The Vegetarian Society has picked its award winners for 2008

[Guest guest]

The Vegetarian Society has picked its award winners for 2008

Demuths vegetarian restaurant

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Joint winner: Dandelion & Burdock, Sowerby Bridge

(01422 316000; www.dandelionandburdock.uk.com)

It’s certainly not grim up north for vegetarians with Dandelion & Burdock

flying the flag for veggie cooking in the heart of West Yorkshire. D & B is

completely vegan, but the food is promoted in such a subtle way that you may not

notice the absence of dairy, let alone meat. A beautiful setting by the

Manchester-Rochdale canal, perfectly balanced dishes, (including herb pate and

walnut bread, pea and wild mushroom risotto and dairy-free cheesecake), and a

visionary approach to marketing make this joint winner of the Vegetarian Society

Awards stand out.

Joint winner: The Waiting Room, Stockton on Tees

(01642 780465; www.the-waiting-room.co.uk)

You won’t miss a traditional pie and pea supper at The Waiting Room. Autumn's

menu boasts aubergine cannelloni, pumpkin, pea and parmesan risotto, with

butternut squash and Yorkshire Blue cheesecake for dessert. A relaxed atmosphere

and ‘unbelievably delicious’ food made The Waiting Room a worthy joint

winner. This popular veggie restaurant was packed on a Wednesday night, so make

sure you book early, or you will be kept waiting.

The Red Lion, Suffolk

(01473 657799; www.theveggieredlion.co.uk)

Winner of our Best Pub Award, The Red Lion in Great Bricett is East Anglia's

first and only exclusively vegetarian pub. Our mystery diners gave top marks

across the board for presentation, taste, texture, service – well pretty much

everything! A mix of traditional meals such as Stilton, vegetable and chestnut

cobbler, and international dishes such as African sweet potato stew, ensure that

there’s something for every taste at the Red Lion.

Canteen, Cardiff

(02920 454999; www.canteenoncliftonstreet.com)

Canteen gained some mixed reviews, but our diners enjoyed their food more with

every course, with a slightly disappointing starter of mushroom ravioli,

eclipsed by a tasty and original caramel cheesecake. Mains include vegetable

goulasch with wild rice and beetroot in salsa verde, and braised tofu with

vegetable green curry and fragrant rice. Happy and knowledgeable staff add to

the Canteen experience.

Demuths, Bath

(01225 446059; www.demuths.co.uk)

A regular feature on almost every award shortlist, Demuths did not disappoint

with an eclectic range of beautifully presented and expertly cooked dishes. Our

diners raved about the smoky squash scrunchies, Middle eastern mezze and

Pistachio baklava. Other offerings include the shitake tofu cabbage roll and

root vegetable gratin. Demuths can be on the expensive side, but you get what

you pay for – great quality food and service.

Relish, Hebden Bridge

(01422 843587; www.relishhebden.co.uk)

Hebden Bridge has the dubious distinction of being the second most alternative

capital in the UK (behind Totnes), so the West Yorkshire town is a perfect

setting for newly established Relish. Original food combinations such as tofu

and squash skewer with satay sauce and savoury fruit and rice salad, set this

apart from other veggie or organic cafes. Friendly and attentive staff make the

atmosphere pleasant, but if you want to feel really merry, remember to bring

your own wine, as the restaurant isn’t licensed yet.

The George, Brighton

(01273 681055)

With a varied menu featuring numerous vegan options, The George scored above

average for its main courses such as the oyster mushroom burger and enchiladas.

Rather plain starters with undressed salad left our diners disappointed, but

overall, they’d gladly recommend it to veggie visitors as a good value

‘fill-up’ in Brighton. Check out the recently introduced daily menu, which

features the day's specials as well as perennial favourites like the Elvis

burger, made from veggie bacon, banana, and peanut butter, or the Bangers and

Mash, drizzled in the George’s special red-wine onion gravy.

The 78, Glasgow

(0141 5765018)

A vegan bar-cafe in Glasgow may seem like a tall order, but the popular 78

certainly delivered for our diners, with great service, atmosphere and a good

range of dishes. Described by the manager as " a bar that likes quality food " ,

all offerings here are vegan-vegetarian, such as the baked haggis with baby

potatoes and a mustard cream sauce, the sweet potato and cabbage soup, or the

homemade falafel platter with sides that are updated daily. For dessert, taste

the dark chocolate tort on a nutty biscuit base with cream and berries, or the

crispy banana parcel with rum sauce and vanilla ice cream.

InSpiral Lounge, London

(020 74285875; www.inspiralled.net)

The InSpiral Lounge calls itself London’s first organic vegetarian fast-food

outlet. Munch on a nutrient-rich salad of seaweed, carrot, and Goji Berries with

raw sesame hummus while listening to live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

The lounge also offers full hot food and raw vegan buffets. For those on a

budget, the curry and rice Camden Special costs less than two quid. Other

popular mains include Thai massaman curry, as well as roast fennel and wild

mushroom lasagne.

The Bean Inn, Cornwall

(01736 795918; www.coastcornwall.co.uk/beaninn.html)

The Bean Inn in Cornwall thrives on the principles of taste, health and value.

Ingredients are mostly local and organic, and you can feed the kids for

half-price with their half-portion policy. Standout starters include the puy

lentil, Stilton and walnut salad with a balsamic roasted beetroot dressing, as

well as the mouth-watering fattoush. Mains include the Moroccan spiced vegetable

casserole, pasta tortiglioni or Blue Cheese, white grape and red onion tart

served with salad and potatoes.

Do you agree/disagree with the judges' choices? Let us know about your favourite

vegetarian restaurant in the comment box below

The wholefood cafe in Machynlleth Powys provides a great range of organic

veggie/vegan food and friendly service.

Sian, Machynlleth, Wales

Interested to see that The George beat Terre a Terre in Brighton to the list...

The food at the George hasn't been the same since the kicthen staff changed

earlier this year, but saying that, service at Terre a Terre, which can cost up

to £40 per head, is appalling.

Becky, Brighton,

 

Peter vv__

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

On Oct 29, 2008, at 3:40 PM, Peter VV wrote:

> InSpiral Lounge, London

> (020 74285875; www.inspiralled.net)

> The InSpiral Lounge calls itself London’s first organic vegetarian

> fast-food outlet. Munch on a nutrient-rich salad of seaweed, carrot,

> and Goji Berries with raw sesame hummus while listening to live

> music on Friday and Saturday nights. The lounge also offers full hot

> food and raw vegan buffets. For those on a budget, the curry and

> rice Camden Special costs less than two quid. Other popular mains

> include Thai massaman curry, as well as roast fennel and wild

> mushroom lasagne.

 

In what way do they claim to be " London's first organic vegetarian

fast-food outlet. " ? VitaOrganic is just as quick, vegan, organic, and

been around longer. It is also cheaper.

 

What is surprising is the lack of mention of cakes in the above.

Because for those their range and quality makes them one of the best

vegan options in London. Although I guess maybe for Vegetarians most

cakes are suitable anyway?

 

I recommend the pumpkin cake, that was fantastic.

 

Michael.