Vegetarian Meals In Pubs
- Thread starter Badgers
- Start date
Monkeygrinder's Organ
Dodgy geezer swilling vapid lager
'This is not just a steak, this is two thousand year aged Judean goat steak.'
they had a weird veggie pizza topping with figs in it, absolutely magnificent on a plate of chipsThat's just made my mouth water
You seem to be either twisting or misreading my posts. Where the bleeding chuffmunch have I implied 'too much trouble' or some king of 'charitable' need to cater for vegetarians? It's all a bit hyperbolic and unnecessary to distort someone's posts to say the least.
I do think there have been some unrealistic expectations displayed on this thread. Someone has asked for some advice on what might go down well on a chain pub menu, with all the limitations that implies - you are essentially assembling ready to cook items from a limited range of suppliers, working in a one man kitchen with long storage requirements. In return, despite that being repeatedly restated, some folks have been taking up their favourite hobbyhorses to: A) make generalised moans about many of the common options open to vegetarians everywhere and (B) keep going on more ambitious choices that couldn't possibly be delivered by the OP/pub and then accusing others of 'making excuses' when that's repeatedly pointed out. This isn't a gastropub where chefs lovingly prepare home cooked dishes - it's a one man small kitchen in a beer led pub using largely bought in food from suppliers agreed by the brewery. If anything the vegetarian options on offer currently there (butternut squash ravioli etc) on the current pub menu are probably more interesting/ambitious and 'gastro' than anything else.
Nobody is not wanting to cater for vegetarians or 'making excuses.' It's hard to believe - amongst this cacophony of hard done by moans, distortions and assorted whining - that the OP was actually asking for some constructive advice. In return he's largely got a procession of posters suggesting veggie staples that they hate or about how they received a terrible choice in a pub in Basingstoke (insert hobbyhorse location here> a few years ago, a thread full of escalating, largely irrelevant moaning.
EastEnder
Brixton Barnacle
Not sure about figs on a pizza, would probably clash with the pineapple.they had a weird veggie pizza topping with figs in it, absolutely magnificent on a plate of chips
Hmm. From dim recollection, the fig topping included goats cheese. And, scarily, it almost worked...
I think the OP has had a lot of good advice, and I also think this thread is a great example of how it's possible, when running a business, to piss off a lot of people over time by a few "oh, I won't do that because it's a bit of a pain but it doesn't affect many people".
Plus, I found out there are straight-veggie pubs. Which have gone on my list of places to go. So it's a win all round for me
Looby
Well-Known Member
The conversation has general discussion about catering for vegetarians amongst talking with badgers about his own menu.
Not sure where the problem is with that.
existentialist
Tired and unemotional
Don't make the mistake of assuming its all about you: you're not THAT important. However, your post displayed a good selection of the tired anti-vegetarian tropes we've grown to expect, so that cap doesn't fit so badly.
ETA: part of the reason you may have felt my comments were aimed at you was because I quoted your post in its entirety when I responded: that's more a problem of posting from my phone. Nonetheless, I thought it was interesting that in your defence you immediately jumped to the conclusion it was all about "hobbyhorses" and "moaning", thereby putting yourself squarely in the firing line that wasn't actually aimed at you initially. Nice work
I suspect, from your posting history, that if you, like many vegetarians, had had the experience of going to eateries (not just pubs) and being - often rudely - told that there was nothing for you, the "moaning" and riding of "hobbyhorses" would have been legendary. Someone (I think it was Poot) posted about being extremely offensively dealt with in a venue, and her experience isn't unusual. Sure, that's no reason why vegetarians should tar all proprietors with the same brush, though I don't think we're doing that...but we DO have legitimate cause to, as you put it, "moan".
This thread has turned into a useful discussion about vegetarians and eating out, and I think it was brave and thoughtful of Badgers to solicit some opinions. I'm only sorry that he doesn't have the facilities or the resources to be able to made something of the many and varied suggestions he's been given, but at least he's trying. And at least he, unlike you, is doing something constructive rather than sneering from the sidelines about all the moany veggies.
Agree with EE about pizza, and i mean seriously good pizza with a homemade sauce and lots of veg. The Waterfront in Streatham used to do amazing pizzas on a Monday night (wayyyyy better than that grossly overrated Franco Manca...). Pubs could save shedloads of money and time if the sauce is prepared beforehand, plus, pizza is very cheap.
And what about vegetarian 'tasting boards' of cheeses, olives, veggie pate, corn fritters, sundried tomatoes, red onion marmelade, dates, brown bread, etc. I had a mixed 'tasting board' in the pub the other day (with fried Gubeen cheese, fresh brown bread and pate, crab meat, etc) with chips on the side, and it was very filling. A veggie version (even if that vegetarian is dairy intolerant) might be good.
A pub could also attempt its own delectable version of Canadian poutaine, with rooster potatoes and homemade gravy with cheese curds. So long as the spuds are good, chips and gravy with cheese is a (cheap) winner.
And agree with having a solid staple of nut options, such as nutroast, walnut balls and dumplings.
And what about vegetarian 'tasting boards' of cheeses, olives, veggie pate, corn fritters, sundried tomatoes, red onion marmelade, dates, brown bread, etc. I had a mixed 'tasting board' in the pub the other day (with fried Gubeen cheese, fresh brown bread and pate, crab meat, etc) with chips on the side, and it was very filling. A veggie version (even if that vegetarian is dairy intolerant) might be good.
A pub could also attempt its own delectable version of Canadian poutaine, with rooster potatoes and homemade gravy with cheese curds. So long as the spuds are good, chips and gravy with cheese is a (cheap) winner.
And agree with having a solid staple of nut options, such as nutroast, walnut balls and dumplings.
mr steev
magic thought wizard
I've always thought some sort of a veggie ploughmans, with cheeses, pickles and breads would be good, or decent pakoras, bhajis, and dips. Seems more better suited to quaffing beer than a burger and chips too
agreed. when we drink at gordon's wine bar at embankment (every time i come to london, on the whole) we always have their excellent cheese ploughmans for lunch. don't really need much else...
fredfelt
Mostly unknown member
I think the OP has had a lot of good advice, and I also think this thread is a great example of how it's possible, when running a business, to piss off a lot of people over time by a few "oh, I won't do that because it's a bit of a pain but it doesn't affect many people".
Plus, I found out there are straight-veggie pubs. Which have gone on my list of places to go. So it's a win all round for me
To that list you can add The Gardeners, Plantation Road, Oxford.
To the weird, but good, pizza list I'll raise my hand and add the Strawberry Pizza and the mac n cheese pizza.
is that so?? many pubs offer pizza as standard these days..might be a worthwhile investment.. since pizza is probably THE cheapest veggie option a pub could produce
kittyP
Pluviophile
Thank you Tarannau, this is kinda what I was trying to say but being more polite coz I am a wuss
The veggie food at this pub is genuinely, already pretty good innit?
Badgers was just trying to improve and it seem people were being quite accusatory about it all.
kittyP
Pluviophile
Precisely.
And why would they bother when they have one of the best (imho) I have ever had pizza places, 1 min walk round the corner.
kittyP
Pluviophile
I initially was going to say that a tasting board was far too gastro but a lot of the stuff you mentioned is not quickly perishable, olives in brine/oil in a jar last for ages, I dunno about veggie pate as the only experience I have of it is mushroom which goes off pretty quick, chutneys/marmalade's last ages, SD toms on oil last a while and nice bread is not an issue to be brought in daily.
Its really odd to hear veggies calling for nut-roast.
I love it (especially badgers mums one
) but as a meat eater I would be worried of being berated for being cliched for offering nut-roast as a veggie option. Just an interesting observance (possibly only for me)
kittyP
Pluviophile
Omg, you know how people earlier in the thread were moaning that the only veg option is so often rissoto or goats cheese and beetroot tart? I went out for tea tonight, and the veggie option was goats cheese and beetroot rissoto.
It wasn't too bad.
I know loads of veggies that love goats cheese and beetroot stuff.
I love it too.
kittyP
Pluviophile
They used to/maybe still do, do a cauliflower and cheese tart.
It is rich and a bit naughty but delicious.
Looby
Well-Known Member
Thank you Tarannau, this is kinda what I was trying to say but being more polite coz I am a wuss
The veggie food at this pub is genuinely, already pretty good innit?
Badgers was just trying to improve and it seem people were being quite accusatory about it all.
I really didn't read it like that. I thought most were talking about veggie options in general but maybe I'm wrong.
kittyP
Pluviophile
That's fine, but on thread where someone was asking for genuinely honest ideas for what to provide, it came across as a bit off.
Looby
Well-Known Member
Threads are bound to develop though, so people were talking about their own shit experiences or what they like/don't like.
Maybe I missed it but I don't recall anyone having a go at badgers. Surely the fact that he started the thread in the first place is a good thing.
Anyway, I might have missed stuff so I'll shut up. ; )
Wilf
Slouching towards Billingham
Even though you said 'assume already a veggie burger' I'd still like a good veggie burger. In most pubs it's some kind of deep fried unidentifiable paste in burger shape that you get.
