Vegan London, part 2

[mariana]

Has anyone been to Mr. Man? http://www.vegmrman.com/ It's a veggie Chinese place in Edgeware(mostly vegan, according to Vegetarian London guide). It used to be called Chai's but reviews say it's improved since it turned into Mr. Man. I'm wondering if it's any good--it got pretty good reviews on a few sites.







[FYI: Part one of Vegan Londos is here. Korn]

[Gorilla]

^ i hadn't heard of it before but the website sure makes the food look tasty

has anyone been to Govinda's recently? Zero and i had a look through the window on Sunday night but it was completely packed and seemed to be closed for a party or something. i've never tried it because i always went to Tai round the corner instead, but now that's gone and V&M's never open when i go there; i'd like to know what Govinda's is like!

[Mr Flibble]

mush

All hare krishna food that I've had is best described that way.

I had a takeaway box from there whilst on a pub crawl once. It was warm mush (better than the free stuff at glastonbury), which was good.

With so much choice in the area I don't think I'd go again, I've had better.

SAGAR on Percy Street is a short walk away and very good.

[Gorilla]

thanks for the recommendation - i always get lost in Soho but i'll try and remember where it is next time i'm in the area

[cvC]

I went to the raw food counter at Selfridges for the second time this year on Saturday and where, for £5.95 - there was also a £3.95 option - the server filled a decent-sized plastic bowl with my selection from an array that included beetroot salad, carrot salad, chickpeas in tomato sauce, alfalfa sprouts, a letucey salad, houmous, tomato sauce, chilli sauce and mango sauce. An "Akashe ball" (or something like that) would also have been included, but I declined it as, unlike the rest of the food, it contained added (herbal) salt. The counter is run by a sister company of Rainforest Creations, whose website I've linked below and who operate raw food and juice stalls at various locations and on various days in London - they also don't add salt to most of their food and which I think is basically the same as that at Selfridges. I've also been abstaining from onions and did notice what I felt might have been an oniony feeling in my body later, but which I don't think will stop me from going back. I also had a slice of banana and mango cake for £2.50 and which I thought was really nice, if not exactly huge and nothing much more than the two fruits whizzed together. There were some slices of rather hard mango where the icing in the middle would have been and I think there was also some kind of nut in the mix. There was also a cacao-containing creation on offer. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm back there this week.

http://rainforestcreations.co.uk/

[bryzee86]

I enjoy Govindas.

That is all.

[Marrers]

Thanks for that info cvC, sounds interesting. I always love the roti things Rainforest Creations do at the Vegan Fairs.

[bryzee86]

Govinda's is on soho street, inbetween soho square and oxford street. Not really soho though.

[BlackCats]

Govinda's is on soho street, inbetween soho square and oxford street. Not really soho though.

I will find it one day!

[Marrers]

(I'm in the "don't bother" camp for Govinda's. It's so close to Beatroot, Red Veg, the chinese buffet on Lexington Street and all the other much tastier alternatives.)

[clare155]

^ i hadn't heard of it before but the website sure makes the food look tasty

The second picture down of Shredded Vegetarian Beef with Carrots & Chilli kinda looks like mealworms.......

But despite that I would like to try it - looks like another meet up idea

[mariana]

The second picture down of Shredded Vegetarian Beef with Carrots & Chilli kinda looks like mealworms.......

But despite that I would like to try it - looks like another meet up idea

Now I've lost my desire to go there! Nah, I'd try it anyway! I think it would be a good meet up, except I think it's rather far out from Central London so a bit inconvenient to get to.

[Gorilla]

The second picture down of Shredded Vegetarian Beef with Carrots & Chilli kinda looks like mealworms.......

haha i guess you're right!

I think it would be a good meet up, except I think it's rather far out from Central London so a bit inconvenient to get to.

it is quite a long way out, i probably wouldn't make a special trip on my own but i might well do if a meet-up was planned.

(I'm in the "don't bother" camp for Govinda's. It's so close to Beatroot, Red Veg, the chinese buffet on Lexington Street and all the other much tastier alternatives.)

i can never find Beatroot and i have enough trouble getting to Red Veg! i don't know what it is about those streets but they all look the same to me. i only know where Govinda's is because it's just off Oxford Street and i usually went past it on the way back to the tube station after eating at Tai in Greek Street

[Elahiya]

when you know where vita organic is, beetroot isn´t far away... just go to the brewer´s street and turn right at an italian deli shop into one of these smallish streets. you´ll find a somerfield on your left hand and just go straight ahead suddenly it´ll appear. it took me also some time when i went there the first time. at first i felt lost in soho and never found anything, now i came across all of the vegan spots and have no prob to find them anymore...

[Gorilla]

Vita Organic is the only place in Soho i can easily find, which is ironic as i don't like the food there at all.

[Marrers]

Vita Organic is the only place in Soho i can easily find . . .

We all know why that is!

(The Intrepid Fox pub used to be opposite!)

[Gorilla]

i never went to the Intrepid Fox!

[Mr Flibble]

when you know where vita organic is, beetroot isn´t far away... just go to the brewer´s street and turn right at an italian deli shop into one of these smallish streets..

Or just turn left into Berwick Street when walking down Oxford Street away from centrepoint.

The smallish street you refer to is Walker's Crescent, which is adorned with trashy overpriced old men's sex shops and normally at least 2 prostitutes.

[Gorilla]

^ which is exactly why i'm not inclined to go wandering around Soho looking for cafes i can never find

[Mr Flibble]

Beatroot is totally worth it thou.

Just make sure that if you want more than 2 sausage rolls that you ask for some first, then again half way through, then again at the end. They have (or at least used to) have a really stingy policy when it came to portion size of them and if you want a load all in one go they say no!

[Troutina]

Haha that's so weird!
They always offer them to me, and if there's no room they pop them on the plate!

[Marrers]

i never went to the Intrepid Fox!

Shame, you would have liked it!

[robb]

Shame, you would have liked it!

Legenday pub.

I see it has reopened at a new venue just round the corner from Tottenham Court Road tube. But it won't be the same...

[Gorilla]

Beatroot is totally worth it thou.

i went to Beatroot once or twice and didn't find it to be anything special personally.

[Mr Flibble]

You don't like that multiple meals mushed altogether into the same box thing?

The smallish street you refer to is Walker's Crescent, which is adorned with trashy overpriced old men's sex shops and normally at least 2 prostitutes.

They always offer them to me, and if there's no room they pop them on the plate!

Each to their own

[Gorilla]

You don't like that multiple meals mushed altogether into the same box thing?

i have nothing against it, i just didn't find any of the food very exciting.

[Opheliac]

I've got a question:

Is there an official UK meet up thread on this forum or where could I announce my next London trip? ^_^ So that I'm not that alone in the UK, because I'll travel alone.

[clare155]

^ its a sub board on the Vegan travelling board called "UK meet ups"

[Opheliac]

Oh, thanks. ^^"

[Troutina]

I bought a salad from the salad bar in Fresh N Wild this week; 16oz of salad for 3.99 and I think 95% of it is vegan! Really nice choice of salad, tofu, seeds and grains, though all cold.

[Stu]

Ooh, which one? Camden Town?

[bryzee86]

tbh I went into the camden town one not long ago and their food bar was mainly meat...

Ick.

[Troutina]

Ooh, which one? Camden Town?

Oh I didn't realise there were two?
I went to the one near Piccadilly.
They serve meat on the counters but this salad bar had just two meat options, one was chicken. They're quite seperate so nothing really to worry about.
They also offer at least one soup and it's usually always vegan; the other day it was apple and celery I think, and it had been made using soya cream which is brilliant. They have nice coffee there too!

[Stu]

There are more than two, but yeah, thanks for the info.

[Stu]

There are more than two, but yeah, thanks for the info.

[Stu]

There are more than two, but yeah, thanks for the info.

[Troutina]

There are more than two posts, but thanks for the info!!

[Marrers]

I'm sad to report that the chef has changed at Gigi Hut and the food selection there today was nothing special at all.

[Butterfly]

Sorry if I am lost here, but i am new... i cannot find the London meet up thread, where is it? There is one right? Thanks

[bryzee86]

Sorry if I am lost here, but i am new... i cannot find the London meet up thread, where is it? There is one right? Thanks

no there isn't. There are several, as an when the venue, date or occasion dictates. They're in uk meetup forum.

[Butterfly]

thanks

[clare155]

I ate at Tai in camden on saturday night and it was really nice- my omni friend also really enjoyed it £6.50 for lots of food was great

[Marrers]

I had a very nice dinner at V and M Dining vegan restaurant this evening. I know some have expressed concerns about this place but I thought it was great. I spoke to the owner (who I think also cooked my meal) and he was very reassuring about everything being fully vegan.

I had chicken and mushroom tortellini for £6.99. It took about 20 minutes to arrive because the a la carte stuff is freshly cooked. It was lovely. The staff are very friendly and I was given a complimentary green tea with ginger with the bill. I will definitely go back.

They also do a buffet, there didn't seem to be a massive selection when I came in but I think they were cooking more stuff.

They have nice sounding desserts but I was too full. I would have had a brownie to take home but they didn't have it today.

The V and M express next door serves fast food to take away, with a few seats. It looks interesting and I'd like to try that next. (In the restaurant someone had ordered burger, chips and onion rings - it was a large portion and looked really good.)

http://www.vandmrestaurants.com

eta There is a second Express location at 25 Coptic Street according to the website. That's very near the British Museum!

[squigaletta]

Was it jessie you spoke to? He was lovely when I ate there too, really friendly.

[Marrers]

I think so squig. (I told him some people I knew had some concerns about the place and when I asked about everything being vegan I also asked whether honey was used. He volunteered that he had been involved in a honey company some years ago but was no longer connected with it and that no honey was used at V and M. He said he had been creating vegan food for 8 years.)

[BlackCats]

Brilliant thanks Marrers, I'm going to go there soon I think.:smile:

[bryzee86]

very helpful, marrers, thanks very much.

[VeganMonkey]

That's wierd, I nearly went in V&M Dining last night but we had already eaten at Tibits (could have been sitting beside a Forumer without realising!) [By the way, thanks for mentioning Tibits Marrers or I probably wouldn't have found out about it and I love it!] I'll definately have to try the 'Dining' next time I'm around that way - the burgers in the Express are really good. I'm confident that everything is fine with the food but still not sure if they are really registered with the Vegan Society (they aren't on the VS trademark list).

[BlackCats]

I ate at V&M last night at the express part and the food was very unhealthy and yummy. We had the quarter pounder and chips and milkshakes. (I meant to buy some Plamil chocolate spread before I left.)

[loveganism]

I went to V&M express for lunch today for the 1st time. I can't believe how cheap it was!

I had the normal burger (I think they use Frys fake meats- the burger and nuggets tasted like Frys) and nuggets and my brother had the veg-chicken burger.

They use soyatoo in the shakes! I feel spoiled.

My brother paid as well. That made the food taste even better