Saf - the first gourmet vegan restaurant in London

[ShariBlackVelvet]

I stumbled across a Saf vegan restaurant while in Munich in May/June. Would have gone in to eat but my non-vegan friend had just eaten so we didn't. I did buy a couple of little things from the downstairs store though (cookie & drink).

[Agatha]

i'm going there tomorrow night *excitement* it was actually an omni friend who wanted to try it after watching sex and the city (???) i was a bit confused about the 'cheese course' on the menu but eventually figured it out. it does look rather yummmy. my only concern is i'm not sure cold food is a great idea in such abysmal weather? i rely on regular cups of tea, porridge for breakfast, soup for lunch and a cooked meal in the evening to keep warm. and MANY layers. bbbbrrrrrrrr

[Marrers]

Much of the food is served warm, just double check your order with the staff if you feel you wouldn't enjoy something cold. Alternatively you could warm your insides with cocktails instead!
I thought the cheese course was fantastically tasty.

[Agatha]

now i know its not real cheese i can't wait to try some. yeah cocktails for definite.... hmmmmm oh gosh
i'm not going to sleep tonight for the excitement...

[Gwydion]

How was it Agatha?

I'm hopefully dragging a work colleague with me at some point this weekend to try it out. Whoot.

[puca]

Saf is cool... But very expensive.

[Agatha]

How was it Agatha?

fully booked! we went to miso instead (yuk yuk) and have a table booked for tuesday night. so how did you find it at the weekend?! i'm so lookign forward to the cheese course, ot looks amazing

i've just had a jolly daytrip to Brighton. horrendous weather but chuffing good cake!

[Gwydion]

Haha, was fully booked for us as well. Alas, a few well placed "ohhh nooooo!"'s and puppy dog eyes + faces = a table becoming available an hour or two later.

Overall the food was great, although a little overly salty we thought. Portions are small and it is expensive (£105.something for 2 of us-although we didn't really hold back), but some of the dishes are fantastically tasty! (not excluding the hostess ) and would definitely recommend the cheese tasting platter thingy-ma-bob.

We only tried two of the cocktails, but found them pretty meh to be honest, which is unfortunate.

Would definitely go back.

Hope you enjoy Tuesday Agatha.

[BlackCats]

it is expensive (£105.something for 2 of us-although we didn't really hold back), but some of the dishes are fantastically tasty! (not excluding the hostess ) and would definitely recommend the cheese tasting platter thingy-ma-bob.

Wow £105 is expensive, I'm glad I didn't join you. I think I will still try Saf one day, maybe at a lunch time, I really want to try that cheese course!

[Stu]

chuffing

Best
Word
Ever.

Did you get it off Mark Radcliffe? (The word I mean; not 'it.')

Haha, was fully booked for us as well. Alas, a few well placed "ohhh nooooo!"'s and puppy dog eyes + faces = a table becoming available an hour or two later.

I'll have to remember that one.

[Agatha]

haha! erm yes possibly. i always thought it was just a general northern adjective but now you mention it maybe mark radcliffe DID make it up. (and i've just realised how bad my typing is hmph)

wow £105? i think i will skimp on the average cocktails to make sure i can afford a four course meal. affording it and fitting into my belly are different things however; do you think they will let me take a doggy bag home?! or is that just too embarrassing to even ask for?

[Marrers]

I can't believe you guys went there especially and didn't bother to book!

(I'd go there just for the cocktails, I don't think they are average at all.)

[Est]

i always thought it was just a general northern adjective

I say chuffing and I'm from Leeds, but so did one of my exes and he was from Nottingham... it's a good word

And I'd like to go to Safs now that I keep hearing about that cheese course - stop tempting me!!

[BlackCats]

And I'd like to go to Safs now that I keep hearing about that cheese course - stop tempting me!!

You should come down to London and meet us all (unless I'm being stupid and you have already met everyone and I wasn't there or something.)

[Marrers]

Yeah we arranged it specially on the quiet so you weren't there!!

[BlackCats]

Yeah we arranged it specially on the quiet so you weren't there!!

Typical evil Leo, hahaha.

[Est]

Bad Marrers

Awww, I get all awkward about meet-ups. I'm really anti-social sometimes lol! Maybe I should go to Kiran and scarlett's b/day meet and stop being such a wuss

[BlackCats]

Awww, I get all awkward about meet-ups. I'm really anti-social sometimes lol! Maybe I should go to Kiran and scarlett's b/day meet and stop being such a wuss

You should go! I'm really anti-social too sometimes, in fact I probably won't even speak to you if you did come. Just kidding.

[Marrers]

. . .in fact I probably won't even speak to you if you did come. Just kidding.

(She's not kidding.)

You should come though, at least the others are really nice.

[Stu]

Maybe I should go to Kiran and scarlett's b/day meet and stop being such a wuss

Totally.

[Agatha]

i went last night with an omni fried and it was delicious! i left with severe stomach ache, but not sure thta had anything to with the food ( i had bene feeling queasy all day). we had the cheese platter and i loved it, my omni friend was less convinced. we both loved our starters, maki and the beetroot ravioli, main courses were less amzing. i had chinese pancakes. i don't really like raw mushrooms so not sure why i ordered that, dessert was fabulous! and so were the cocktails hmmm flowery champagne yum!

i defintely go back but maybe wait till a 2 for 1 offer next time (sundays i believe)

[jonnie falafel]

haha, well i wasn't all that impressed by the sound of the fake cheese course from that Observer review, even if the writer was biased.

Jay Rayner (of The Observer) is a churlish prat. The macadamia based "cheese" is actually quite nice and the food there is well presented and delicious.

[Butterfly]

Anybody want to come with me there in the next two weeks? I cannot find anyone who would enjoy this, and I want to check it out before I leave london... =)

[Marrers]

Did you go in the end Butterfly?

I ate at there with friends recently, after the wine tasting. The food was really good. Here are pictures of the main courses, forgot to take any others.

Root Veg Tart (I had this)
Buckwheat and herb crust, purple sprouting, creamed spinach


Market Plate
seitan brouchettes, mash potato, braised red cabbage, sprouted broccoli and chanterelle gravy


Winter Risotto
pearled barley, roasted pumpkin, ‘buttered’ chestnuts


The cheese course was fab as usual. I had Beetroot Ravioli to start, Cucumber & Black Pepper sorbet for dessert - both delicious.

http://www.safrestaurant.co.uk/pdf/Saf-UK-Dinner.pdf

[Butterfly]

No i didn;t...that looks amazing! i am travelling through turkey though so i think i will check out one of the safs there, cannot wait!

[veganatheist78]

My husband I went to Saf for dinner one night and had each of the courses. We weren't that impressed with the food. It was kind of uninspired and insipid. Although we both enjoyed the 'cheese' course and the chocolate thing I had for dessert was good. The cocktails were also kind of unimpressive. We wouldn't bother going again.

[Marrers]

I think it depends what you have and I'm lucky I seem to be able to guess what I will enjoy and what might be a bit dull for me (having sampled the meals of 5 other peoples over two visits my predictions have been proved right).

I definitely had the nicest of our group that day but the Market Plate was good too (would have been my second choice) so I'd definitely order that in future. I didn't think much of the Risotto, a bit bland but that's what I expected. The desserts are lovely but I didn't have room for anything other than sorbet this time.

[veganatheist78]

Well my husband had the risotto and also thought it was a bit bland. I had the Buddha bowl. Maybe you're right and we just made bad choices that day.

[Gorilla]

is the non-raw food served properly hot, or does it come out lukewarm? i don't like it when some of these places serve lukewarm food.

[Elahiya]

don´t worry, gorilla! non-raw food is served properly hot. when i was there with my father i had the aubergine in black bean sauce, which was quite spicy and not bland at all.

i can contribute with a few pics!

the famous cheese tasting platter:



mango crépes and the raw pumpkin cheesecake at the back:

[Gorilla]

thanks Elahiya, the photos look good (the ones that are showing - some of them aren't working for me it seems).

don´t worry, gorilla! non-raw food is served properly hot. when i was there with my father i had the aubergine in black bean sauce, which was quite spicy and not bland at all.

haha, i hate aubergine and i don't like spicy food so i think i'll avoid that one!

[nickysr]

Hi there - we went to Saf for Valentines brunch and we LOVED it - we shared the Blueberry and vanilla creme french toast and the scrambled tofu dishes and both were amazing. Esp the French toast - very decadent! I have now decided it is my favourite vegan place in London! Everytime we go, the staff are lovely, attentive and the food gets better and better.... Funny, everytime I am in a vegan place I always wonder if anyone from the forum is there - as I do not know anyone and tend to post rarely! But I always wonder.....

[Troutina]

Just doing some quick calculations from the prices on the website- is it roughly £100 for two people, having a 3 course meal plus cheese course and wine?
Or would you have the cheese course and no starter/ dessert?
The menu looks so interesting, I want to take the boyfriend for his birthday!

[Gwydion]

^ Would say £100 is bang on for two people, and the options that you mentioned.

Well, that's what I seem to remember it coming to when I went with someone. I believe we had starters, cheese course to share, mains, pudding & wine. There could have been a cocktail in there somewhere...

[Troutina]

Thanks for the reply!
It seems quite reasonable; the photos and descriptions of food look amazing, and Terre a Terre (Brighton) is around 80 pounds for two (minus the cheese course) and this place looks even fancier.
Ooh I love birthday presents that I can enjoy as well...!

[BlackCats]

I really am going to try Saf next month when we have a bit more money. I really want to try that cheese course.

[VeganMonkey]

My boyfriend and I took my parents to Saf on Saturday. Think they were reasonably impressed (although they wouldn't be rude as they know I like it!) I had the 'caviar' which is very small but gorgeous, risotto which i didn't think was bland at all (maybe i got lucky) and the cake of the day which was pistachio and apple (very good). Tried a bit of my mum's budda bowl which was good too. We each had a starter, main and desert (but only 2 soft drinks and 2 glasses of wine between us) and the total was 116 quid with service - didn't think that was too bad.
Didn't try the cheese this time. It's good but i was a little disappointed as i thought they did a hard one but they all seemed to be soft. It's in a few of the starters and mains in some form or another so i didn't really feel the need to order it. I wonder if a hard cheese made from nuts is possible? - I want one darn it!

[Elahiya]

i went there with my father last year and he was totally amazed, too! unfortunately, i didn't make it with my mother, but we'll definitely go, when she's here in summer.

i also had the root vegetable tart (hard to believe it's raw with all its texture...)


the boursin trio (kind of soft cheese variations with herbs, olives and salsa):


and a "lady snowblood" as a dessert:

[Agatha]

I went there with a raw friend last week and it was so beautiful! i had four courses so that i could incorporate cheese. it did come to about £60 but you know what, worth every penny. the protions are a bit large really (well they are if you try to eat four courses) and extremely tasty!
i had asian salad to start
the cheeses hmmm yumyum
the winter risotto pictures above
and the choclate orange marble cake

i'm afraid i can't even remember what my friend had but she said it was excellent!

[Gwydion]

My Mother (of all people) pointed this one out - it seems Saf now do a Sunday Roast.

From the website: "After 1 year of waiting and loads of requests we have finally now opened on Sunday afternoons for the Capital’s 1st fully-vegan Roast!"

Have asked for more details....

[Marrers]

Yeah I got an email about that the other day - I feel a meet up coming on!

Saf Pure Sundays
the best vegan roast in town!

After the long anticipated wait, we are now open on sunday afternoons for the Capital's 1st fully-vegan Roast! Enjoy a variety of deliciously healthy dishes from our botanical kitchen and bar all while enjoying a lazy afternoon in our beautiful private garden patio space.

Organic fair trade coffees, deliciously refreshing fresh juices, gorgeous cocktails and brand new gourmet beer list are all accompanied by our award-winning cuisine!

Kitchen is open from 12:00- 15:30!

[harpy]

Would that be a raw Sunday roast?

[Elahiya]

Would that be a raw Sunday roast?

and if it would be, i'm sure it'll be tasty...

could add some more pics from my visit with my mum there, if i found them... LOL

[gogs67]

Just doing some quick calculations from the prices on the website- is it roughly £100 for two people, having a 3 course meal plus cheese course and wine?
Or would you have the cheese course and no starter/ dessert?
The menu looks so interesting, I want to take the boyfriend for his birthday!

[Elahiya]

well, my mum and i had about 90 with wine and cocktails.... she was paying, so i didn't mind LOL

found the pics!

cashew cheese (me thinks...)


raw food tasting platter pt 1 with beetroot ravioli and raw sushi


raw food tasting platter pt2 with spiced cashews, olives, flaxseed crackers and tomato/olive cream cheese


orange marble choc cake

[Marrers]

Lovely pics!

[Troutina]

MMM the cake looks GOOD!
Still really want to try Saf, maybe when I'm earning a bit more monies..
I've never tried a cheese other than sheese, cheezly etc.

[harpy]

Yes it does look great - thanks for posting the pictures, Elahiya, I really must get myself over there (preferably with someone rich !).

[Elahiya]

you can also go there with someone and share, i've found all the food very filling. when i was there with my mother, we just ordered as we wanted to try so much. in the end we had a few leftovers which we took home. ;-)

[wavygirl]

I've been going since it opened. Any excuse to go will do. It really is the most delectable experience - very cool decor and the most imaginative food i have ever tasted. I should get commission on the amount of people i have recommended it to! About £50 per head....

Wavy
x