Vegetarian Meals In Pubs

[existentialist]

I also have a vegetarian friend who does not like vegetables

I knew one of them once - vegan, I think. Darwin has sorted most of them out.

 

[Badgers]

Not always true. Certainly not in my case.

And in any case, a choice not to do something shouldn't automatically be assumed to have less validity than an inability to do it.

 

[ddraig]

there is a vegi place in Cardiff that does or used to do a meat dish as some kind of revenge for a lot of other places just having the 1 vegi option
http://canteenoncliftonstreet.com/
avoided it for ages but have been a couple of times, food is very good

e2a - it is a weird website, here is the relevant bit

Having spent twenty years looking in vain for that impossible dream, a good vegetarian meal in a "normal" restaurant, I decided to open my own. However I was determined that it would not be a "vegetarian" restaurant either. Words can have too much meaning, we wanted to produce the best vegetarian food but did not want to get bogged down with the branding. Having been the victim of intolerance many years ago, I decided to never take any higher ground. The truth of the matter is nobody really knows where the higher ground lies. What we are hoping to achieve at Canteen is a relaxed environment where veggies, vegans and omnivores can come together and eat the best food.

To that end we will ensure that there is always one choice on our menu to suit anyone. As it happens, this gives the omnivores the advantage, because they can eat everything. The food we produce for meat-eaters will be long braises of cheaper cuts of meat. We do not wish to compete with restaurants who cook steaks and chicken to order; such places are ten-a-penny. Instead we will scour world cuisines for the best slow-braised dishes; tagines, daubes, hot-pots. The main focus of the menu will be vegetarian and vegan. That is not to say that it will be all pulses. Again what we will be aiming for is to take the best of Mexican cooking, Italian cooking, Lebanese etc. and find the dishes that just do not contain meat. We will also be aiming to re-interpret classic dishes in a non-meat manner.

Is there a market? Who knows. I am a vegetarian, my wife is not. Sometimes compromises around food are difficult to find. We hope Canteen can be that compromise.

Wayne Thomas, November 2007

 

[Yelkcub]

who goes to a veggie restaurant for meat dishes? Weirdos.

C'mon, everyone's got a fussy mate, you might go there once a year as a treat for them.

 

[krink]

I also have a vegetarian friend who does not like vegetables

Im a veggie and I only like potatos, carrots and procesed peas. I hate cheese and fruit too. I eat a lot of chips. As can be expected I'm probably the fattest vegie out there!

 

[moonsi til]

I'm veggie and love most vegetables bar the green cabbage family so no sprouts or spring greens for me. I'm not overly keen on houmous though!!

 

[Cheesypoof]

I'm thinking of opening vegetarian restaurant and as a nod to meat eaters thought I'd offer lasagne as an option.

No need. Many meat lovers are entirely satisfied to eat a vegetarian meal if it is good quality.

 

[ringo]

No need. Many meat lovers are entirely satisfied to eat a vegetarian meal if it is good quality.

Very true, and if they're not why not offer them the opportunity of fucking off

 

[fredfelt]

Badgers - Sorry if I'm repeating myself here as I've mentioned this dish three times without any acknowledgement. Anyway IMO this is as good as an haloumi burger which you can serve in a pub gets. The tzatziki is hiding under the rocket.

 

[Badgers]

Badgers - Sorry if I'm repeating myself here as I've mentioned this dish three times without any acknowledgement. Anyway IMO this is as good as an haloumi burger which you can serve in a pub gets. The tzatziki is hiding under the rocket.

Sorry been really swamped with this, much harder than it should be.

I am going back to supplier lists and have a look. Do think a Halloumi burger needs some ZING added so you may be on to something

 

[DrRingDing]

Badgers - Sorry if I'm repeating myself here as I've mentioned this dish three times without any acknowledgement. Anyway IMO this is as good as an haloumi burger which you can serve in a pub gets. The tzatziki is hiding under the rocket.

Thos chips look rubbish to be fair tho

 

[cyberfairy]

Sorry been really swamped with this, much harder than it should be.

I am going back to supplier lists and have a look. Do think a Halloumi burger needs some ZING added so you may be on to something

Adding chilli, lime or lemon whilst frying makes the cheese more interesting and zingy. Sterling job you doing- wish I lived nearer.

 

[Cheesypoof]

Adding chilli, lime or lemon whilst frying makes the cheese more interesting and zingy. Sterling job you doing- wish I lived nearer.

thanks for the advice, re these additions. will deffo try

 

[Epona]

Please god just NOT veggie lasagne/cannelloni, pasta with a tomato sauce, or mushroom risotto. I can cook those sorts of things extremely well at home at less than £1 a portion, so I would not be excited to see them on a menu at £6 and upwards.

Best veggie meal I have ever had when eating out involved smoked butterbean sausages, I'd pay to have the recipe for that cos it was lush and rich and different - everything that veggie food can lack when eating out and the veggie option is just tacked onto the menu.

 

[kittyP]

Some vegetarians have meat eating friends. A culinary apartheid doesn't benefit anyone.

I am a meat eater and if I went to a vegetarian restaurant I would have a veggie dish, not meat.
Meat eaters can eat vegetables ya know

 

[Batboy]

No need. Many meat lovers are entirely satisfied to eat a vegetarian meal if it is good quality.

Indeed, but that can't work the other way round so I was being sardonic, it really pisses me when restaurants, pubs, cafes etc are so lazy and simply offer up the single dish that they think every annoying vegetarian lives on.... That's why I'd offer a meat Lasagne.

It's also annoying on the Sunday roast option. I'm quite happy to have a Sunday 'roast' without the meat. It's just one ingredient guys!

I'd happily munch my way through roast potatoes, veggies, yorkie pud and veggie onion gravy... I hate nut roast, its wrong on every level, the silly twat that invented this should be force fed nuts until they admit to liking Gordon Ramsey!

 

[Badgers]

I was caught short recently for a veggie roast. In the end did a giant Yorkshire pub (12in x 6in) filled with the usual veggies (but roasted) and veggie gravy. Served roast potatoes and buttered peas on the side.

Not perfect but they were happy.

 

[pinkmonkey]

I am a meat eater and if I went to a vegetarian restaurant I would have a veggie dish, not meat.
Meat eaters can eat vegetables ya know

We're not veggies, but we eat mostly veggie at home, because we prefer it, but never in a pub because of the boring food choice. There is nothing more bland than veggie food served by carnivorves that don't get it, you can almost taste the disappointment.

 

[Badgers]

We're not veggies, but we eat mostly veggie at home, because we prefer it, but never in a pub because of the boring food choice. There is nothing more bland than veggie food served by carnivorves that don't get it, you can almost taste the disappointment.

I disagree. I don't like or eat fish but can cook a mean fish dish. Same goes for some meat or vegetable dishes.

 

[pinkmonkey]

Yes but you get it - so many don't

 

[Badgers]

Yes but you get it - so many don't

I suspect many others do get it.

 

[rich!]

One other thing-given the rest of that list, which looks great, would you make the chili or the battered halloumi wheat-free or gluten-free?

 

[existentialist]

I am a meat eater and if I went to a vegetarian restaurant I would have a veggie dish, not meat.
Meat eaters can eat vegetables ya know

I know

But some meat eaters really do become extraordinarily distressed at the thought of eating a meal which doesn't contain some element of corpse.

 

[existentialist]

I suspect many others do get it.

Some do. And I used to be optimistic that more did. I can't say that they don't, but I know from personal experience that it is more than a tiny minority that will treat vegetarians with a surprising level of disdain or even hostility.

It's not fair to tar the entire catering industry with that brush, of course, but if you've been on the receiving end of that kind of hostility more than once, you do tend to be rather more suspicious of it happening again.

And many vegetarians do, for obvious reasons, have trust issues about what goes into what they're eating, and who's preparing it.

 

[Badgers]

One other thing-given the rest of that list, which looks great, would you make the chili or the battered halloumi wheat-free or gluten-free?

The bean chilli is gluten free. I think it will come in a large bowl with a middle of sour cream or salsa as preferred. Mexican long grain rice or (for the thinkers among us) chips

The Battered Halloumi could be done but would be another one or two stock lines to add. I like the idea as gluten free flour/batter could also be an option for the fish and chips

 

[Badgers]

And many vegetarians do, for obvious reasons, have trust issues about what goes into what they're eating, and who's preparing it.

Yes. This is a big issue in busy kitchens. The idea of a smaller choice menu is better focus on the preparation of dishes.

There is a dedicated grill for red meat and one for chicken. Have dedicated meat/fish/veg fryers in place and one veg, one meat microwave in place.

Chopping boards, knifes and cutlery are already separate and there are two food prep surfaces, one for veg/salad and one for meat. Also have temperature probes for both.

Cross contamination is hard to avoid but lots of antibacterial wipes, sprays and such are essential. Don't use cloths, only paper towels to dry hands and surfaces. There is a green and red oven cloth for dishes.

 

[Badgers]

Question...

I have never had a gluten free roll/baguette. Are they so different from gluten baguettes that the glutenavores would notice/care?

 

[Badgers]

Another question (sorry)

What would the vegetarian want as an alternative to a bacon baguette aside from eggs?

 

[cesare]

Another question (sorry)

What would the vegetarian want as an alternative to a bacon baguette aside from eggs?

Falafel and hummous wrap.

 

[rich!]

Question...

I have never had a gluten free roll/baguette. Are they so different from gluten baguettes that the glutenavores would notice/care?

Almost all of them are noticeably different-if offered gluten-free bread that is too good, I suspect shenanigans...

However, batter made with Dove Farm self-raising g/f flour is pretty good. Some people recommend using sparkling mineral water in it, too...