I hope celebrating the Chinese New Year over the weekend was a joyful occasion.
My family and I enjoyed some delicious veggie Chinese dumplings at the fabulous vegetarian restaurant, Mildred’s, in Soho.
See my earlier blog post for more about Mildred’s restaurant
Food For Thought, this wonderful and yet subtle gem tucked away in Covent Garden, is without a doubt the best place to eat in the whole of London. The dishes change every day and yet always manage to concoct a surprising variety of vegetarian meals, from quiche, curries, stir-fries, to stews. The salads on offer, (there are normally at least four types), are constantly colourful and extravagantly added to any of the main dishes. 
This is definitely somewhere to go when you are hungry, in need of a healthy meal, and wish to be (re)inspired by vegetarian cooking. For those that are particularly ravenous, puddings are served in the same generous-sized bowls as the main courses; you have been warned. I’m yet to try any of the puddings, but have certainly got my eye on their steaming apple crumble. Cakes, pastries and fruit salads are (slightly lighter?!) alternatives.
Food for Thought attracts a lively and friendly following. It is not somewhere you would stay for hours – being so small and popular – but it is a memorable place to relax and revive right in the centre of London.
Organic Planet is an invaluable healthy haven for students and workers alike. It is a London chain, which luckily has a large base just round the corner from UCL and has given me an extra burst of energy for studying several times.
Needless to say, all their produce is organic, largely vegetarian with many vegan options. They do a popular canteen service with a variety of homemade food – the organic tofu stir fry, beetroot salad and rosemary potatoes are each delicious (though not necessarily together!) A student discount means you can get a hot, healthy lunch for less than £4, to eat in or take away.
For pudding or a sweet bite, there is always a large selection of cakes and pastries (the brownies are some of the best I’ve ever had, and I’ve ‘sampled’ many brownies!)
Organic Planet also offers fresh vegetables and bread, as well as unusual food products. There are at least five different types of houmous, each distinct with its own (natural) colour.
After years of anticipation and longing for a trip to one of Ottolenghi’s cafes, I finally was lucky enough to experience this acclaimed food extravaganza at the weekend. A very odd juxtaposition to the Portobello Markets nearby, Ottolenghi’s cafe in Notting Hill, (on Ledbury Rd), surpassed my expectations in both presentation and appearance of the unusual salads and cakes as well as through the intense balance of flavours.
I can’t remember having a better lunch, or taking so long to photograph food before allowing myself to eat it. Taking photographs proved a bit tricky at times because the cafe is long and thin, which means both customers and waitresses have to shuffle up and down like crabs when choosing or serving take-away salad boxes. Though this set-up does allow for long lines of displays, and it definitely didn’t stop me from going a bit crazy with the photographing of Ottolenghi’s wonderful dishes.
45 lexington street, london , w1f 9an
Mildreds. The best vegetarian restaurant. Also the best restaurant in Soho, I would go as far to say.
This is such a special place – it has a fun, lively yet candle-lit atmosphere, friendly staff, casual setting and one of the most inventive food I have ever come across. It really does redefine vegetarian meals by providing such a wide variety of dishes (from curries, stir-fries, tagines, spicy salads, gourmet burgers, mezzo, pies, pastas…) with unusual combinations of ingredients.
I first went to Mildreds with my sister and granny when they came to visit me during my first week of living in London. We had explored round Oxford street, the National Portrait Gallery and Covent Gardens and were in need to a good rest and filling food. Mildreds came just at the right time – or rather, we arrived at the right time (about 6pm) before queues had even begun to form. The restaurant does not take bookings, so do get there early.
For starters, we shared homemade guacamole and corn chips. This was delicious, vibrant in both colour and taste. The freshness really caught me by surprise and this, along with the mixture of spices and tabbouleh that was sprinkled on the top of the dip, really gave a well-known, if luxurious, dip a new edge.
We each chose very different main courses, which was great to get a feel for the menu and Mildreds’ signature style. Emily, my sister had an amazingly creamy, flavoursome curry with cashew nuts and sweet potatoes. Granny had a tofu salad, which had very generous tofu chunks and a whole menagerie of vegetables filling the plate. I went for their burger of the day, which was tofu and mixed beans, because I was craving chips (otherwise, this is quite an unusual choice for me!) I was not disappointed, it was a good burger.
Due to the excitement of the main course, and not because we were hungry (as the portions are very generous), granny and I both ordered pudding. Granny went for the ‘Burnt Custard’, partly because we were wondering what it was. Although I always go for chocolately options, in future I would have to switch and go for this because it was unusual and creamy. I did do my usual and go for the chocolate brownie. Though it had an interesting twist because it also contained peanut butter, which was a very dominant taste. A very rich pudding, though absolutely divine!
… I just can’t wait for an excuse to go back again!
Mildreds also has a great blog containing recipes, foody ideas and new from their restaurant: http://mildredsrecipes.blogspot.co.uk
After a full day of hunting for accommodation in London, it seemed appropriate to try out a quirky vegetarian cafe as both a treat and emergency energy booster. At 11 Sicilian Avenue, sandwiched in-between two very busy roads on a quiet cobbled (and pedestrian street) the Orchard Vegetarian Kitchen lay in wait.
My companion and I were keen to try out Orchard after seeing a spectacular review of the place in The Guardian last year. We would have come across it otherwise as it was in a slightly bizarre location.
Orchard creates innovative vegetarian dishes for breakfast, lunch and tea. They use local produce and seasonal ingredients to provide a refreshing take on vegetarian food and to show how exciting – and beautiful – it can be.
We shared horse-raddish mash with spinach and warm baked beetroot, and also a kohl rabi and walnut salad.
We then shared a sage and cheddar scone (with apricot jam and melting butter baton), and a lemon curd pecan pie. They both came on plates that I also have at home!
It was all SO delicious, I would definitely recommend Orchard for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike!
The Year in London 