places do a good vegan dessert. I like pudding, and I know lots of vegans who do too. Stick to the savoury when you visit, then you will not be let down.

Located in Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury

www.ojoywellness.com

Tagged shropshire vegetarian restaurant, vegan cafe shrewsbury, vegetarian food shrewsbury

Yorica Vegan Ice Cream Shop

May31
2016 Written by maggie

Vegan Ice Cream Shop Soho

Many of you will have heard about this new shop in Soho, London, if you have not tried it yet, it is worth the visit.

The first time I visited I had the solid ice cream, there are lots of flavours which are delicious all topped off with lots of sprinkles, marshmallows, jelly sweets etc.. and it was wonderful.

The second time, I had the whipped frozen yoghurt FroYo, in a vanilla and caramel flavour again topped with heavenly treats, I had tiffin on mine, Paul had jelly sweets and sprinkles. Just wonderful.

It is so nice to go into an all vegan place and just have dessert. I love this place and I hope it is so successful that they have no choice but to open branches all over the UK. Wishful thinking maybe, but it is a friendly vegan outlet that deserves to do well.

www.yorica.com

130 Wardour Street, Soho, London. W1F 8ZN

Tagged dairy free ice cream store, frozen vegan yoghurt, london vegan dessert, vegan ice cream shop

Mary Ward Centre Veggie Cafe

May27
2016 Written by maggie

London Vegetarian Vegan Cafe

I had my second trip to this cafe a few days ago. Last time I was surprised how good it was, so i had to try to repeat this experience.

Located in an adult educational building, near to Holborn, the cafe is open to all, it does get busy and sometimes you have to share a table. It has a comfortable friendly atmosphere, and lovely staff.

The food is a delight. All freshly made daily specials, served with salads. Hot and cold options and many of the dishes are vegan friendly. Vegan desserts too. Serving hearty and tasty food at quite a fair price for London.

www.marywardcentre.ac.uk

42 Queen Square, WC1N 3AQ

Tagged vegan london, vegetarian food london, vegetarian london

Sanctuary Restaurant (Veggie) Llanidloes

Apr15
2015 Written by maggie

Veggie Vegan Restaurant Mid Wales

I have found a little gem of a veggie place in Mid Wales. Llanidloes is a very small town in mid Wales Powys, which already boasts one lovely little veggie cafe called The Great Oak. Now they have a heavenly small veggie/vegan restaurant too, called Sanctuary Restaurant.

The food is really good, it is not cafe type, more nice restaurant food. We both had delicious vegan meals. Fresh to order, tasty, the meals are mostly vegetarian but most are adaptable to vegan. The menu is a little unclear which needs work, however this place is cute, serves great food, the owners run the place, so they are very knowledgeable and very accommodating. They only have 4 tables and it is located in a crystal shop, this place is well worth a visit. You can take your own wine as they are not licensed.

They are open Wednesday to Saturday, lunch and evening meals. Book if you are going at night and let them know if you are vegan or have any special diet needs, they are happy to modify meals for you. It is great to find a veggie restaurant rather than just a veggie cafe in Wales.

www.earthlightcrystals.co.uk

Tagged sanctuary vegetarian restaurant llanidloes, vegan food Wales, vegan mid wales, vegetarian vegan restaurant llanidloes mid wales

Vegan B&B in West Cornwall

Apr05
2015 Written by maggie

Vegan Accommodation

I have been asked to mention a new vegan B&B in Penzance Cornwall. Here is a bit of info from their website.

Bleujennow is the first vegan B&B in West Cornwall! Small and delightful, we offer two bedrooms, one with a double bed and sea view, and the other with a king-size bed, or two singles.

Situated in Penzance, a beautiful vibrant town, Bleujennow is 10 minutes’ walk from the town centre and the train and bus stations, and 15 minutes from the seafront! It’s the perfect spot for exploring South West Cornwall and further afield.

Expect delicious breakfasts, home baked bread; fairtrade coffee and tea, as well as a range of herb and spice teas. Picnics and evening meals are available if you wish.

More information available on their web site:-

www.bleujennowveganbedandbreakfast.co.uk

Tagged vegan b&b cornwall, vegan Bed and breakfast penzance cornwall, veggie b&b penzance Bleujennow

Rainbow Cafe Cambridge

Mar19
2015 Written by maggie

Veggie Cafe Cambridge

I had the opportunity to pop in to the Rainbow cafe in Cambridge as I was passing through the area.

The cafe is down an alley and in a basement setting. I found it quite a pleasant environment with lovely staff. I even spotted a celebrity in there having a meal, which was a novelty.

The food is hearty and wholesome. The food is full of the colours of the rainbow, fresh fruit and salads seem to come with everything.

We tried the shepherdess pie which came with loads of salad and rice, this was tasty and pretty good. We also tried the artichoke parcel which also came with various salad, fruit and a marinara sauce. This was tasty. They serve beer and wine, which was lovely.

My only disappointment came with the dessert, we tried the apple pie which was a bit too tart, however the problem came from the pastry. They must have microwaved it to warm it up, which made it soggy and inedible. Also we had the fruit crumble which got the same treatment from the microwave, yuk. Such a pity.

There is a good vegan choice, shame about the dessert.

www.rainbowcafe.co.uk

Tagged rainbow cafe vegan cambridge, vegan cambridge, vegetarian cambridge, veggie cafe cambridge

London Veggie Spots

Mar01
2015 Written by maggie

Vegan Food in London

Had a lovely extended weekend in London and sampled some of my favourite eateries with a couple of new places, here is my round up.

I will start with the two new places I tried, Kin Cafe & Ethos.

Kin Cafe

I went here twice for breakfast and found it really good. We tried the avocado on toast which was really great, the home made beans on toast which is a more substantial meal, tasty and fresh. Jam on toast with some lovely cherry jam spread and nut butter. We also had some cakes to take away which were delicious. The menu is geared towards vegetarian rather than vegan, but I really did enjoy the vegan options I had. They do need to offer a vegan butter alternative which was my only negative about the place. The cafe is clean, friendly and welcoming staff. It is not open on the weekends which is a shame as I would have visited more.

www.kincafe.co.uk

Ethos

I had just had lunch somewhere nearby and I thought I would try to find Ethos and scout it out for a visit the next day. We ordered a coffee and asked if the hot chocolate could be made vegan, the staff had no clue about it, so I just ordered a coffee. I then asked a different member of staff about the breakfast menu and what was suitable for vegans, I was met with a blank expression and lack of care, I was told that she does not work on the breakfast shift and had no idea. Why did she not ask someone else I don’t know, I asked another member of staff and got the same answer. Upon leaving we thought we would look at the food to see what was on offer for vegans on the hot and cold displays. The food has no covers so is open to the environment in the cafe, I spotted a couple of flies buzzing around and landing on the food. The food did look nice, I am sorry but the insects made me not want to even give it a go. They need to work harder on customer service and do something about the flies, yuk. Near Oxford Circus

My favourites

Manna

Had a couple of really great meals in this all vegan restaurant in Primrose Hill. Great for a romantic night out and a special meal.

Tibits

Buffett food with lots of vegan options. Tasty filling food in a relaxed dining experience. Just off Regent Street. (Heddon Street)

Mildreds

Prepare to que. This place is usually packed to the rafters. We had to wait half and hour the first time and one hour the second visit. Worth it though, food is hearty and yummy. Lots of vegan options. Soho Lexington Street.

222 Veggie Vegan

Having a bit of a refurbishment, so it was a little hard on the lighting this time, will be ok when they are finished. All vegan and completely lovely food, One of the best value places for vegan food. West Kensington, London.

Tagged vegan cafe london, vegan london, Vegan Restaurant London

Crimson Rhino Veggie Cafe

Feb04
2015 Written by maggie

Veggie Cafe in Aberystwyth

A veggie and vegan cafe and smoothie bar located in Aberystwyth, West Wales.

Aberystwyth now has a veggie cafe with the imaginative name of The Crimson Rhino. It is located at the bottom of Penglais hill which is near to the University. The cafe offers a range of simple veggie and vegan dishes with an array of smoothies and healthy treats. Everything is made fresh to order, and there is hot soup which changes frequently.

I have tried the soup and the hot Ciabatta sandwiches, along with vegan hot chocolate. Very tasty. I forgot to take pictures, sorry.

The staff are lovely and very helpful. It is not a designer fancy type veggie place, however the food is tasty and very reasonable on price. They do take out and eat in. It is good to have an all veggie place in Aberystwyth.

www.crimsonrhino.co.uk

Tagged crimson rhino veggie cafe aberystwyth Wales, vegan aberystwyth, vegetarian aberystwyth

Milgi Veggie Cafe Cardiff

Jun23
2014 Written by maggie

Vegetarian Restaurant Cardiff

Last week we visited Cardiff and had a meal at Milgi Lounge on City Road in Cardiff. An all vegetarian restaurant and cafe with vegan options.

The restaurant is nice enough, quite spacious with an ethnic shabby chic styling. It has a dining area, a sofa lounge area, a garden with a small amount of seating and a yurt which has comfy chairs for sitting in.

All the food has a spicy flavour to it, there is nothing that is not spicy, which is fine for most people but not all. I personally would have preferred some dishes without the heat. The food is pleasant enough, I had a burger with wedges and slaw, this was nice, but it was spicy. Paul had the curry of the day with rice and a sweet potato bread, he enjoyed it, but again is was really quite spicy. I like spicy food, but the next day I had a business meeting, so it was not ideal.

Desserts were OK, we tried both vegan options, the cinnamon doughnuts which tasted nice, but the dough was very dense and chewy, the crispy battered rhubarb with orange and ginger was pleasant enough, the ice cream is nice.

They do have a large selection of drinks and cocktails which are lovely.

Overall I like this restaurant, it was busy and is reasonably priced. Mains are around £9 and the desserts are around £5.

www.milgilounge.com

Tagged milgi cardiff review, vegan cardiff, vegetarian restaurant cardiff