Veg on the Edge

Plant power!

No mushed-up vegetable patties here Vegetarianism and Veganism are booming in Wales. You only need to take a look at any number of insta-feeds to see it. Veg fan Meryl Cubley does some meat-free munching.

Who’d have thought it? Latest figures show over 35,000 of us have gone Vegan in Wales and Cardiff has the highest proportion of veggies of any city in the UK. So here’s our round-up of what’s cooking on the veg and vegan scene - right now.

Beat the hangover - Vegan Style

Grazing Shed

When you’ve had a big night out, a quinoa salad with pea shoots and chia seeds just isn’t going to cut it. But never fear, there’s a gaggle of places serving up seriously filthy vegan food, perfect for getting you over the night before - or filling your belly on the way home! Greazy Vegan (Castle Arcade, Cardiff; 07432 726091; www.greazyvegan.com) finally opened its doors in September, and boy, was it worth the wait. The Vacon Double Cheese Burger is loaded up with two meat-style burgers (no mushed-up vegetable patties here) as well as stacks of ‘bacon’ and ‘cheese’. It’s the absolute best, but the Chickun Royale and the Vegan Doner Kebab come close second and third. Then the team at Grazing Shed (07599 882363; www.thegrazingshed.com) have expanded to four locations across Cardiff. Vegan highlights are Matt Pritchard’s (of Dirty Sanchez fame) Dirty Burger and the Vegan Wah Wah, with cashew nut cream. ‘Cheesy’ chips, made with Grazing Shed’s own secret vegan cheese recipe are not to be missed either. Feeling not quite ‘that’ dirty? Try The Lazy Leek (183A Kings Rd, Cardiff; 029 2022 5270 www.lazyleek.co.uk) They specialise in vegan street food, but everything’s prepared from scratch using fresh, mainly organic ingredients.

Save our pubs - with plant power!

Dylan Jones, the landlord of the White Swan Inn, (Stryd Yr Ysgol, Llanon, Ceredigion; 01974 202721 www.whiteswaninn.co.uk) thinks plant power may be the way forward for pubs. Takings really picked up aft er they added more vegan and veggie dishes to their menu. Th e dishes are going down a storm - including a vegan option on the hot and spicy Th ursday Curry Nights. Th ere’s even a vegan option on the Christmas menu. It’s a philosophy Th e Golden Lion, in Magor (Village Square, Magor, Monmouthshire 01633 880312 www.thegoldenlionmagor.co.uk) shares. Th eir vegan menu is imaginative and inventive - try the pan fried ‘sea tofu’ scallops, served with pea mash and topped off with crispy seaweed. You can quaff vegan booze alongside, which is a cause for celebration alone: no sulphates = less hangovers! And if you’re in Lisvane, south Wales, head for the Old Cottage pub (Cherry Orchard Rd, Nr. Coed y Felin Wood, Lisvane; www.oldcottagecardiff .co.uk). Th e menu features no less than three vegan starters, fi ve mains and a bunch of sides and desserts. Perfect for a treat aft er a walk around Coed y Felin Wood. White Swan Inn

Anyone for a social?

A while back Charlie Berry, of the Brontosaurus Vegan Lifestyle Store in Swansea (07707 320442; www.facebook.com/brontosaurusvegan) started arranging a bi-monthly Vegan Mini Market in the centre of Swansea Indoor Market. From there grew a partnership with Unit Nineteen (Little Wind Street; 01792 655264; www.unitnineteen.co.uk) and a bi-monthly Vegan Social Night there soon followed. You’ll fi nd both sweet and savoury vegan treats to try, 100% vegan bar and live music. Both are free and everyone is welcome. Th e Warren in Carmarthen (11 Mansel St; 01267236079; www.warrenmanselst.co.uk) was also born when two personalities collided. Th is time a chef and an organic farmer. Chef Deri Reed and his business partners decided to run events on Th ursday evenings, alongside their very tasty vegan menu options. Th ey’ve proved a humongous success and include pub quizzes, open mic nights, street food events and supper clubs. And then if you fancy a knees-up in west Wales, you can tap your toes to tunes from local bards as you chew on sophisticated veggie and vegan dishes at Th e Mulberry Bush in Lampeter (2 Bridge St; 01570 423317; www.mulberrywholefoods.co.uk/gb). The Golden Lion “Sea Tofu“

Try the pan fried ‘sea tofu’ scallops, pea mash and crispy seaweed

Ice Green

Do you have a sweet tooth?

It’s not just junk food, you know. There’s a real thing going on with desserts too. The gang at Ice Green, Cardigan (07449 929295; www.facebook.com/ VeganIceGreen) scoop out yummy vegan ice cream, served from an equally gorgeous vintage caravan. They are now looking into a hemp seed base for their ice creams, which will give them a big green environmental tick too. Fancy cake? (We love a good thick slice.) The guys at Simply V (26 Castle Arcade; www.simply-v.co.uk) make spectacular occasion cakes. They’re so good even your meat-eating mates will love them. And get this for an unusual combo: Anna and Oliver recently set up the CaribSwede Vegan Bakery Company (01495 321 808; www.caribswede-foodanddrink.com) in the south Wales valleys combining their Scandi-Caribbean heritage to create all kinds of sultry sweet things. They even offer courses in Vegan baking and cooking. And even if you don’t live nearby, Uncle Albert’s Cake and Ice Cream Emporium (High Street, Borth; 01970 871166) in north mid Wales is worth a detour. Along with loads of savoury delights there’s a mind-boggling selection of sweet treats, ice creams and vegan cakes. It’s all super good for the planet too: the shop has eco-electricity, has never stocked plastic and has fully compostable take away containers

‘DIRT’ Herbivore

Fine Dining if you please!

CaribSwede

Looking for something a little more special? Then head to new monthly vegetarian supper club, ‘DIRT’ (www.dirtpopup.com) guaranteed to tease and tantalise the taste buds, with a seed-to-supper approach. Expect six courses, from chef John Cook - formerly head chef at Arbennig, Pontcanna - working with a sophisticated, seasonal and local menu. November sees DIRT at Oscars in Cowbridge and Nest in Rhiwbina. In December the pop up will be at Cosy Lounge in Porthcawl, followed by Pettigrew Tearooms and Bloc Coffee in Cardiff. Still not satisfied? Try Herbivore at the Embassy Café, (Cathays, Cardiff 029 2037 3144 www.theherbivore.co.uk) in residence at the weekends, with dishes such as Miso Mushroom and Leek Risotto, Peanut Slaw and Soba Noodles. Milgi (City Road, Cardiff www.milgicardiff.com) offers an incredibly tasty and filling menu for vegans and vegetarians. Try the Arancini Balls and the Wild Mushroom Lasagne. If you really want a treat, head to Tremeifion Vegetarian and Vegan Hotel (Soar Road, Talsarnau, Gwynedd, LL47 6UH www.tremeifionvegetarianhotel.co.uk) a hotel and restaurant solely committed to plant-power dishes that will make even the meat-eaters jealous. Try the Sorrel and Hazelnut Soup to start - then make a toast whilst choosing mouth-watering-mains with a selection of high-end vegan wines and beers. Or finally, try Caffi lechyd Da in Carmarthen (www.facebook.com/iechyddacarmarthen) which regularly serves excellent vegetarian and vegan dishes - as well as holding special events with delectable dishes such as Buckwheat and Fennel Seed Bites with crispy Kale and Damson dipping sauce.