Vegan London, Part Three

[harpy]

Vantra has closed for refurbishment for an indeterminate period apparently :/ (I saw it on Facebook, they don't seem to have updated their website but it's confirmed here http://www.veganlondon.co.uk/eat/index.htm.) Vitao is still open, though.

On the plus side, there is a new cafe/deli near Clapham Junction called Vgango. Haven't been yet because it's only open in the daytime. Looks interesting though http://www.vgango.com/ Anyone else been?

[Gwydion]

Vantra has closed for refurbishment for an indeterminate period apparently :/ (I saw it on Facebook, they don't seem to have updated their website but it's confirmed here http://www.veganlondon.co.uk/eat/index.htm.) Vitao is still open, though.

Wow - that is surprising! It is so new....


^ Yep. If anyone wants to catch Gwydion's cough, London Vegan Drinks is the place to be!
*passes Gwydion a Tibits smoothie*

:-D

It'll be gone by then, don't worry - especially if you keep passing me some of them smoothies!

So yes, came join us (? :wink_ani:) - we have booze, smoothies, food, sticky toffee pudding (hopefully) etc. As well as general noteworthy chat n' banter. Fun fun!

[Gwydion]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnndddddddddddddd it's that time again.

London Vegan Drinks - Thursday August 16th (http://www.meetup.com/londonvegan/events/71418522)

[harpy]

I finally made it to Vgango (http://www.vgango.com/) and it's really nice - small but perfectly formed, as they say. The guy in there (possibly the boss) made me a wrap about the size of a house which I thought I wouldn't be able to eat but then did :o They have a few seats in there but you could buy your lunch and take it to nearby Clapham Common.

They seemed to have a good stock of Vegusto stuff, and also various groceries such as vegan mayonnaise and French grenadine and other syrups. Also Ms Cupcake cookies and some kind of gateaux, didn't ask where that was from but it might have been one of Ms C's.

I will definitely try and git my ass over there again soon. It's about 10 minutes' walk from Clapham Junction I suppose.

[Akasha Reid]

Hello,

I would like to invite you to my meetup group. This is the link: http://www.meetup.com/Vegan-Conscious-Group/

This is a meetup group for vegan people or people interested in veganism that want to be the change they want in this world. It is about bringing together like minded people and bringing peace and harmony to this broken world

Check it out!

Akasha:heart:

[Marrers]

I haven't been to new veggie French place L'Express Cafe in Brixton yet (15-17 Market Row) but I hear they have vegan options and an all day vegan breakfast. Next time I go to Ms Cupcake I'll be sure to check it out.

EDIT TO ADD
Only veggie/vegan Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights and daytime Sunday, bring your own alcohol.
(Thursday- Saturday 7pm-11.30pm, Sunday 9am-4pm)

[rainbow]

Ooh, sounds good! I look forward to your review Marrers!
In sadder news, I went to Thai Veg on Goodge Street last Friday and found that it had closed down. There don't seem to be many left in the chain now. I thought the Goodge St one was one of the better ones and I was really sorry to see it go. Does anyone know if any of the others are still open?

[fatvegan]

Is L'Express Cafe supposed to be veggie? It looked more like a greasy spoon that does a veggie breakfast. I didn't go in but couldn't see any mention of vegan options on their menu.

[Marrers]

L'Express Cafe in Brixton - I understand this is their second or third week but from looking at the opening days and hours perhaps the veggie chefs only take over the cafe when it is closed in the evenings (Thurs, Fri, Sat) and on Sunday daytime (like Heathers in New Cross used to when they first started out, before they opened their own place in Greenwich as anyone who was vegan in London that long ago might remember!) I hadn't noticed the very restricted opening days and times before and would have visited at the wrong times if you hadn't queried this fatvegan.


From their Facebook page:-
New Veggie/vegan restaurant in the Brixton Market row. Serving amazing "french meets world" cuisine with live music, DJs playing old french records, great ambiance. Come and say hi at the Express Cafe (15-17 Market Row) from thursday night to sunday ! (thursday- saturday (7pm/11.30pm and sunday 9am/4pm)

Menu of week - 19th Nov:
Fondue
Organic Puys lentil salad with fresh oranges and a warm red wine sauce
Soupe à l'oignon
Spicy coconut, carrot and coriander soup
Haute-Savoie cheese platters
Reblochonnade wih chestnut pesto, roasted balsamic cherry tomatoes and fresh green salad with a proper vinaigrette
Forest style tagliatelles cooked with wild mushrooms, crème fraîche, organic white wine, served with grilled aspargus, onnion confit stuffed tomatoes and side salad
Vegan platter with a lot of vegan goodness (including raw & macrobiotic food)
All day veggie / vegan breakfast
Great cakes (lemon pie, fondant au chocolat, etc)

Everything under 10£ !!!

(And it's "bring your own bottle"...)

[fatvegan]

That explains it then! I was there on Friday morning, lured by the 'all day' breakfast.

I ended up going to the Coach and Horses and was surprised at how quiet it was the whole time I was there (11.30-13.30ish)

[Marrers]

I don't think I've heard anything good about the Coach & Horses - what did you eat and what did you think of it?

[rainbow]

^ It's disappointing that a vegetarian pub can be so bad at catering for vegans.
I had a good meal at the Ilford branch of this chain: http://www.saravanabhavan.com/restaurants.php?cn=U.K&cy=Essex&rid=66#
Well worth a trip if you're in that part of town.

[harpy]

I thought the Coach and Horses was OK the one time I went - think I have written about it further up this thread. IIRC the choice of food for vegans was a bit limited and as we discussed at the time the vegan booze position was not good (not sure if that has changed?), but I enjoyed what I ate (fake fish and chips I think) and I quite liked their dining room. ETA there wasn't anyone else there apart from us I don't think although the pub downstairs was crowded.

EagainTA that I see I didn't like my food that much but it was probably because I made the wrong choice.

[fatvegan]

I had the tofush, as I'm a real sucker for battered things, which was enjoyable without being fantastic. They also do a decent(ish) cider in Stowford Press

[Gattona]

Saf have an offer via Groupon of a 4 course meal with champagne for £25

http://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/london-special/Saf-Restaurant/14176885?nlp=&CID=UK_CRM_1_0_0_347&a=1652

[Gwydion]

^For 1 - which I find a tad strange?

"Maaaan, I had such a great meal last night. 4 courses. By myself. Yeah, it was awesome"

Maybe they'd let you sit with friends or something I guess.

[Blueberries]

^For 1 - which I find a tad strange?

"Maaaan, I had such a great meal last night. 4 courses. By myself. Yeah, it was awesome"

Maybe they'd let you sit with friends or something I guess.

Now now let's not judge, some people might like going to restaurants by themselves!

[Risker]

If you went in a group with an odd number you'd need to buy a single.

[harpy]

I sometimes eat out on my own e.g. if away on business - I quite like it, with a book. Some restaurants sit you by the loo etc if you only need a table for one but vegetarian and vegan restaurants usually make you feel welcome - so they should!

[Marrers]

I love food and I love eating out. It's great to enjoy a meal with good company but I often eat alone too - a lot of my friends can't afford to eat out very often and although I'm happy to treat them sometimes it means if I didn't eat alone I wouldn't eat out as often as I'd like. Other times when I'm out and about til late and want to save myself cooking when I get home I'll go for a meal on the spur of the moment. Like many other people I'm sure, I'll often have lunch on my own when I'm out.

The Gallery Cafe has a very temping vegan Xmas menu from today. I might go there on my own if I'm anywhere nearby next week - feel free to point and stare if you're in there with your mates! ;)
http://ow.ly/i/1fmgr

[Gwydion]

Whhhhooaa, case of communication breakdown!

I eat in restaurants by myself all the time as well! I probably wouldn't have a 4 course meal with champagne at somewhere like Saf by myself though - just seems like something that needs to be shared / experienced with another or company.

Fair enough if someone wants to do that by themselves, cool - no offence was meant! :bigsmile:

On another not, I reeeaalallllyyyy :heart: The Gallery Cafe. That menu looks super tasty, gutted to be missing it!

[Gattona]

OK, this is for TWO at Vitao http://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/london/Vitao/14638499?nlp=&CID=UK_CRM_1_0_0_352&a=9

[twinkle toes]

if anybody is in hackney, there's a cafe called 'brew for two' on morning lane where they sell vegan friendly cakes!! it's so good, i take twinkle toes junior in there every now and then and stuff my face with cakes while having a coffee. also 'gossip' on broadway market have a few vegan sarnies and they sell little pieces of raw chocolate which is nice every now and then (bit expensive though tbh)

[Gwydion]

I was in Pogo when this email notification came through :-)

Anyway, thanks for the heads-up! Will have to do a sampling spree sometime...

[twinkle toes]

Yeah, have a look! One of the girls who works there is vegan and there's always two or three different kinds of vegan cakes on the menu it's amazing!