A Vegetarian Rant.

Some musings from me, or a discussion if you like, happy to have some comments and hear your views.

So, Vegetarian Food, when out and about - why is it SO hard for places to cater for us? When I say "places" I generally mean British Pubs.

If you go to an Italian restaurant you can have loads - Pizza, Pasta, almost anything. Spaghetti Carbonara ({no ham please) is one of my favs and so easily adapted.

Same with Indian & Chinese restaurants, they are always happy to adapt, leave things out, swap things around.

I never worry about the menu if we are eating Italian, Indian or Chinese.



But Pub Food? Why do they get it so wrong?

OK, there are exceptions like The Lane End Inn (Hayton, Carlisle) who have a Veggie chef and therefore have a good few options, but usually you get two choices if you are lucky. Sometimes just one, which then removes the choice totally.

Then you get the expected option - some kind of risotto, or spinach canelloni.

If I wanted Canelloni I would have gone to the Italian, if I wanted Vegetable Curry I would have gone to the Indian.

So, what DO I want? I want Pubs to KEEP IT SIMPLE.

How hard is it to do a Veggie Burger? Surely as easy as doing a meat burger? Easy enough to store in the freezer, pop under the grill, drop in the fryer, and slap in a bun.

What about a stuffed mushroom? Chuck some stuffing mix in and top with brie and grill - easy peasy.

Broccoli Quiche, Veggie Haggis, even a Veggie "Mixed Grill" (Fried Egg, Mushroom, Tomato, Pineapple, Peas and Chips)

Its the good old British Pub Food we want when we go for a Bar Meal - with CHIPS ! Get rid of the Pasta Bakes, and the Veggie Lasagna (actually, that IS a Pasta Bake!)

I have even in the past ordered Gammon without Gammon (gets you some funny looks when the waitress brings it to your table and shouts GAMMON, NO GAMMON). It was lovely though, chips, egg, pineapple, tomato, mushrooms and peas with ketchup :) I don't have a fryer at home, so it's a treat when we go out.

Starters and Chips, is the other option of course - deep fried Brie & chips works well, garlic mushroom & chips is good too. Put them on the main menu for us and make us feel like we have a choice.

Rant over, I am off to make dinner - Veggie Sausage Toad In The Hole !