Vegan in Cinque Terre

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Jenny
The hilly coastline of the Cinque Terre with a bright blue sea in hte foreground

I first visited the Cinque Terre in July 2017, and have been back twice more since the pandemic. The scenery never gets boring – beautiful villages with colourful buildings, a shimmering blue sea, and rolling hills. Alas, the vegan scene never really gets much better either. There is not a wealth of info online about vegan options in the Cinque Terre because they really are quite sparse. You’ll find people talking about overpriced pasta pomodoro and pizza marinara, so it’s possible to get by, with a bit of planning and relatively low expectations.

Crucially, we also always take our own hiking snacks from home with us, a good supply of jerky and Clif bars. Unless you know any reliable Italian snack bars and are going to a big supermarket, this plan may serve you well too.

Manarola

The small town of Manarola, lots of colourful buildings and a green hill rising up from a frothy blue sea

If you’re going for more than one night, I’d recommend finding accommodation with a kitchen, or at least taking your own breakfast provisions. We’ve stayed in a studio apartment in Manarola on our last two visits and ate our breakfasts and dinners at home, for the most part. La Spezia is your best bet for a good supermarket close to the Cinque Terre (it’s at one end of the train line through the villages, and also has quite a few vegan options at restaurants – we’re planning to explore it more thoroughly on our next trip). But in the local Coop in Manarola we managed to find vegan breakfast cereal and oat milk (behind the counter, not out on the shelves) as well as ingredients for a pasta, vegetables, and sauce dinner, so even without exiting the five villages you can scrape by. I’m not sure what the supermarket/grocery options are like in the other villages.

Manarola is a good option to stay in because it actually has a takeaway spot called Il Discovolo with some good vegan options – lasagna, meatballs, and potentially more. However, on our last visit it was closed without any notice on the building or on social media, so it’s not totally reliable. I would assume it’s consistently open during high season though. It’s not all vegan, but vegan options are clearly listed on the menu boards and the staff can comfortably explain everything in English.

A large pizza topped with tomato sauce and lots of chopped garlic and herbs.

With that disappointment, and feeling hungry and tired from a day of hiking, we decided to try a nearby spot in Manarola called Il Porticciolo. Their menu is one of the few we saw that lists allergens using the EU numbering system, making it easy to deduce the vegan items (marinara pizza, fries, and salad). Alas, I had to become one of those vegans who eats cheeseless pizza on holiday; I felt very sorry for myself. Actually though, it was better than I expected! There was plenty of garlic and oregano, so it did have flavour. It was a generous size as well. At €7.50, it was half the price of the other pizzas on the menu, so it felt like good value for money, for the Cinque Terre. I wouldn’t hurry back if there were other vegan options out there – but in hungry times, it served us well.

It was a very popular spot and was turning away potential customers as it was fully booked, so if you have your heart set on it, make sure to book a table or get there right at opening time.

A crepe folded into a triangle with a chocolate filling just about visible

Also in Manarola is a little crepe and gelato shop called 5 Terre which has vegan crepes! They claim to sell vegan gelato as well, but were out of stock when we visited. The crepes are vegan by default though, and there are a few different fillings available. Dr HH and I both went for the chocolate hazelnut spread as our filling, and it was tasty. However, the crepe itself felt a bit dry and cloying, and it was a bit of a chore to get through the whole thing, unfortunately. It’s a really nice option to have (and all gluten free as well, for any interested parties), but not quite as good as it sounds.

Corniglia

The small town of Corniglia, colourful buildings on a grassy hill with the sea behind it and a cloudy white sky overhead

Outside of Manarola, we also always like to pay a visit to Pan e Vin in Corniglia, which we first frequented back in 2017, and always pop in on our return visits. The vegan option has stayed the same, though the price has increased massively, from €4.50 to €8.50. From here on, this post is very heavy on focaccia, and this is the best of the bunch. Lovely herby bread filled with pesto and roasted vegetables – what’s not to love?

A round focaccia filled with roasted vegetables and lettuce leaves

The walk from Manarola to Corniglia is quite tough, so this is always a much-needed refueling spot. There is allegedly an easy path, but it has never been open on any of our three visits, so we take the high route from Manarola up to Volastra, then along to Corniglia. It takes 2-3 hours, and starts with an absolutely brutal climb, but gets easier after that. And the views are very much worth it.

A cup of ice cream with a scoop of rich dark chocolate and a scoop of magenta forest fruits
A cup of ice cream with a scoop of pale basil and lemon topped by a pastel pink scoop of strawberry

Even in October, it’s always appropriate to have gelato! There are lots of vegan gelato options in Corniglia, but somehow we always end up at Gelateria Corniglia, which has a few more exciting versions of the standard dark chocolate and fruit vegan options that you find in Italy. The top picture is chocolate and forest fruits, which pair together well. The bottom one is basil lemon and strawberry, which was zesty and refreshing.

Vernazza

Looking down on the town or Vernazza in the distance, with the sea all around it and rolling green hills in the foreground

Again due to path closures, on our second day we found ourselves taking the high route, this time from Vernazza to Monterosso. They are absolutely not lying when they call it a high route – again, it’s a big tough climb at the start, and our calves were killing us the next day.

Two slices of takeaway farinata

We weren’t sure where to eat in Vernazza. There is one place to get a vegan sandwich, which we tried in 2017, but we thought it a bit overpriced. So this time we just popped into one of the main bakeries along the main drag for another precious hit of oil, salt, and bread. We went into La Focacceria da Paolo 1996 and tried some farinata, which I believe is inherently vegan – it’s kind of a pancake made from chickpea flour. It’s a bit dry, and I wouldn’t make a habit of eating it, but it’s fun to try when you’re in this area.

A slice of takeaway focaccia, topped with huge strands of rosemary
A slice of takeaway focaccia scattered with sliced green olives

We also got some olive and rosemary focaccia, which weren’t labelled vegan but we assumed they would be from the toppings. They were both flavoursome and filling, and kept us going.

Bonassola

The town of Bonassola with yellow buildings in the foreground and dark green hills rising in the background, their peaks lost in the dark clouds

One day of our trip was absolutely pouring down, so we decided to venture slightly out of the five main villages for an undercover walk taking us through Bonassola, which would not otherwise have been on our radar but did have a convenient Happy Cow listing.

A slice of plain focaccia

We eyed up a spot to grab a bit of bread at Focacceria Cinzia in Bonassola. There was nothing labelled vegan, so we went for a plain slice and it was suitably salty, oily, and tasty. There were some stools at the bar so we could also have a little sit indoors, rather than risk our precious bread getting soggy in the outdoors.

A long tunnel, formerly used by trains but now converted into two bike lanes and one pedestrian lane. It's mostly a closed tunnel, but there are a couple of open sections with daylight streaming in.
A view of the stormy blue sea and cliffs from the tunnel

The walk goes from Levanto through Bonassola and on to Framura – and we walked the return leg as well, though you would be able to get the train back. It is largely comprised of old train tunnels that have been repurposed into bike and footpaths (with clear bike lanes, so don’t worry about getting run down). We were happy to stretch our legs despite the rain, but we’d hoped that there would be more openings in the tunnels so we could see more of the stormy sea as we went. But still, it was better than nothing, and there are some small stretches between tunnels when you can enjoy the views. I would heartily recommend this route if it’s an unsuitable day to be up on the hills.

A brilliant turquoise sea and the small village of Manarola, looked down on from up on a hill

So, my general top tips for visiting Cinque Terre are to lower your expectations in order to enjoy cheeseless pizza, and book self-catering accommodation so you can cook food you do want to eat. Usually I wouldn’t spend a few days in a place without good vegan options, but the trails and views here are so spectacular I really don’t mind the inconvenience. Just look at that sea!

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Vegan in Prague: Chi Xiao Mian

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Jenny
A big bowl filled with broth and noodles topped with tofu and vegetables

The whole time I’ve lived in Prague I’ve found it to be great for all-vegan restaurants, but quite poor for vegan options at non-vegan eateries. Alas, that is still generally true, but the situation is slowly improving, and this is one of the places that is really excelling. Chi Xiao Mian is a noodle restaurant which serves meat but has well-labelled vegan options, which are very tasty to boot. I hadn’t really heard anything about it when I was first persuaded to visit, and it only had one review on Happy Cow so I wasn’t too optimistic, but I’m very glad I gave it a chance and I’ve been recommending it to everyone since then!

A steamer containing six steamed dumplings

On our first visit we ordered some veggie pockets, which are steamed dumplings. The texture was good and they were certainly hot enough, but the filling felt a wee bit underseasoned. It wasn’t too worrying though, because the main dish was firing on all cylinders.

A big bowl filled with broth and noodles topped with tofu and vegetables

The veggie mian is absolutely sublime. The broth is really flavoursome and hearty – it’s not very spicy, but there’s some chilli oil on top which gives it a kind of growing heat. The broth is absolutely packed with noodles. It’s a really generous portion and filling dish, so for me the dumplings are not a necessary side or starter. The best thing about this dish is that there are lots of good toppings and not a lot of those that I consider to be filler (sweetcorn, bean sprouts). There’s plenty of tofu puffs, which are a spongy delight, and a good supply of mushrooms, with just a smattering of beansprouts and a bit of chopped bak choy. It’s hearty, well-seasoned, and just really delicious.

A big bowl filled with broth and noodles topped with well cooked slices of aubergine

Dr HH has also ordered from the specials menu once, trying this aubergine mian. It seemed like the same broth but with the most tender aubergine imaginable instead of the tofu puffs. He was dazzled by the aubergine, except that it was tepid, in contrast with the rest of the dish, which was a shame.

If you want to visit this place, make sure you book a table! It has been packed every time I’ve visited. The tables are a bit close together as well, so there’s not always a lot of privacy from other diners. The menu is in Czech and English, and the staff speak both languages as well, so you shouldn’t struggle to navigate it.

Chi Xiao Mian has quickly become one of my favourite spots in Prague, so definitely give it a try if you’re in the city and a fan of noodle soups!

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Vegan in London: One Aldwych

Posted on February 19, 2024 by Jenny
An assortment of sweets: a small glass bottle of chocolate milk with a straw, a bright pink macaron topped with a red disc, a small glass with three creamy layers and topped with gold leaf, a small oval sponge cake topped with cream and a raspberry, and a square chocolate sweet topped with a jelly bean

Whenever I go back to the UK for a visit, I have two food priorities: at least one sausage roll from Greggs, and an afternoon tea. Last summer we tried the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory themed afternoon tea at One Aldwych in London. They have a separate vegan menu online, which is important because I like to make sure it’s not just going to be hummus sandwiches and a fruit plate. This one looked like it should deliver.

A plate containing a bright pink macaron, a toasted finger sandwich, a square sandwich, a rolled hummus sandwich topped with a dollop of chutney, and a white finger sandwich

The savoury plate was not super exciting, which probably isn’t surprising given that the theme is a chocolate factory. We received five savouries each (and were offered refills, but let’s not be silly here), and I’ll go through them from left to right. The bright pink macaron was beetroot flavoured. I loved the texture, but not the taste – it was too sweet for me for a savoury plate. Dr HH and Mother HH both loved it though. Next was a mushroom toastie, which was meaty and melty, but unfortunately a bit cold. This was most likely our fault for not eating it right away, though.

The middle sandwich on brown bread was coronation cauliflower, which left us all bit underwhelmed. The seasoning was a bit too mild, I’d have liked it to pack more of a punch. The spinach and hummus roll was really elevated by the chutney on top – we’d been expecting this to be a bit of a boring, lazy option, but it was one of the favourites in the end. And the final one was the standard cucumber and cream cheese, which is never going to set the world on fire but you can understand why they’d want to include it for the purists.

Even with the expected focus on the sweet rounds, it would have been nice to see a bit more creativity here. Give us some pastry!

Six scones on a plate in the background, with three pots on a plate in the foreground, containing chocolate ganache, a bright yellow split cream and a red jam

There was a bit more of a twist when we were served the scones. The scones themselves were pretty standard, one plain and one raisin each. They were quite small, which was perfect for a big meal, and nicely baked. We got a pot of chocolate ganache, which was too decadent for my companions, but I enjoyed it in moderation – you definitely didn’t need to ladle it on. Then there was a pineapple cream, which looked a bit split and unappetising in the pot but was actually really good. It was quite mildly flavoured and went nicely with the “snozberry” jam. While this sounded exciting, it was just strawberry. Still, there was a bit of a twist on the classic scone course, so we were on board.

Two boxes of sweet treats. A big stick of candy floss and a small glass bottle of chocolate milk with a straw, a bright pink macaron topped with a red disc, a small glass with three creamy layers and topped with gold leaf, a small oval sponge cake topped with cream and a raspberry, and a square chocolate sweet topped with a jelly bean

Then came the desserts, the real showcase of the meal! I’ll go through them from left to right again. It seemed like the bubblegum candy floss was popular with the younger diners in the room, but quite unnecessary for us – we just tried a bit and moved on to the good stuff. There was a little chocolate milkshake, which had the texture of chocolate milk rather than a shake. That wasn’t really a problem considering the size of the meal, but still, it’s nice to get accurate terminology. And then there was another macaron, this time strawberry flavoured with a chocolate disc on top. This was my favourite of the sweets, though Mother HH and Dr HH preferred the savoury macaron. The chocolate on top was really fun though, it elevated the texture.

The shot glass contained a panna cotta, some passionfruit, and chocolate ganache. All the elements were nice, but we weren’t convinced that it was a cohesive dish – the ganache didn’t really go with the other two layers for me. The little lemon cake had a fantastic light sponge and was lovely and refreshing, though there was a bit too much cream. I skipped the final dessert, which entailed three beans: tonka, coffee, and jelly bean (I hate coffee, which was the dominant flavour). According to my family, it was flavoursome and quite different from anything they’d had before, which is nice.

Our general feeling was that the whole affair was a bit style over substance, which is the risk you take with a themed aftenroon tea, I suppose. Nothing was so amazing that we’ll reminisce about it for years to come, but everything was tasty and it was well balanced. The theme wasn’t as coherent and impressive as it was for me when we went for a science afternoon tea in London a few years ago, but there were some nice touches in the décor and it was very family friendly.

Posted in Afternoon tea, Travel | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Vegan in London: Jam Delish

Posted on February 12, 2024 by Jenny
A mound of rice topped with okra with two big pieces of tofu fish on the side and a mound of peppers and dumplings in the background

One of my top targets on our summer 2023 trip to London was Jam Delish, which is an all vegan Caribbean restaurant. I’m a big fan of the British MasterChef series, and it’s extremely common to see contestants preparing the Caribbean dishes of their family heritage, and I’m always jealous that I don’t have anywhere to try veganised versions of what they’re cooking (you may not be surprised to learn that there is no vegan Caribbean scene in Prague). The judges’ key criticism of the Caribbean dishes they’re served is that they’re lacking refinement (yawn!), and this year they finally had a contestant who plated up his Jamaican dishes like fancy modern French cuisine, and the judges’ minds were blown (at least temporarily – they quickly reverted to type). Jam Delish has similar fine dining presentation, so this was a welcome opportunity to try fancy Caribbean food.

Three tostones on a plate topped with tofu fish and some greenery and seasonings

The menu was extremely tempting and I agonised for weeks over what to order. I was saving myself for dessert and Mother HH wasn’t too hungry, so only Dr HH got a starter. The menu was so tempting that it was a shame to deny myself…but considering the dessert I got later, I can safely say I made the right choice. Dr HH ordered the saltfish tostones, and thought they were a great start to the meal. The fish had a really great texture which seemed similar to tofu but was actually fibrous and fishy. There was a nice warmth from the spicy mayo. The fish was served on a double fried plantain cracker, which also had a good texture. It was a promising start!

A plate of rice, broccoli and plantain in the background, with a pot of curry sauce, potatoes, and vegan prawns in the foreground

Mother HH ordered the curry prawns, as she’s had some good experiences with vegan prawns. She was a fan! There was a lot of warmth in the curry, but it was not too fiery and there was a bit of sweetness from coconut. She was impressed with the texture of the prawns as well, though the flavour was not really there, perhaps overpowered by the curry. She also loved the cooking of the rice and peas, and enjoyed the plantain (which she’d never had before) and tender stem broccoli, which kept a bit of bite. She declared it a flavoursome and enjoyable dish!

A bowl of yellow curry sauce with big chunks of mock meat and potato
A plate of rice topped with some greens and plantain

Dr HH went for the curry goat, as it’s something we see quite a lot of on MasterChef and never on menus in Prague. It was served with well seasoned rice and peas, and some slices of fried plantain which he thought added a fun flavour and texture. In the bowlful of curry, he was a little underwhelmed by the goat, which had a pleasant, fake meat texture but was not really different from any other fake meats we’ve had. Still, it was nice, and the curry flavours were good and spicy, with welcome chunks of potato.

A mound of rice topped with okra with two big pieces of tofu fish on the side and a mound of peppers and dumplings in the background

And I ordered the callallo and codfish. I really loved the fish (on the right of the picture). Much like the starter, it had a good fishy taste and texture, and was a real standout, especially after a disappointing fish and chips earlier in our holiday. The rice was nicely seasoned. The peppers were in a really flavoursome sauce, which seemed notably different from the Indian, Thai, or Japanese curries I eat quite regularly (closest to Japanese). The cassava herb dumplings (which are the bigger greyish chunks you see above) were a fun addition for texture. They were quite chewy and rubbery, a bit like a kidney or chestnut. This dish was different from anything else I’ve had before, and I really enjoyed it. That fish lives on in my memory!

A bowl with a big scoop of ice cream, a puddle of yellow custard, and a square of dark ginger cake topped with raspberries and pistachio chunks

And finally, Dr HH and I both ordered the spicy ginger cake. It was everything I’d hoped for: sticky, sweet, spicy, and sharp. It was really well balanced. The ginger sponge itself seemed really decadent, but it felt really light at the same time. It was served with raspberries for sharpness and pistachios for a welcome crunch. The custard was really fun, it had a nice plantain flavour. The scoop of ice cream was unexpected, as it was not listed on the menu, and the dessert probably didn’t need ice cream as well as custard, but why not, eh? All in all, it was a really fun dessert.

This was a really fun meal, and everything was beautifully seasoned and well cooked. Service was great too, and I definitely hope to return one day!

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Vegan in London: Dishoom

Posted on February 5, 2024 by Jenny
A big plate containing two sausages, a large helping of yellow tofu scramble, a pot of ketchup, a pot of baked beans, some rounds of black pudding, two bread buns, a tomato, some coriander leaves and a small glimpse of mushroom

Indian restaurants serving breakfast seems like something that should be happening more, but I don’t know a lot of places that are doing it – though Dishoom is definitely one of them. I went a few years ago to the branch in Manchester, and last summer visited one of the several London branches. Both branches I’ve dined at have been in properly spectacular buildings, which adds a layer of specialness to a visit.

A big plate containing two sausages, a large helping of yellow tofu scramble, a pot of ketchup, a pot of baked beans, some rounds of black pudding, two bread buns, a tomato, some coriander leaves and a small glimpse of mushroom

Dr HH ordered the vegan Bombay, which is a fusion big breakfast plate. He got not one but two sausages (always a treat), which were pleasant in texture and taste, very savoury and meaty. The black pudding was unfortunately a bit mild in flavour and needed a bit more frying to achieve crispy perfection. The tofu scramble was a winner. It didn’t have an eggy flavour but it was nicely seasoned had a good texture, after the sloppy variety we’d recently had elsewhere in London. The beans were pretty standard but not as sweet as the tinned supermarket variety, and there was a welcome addition of coriander. While the white buns were toasted and fluffy, he couldn’t help but lament not having a naan. As always, there was a fairly dull grilled tomato. And alarmingly, he only got three slices of mushroom, which he enjoyed for the quality if not quantity. We had a few different cooked breakfasts on our trip back to the UK, and this was the winner for Dr HH, finally delivering the full cooked breakfast he’d craved.

A plate with a pot of relish, and two pieces of a sandwich with naan folded around sausages

I also got the breakfast I’d craved: this vegan sausage naan roll. I tried it once before at the Dishoom in Manchester and have yearned for it ever since. The bread was lovely and thin, but not crispy (it can be a fine line sometimes). The sausages were really nicely seasoned, and there was a good relish for a bit of sweetness and spiciness. It was a well balanced breakfast sandwich!

Another thing I love about Dishoom is that they do free refills on the chai – both the house variety and the chocolate (and you can have both with oat milk). Finding the perfect chai is quite the challenge: in Prague they tend to be quite mild and in the UK I find them unbearably sweet, but this one was pleasantly spiced so I could feel it in my throat. Perfection!

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Vegan in London: The Breakfast Club

Posted on January 29, 2024 by Jenny
A plate containing a hash brown, pile of fried mushrooms, vine of roasted cherry tomatoes, a big wet pile of tofu scramble, a big juicy sausage, a small crispy bacon rasher, and a pile of beans

Dr HH and I had sensational big cooked breakfasts at The Breakfast Club once before, but I can’t find any photographic evidence of it. But I remember it being bigger and better than the one we received this summer. The whole place felt just slightly off since our previous visit. There are multiple branches of The Breakfast Club around the city and the one we were at on Berwick Street certainly put the “club” into the name. Even at 8:30am, the lights were so dim we had to use the torches on our phones to read the menu and the music was extremely loud. When I compared the terrible lighting evidenced in my photographs to other reviewers’ images on Happy Cow, it seems like I was in the minority with club lighting, so maybe it was just a fluke.

Anyway, the food was pretty good – I had the set veggie #2, which is basically the full English (pictured above). It only had one hash brown, which felt a bit stingy, especially when there were so many cherry tomatoes, which were wholly unremarkable for me. The mushrooms were well seasoned and it was a decent portion of those, which is always good news. The tofu scramble was very wet and bland, and a bit unpleasant, unfortunately. However, the spicy, homemade beans were good, the bacon was crispy and savoury, and the sausages were very meaty and delicious, the real highlight. No toast with this dish seems like an oversight, but it was still a decent breakfast.

A stack of pancakes, a small pot of beans, some well roasted potato chunks, a small wet pile of tofu scramble, a small, crispy bacon rasher and a big juicy sausage

And this is a blurry picture of the All American breakfast, which Dr HH tried. It shared some of the same elements as the English version (bacon, sausage, scramble – though his scramble was cold), along with some potato chunks and pancakes. The pancakes were good, and the potatoes were the highlight, very crispy and nicely seasoned. This dish combines sweet and savoury, so it’s not for everyone (and certainly not for me), but Dr HH was pretty pleased with it.

It was not quite the glorious return to The Breakfast Club that we were hoping for – the good parts were very good, but there were a couple of disappointments, the club-like atmosphere included!

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Vegan in London: Hobson’s Fish and Chips

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Jenny
A plate with vegan fish and a bowl of chips

Continuing with a trip to London in summer 2023 – when I spotted a fish and chip shop with vegan options close to our hotel, I was delighted. We were staying close to Hyde Park, an area I’d not stayed in before, and there weren’t loads of all vegan eateries nearby. The reviews for this place were a bit mixed (mostly issues with how oily the vegan fish is, which was not enough to put me off), but I was determined to give it a try anyway. Over the last year I discovered a sensational fish and chip place in Manchester, which has filled me with optimism for other chippies across the country. Alas, it was not to be.

A big bowl of chips

The chips were perfectly good – fried in vegetable oil and served unseasoned, so you can control the salt and vinegar for yourself at the table. No complaints about these.

A battered vegan fish in quite a long, uniform shape.

The fish, however, was very disappointing. The fishy contents were wrapped in seaweed before being battered, but there was no salty sea taste. That was probably because banana blossom was not the main ingredient of the fish – the blossom was quite scanty and was supplemented with a bit of either leek or artichoke and a lot of yellow pepper.

A pile of oily yellow pepper chunks picked out of the "fish"

I picked out the yellow pepper from the final third of my fish (seen above), and it was plentiful. There was hardly anything else left inside the batter, just a small amount of banana blossom. For me, yellow pepper has nothing in common with fish in terms of either taste or texture, so this was a really baffling and disappointing addition. Battered banana blossom mimics the texture of fish quite well for me, and with its irregular shape it even looks the part. Whatever was going on with this was very strange.

Unfortunately, I would not go back to this place – there’s definitely better vegan fish and chips options out there, and the real fish was reportedly nothing to rave about either, according to omnivorous Mother HH. It might be a bit of a tourist trap. It was worth a try though, and I’m still always on the look out for a proper good chippie.

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Vegan in London: Temple of Seitan

Posted on January 15, 2024 by Jenny
A pot piled high with uniform chunks of battered popcorn chicken

Since my first visit to Temple of Seitan in 2018 I have yearned to go back as often as possible. I’ve made it back twice now, which is not very impressive (though at least partially understandable, given the travel restrictions of the pandemic). I used to talk to Dr HH about it all the time, but, as he was not with me on the 2018 trip, he always lamented “I’ve never been, so I wouldn’t know.” I finally took him there last year, and now it’s destined to become a regular stop on our annual trip to London! This review covers our trip in summer 2023.

A tray with four sticky chicken wings and a pot of sauce and a carton of fries

Dr HH ordered some buffalo wings as part of a meal deal with chips, a sauce, and a drink. While he liked the chicken itself, he had a few complaints about the serving. He didn’t love that the wings were served fully coated so he couldn’t pour himself and control how much of the batter got drenched in sauce – he felt he was missing out on the seasoning and crispiness of the batter. Is that just the nature of ordering buffalo wings though? He found the buffalo sauce a bit too sharp as well, though it was nice and spicy. So, not a total winner from his perspective.

A tray with uniform chunks of battered popcorn chicken and a generous helping of fries

Mother HH and I were very satisfied customers though! We both ordered popcorn chicken, me as a side and her as part of a snack pack with fries. I am wild about vegan chicken, and this is a very good version of it. The coating is exceptional, really herby and well seasoned. And it has a lovely texture, quite fibrous. Omnivorous Mother HH reported that it’s a bit softer than real chicken, but no complaints from me. The fries were also good, very crispy and salty.

A pot filled to the brim with mac and cheese hopped with bacon crumbles and sauce

I’m always tempted to order mac and cheese when I see it on a menu, but I also follow the general guidelines that I shouldn’t order something I can make better myself at home. I do have what I consider to be the perfect mac and cheese recipe, from the Superfun Times cookbook, and am usually disappointed when I get mac and cheese in a restaurant. This one is always worth ordering though! The sauce is really flavoursome, the pasta is cooked so that it retains some bite, and the bacon bits on top are a delight.

Temple of Seitan made my top ten list for 2023, and it has a pretty strong chance of hitting the same heights in 2024 – fingers crossed I make it back for a visit!

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Vegan in Birmingham: Land

Posted on January 8, 2024 by Jenny
A bright yellow broth filled with noodles, mushrooms, and herbs, split with red oil

When Dr HH and I visit his family in the midlands, we almost never go to any restaurants because he does not want to miss an opportunity for a meal cooked by his mother. This is an understandable position, because her food is wonderful, but still, it’s nice to get out occasionally. After eyeing it up for a few years, this summer we finally committed to visiting Land, an all vegan fine dining restaurant right in the centre of Birmingham.

The good news is that it’s reasonably priced – £45 for 8 courses in summer 2023. The bad news is that you have to pay in full in advance when you make your booking, including your tip. I don’t like the idea of giving a tip for service without knowing what the service is like, but fortunately it didn’t disappoint and I didn’t regret my decision. It is weird though, and worth bearing in mind if you’re planning on making a booking.

The restaurant is stylish and quiet, and service was very attentive – though some of the dish descriptions came in a little too quietly for us to catch all the details. And the food was delightful!

A deep fried potato croquette topped with piped white and red sauces and a spring onion garnish

The first course was this potato croquette topped with kimchi ketchup and garlic emulsion. It was a very promising start – the croquette was nicely crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, and there was a lovely balance of garlic and heat from the sauces. Delicious!

Thin layers of sweet potato in a terrine with a few nori layers in between, sitting in a creamy sauce split with green oil

I’m not the biggest fan of sweet potato, but this dish really impressed me both in terms of presentation and taste. The sweet potato was layered with nori and lying in some delicious dashi with herb oil. It all had a great umami flavour, and was very moreish.

Some thin strips of courgette covered in a big scoop of sesame cream, topped with a green powder.

This dish looks somewhat elusive here, but it was courgette and salsa verde under a sesame cream. Both Dr HH and I found this our least favourite dish of the meal, because the flavours didn’t really sing – the sesame was nice though.

Some confit cherry tomatoes, tapioca, and small dollops of cream in a clear broth split with green oil

Both of us agreed that this was the dish of the day. There were little confit cherry tomatoes with sunflower seed cream and tapioca, sitting in a tomato consommé with coriander oil. The consommé was so flavoursome, it was absolutely incredible. The confit tomatoes themselves were probably the most boring part of the dish – everything else was absolutely bursting with flavour.

Two large florets of cauliflower tinged brown, topped with a yellow sauce and chunky peanuts

The next course was roasted cauliflower with curry satay and peanuts. This started out a bit underwhelming, but it really grew on me – the heat from the satay built up as the dish progressed. The texture of the cauliflower was perfect, and the crunch of the peanuts was very welcome.

A bright yellow broth filled with noodles, mushrooms, and herbs, split with red oil

This laksa was the second best dish of the day for us, and flavourwise was it was more of an instant hit than the previous course. It contained carrot noodles, pickled shimeji, and chilli oil. The broth was the star, of course – extremely flavoursome. We debated whether it would have been better with real noodles rather than carrot ones, but to be honest we had no issues with the carrot.

Diced strawberries covering crushed flakes on top of a small scoop of cream

This was the first dessert, and it was an absolute delight – cashew cream with crushed fiorentina, macerated strawberries, and elderflower syrup. The cream was a touch heavy and maybe a vanilla flavour to it would have been nice, but this was generally luxurious and delicious.

Pineapple chunks underneath a scoop of white ice cream drizzled with a caramel coloured sauce, with a thin delicate tuille on top.

The second dessert was not quite as good, unfortunately. We had charred pineapple with coconut ice cream, toasted coconut, a tuille, and soy caramel sauce. It was quite light and refreshing, but unfortunately the soy flavour was not detectable and that sounded like the most intriguing element. All in all, the balance of flavours was just a bit better on the previous dessert – I might have enjoyed this one a bit more if I hadn’t had the other one immediately beforehand.

Still, we were well fed and had no complaints at the end of the meal, and Land made my list of top restaurants of 2023. It’s fun to see what talented chefs can do with fruits and vegetables, and how much flavour they can get out of them. The dishes felt fresh and creative, and the eight courses were well balanced so that we didn’t feel stuffed by the end. Definitely recommended if you’re in Birmingham!

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Top Ten of 2023

Posted on January 1, 2024 by Jenny

Starting on 1st December, most of my conversations involve ranking my highlights of the year in different categories. So to take those discussions out of my home and into the public domain, here’s a list of my top eateries of the year, in no particular order.

1. FREA Bakery, Berlin

A plate of beautifully laminated pastries

FREA Bakery is absolutely sensational. We visited for the first time in 2022 and were desperate to return in 2023 and get twice as many pastries this time. And we did it! I haven’t posted about this place yet, but just look how attractive the pastries are. It’s an all vegan bakery, and the cardamom croissant at the front of the picture is just incredible. Having breakfast here is a delight.

2. Spicy Moon, New York

Salt and pepper tofu

One of our highlights of New York was Spicy Moon, a Szechuan eatery that all three of us on the trip raved about. My salt and pepper tofu was so well seasoned and crispy, Mother HH loved her fried rice, and Dr HH couldn’t praise his mapo tofu enough. He was inspired by that meal to make his own mapo tofu (pictured below), and I like a meal that inspires us to cook.

A bowl of homemade mapo tofu

3. Mamacoffee, Prague

Two small cups of thick hot chocolate on a silver tray on a table

Mamacoffee has become my go-to spot in Prague for a hot chocolate, and we pop in most weeks for a small cup of thick, decadent chocolate nectar. It’s so good you would almost need a spoon for it, and we certainly need a good walk afterwards.

4. Temple of Seitan, London

A pot filled with chunks of vegan chicken under a thick coating

There are few things I love more than vegan chicken, so Temple of Seitan is always a winner for me. The chicken itself has a lovely fibrous texture and the coating is crisp and well seasoned. The mac and cheese is also out of this world. I love mac and cheese but usually resist the temptation to order it in restaurants because it’s never better than the version I make – Temple of Seitan is a rare exception.

5. Eleven Madison Park, New York

A bread bun with lots of exquisite looking layers and plenty of seasoning on top

Eleven Madison Park has to be on the list really. It was absolutely sumptuous fine dining and a truly special, once in a lifetime (alas!) experience. This bread remains perhaps the most delicious thing I have ever eaten. Besides it being a properly tasty feast, it’s also exciting to see vegan food being given the full fine dining experience. Also, it was great to share the experience with Dr HH and Mother HH, who was having her first trip to a fine dining establishment. She recently shared that she found this meal more impressive than the stuff she sees on MasterChef: The Professionals, because these chefs are being so creative with such simple ingredients.

6. Satsang, Prague

A breakfast burrito served with a pot of salsa and a side salad

Satsang fell off my radar for a couple of years during the pandemic, but it is now back with a vengeance and is our number one breakfast spot in Prague these days. The breakfast burrito is so well packed and tasty. The pancakes are fluffy and sweet. The chai latte has a nice spicy kick. Honestly, the brunch is so good that they’ve made this list even though they charge extra for plant based milk.

7. Land, Birmingham

A bowl with confit tomatoes and a split green sauce

Again, it’s great to see what a creative and talented chef can do with vegetables at Land in Birmingham. There’s so much skill and flavour. This is another spot I haven’t posted about yet, but bear with me! The tomato dish pictured here was one of my favourites of the year.

8. Gauthier Soho, London

A chocolate covered cube, with a little bit of white crème fraiche on top and some gold leaf

I was really thrilled to get back to Gauthier Soho for a second visit this year – it’s ambitious and fun, and just really special. I’m not always impressed by the desserts in fancy places, but this was a proper dessert in my opinion, all chocolate and caramel and cream.

9. Krafin, Prague

A croissant muffin cut in half, filled with pistachio cream

I can barely remember a time when Krafin didn’t exist in Prague, it has become such a source of joy in my life! These delicious croissant/muffin hybrids heralded the arrival of proper vegan pastries in Prague, which is something that was missing for a long time on an otherwise thriving vegan scene. These pastries are up there with the ones you can get in Berlin, which is the highest pastry-based praise I have.

10. Chi Xiao Mian, Prague

A hearty bowl of noodles, broth, tofu, and vegetables

I ate numerous bowls of noodles in broth in 2023, and this one from Chi Xiao Mian was my absolute favourite. The broth is flavoursome, the noodles are perfect, the tofu is spongy, and there’s no filler in there. I’m looking forward to many more visits here in 2024!

My main takeaway from this post is that I have a huge backlog of reviews still to share! My second takeaway is that I’ve been very lucky to visit some amazing places and eat some incredible dishes this year, and I hope I’ll be as fortunate again in 2024. Happy New Year!

Posted in Travel | Tagged | Leave a comment