20 October 2014 | Food | By: Sejal Sukhadwala

In this series, we review restaurants from an entirely vegetarian angle. While some restaurants will be specifically vegetarian, others will be mainstream. Well be tasting everything from veggie burgers, to posh meat-free menus. Along the way, well try to find out, as far as possible, whether chicken stock, cheese made from animal rennet, gelatine, fish sauce and so on are not lurking in the supposedly vegetarian dishes.

Raw zucchini rolls

Raw vegan is the fastest growing category of meat-free restaurants in London. Whereas a new vegetarian venue opens only once in a while, raw vegan places no doubt blessed by the glittering stardust of celebrity diets seem to pop up every few months. But whats the food like? To put it politely, its variable. Weve been eating at some of the capitals newer raw vegan cafs recently purely in the name of research, mind but have been sorely disappointed. The wide-eyed, over-zealous, cult-like connotations of many are off-putting to those whore not part of the raw food community. One raw sorry, living food restaurant, for instance, issues a full separate glossary of activated ingredients (no, we have no idea what it means either) used in its menus. Were sceptical, at best, of the raw movements health claims. And then theres the food.

If youre not used to them, raw vegan analogues of cooked dishes just dont taste good. (A friend recently pointed out that it works the other way, too: to a raw vegan, something like cheese on toast might taste vile. Fair enough). So cheese made from nuts, for instance, can be stodgy and tastes far from cheesy; coconut in various guises used in place of dairy gives a fatty mouthfeel; and breads and pastry made from nuts and seeds often taste rancid and have too-brittle texture. Ingredients often appear to be randomly thrown together based on their alleged health properties rather than any regard to taste. Their overpowering flavours and textures would, quite frankly, benefit from being toned down with the application of heat.

However, this is not the case at the RAW restaurant at La Suite West.Like other Anouska Hempel hotels, this chic boutique place in Bayswater boasts minimal design, all stark dark woods, plain cream walls, glossy marble surfaces and clean lines. Other than a pretty landscaped terrace outside, its much more understated and less showy than her other venues. While London was otherwise engaged during the Olympics, RAW quietly opened in the summer of 2012. The small oriental-influenced dining room, moodily lit with retro angular lamps, is suffused with Zen-like stillness and tranquillity.

Despite its name, the restaurant serves raw as well as cooked dishes, and we tried a mixture of both. The raw ones (here defined as not heated above 42C/ 118F degrees) are clearly marked with R, and ones containing gluten with a G. Compared to other similar restaurants, the menu is refreshingly free of weird ingredients like cordyceps and xylitol. Even more refreshingly, it doesnt make any health claims and lets the food do the talking. Beautifully presented zucchini rolls are crisp, wafer-thin ribbons of raw courgettes twirled around slivers of sweet peppers and crunchy sunflower seeds, strewn with red micro shoots and accompanied by mild, creamy avocado pt. Its a pleasant rather than an exciting dish, but the light, fresh flavours get the meal off to a good start.

Eggless pumpkin souffl is made by cooking down the squash with onions and garlic to a thick pure, so that it acquires a fluffy souffl-like texture. Its sweet, mellow taste benefits from the earthy blast of shiitake mushrooms, though the accompanying sesame-herb emulsion is a touch too sharp.

Next is wild spinach gnocchi with spicy tomato sauce, mint leaves and pine nuts. Is the spinach really wild? we asked, intrigued, and were met with a brisk yes, madam. (Service is serious and rather elegant here). The soft, pillowy dumplings come with a pool of flavoursome (though not spicy) tomato sauce and generous amounts of pine nuts, the verdant freshness of mint making the dish come together. Its underseasoned though, and much improved after a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Raw golden beet ravioli is more stridently flavoured: crisp discs of beetroot with crunchy almonds and the fruity sweetness of dates are paired with broccoli and ginger pesto, and the persistently warm pepperiness of ginger comes through loud and clear.

To finish, orange and date cheesecake, on a hefty (but miraculously un-stodgy) nutty-tasting base has a bright citrus flavour, but the over-enthusiastic sprinkling of bitter-tasting raw orange zest on top is superfluous. The cheese here is made from coconut butter, but its deliciously mellow and creamy, with none of the fatty aftertaste that you often get with this ingredient. Passion fruit bavarois with caramel sauce is wonderfully mild and tangy. No alcohol is served; but theres an imaginative list of properly-mixed mocktails and soft drinks.

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Vegetarian London: RAW At La Suite West Health Food With Taste

By Joe Yonan Editor, Food and Travel October 20 at 8:54 AM

If you want a treatise on authentic chilaquiles, the Mexican skillet dish of fried tortillas, salsa, cheese and sometimes a fried egg, this isnt it. Instead, Im going to sing the praises of a dish with some of the same elements, and the same name, even though I have no doubt that some purist out there will question whether Im allowed to call it that at all.

You see, when I was growing up in West Texas, this was the way I usually saw chilaquiles: baked casserole style, rather than skillet-fried. It was a covered-dish potluck staple, right up there with seven-layer dip. In this version, the chips soak up the salsa while baking and meld into a single layer, making the dish the savory oven equivalent of ice box cake (in which cookies soak up cream in the refrigerator). You pack tortilla chips into a baking dish I like to use the same deep enamel-coated cast-iron pan I use for lasagna and then pour salsa over them.

None of it seems right while youre doing it, at least the first time: Too many chips, and too much sauce, and maybe not enough cheese, and how will it ever work? It does.

It takes well to additions and changes, too. In my childhood, it always included shredded chicken, but these days I throw chickpeas or other legumes in there. Ive varied the salsa between green and red, and I recently started adding steamed greens or other roasted vegetables.

Ive always made it with fried tortilla chips or fried my own to start with. But when I was faced with developing a recipe that includes a nutritional analysis, I thought better of it. Shouldnt I try using baked chips instead? It worked just as well and possibly a little better, as the tortillas came out slightly layered on the bottom rather than fused into a single mass.

In fall, youd think I might be inclined to go darker with the sauce as the days cool, but I prefer staying verde and using part of the glut of green tomatoes from my garden rather than the typical tomatillos. I also add roasted cubes of winter squash and a cup or two of cooked white beans.

On top, its always the same: Monterey Jack cheese, which gets all bubbly as the casserole cooks. Its hardly as traditional as queso fresco or cotija, but I suppose thats the point.

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Weeknight Vegetarian: A baked, Tex-Mex version of the classic chilaquiles

The 18th annual VegFest offers lectures, workshops and organic foods by Stephanie Hendarta | Sep 29 2014 | 09/29/14 3:43pm

Back for a successful 18th year, the Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival arrived with two simple goals: to spread the word about the benefits of plant-based diets and to teach the community ways to reconcile a modern lifestyle with the health of our planet. With its mouthwatering foods and interactive outdoor booths, this years festival exceeded expectations.

Lee Park, a quiet sanctuary one block from the Downtown Mall, was transformed into a bustling market for all things eco-friendly last Saturday. Families and students alike frequented the numerous booths at the park, including Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness, Wildlife Virginia and the Vegetarian Resource Group.

Elsa Spencer, a Charlottesville resident who volunteered to run the Vegetarian Resource Group booth, said she has been a participating vendor at the Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival for almost 10 years.

Were a resource group, so the whole point is to provide information to people ... not so much to sell things," she said. "Were more about answering questions like, My teenager is a vegan and Im worried about [his] iron levels.' I enjoy meeting people who come through who are genuinely interested in learning about veganism, vegetarianism or [who want to] become one but they encounter a stumbling block.

Spencer and other VegFest participants handed out educational materials some related to vegetarian diets and others related to the environment and animal rights.

The purpose of [the festival] itself ... is to promote [a] plant-based lifestyle, Fesitval Assistant Coordinator Eric Murphy said. [But] the environmental and animal justice movements are definitely tightly linked to vegetarianism because being a vegetarian is not only healthier for the body if it is a fitting diet for the individual. It is also easier on the environment.

Guest speakers held talks on plant-based athletic diets and genetically modified foods, in addition to lighter subjects, such as cooking demonstrations.

First-year Engineering student Nirali Jantrania dropped by the Charlottesville Vegetarian Market to hear Lorrie Delehanty, a laboratory manager at the Medical School, discuss genetically modified food.

In her talk, Delehanty discussed the history of GMOs, their rising popularity in the past 25 years and their positive and negative attributes.

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The Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival feeds body and mind

Beans and Barley for the win. Again. Published Oct. 19, 2014 at 10:05 a.m.

For the eighth straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee.com, presented by Locavore, the newest restaurant at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as the winners of our "Best of Dining 2014."

For more than three decades, Beans & Barley, 1901 E. North Ave., has served consistently good vegetarian soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees. It helped blaze a trail of vegetarian dining options, and continues to be a major East Side draw and, once again, the favorite of OnMilwaukee.com readers.

From its signature burritos which include a dairy-free option to sandwiches like the tempeh reuben and year-round bowls of chili, there are plenty of vegetarian choices. The menu includes full breakfasts, too.

Long-term Milwaukeeans might remember the original structure on the site was destroyed by fire in 1993, or even the old Murray Avenue location. But the current Beans & Barley building has been around for two decades long enough to make it an East Side landmark.

For our editors' pick we selected Wolf Peach for its delectable and impressive menu as well as a great atmosphere and view.

OnMilwaukee.com editors' choice: Wolf Peach

Runners-up:2. Casablanca 3. Wolf Peach 4. Comet 5. Cafe Manna

Disclaimer: Please note that Facebook comments are posted through Facebook and cannot be approved, edited or declined by OnMilwaukee.com. The opinions expressed in Facebook comments do not necessarily reflect those of OnMilwaukee.com or its staff.

Published Saturday, Oct. 18

More here:
Milwaukee's best vegetarian, 2014

When's the last time you cooked with sorrel leaves or nigella seeds? What about a marrow squash or verjuice? (Don't even know what a verjuice is? Neither did we it's a special sauce made from semi-ripe wine grapes.)

All these ingredients might sound exotic and complicated, but chef Yotam Ottolenghi is here to convince you that you don't have to be a professional chef to use them. In his new book Plenty More Ottolenghi demonstrates how some off-the-beaten path ingredients can turn your quotidian vegetable side dish into a thing of majesty.

Ottolenghi joins NPR's Rachel Martin to explain the difference between supermarket hummus and Middle Eastern hummus and why he doesn't like to call his cookbooks "vegetarian."

On calling his books vegetable-based, not vegetarian

Plenty and Plenty More are both vegetable-based books. I don't like to call them vegetarian because vegetarian, for me, rings of all sorts of things that I think these books are not.

... The difficulty with vegetarianism, I find, is that it's very exclusive. It means like, I never look at meat or fish in my life. I grew up in Jerusalem in the Middle East, and in various parts of the Middle East and Asia, the diet is very plant-based and doesn't include lots of meat in it. Meat is more special you add a little bit of it or you don't use it at all. That attitude, I think, is a very healthy attitude to eating. It's not about denying yourself of something completely. It's about celebrating the wonderful world of vegetables.

On the many different ways to eat vegetables

I'm trying to concentrate on the cooking techniques of vegetables. I think people's imaginations, when it comes to vegetables, focus often on one or two cooking techniques. More often than not it's boiling. You know, you simmer your vegetables and then maybe you dress them, and that's about it. ... Roasting is the next stop. But there's lots of other things you can do.

You can eat them raw, like cabbages and turnips and cauliflowers. You can eat them raw in slaws, you can fry them, you can chargrill them, which gives them that wonderful smoky aroma. You can steam them, you can braise them which is cooking with a little bit of liquid but not a lot. So, there's tons of ways of cooking vegetables and each cooking technique has particular results.

Yotam Ottolenghi is an Israeli chef and London restaurateur. His other cookbooks include Jerusalem, Plenty and Ottolenghi. Pal Hansen/Courtesy of Ten Speed Press hide caption

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Chef Ottolenghi Makes The Case For 'Plenty More' Vegetables