Bites

Modern French cooking for vegetarians? Yes, it does exist ...

Caroline Stacey
Saturday 19 July 2003 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

The Admiralty

Admirable the way they treat vegetarians at Nelson's former headquarters in Somerset House. Gracious and a little bit groovy, the dining rooms create a sense of occasion. As does the food. Gnocchi and artichokes with cherry tomatoes and basil is one of four dishes on the five-course Garden menu for £37, then everyone shares a choice of puds.

Somerset House, The Strand, London WC2 (020-7845 4646)

Restaurant Martin Wishart

One of the best restaurants in Edinburgh. Cooking is complex contemporary French. Unusually, there's a menu for vegetarians which echoes dishes on the à la carte. Same seasonal ingredients, same techniques, but no meat or sense of deprivation in velouté of celeriac with wild mushrooms, and braised endive tarte with parsnip purée and chive butter sauce. These two courses: around £22. An all-veg tasting menu is £48.

54 The Shore, Edinburgh (0131 5533557)

Roussillon

What this pricey Belgravia better-than-local lacks in soul, it makes up for with attention to vegetables. At £50, the Garden menu offers attractions like summer vegetables with truffles and balsamic dressing. For dessert, join the omnivores for French cheese, and apricot soufflé with dark chocolate and herb infusion. On the £18 lunch menu, one of three choices is vegetarian.

16 St Barnabas Street, London SW1 (020-7730 5550)

The Vanilla Pod

An intimate restaurant where the cooking's suffused with skill and imagination. Polenta cake with ratatouille or boulangère potatoes with etuvée of vegetables sound plain but saucing means the choices on the £34.50 three-course veggie menu scale the heights. Carnivores can taunt with outstanding rib of beef.

31 West Street, Marlow, Bucks (01628 898101)

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in