Tag Archives: Meat Free Mondays

#TastyMorsels: Veggie and Vegan friendly Happenings and new openings. 

Posted in Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Meat free monday, Stratford Upon Avon, Tasty Morsels, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie, Warwickshire, Warwickshire restaurants, Wolverhampton by



Stirchley Vegan Summer Fair is happening this Sunday. With 50+ stalls from cakes and cheese, to animal friendly products including fashion, it’s going to be a good day. ChangeKitchen CIC will be providing the food at Stirchley Baths and Two Towers Brewery the drinks. 

They’ll have a fantastic array of delicious food to tempt you, including BBQ wings, pizza, Thai curry, burgers, their lovely healthy salads & hot & cold drinks. 

Drinks from Two Towers Brewery include:

Baskerville Bitter 3.8% 
Electric Ale 4.1% 

Hockley Gold 4.1% 

Completely Muppetry 4.3%

Vork pies from Nottingham will also be in attendance with their pies including Piri Piri and butternut squash. Hot or cold. 

Veggie Foodie favourites Mex it up will also be there as will Greens Vegan Catering. 

There will also be talks and food demos. 

Photo courtesy of Vork pies

Free entry from 10.30am to 4pm on the 7th May at Stirchley Baths, Stirchley.

Though not a purely Vegetarian restaurant in the slightest Salt has opened in Stratford Upon Avon. It’s a cause for celebration in my book and a restaurant to keep an eye on this year. It’s also completely Kickstarter funded. 

Paul Foster is the head chef. Well known for  his well executed food focusing on seasonal humble ingredients combined with foraged produce and locally picked herbs which become gastronomically pleasing, 

Initially from Coventry he had recently been the head chef of Mallory Court bear Leamington Spa but did wonders before at Tuddenhan Mill in Suffolk. 

Salt always have a separate veggie menu available which has a tasting menu and a 2 choice 3 course option. The dinner menu is £32 for three courses and £25 for two. The tasting menu is £57. 

Dishes such as slow cooked celeriac, black garlic, sprouting broccoli and pickled shallots and Wye Valley Asparagus and pea salad, Truffled goats curd, sourdough.

Also on tasting menu is a salt baked beetroot and seed and grain risotto with pickled and confit shallot and a Asparagus with lovage oil and crispy panko.

 Sounds delicious. 

For full menus below: 

Thanks to Paul for sending me the menu photo.

One to keep an eye on and on my hit list to visit this year. 

Salt is now open on Church Street in Stratford Upon Avon. 

https://www.salt-restaurant.co.uk/

Wahaca is set to open in Birmingham on 13 Temple Street later this year which is great news for Veggies as their menus are full of tempting Mexican veggie friendly choices. I’m getting a season ticket.

He’s my review from London last year: 

https://t.co/ZGOYLI9ovf

Watch this space for more details later this year. 


50% off all Vegetarian and Vegan dishes every Monday at all Soul Food Project Sites. That’s Peel and Stone in Jewellery Quarter and Harborne and The Church pub in Jewellery Quarter. Plus free selected cake with any vegetarian or vegan sandwich. 

Izza Pizza is open at Selfridges. Owned by the guys who run Veggie Foodie favourites Lasan and Raja Monkey. Thin crust pizzas made from special flour imported from Italy. Try their Margherita, and a luxurious one with truffles and mushrooms. Pizzas from £8. 

Also try The Woodhouse pizzeria on Ladypool Road at the old Brighton Arms pub site in Balsall Heath. 

Neoplolitan pizza including traditional pizzas such as Quattro formagi (Four cheeses) and Margherita. 

Plus Vegetariana with San Marzano tomatoes, Mozzarella, aubergines, peppers, mushrooms and basil and Fileto a white base pizza with cherry tomatoes mozzarella and Basil and Marinara tomatoes, garlic, oregano and basil and the classic Forte with goats cheese and sun dried tomatoes. Lovely! 

There’s also a lovely children’s menu. 

When pizzas are done well there are very few finer things in life with a cool beer. 

http://www.woodhousepizzeria.co.uk/

And veggie superstars Mr Singhs are opening up in Wolverhampton. Watch this space. 

Lucky Wolves. 

It’s also National Vegetarian Week from the 15th-21st May. Stay tuned for more. 



Oh and Guinness has just become Vegan and Veggie Friendly! Hurray. 

Thanks for reading, 

Andy 😊

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Ciderfest at Bitters N’Twisted and Meat Free Monday’s at Marmalade. 

Posted in beer, Festivals, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

   Meat free Monday: 

Paneer Tika and Pea Samosas with Homemade pineapple marmalade. With Blind Pig Cider 

 

Meat Free Monday: 

Edaname  hummus, shiitake mushrooms, coconut crisps and grissini bread.  

  

Meat Free Monday: 

Beetroot, feta croustade with wilted spinach buerre blanc 

Marmalade at The Birmingham Rep has introduced Meat Free Monday food specials to its menu every Monday. Above are examples of previous dishes with a different dish (s) every week. 

Meat free Monday’s are a national initiate to help people have one meat free day a week to highlight the impact that eating meat has on the planet and our carbon footprint. 

http://www.meatfreemondays.com/

Marmalade has always offered a good selection of Vegetarian dishes, so this addition is to be welcomed. Keep an eye on social media for the Meat Free Monday dishes every week. 

   
    
 Vegetarian dishes at Marmalade. 
Previous review of Marmalade. 

https://vegiefoodie.com/2015/02/20/review-marmalade-bistro-at-the-birmingham-rep-theatre/

  
   
   
Cider fest is back for its 5th year. 

 After previous successful summer festivals, independent Bitters ‘n Twisted Venues are on a mission to unite even more cider drinkers as its fifth annual Ciderfest runs throughout its venues throughout August. 
 The Victoria on John Bright St, The Jekyl and Hyde based on Steelhouse Lane, both located in the city centre, have been joined by Jewellery Quarter based The Rose Villa Tavern and Harborne’s The New Inn for a month long celebration of all things cider. 

New to the Birmingham bar scene, Marmalade , will be taking part too from their home in Birmingham’s Repertory Theatre.

 Ciders on offer range from traditional apple based scrumpy’s to lighter fruity modern ones, served straight up or over ice creating the perfect drink for when the sun comes out. Expected favourites include Maeloc Dry Cider, made in Spain using traditional methods for a crisp flavoursome taste. 

Also Blind Pig, a new cider to the market offering a mix of cider and rum in their not-for-the-fight-hearted Rum and Poached Pear Cider.

 The month long celebration will come to an end with the free Ciderfest Closing Party – an afternoon of cider drinking, live music and BBQ food hosted in the beautiful New Inn’s beer garden from 2pm on Bank Holiday Monday, August 31st.

Ciderfest kicks off at the start of August and will carry on until the end of the month at the Victoria, The Jekyll & Hyde, Marmalade, The Rose Villa Tavern and The New Inn.
   
    
 Garden at The New Inn
Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

Cafe Opus ‘Meat Free Monday’s

Posted in Cafés and Restaurants by

Oh how I love Opus Restaurant in the
Colmore Business District part of Birmingham City Centre. I’ve always felt that this superb restaurant is a vegetarian’s friend. They delight in their ingredients and are serious about sourcing their fruit and vegetables locally. Market fresh, the humble vegetable becomes exalted with the respect and balanced flavours they deserve. How lucky we are!

So, to be invited by Opus Restaurant’s little sister Cafe Opus at the Ikon Gallery in Brindley Place to sample their ‘Meat Free Monday weekly changing supper menu was a delight myself and my wife couldn’t turn down.

Now that’s an idea I like, no meat on a Monday, even a Tuesday or a Wednesday, well you get my drift! Meat Free Monday’s are a superb idea (see previous posting) to encourage people to reduce their meat intake for one day a week, a Monday no less, a good start to the week!

Cafe Opus in Brindley Place is on the ground floor of the Ikon Gallery and they seem to creatively meet perfectly. The cafe has a south facing terrace which has a heated terrace and is superbly Mediterranean in the sunshine. The cafe features unfussy dishes sourced from high quality producers throughout the British Isles, local farms and local fruit and vegetables.

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The food we are on the night from the Meat Free Monday supper club menu may not be the same every week as the menu changes weekly.

On the evening we began with the Tomato Soup, which was lovely my wife says, tasty fresh, with a quality robust tomato flavour.

I enjoyed to start the onion bhaji with a lovely mint raita, they were lovely, handmade with a good fresh flavour with a cooling raita.

To follow my wife chose a wild mushroom and leek risotto which she found to be lovely, creamy and well made with a real mushroomy flavour that lifted the dish perfectly. Superb she said.

I loved my main course, the spinach, blue cheese, walnut quiche new potatoes and a spring salad. This dish tasted of spring, with a good blue cheese flavour that complimented the spinach. Beneath I was impressed by a lovely buttery short cyst pastry, lovely.

To follow for desert I chose off the specials board a pineapple upside down cake with pouring cream which was well made and finished the meal off well.

Our meal at Cafe Opus was superb. Each dish was well flavoured simple vegetarian food made with good balanced ingredients and showing a care and respect for the source and the environment.

The service was lovely throughout, efficient and friendly and came over as been passionate about the cafe and its food.

The

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We found the decor to be lovely, the cafe is very relaxed and works well particularly with the sun streaming in a light room. The terrace is a bonus for happy days- whether Monday, Tuesday, happy days, Meat Free Monday's have arrived in Birmingham and its a bonus that its at Cafe Opus.

www.opusrestaurant.co.uk
Cafeopus@outlook.com
0121 248 3226

Disclosure: our meal was complimentary all opinions expressed are my honest and own opinion.

Cafe Opus serves an all day menu from Monday to Saturday and brunch on a Sunday.
It also serves coffee, cake, Teas and carafes of wine.

It also serves afternoon tea and has an extensive children's menu.

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Prashad ‘Indian vegetarian cooking’ Kaushy Patel

Posted in Books, Cafés and Restaurants by

We are now into the second day of National Vegetarian week in the Uk and I wanted to draw your attention to a superb vegetarian cookery book that I have recently discovered.

Indian food is my all time favourite, when it comes to dining out and cooking at home. I have always felt it is the cuisine that has the most options for veggies, and with Thai has that stimulus of flavours to tempt deeper indulgence.

Prashad is a small Indian restaurant in Bradford that is family run and a place that I very much would like to visit. It was voted the ‘Best runner up’ by Gordon Ramsay on his TV show Ramsay’s best restaurant 2010. This has brought the culinary skill of Kaushy Patel and her family to the attention to the whole of the UK and not just Yorkshire.

Having just discovered this delicious cookbook of 100 recipes, ranging from snacks/street food, starters, mains, rice, breads, sides and deserts, I thought I would mention it as a vegetarian success story that many meat eaters would also appreciate. The recipes in this book that brings authentic Indian cooking into your kitchen, is ideal for those who are not just vegetarian, vegan, but for those who want to reduce their meat intake and may be tempted by Meat Free Monday’s.

Recipes such as Cinamon spice chick pea curry, cauliflower and pea curry and the delicious chaat (king of street food) that are within its pages would tempt anyone.

At the end of the book is a meal planner that is also very useful.

Prashad ‘Indian vegetarian cooking’ can be brought from the usual retailers and is excellent value for a book with so many veggie recipes in it. One for everyone, I think that loves spicy food.

Prashad Indian vegetarian cuisine
137 Whitehall Road
Drighlington
BD 11 1AT
01113 285 2037
http://www.prashad.co.uk
@prashad_veggie

National Vegetarian Week 19-25th May 2014 and Meat Free Monday’s Birmingham.

Posted in Bars and Pubs, Cafés and Restaurants by

A bumper week of veggie delights is on offer this week.

In case you don’t know this week 19th-25th May is National Vegetarian week. Veggie week is in its 22nd Year and was designed to promote inspirational food and the benefits of a meat free life style. http://www.nationalvegetarianweek.org

In Birmingham we have three vegetarian restaurants that serve a complete meat free menu.

Bistro 1847 is in Birmingham city centre near Snow Hill Station and serves modern, British dishes alongside cocktails, wines, spirits and beers. All menus are vegetarian. They have special set menus and a supper club that runs from time to time. See website for details.

Veg out Cafe in Kings Heath in South Birmingham serves organic vegetarian food all day, and does a super menu on Friday and Saturday evening. See previous review.

The Warehouse cafe is located in Birmingham City Centre in the Digbeth area near the Custard Factory. It is located in the Friends of the Earth building and serves fresh, organic, vegetarian and vegan dishes at affordable prices.

Also,

Moor Hall Hotel and Spa in Sutton Coldfield is doing a special 20% off all vegetarian main courses from the Oak Room and Bar menus all this week.

Meat Free Monday’s is an initiative to not eat meat for one day a week in order to make a world of difference.

The plan is to:

-Help our beautiful planet

-Be healthy and happy

-Save the pennies

-Think of the animals

Their webiste http://www.meatfreemonday’s.com have numerous recipes as well as the full ethos and is endorsed by Sir Paul McCartney amongst others.

Cafe Opus at the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham City Centre serve a meat free Monday menu only every Monday and have been doing so for numerous weeks now. It is well worth dropping by. The menu changes every week. Keep an eye on twitter and their website for details. This is a great day/night out for all vegetarians and meat eaters alike.

See my review of meat free Monday’s at Cafe Ikon coming soon.

Also Pop up Dosa will be having a special dosa fest at Ort Cafe in Balsall Heath/Moseley area on Saturday 24th May between 12-3pm. Go aloon for a good selection of veggie dosas.

Update: I have received an email from Bistro 1847 advising that there will be 50% off their a la carte menu from today, the 21st May until Saturday 24th May. You must book directly on their website http://www.bistro1847.com and show the email ‘Enjoy National vegetarian week with 50% off’ to your server.

You can subscribe for emails on their website. Hopefully you will receive this email, with the details.

If anyone knows of other special events, menus or foodie initiatives that are linked to National Vegetarian Week in Birmingham or Meat Free Monday’s please let me know or leave a comment at the bottom of the post.

Whatever, you do though have a good veggie week.

 

Bistro 1847

http://www.Bistro1847.co.uk

0121 236 2313

@Bistro1847

26 Great Western Arcade, Birmingham City Centre (opposite Snow Hill Station)

 

Veg Out Cafe

46 Poplar Road, Kings Heath Birmingham

0121 441 3802

@cafevegout

The Warehouse Cafe

@warehouse_cafe

54-57 Allison Street Birmingham B5 5TH

0121 633 0261

 

Moor Hall hotel and spa, Sutton Coldfield

0121 308 3571

http://www.moorhallhotel.co.uk