RESTAURANT 0earty, wholesome fare at 0erbies

HERBIES

Hearty, nourishing food make this the perfect restaurant for a restorative lunch on a cold, wintery day By Harriet Noble

Truly international cuisine’ is a phrase that’s often bandied about by restaurants and plonked on their websites. As well as sounding like a rather generic sentence, it’s also one that is highly unlikely to be true. If Herbies were to put this on their website however, you’d be hard pushed to disagree.

A quick glance at the menu reveals a whistle stop tour of the globe. You’ve got burgers, nachos, baba ghanoush, dahl, tzatziki, tagine, Thai curry, pizza and 5editerranean platters. <here¼s also healthy stuff teeming with veg like their buddha bowls and super green salads, as well as naughty stuff like 0eaven in ,evon, the ,evon fudge ice cream, chocolate brownie and vanilla sauce affair topped with clotted cream.

It’s quite the cosy scene in Herbies, especially on this nippy day where Exeter folk are nipping out of the oٻce on their lunch break to see a friend – they come in, take off their hats, gloves and scarves and are soon slurping on their soup, dipping in great chunks of bread and hugging mugs of hot chocolate. If there is one thing better than feeling cosy it might be watching other people enjoying being cosy.

The vibe here is also friendly and informal with art from local artists hanging on the wall, a sprinkling of hanging fairy lights, and indie music and the odd bit of The Beatles playing in the background. When everything at this time of year can feel a bit jarring, this is a place that soothes.

And today I’m in no mood for any of the healthy salads, all I want is something that’s going to make me forget that I didn’t layer up sensibly this morning. I begin with two starters: the white bean and pistachio pâté and the artichoke and wild mushroom risotto.

The pâté is a marvellous Mediterranean mouthful, with lemon, olive oil and a generous portion of garlic chucked in; it’s been vigorously puréed too so that it is super silky. ,olloped onto a toasted flatbread, you¼ve got the creamiest, smoothest topping.

The risotto, my personal favourite dish here, is an equally smooth number that feels really decadent.

“The risotto is a smooth, decadent number”

The artichokes and mushrooms come al dente, nestled in arborio rice which is seeped in rich truټe oil with parsley, onions and even more garlic.

I don’t normally go for risotto; I am part of the “every mouthful tastes the same!” moaning brigade but this dish makes me do a u-turn on this thought. When every mouthful is so delicious who wants anything different' It is really filling though so the gang here kindly pack up the unfinished meal and put in a doggy bag which I enjoy later for supper that evening.

The Thai green curry that I have for my main is a packed plate of your five-a-day, while the side salad is a creatively put together bowl which comes with shredded carrots, cabbage, puy lentils and lettuce.

Sadly I have no room for the Heaven in Devon pudding, I am feeling decidedly full – note to others, the starter portions are very generous – but I have not a shred of guilt because I’ve also consumed shed loads of nourishing, and delicious, veggie goodness at Herbies. If the cold has got in your bones this winter, I strongly suggest making a beeline for Herbies. ■

DINING DETAILS Herbies restaurant, 15 North Street Exeter, Devon, EX4 3QS; www.herbiesrestaurant.co.uk In a nutshell A cosy vegetarian restaurant, offering brunch, lunch and supper I ate Artichoke and wild mushroom risotto, white bean and pistachio pâté; and Thai green vegetable curry Prices Starters £2.50 - £6.50; mains £11.25 - £12.75; puds £4.50- £7.50 Drinks Good selection of soft drinks, teas/coffees, wine and local beers

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