Gorilla's continuing research into eating out!
Last night i went to the Little Buddha Thai restaurant in Brighton. i've been there before, it's a fairly small place but they do accept reservations. it's not usually too busy during the week, but it is quite popular with students as it's not too pricey and they let you bring your own booze with no corkage charge. ;)
they do serve some meat :( but they can make any of the main meals with either tofu or mixed vegetables and they have a lot of veggie starters. the staff are very friendly and happy to answer any questions about the food. i had tempura vegetables followed by tofu in cashew nut sauce, with coconut rice and tofu rice noodles. other main meal sauces include ginger, garlic and pepper, chilli, and sweet and sour. they do a selection of desserts, only one is vegan though, royal banana with lychees - which i decided not to have because i'd eaten so much already!
:D
Brighton Veggie Restaurant to Sell Meat
The Argus, 26th November 2004
Top veggie restaurant puts meat on menu
by Sam Thomson
A restaurant nominated as the vegetarian fast food outlet of the year is to start serving meat.
Wai Kika Moo Kau in Meeting House Lane, The Lanes, Brighton, is putting steaks, fish and lamb back on the menu because it is struggling to bring in enough vegetarian customers.
The news is a blow to Brighton and Hove's growing reputation as the venue of choice among non-meat eaters.
Last month the city beat off stiff competition from Edinburgh, Manchester and Glastonbury to be named the best UK destination for veggies in the Vegetarian Society Awards 2004.
At the same ceremony, Wai Kika Moo Kau was recognised as one of the country's top four veggie restaurants in the fast food category.
Owner Tim Cramp, 48, said the decision to drastically change the menu was hard but essential if the business was to carry on.
He said: "It was a very difficult decision as we have got some very loyal customers.
"But we were suffering so much during the week that I had to do it.
"In this particular location in The Lanes, we lose a lot of customers because we don't have anything they want. Some people will literally walk in, sit down then get up and leave as soon as they realise we only cater for vegetarians."
Putting meat on the menu earned the restaurant a slap on the wrist from the Vegetarian Society.
Spokeswoman Kerry Bennett said: "I am sure that Brighton's resident vegetarians will be very disappointed if Wai Kika Moo Kau includes meat on it's menu.
"It will also be a blow to the vegetarian visitors who visit Brighton as a result of Brighton's recent award as Best UK Destination for Vegetarians."
However, Mr Cramp owns another Wai Kika Moo Kau restaurant in Kensington Gardens, North Laines, Brighton, which is a favourite haunt for vegetarians. Mr Cramp said that venue would remain vegetarian only.
He said: "I bought the restaurants because I thought the concept of good quality, healthy vegetarian food was great and would be successful well into the future. Unfortunately it hasn't quite worked out that way."
The restaurant in The Lanes will shut for a few days next week before re-opening on December 3 as Mint Tree Cafe.
Philip Taylor, co-owner of Brighton's other famous vegetarian restaurant, Terre a Terre on East Street, said he had sympathy with Wai Kiki Moo Kau but had no plans to follow suit.
Another visit to the Sanctuary
on Saturday i had a late lunch in the Sanctuary Cafe in Hove again. i'm really starting to love this place, which is not good for my bank balance (or my waistline!). this time i had a soya latte and one of the daily specials which was a spicy veggie burger and chunky potato wedges. they were serving it with sour cream for non-vegans and although i specifically asked for the vegan option, they came over to tell me they'd accidentally put sour cream on mine so i'd have to wait while they remade it. i didn't have to wait too long though and at least they realised what had happened before they brought it out.
when i eventually got my meal it was delicious. the burger wasn't too spicy, and came with slices of raw beetroot and avocado in a ciabatta bun. :) afterwards i decided to buy a piece of cake to takeaway, they have selections of cakes every day and a vegan apple cake had caught my eye ;) when i asked for one piece of cake, the guy behing the counter said he'd give me a free slice because i'd had to wait for my meal :D so that made me very happy LOL
Re: Vegan friendly restaurants in UK
on Saturday i visited the Sussex town of Lewes, which is near Brighton, and had lunch at Seasons - a very sweet little veggie cafe. i'd never been before and had heard good things about it, but didn't know where it was. it's very easy to miss if you don't know where to look - it's in the basement of a building in the High Street.
it's a very cosy little place, not many tables but we managed to be seated even though it was busy. the staff are very friendly and the food's good value for money, the menu has a good number of vegan dishes. i had a homemade beanburger with loads of salad for £5, followed by an apple and apricot crumble with vegan vanilla ice cream for £1.80. :D
Re: Vegan friendly restaurants in UK
i found out yesterday that a local community centre has a vegetarian cafe. i'm going to go and check it out some time next week. :)