Any signs of World Vegetarian Week (19-25th May) in ED?

[HonaloochieB]

Charles Manson definitely was though.

[snoozequeen1]

SteveT Wrote:

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> As there is a curry club, why not a veggie club,

> where forumistas use there clout and book

> restaurants that will cook veggie's for a night

> and then we shall know which is potentially the

> most imaginative veggie restaurant for further

> use.

Sounds good, a sort of grow-your-own-veggie-restaurant. Is an EDT veggie night on then to kick off?

[Asset]

ocado website mentions it on front page

[James]

Lordship Lane is a bit behind the times when it comes to good veggie places.

However I tried Hisar's new little cafe place the other day (next to the restaurant) and to my surprise they had some great veggie stuff - including delicious falafels.

Am still waiting for that veggie-friendly Vietnamese we were promised (fingers crossed)...

[lozzyloz]

Perhaps we could celebrate Veggie week by trying out a new vegetable dish every day. Korean Mung bean pancake anyone?

[DaveR]

"Korean Mung bean pancake anyone?"

Yup, love them. Had pancakes, along with bulgogi, bibimbap and loads of kimchi as a post-theatre meal recently here - good food and v cheap. Not at all vegetarian, obviously.

[James]

Sounds quite nice! Do you have the recipe Lozzyloz? Must confess, although I am a vegetarian I have never tried 'Korean mung bean pancake.' I must be in the minority...

[snoozequeen1]

James Wrote:

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> Lordship Lane is a bit behind the times when it

> comes to good veggie places.

>

> However I tried Hisar's new little cafe place the

> other day (next to the restaurant) and to my

> surprise they had some great veggie stuff -

> including delicious falafels.

>

> Am still waiting for that veggie-friendly

> Vietnamese we were promised (fingers crossed)...

Am probably missing something really obvious here, but just wondering why there still seem to be far fewer veggie restaurants than could happily cater for vegetarians?

Also why would say, eg Food for Thought, in Covent Garden, never want to expand, since it is always packed and seems to an observer to be reproducable? The Cranks restaurants (never liked the name) closed although they always seemed busy. Surely if one opened in ED it would have very large catchment area?

[James]

I have also been wondering about this. Given ED's demographic you'd imagine there'd be at least one veggie place. Crystal Palace has two, even Streatham has one!

Anyone reading this who's thinking of opening one locally PLEASE DO! Am so tired of having to go elsewhere or put up with a solitary dull option involving ricotta or mushrooms.

[*Bob*]

I'd imagine that opening a vegetarian restaurant is even more fraught with peril than opening any other sort of restaurant.

True, there's an instant hardcore of potential clientele on tap, but because eating out is so often group experience, getting repeat business from a 'mixed' group would prove difficult - beyond the obligatory "I'll give a go because my vegetarian (*rolls eyes*) friend really wants to go".

The simple fact is that too many people feel cheated if they've been to a restaurant but haven't found meat on the menu.

A cafe is a much better idea than a restaurant. There are plenty of meat-eaters who want to feel healthy at lunchtime so they can feel better about stuffing their faces with flesh come the evening.

[Brendan]

I reckon you could get away with a place that isn?t actually a vegetarian restaurant but just a vegetarian biased restaurant.

[*Bob*]

Brendan Wrote:

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> I reckon you could get away with a place that

> isn?t actually a vegetarian restaurant but just a

> vegetarian biased restaurant.

So, essentially, a non-vegetarian restaurant then?

Great! I'll have the steak, please, Brendan.

[James]

Places like Franklin's and the Palmerston with their lack of provision for veggies don't get my custom - ever. Nor that of my vegetarian friends. They are missing out by failing to provide for us. Many of the places that offer a dull single veggie option don't get my business either, as I would feel cheated!

Don't forget there are a lot of us veggies about. Judging by the numbers of veggies who post on here complaining about lack of options locally it seems pretty clear to me that a decent veggie place would not struggle for business.

Other similar parts of London have them ( e.g. Camden, Hammersmith, Stoke Newington, Chiswick). East Dulwich is a bit of an oddity lacking one.

[lozzyloz]

I reckon an eaterie like Saf could work in ED (I believe they're looking to add more restaurants) and perhaps replace one of the bog standard Indian restaurants on LL with a good South Indian Restaurant aka Ganapati without the meat and fish.

[snoozequeen1]

*Bob* Wrote:

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>getting repeat business

> from a 'mixed' group would prove difficult -

> beyond the obligatory "I'll give a go because my

> vegetarian (*rolls eyes*) friend really wants to

> go".

>

> The simple fact is that too many people feel

> cheated if they've been to a restaurant but

> haven't found meat on the menu.

My boyfriends converted to veggiedom. Blokes will do anything for a snog.

We are into mutual incomprehension when you talk of - quote - being cheated if you don't eat meat.

Is that cultural? Can it really be a hangover from centuries old snobberies?

And if so why do people who shudder with horror at similar attitudes, still cling to the "if it's not meat it's not food" routine? I associate that with bullet-headed tatooed persons who can't get through the week without thumping something.

[*Bob*]

Not talking about myself, Snooze.

I'm not a veggie.. but I'm a half veggie, I suppose and an enthusiastic veg cook too (I went halfway during a twelve-year run of vegetarian girlfriends, all very mediocre cooks.. so that proves your theory to a certain extent. Me beeg dumb man hur-ur-ur..)

I don't think it's a case of shuddering with horror, or being unenlightened. It's just a case of people liking meat.

Meat may be murder, but it sure is nice.

[macroban]

> Given ED's demographic you'd imagine there'd be at least one veggie place.

I can't get the numbers on the back of an envelope to work.

Can anyone else?

[demery]

To quote Dennis Leary

"Eggplant tastes like eggplant....but meat tastes like murder and murder tastes pretty God damn good, doesn't it?"

I'm certainly no bullet headed tatoo merchant eiterh and generally only eat in moderation. However, I'll take umbridge with anyone who tries tell me chickens deserve the same rights as humans ...

[Brendan]

What I was saying is most vegetarians are not militant, meat-is-murder revolutionaries but rather just folks who for their own reasons choose not to eat meat.

Plus most of us who eat meat do not demand it whenever we go out. If there is an appetising veggy option we are just as likely to order it.

So a restaurant that specialises in good vegetarian food but still offers one or two meat dishes should do pretty well.

As soon as something singles itself out as one or the other it just limits itself and brings up this whole evangelistic vegetarian vs indignant carnivore nonsense.

[James]

Love your insights Snoozequeen!

The thing I really can't work out is why a certain kind of straight male (for they almost always are straight men) get all twitchy and defensive when you mention vegetarianism.

As if eating meat is somehow essential and manly and virile... yeah, how virile a pot belly and chronic heart disease is. Almost as virile as the process of buying a chicken from a supermarket, or ordering a steak. Wow, what a man you have to be to eat a steak!

Personally I find those who show empathy and respect for animals are far more courageous and intelligent than those who just brainlessly say "Yum! I like meat" without thinking about the consequences of their lifestyle.

[*Bob*]

So.. what have we learnt, people?

1. Eating vegetables with enthusiasm can help you get your end away.

2. If you get all get defensive about going to a vegetarian restaurant, you might be a homophobe, or perhaps a closet homosexual.

This is all so informative!

[snoozequeen1]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> So.. what have we learnt, people?

>

We have learned that the veggie sisterhood (12 year run!) let you get away, apparently due to the lamentable mediocrity of our cooking, and you (presumably) have fallen under the spell of a culinarily gifted carnivore.

Now you see, if only there had been a veggie restaurant in ED, you might have had a decent meal often enough to avoid this regrettable fate (although I'm sure your missus is a lovely person, blood-drenched teeth-and-claws apart).

[*Bob*]

Mrs *Bob* is an abysmal cook - possibly the worst of the lot.

Me, on the other hand? Weeell.. my spinach and mascarpone gnocchi with red pepper and chilli puree are pretty darned good.

All I have to do now is pluck-up the courage to tell her I'm gay.

[demery]

Hey James

Don't think anyone was suggesting meat eating makes one more virile, clearly it has positive effects on ones sense of humour though.

Eating meat can be part of a healthy lifestyle. And as far as empathy for animals, don't confuse animal rights with animal welfare.

So far on this page, meat eating equates too

1) A lifestyle with blatant disregard for one's own health, the welfare of animals or the welfare of the planet

2) Personal grooming bias towards skin heads and tattoo's

3) Having a fat gut

In that case, I may as well get a Millwall ticket and drive weekly to the ground in a Hummer, as I've been known to eat Foie Gras and am certainly pro vivesection. Suspect that's a debate for another thread though!

For what it's worth, my favourite veggie restaurant is Kastoori in Tooting. Fantastic indo come sri lankan food at bargain prizes. Something similar would go down a storm on LL I'm sure

[lozzyloz]

Vegetables have feelings too

http://www.naturez.org/images/vegetables-12.jpg