It'll be legendary. Like Yalta when Churchill met Stalin, only with cake.
It'll be legendary. Like Yalta when Churchill met Stalin, only with cake.
..but what would they do with all the cows?..
Emzy the photo with you and your cat giving it high fives is sooooooo cute
Silent but deadly :p
Just went to Brighton on a budget weekend so sharing if anyone is looking for cheap places. We stayed in the Travelodge just outside the city centre, booked advance room for £19. It seems that the park opposite the travelodge has free parking. If you book a family room the rooms are massive! Then its a 15 min walk in. We arrived lunchtime, ate a pack lunch, for dinner went to bombay aloo, veggie curry buffet for £5, but the drinks really push the price up. Slept late next day so had brunch at idyea, prob not cheapest place but I love this place. Dinner at the loving hut, cheap and cheerful and indoor seating too! Walking around is free fun as I call it, the museam is free too if the weather is bad. I'm afraid I spent too much in infinity foods and montezuma's!
You're not meant to park overnight at the park opposite, according to the signs.
There's free parking a couple of minutes walk north of the travelodge on a residential road. Travelodge itself does have a few free spaces up at the back, but it's one of the nastiest roads I've ever driven up (almost got stuck!)
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
Do you know what the building a few 'doors' down from the travelodge used to be, before being used as a traveller's site? I googled but couldn't find anything.
"Mr Flibble - forum corruptor of innocents!!" - Hemlock
I took my son to V Bites today in Brighton for lunch. I was very much looking forward to it and although it isn't my cup of tea I am aware that it is a vegan junk food place and was prepared for that.
What I wasn't prepared for was how awful the food was. I'll eat anything but to be honest I was really glad we were sharing dishes because I couldn't stomach it.
It was junk food alright but it was all luke warm to cold as if it had been sitting there for ages, the burger bun was totally stale. No way was that bun fresh, ditto the hot dog bun.
Neither dish was served with salad or chips they were extra.
The muffin my son had afterwards was so stale we couldn't eat it - it had clearly been sitting there for days. He told me the icecream was fairly tasteless too.
Now I'm not fussy about my food - when I ate meat I used to eat microwaved fish fingers for breakfast for Pete's sake but this stuff was just awful. Nothing was fresh, warm or even edible.
The piece de resistance was I was a bit stuck afterwards as I'd left my mobile phone at home and needed to ring Corum to come and pick me up. I asked to use their phone as I've currently got problems with a swollen right knee and can't walk far so wouldn't have been able to make it into town to the nearest phone box which was a couple of miles away and offered to pay but they totally refused even though they could see I was stranded!!! I was totally shocked. I explained the situation and was told it wasn't their problem, they had instructions nobody was to use the telephone.
I'll certainly not be going there again. The quality of the food and the customer service is non existent.
Silent but deadly :p
Hemlock, I have passed that post on to Heather. I hope that's OK.
..but what would they do with all the cows?..
Yes it's fine Paul. I went really wanting to like the place but it sucked 100%.
Silent but deadly :p
It's just the kind of thing she needs to know. She obviously really cares about all this vegan malarkey but perhaps sometimes spreads herself a bit thin with all her charity work and I think that's when problems can occur.
..but what would they do with all the cows?..
That sounds grim Hemlock. I have been there a couple of times, though not very recently, and back then the food was fine of its kind, and the service was OK too. Sounds as if someone has taken their eye off the ball.
Better it closes if it's going to be a bad advert for food suitable for vegans. Just because we vegans are relatively small in number doesn't mean we should have to put up with substandard food or service.
leedsveg
Let's hope they pull their socks up again after Hemlock's feedback! I like the concept in a way - no reason vegans should have to miss out on icecream and fry-ups by the sea
In defense of V-bites, thats what it is, a vegan cafe by the sea,-I've eaten there many times and i've never felt the need to complain about the food,-I preffered it when they did more salads and veg based dishes (but you can always order that extra),... but they're catering for the "fish and chips" and ice-cream crowd. V-bites is a godsend , if you've ever tried to get anything remotely decent, thats vegan along Brighton n' Hove seafront! and the ice-cream, pizza.. rocks!
My only critisism and maybe why the service is so bad and the staff are clueless is that Heather dosen't like to employ vegans!! a couple of my friends tried to get jobs there(who have the relative experience) and were declined (one never even got a reply!) I've experienced the slackness/ ignorance of some off the staff and especially pertaining to vegansim and i've wondered what the hell are these people doing working there in a vegan cafe!
I will continue to support Heather and V-Bites but maybe there needs to be some serious questions asked and it needs to re-invent itself?? with a new image and management..??
Why do you think Heather Mills doesn't employ vegans? It would seem the logical thing to do if you wanted a successful vegan cafe.
I just wish I had the money she has.................I know I could run a very successful vegan cafe/restaurant.........it's not THAT hard!
I like Sandra, she keeps making me giggle. Daft little lady - Frosty
Yeah, I think part of the secret is lack of reality check and customer service!. Like freakin Archie Browns who stop serving meals between 11 and 12 every day..........and don't bother to put this on their website, either!. So annoying when you hike across town only to arrive and be told you can't eat - at a cafe!!!.
Either be on the ball and be a 'proper' business that people can rely on, or don't bleedin bother!.
I agree.
As far as extremely wealthy vegans are concerned, why don't they put their money to better use? She could afford to open branches of V-Bites anywhere in the country. The more people who see it's just as easy to walk into a vegan fast food place as it is to walk into MacDondalds the better. I'm not fussed about healthy eating, I'm more concerned for the animals..........although vegan fast food by definition is healthier than non-vegan.
If I got divorced and got over £20 million, I'm nearly sure I could manage to operate at least 1 successful vegan cafe!
I like Sandra, she keeps making me giggle. Daft little lady - Frosty
As I'm sure you appreciate Sandra, Heather is a tad eccentric (nothing wrong with that). The Hove Lagoon location was chosen because she and Paul McWhatsisname had a house just down the way from there and used to go to the old café that was closing. She bought it in something of an impetuous mood I would suggest...
..but what would they do with all the cows?..
She could afford though to open a cafe/restaurant in a more suitable location couldn't she? I mean you can do a lot with over £20 million.
I like Sandra, she keeps making me giggle. Daft little lady - Frosty
I don't think £20m goes as far as it used to...
Anyway she bought Redwoods which must have cost her a £million or two and I'd like to bet that she's given money to AR charities. If she develops the Redwood range to rival, and be as ubiquitous, as that of Quorn, I'll overlook her big gob.
leedsveg
lol
Or maybe she could develop a vegan form of Quorn.
I like Sandra, she keeps making me giggle. Daft little lady - Frosty
On the subject of Heather Mills, did anyone go to the Viva Roadshow today at the Brighton Dome and what did people think of it?
Quite honestly I think V Bites is in an idyllic location, right on the sea front in Hove and with a kiddies swimming pool right outside, I really enjoyed watching the kids have fun in the water.
The problem was the food was awful and the staff were a million miles from being empowered, they all looked too scared to take the kind of initiative that would make the place work.
I was in charge of people for years as a ward sister and if your staff are too scared to take initiative then the whole thing will be an abysmal failure. It is all about training and building a team who believe in what they are doing.
Silent but deadly :p
If she paid me what I get paid up in Luton, I'd move to Brighton and run the damn thing for her. TBH, I had a good experience there, but you guys are right - vegans need to be running the place. I heard it's shutting for the winter for staff training, menu revamping and rebranding.
The taste of anything in my mouth for 5 seconds does not equate to the beauty and complexity of life.
It is so sad that after all this time they still can't get it right. It seems nothing has changed since my dire experience over a year ago, which I posted about here.
Many years ago, in my non-vegan days I used to run a busy Fish & Chip shop with a sit down bit attached, so I know it isn't rocket science. I was all of eighteen at the time.
Whether the staff are vegan or not there is no excuse for a lack of basic competence.
From Sutton, Surrey, (or Greater London when they want to fleece me for the Olympics)
It's very sad though . Maybe there's something in the 'eccentric' thing because so many veg*n places are unsuccessful. Maybe eccentricity doesn't = business sense in many cases .
^
Hi Cobweb
I think also that we vegans (and veggies) can be quite 'evangelical' in wanting to share our beliefs. Nobody opens up a business intending to lose money but in the initial enthusiasm to promote and sell food for what is believed to be an ethical, pro-animal diet, business considerations may not be given the same value compared to, if it was say, a card-shop .
lv
Does anyone know if Loving Hut offer wholemeal burger buns?
Cheers matey
Oh well. I'll just have to make do with the now legendary fishless and chips. I must be the only south east Vegan not to have tried it yet!
I take it that is negative then......not one person on this forum was in attendance??
That's it, I'm going to start licking moss off rocks at lunchtime. I admit I'm a bit of a fuss pot, I rarely eat anywhere that isn't vegan (I have contamination issues!), but today it was raining and I couldn't be bothered to walk into town, so I went to Starbucks in St James St. They're usually really good in there, they clean the milk steamer before doing the soya milk and they have a seperate paninni press for the veggie/vegan ones, and they put fresh paper in the press when they toast them. So how the hell did I end up with a piece of chicken on my vegan pannini? Must have already been stuck to the bottom in the packet? Yuck.
(just tried to post this but don't think it worked but in case it did, sorry!)
hi escarmalanes,
here's another reason not to go into this Starbucks:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24838688304
as well as Starbucks' outlet at Guantanamo Bay and the fact that it's a multinational monster trying to take over the world, or at the very least, forcing local cafes out of business...
xx
What you are describing is simply a symptom of the current system of capitalism, grow or die, because if you don't do it, someone else will and then you start to lose market share etc. the system needs fixing, unfortunately I don't have the answers to that. But demonising some corporations and not others isn't going to solve the problem either. At least most of their coffee is fair trade and soon all of it will be.
There are at least 4 Starbucks stores right in Birmingham city centre and the 4 independent coffee shops are doing a great trade even though they are near to the Starbucks stores.
Hi zero,
yeh I agree that it's related to the capitalist system that's in place, but i still think as an individual you can make a difference by not supporting places like Starbucks, and personally I don't only boycott certain companies, I pretty much stay clear of all of them, which is very easy to do.
I never understand when companies have a certain percent of their products as fairtrade, to me unless 100% of it is fairtrade how can the company have a conscience? It's like saying 'some of the time we care about the people who make our stuff, but some of the time we don't'. It doesn't make sense to me, on a moral level. It makes sense on a practical and financial level obviously.
Anyway, I'm not telling people where to go to eat or drink, I guess I'm just letting people know there's an alternative. Several years ago I was totally oblivious to the workings of multinationals etc, and I'm glad my eyes are open to it now. I do realise that wherever you go it's about profit etc, but I still think you, as a consumer, have a choice and the power to put your money into businesses who are more or less deserving. Of course, you might not care, and that's fine.
On the subject of coffee, there is a really good film called Black Gold - http://www.blackgoldmovie.com/
Ok now I feel bad because I've hijacked the thread a little with all this. But anyway.... xx
I kinda agree with Zero, although if there was a vegan cafe next door - I'd go there!
The taste of anything in my mouth for 5 seconds does not equate to the beauty and complexity of life.
Haven't popped onto the forum in a while- so here's an update on all the amazing food places I've tried!
Had the best roast dinner at The Royal Sovereign on Sunday - http://www.theroyalsovereign.com/
I had the Houmous and Veg pie, which comes dished up with roast potatoes, mash, parsnip crisps, broccili, carrots, red cabbage and roasted butternut squash.
Was seriously AMAZING; I thought houmous sounded strange, but this was so delicious. £8.50, quite pricey but the pub is wonderful. Open fire! Get there early (12) or mid afternoon to ensure a table- we arrived at 1.30 and had 5 of us crammed round one small round table until a larger one became available!!
Indian Summer- http://www.indian-summer.org.uk/
Fantastic contemporary Indian cuisine. Romantic restaurant, brilliant food, attention to detail and vegan options are well labelled and staff are informative.
Recommend the lovely bottle of Indian red wine- I think it was Sula Zinfandel.
Boho Gelato- http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/place?...80464873531847
Just round the corner from The Fish Bowl- four flavours of sorbet, super creamy and yum. I had elderflower with... raspberry? The cones are vegan.
Aloka- http://www.aloka.aura-soma.net/
I tried the serve yourself lunch, which is paid for by weight. Not super impressed, the salads didn't have too much flavour, and the desserts were very expensive and didn't really look worth the risk. The ice cream sounds good though.
Casa Don Carlos- http://www.welovelocal.com/en/se/bri...os-bn11ha.html
AmazingAmazingAmazing Spanish Tapas!! Lovely little restaurant, staff are amazing and the food is brilliant. Doesn't feel like you're in Brighton when you're eating there. Book for sure!! We went for a random 4pm meal and still had to wait for an available table!
Sorry for the lack of photographs!
Hi Yo Yo! There's no website/ online menu so here's a vague list of what I ate! I had potatas bravas (ask for no mayo!), the little green peppers which are cooked in oil and plenty of salt (my fav!), chickpeas in tomato sauce, mushrooms, bread and olives. Was superb!
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