Restaurant review: Jasmine Thai, Exeter - with Vegan options.

Where: JamineThai, 153 Fore st, Exeter

Style:

Probably best described as a traditional/yet contemporary Thai dining experience in the heart of the city (they describe it as Thai-style fine dining). The front of the restaurant is more brightly lit and the upper floor at the back is more dimly lit. It’s a large space and the floor is tiled with a central walkway offering quite good access.

Service:

The usual lovely smiley attentiveness you would expect of any Thai restaurant – although we hardly saw the same member of the team twice – which meant a little confusion on and double checking of our order.

starter sharing platter

Food choices:

A vast menu of varied non-Vegan dishes – but Vegan options are all marked Vg so you can hop straight to them – which is great! And there is more than enough to create a little feast from. 

We started with a mixed shared Vegan platter, followed by a Red curry (cooked with Tofu and Vegetables in a curry base containing Thai Red curry paste, coconut milk, bamboo shoots and fresh herbs), stirfry Mixed Vegetables (stir fried with garlic, cashew nuts, mushroom and peppers in soya sauce), Phad Thai noodles and 2 rice dishes (fragrant jasmine & coconut), ending with two Vegan desserts (they offer Vegan ice cream, which is unusual!).

Nom factor:

I adore Thai food and the freshness and aromatics of the flavours. I think the starters were some of the best I’ve had in a Thai restaurant – rubbery fish cakes with too much lemon grass can often be quite grim. But these little samosas, spring rolls, tempura and sweetcorn fritters were all beautifully crisp and complimented well with a trio of spicy, fruity and sweet chilli dips. High 5 on the #nom.

thai red curry with tofu

The main courses were tasty and unwittingly we created a good mix of flavours. However, for me the food was over-seasoned. (This may be due to the fact that when making a Thai curry at home now I never use salt?) I also didn’t like the tofu used in the curry – it was quite chewy and reminded me more of the tinned braised gluten you can cook with. Dave liked it but I would have preferred more vegetables instead had I known.

 

Phad Thai with rice noodles

The Phad Thai rice noodles were quite chewy too, but sticky and sweet and quite enjoyable none-the-less, but the rice, though fragrant with jasmine and coconut was over-cooked I thought and past its best.

vegetable stirfry with soy sauce, garlic & cashews

The vegetable stirfry wasnt exactly as described - mushrooms but no peppers and repetition with broccoli and cauliflower (as per the curry).

pineapple fritters with Vegan ice cream

I rarely eat desserts in Asian restaurants, really because I’m an English pud kinda gal – but on this first visit, and on a special occasion, I thought… why not?! I had Pineapple fritters with Vegan icecream. OKish, but the pineapple was non-descript and I’m sure the batter was tainted by having been cooked in the general purpose fryer. Something to be aware of if, as a Vegan, you prefer to have food cooked separately – because I’m worried this doesn’t happen here. 

Dave opted for Banana in hot coconut milk – which was….well… banana in hot coconut milk! Not something worth paying for in a restaurant, as I could have knocked it up for him when we’d got home if he’d been really desperate!

How much?:

An eye watering £83 including 4 drinks (2 Badgers Ale and 2 Becks Blue). Although admittedly we had 3 courses (not forgetting Vegan mints at the end), I couldn't help feeling that although I did enjoy it – I would have enjoyed a 3 course meal at my local just as much for half the price and with twice the atmosphere – which was disappointing really.

NB a single portion of rice will set you back £4.25! [sharing platter £14.90, main dishes approx £10.95, desserts approx £5.95]

Other stuff:

The toilets are spotless, with cubicles that you can actually get into without clambering sideways over the loo. Always a bonus.

As I booked last minute we could only get in at 6pm and were seated at the front of the restaurant only to have a family with 2 young boys put literally right next to us. As they began screaming over where to sit and pulled out their electronic game consols my face must have said it all and a waitress did rush over to us and ask if we would like to be moved. This wouldn’t have made for a lovely quiet 'meal a-deux'! If I owned a restaurant I have to say I wouldn’t have sat us/them there in the first place and also would probably not allow parents like these in… but what do I know – I spent most of the time taking pictures of the food – which I know restaurateurs just love! ;)

*danger note* they flambe some dishes at the table and to do this pretty much run from the kitchen to the table with a ladle full of flaming oil! As one customer had to quickly dodge a waitress and another such high flame melted some of the hanging ceiling decorations above a table I couldn't help but wonder whether Health & Safety officers have ever visited!!!

Comments:

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but Jasmine Thai just didn’t do it for me. 
I really really wanted to love it because I knew beforehand that the owner is in fact Vegan! They certainly do have a good understanding of and variety of suitable food. But something is missing. Maybe it’s the atmosphere? I found it a bit 'office party / large family dining' for me, and as they label themselves 'fine dining' (with prices to match) I guess I just expected something a little bit more special.

Still, I woofed the food merrily and felt perfectly satisfied – if a little thirsty on the way home…

Would I go again? 
Hmmm I’d rather try somewhere else new first…. And perhaps not be tempted into a place on the sheer ‘merit’ that they do some Vegan food…

Still much foodie love though... Chantal xx

Conversations with a (non) Vegan: disconnect, dissonance and excuses

In these posts I offer an open and honest insight into real life conversations I've had with non-Vegans.

I feel the need to analyse how I talk to and approach non-Vegans because I want to improve the way in which I communicate with other humans all the time... I'm never arrogant enough to think I know it all.

So I add this here as a learning tool for me and for anyone else who's interested.

This conversation was held a couple of months ago - there are many changes I would make, and have made, to my approach since! 
Hindsight is wonderful, continuous improvement is imperative :)

But, as always, I welcome your thoughts, constructive feedback and suggestions - for this is how we learn to get positive debate started and to open hearts and minds. Thank you.

Much love Chantal xx

DM convo on Twitter (transcribed word for word)

non-Vegan

me

what I could have added with hindsight

thoughts

[I had just followed this person on Twitter]

Thank you for the follow, i'm afraid I'm not a vegan but love salad!!! : )

thats ok! i follow non vegans too! u might even find we eat a lot more than salad and you're tempted?!

although if you love animals - you know what i might say to you dont you??!!

Yes i know what you're going to say!! I do love animals you can see how much by my piccies of my [dogs] : )

(aw yes beautiful) but you don't love all animals though..... :(

What do you mean not all animals?

well you love your dogs, but don't love other animals because u still eat them, use products from them?

Not necessarily, i do love animals, i eat them but it doesn't mean i don't feel guilty[C1] . I refuse to buy purses, coats, etc made from animal

aww i can understand that hun - i used to feel the same - thats why i did eventually make that change, first veggie, finally vegan... it took me a little time - but i cant tell u how much better it made me feel - partly because of that guilt,... when i knew what really went on with farming and products it kind of shocked me into it... :(

Don't get me wrong it's not something i don't agree on - being a veggie/vegan but my argument stems from our ancestors ate meat that they Had to fight/hunt for. If they wanted veg they'd eat that too as part of a staple diet. But animals themselves are foragers of meat too And some animals eat us humans too[C2] . There's no one out there telling them not to eat us. I don't think the WAY animals are killed for our Consumption is right nor fair but it happens[C3] . In fact theres some veg that I don't like eg; peppers, mushrooms, leek etc. so I'd starve if I didn't eat meat[C4] . If it helps i make sure the meat i eat isn't imported but it's from our soil. So that way i know that they've been Slaughtered "fairly[C5] "

wow - um define slaughtered fairly? Sadly there can be no such thing... r humans murdered fairly? Location makes no difference.

I tweeted u some info... unable to link here [viva: Cruel Britannia video]

I understand all of the history & arguments ppl make for eating meat - at the end of the day we dont NEED to eat it to survive these days so therefore - why would I? I prefer not to. And when u take it away the choice of foods actually opens up! there is so much u CAN eat! :)

[plus science proves its killing us early and meat, dairy, egg industries are destroying the environment]

Okay i take back the last statement, fairly wasn't the correct word, when i said that i meant humanely perhaps? Not beaten up then throat  Slit, i also don't agree with battery hens but yes I do still eat chickens[C6] . But as a meat eater there is probably a fine line between what I think is right for me as a human and what veggie's say is right. But i will defend my right to eat meat, as it is my choice. I'm sorry If that offends people that's not what im here to do.

[why are you sorry if you think you are doing the right thing?][Is it really a choice if you are being told to eat it by society, farming industry, clever marketing?]

killing can never be humane - intensive farming & slaughter methods r horrific - please watch that video and you'll see

well u say its 'your right' but what about the rights of other species? u dont offend me - i was YOU two years ago...!!

Yes other animals have a right [C7] but one voice alone is not going to stop the world killing/abusing animals[C8] . I'm not selfish but tbh i don't  Eat loads of meat i do love pasta too. But i'm not going to stop eating meat, idk why I'm just not going to stop it.

ah but if everyone used the 'one voice alone cant do anything' then nothing would change for the better! individuals end up forming a collective! more and more ppl are choosing to look at things differently and its so much easier these days.. so many gr8 alternative products 

i'll leave you in peace now! lets just say you know where i am if u want 2 discuss more!! :) im always happy 2 help & can share info

I've seen that video b4 and as much as it makes my blood boil i'm not going to take meat out of my diet. In fact where i live there is a Massive pig farm and the pigs are free range with their shelters it's v refreshing to see. I'm sorry if i've offended/upset you. 

[if you’ve seen that video how can you say that buying British is a guarantee of ‘more humane’ slaughter?]

---

 [C1]So u know its wrong?

 [C2]Which ones? Not many? And to survive or protect, but we don’t need to do that

 [C3]Again, u show you know its wrong

 [C4]Really! There are ##types of veg, ##types of salad ##types of grains & I can show u 365 b’fasts, lunches & dinners u could enjoy!

 [C5]Contradicts above – I don’t think its right or fair

 [C6]Hence the guilt?

 [C7]So don’t take that away from them

 [C8]But u could save ### animals a year just on your own!

When a non-vegan says they feel guilty for eating meat this is a clear admission of the fact that they feel it's ethically wrong. The fact that this lady said she avoids other animal products shows just what a strong disconnect people have with their food and just how ingrained our cultural norm for eating meat is. What then followed were classic examples of excuses and justifications for eating meat (cognitive dissonance) - 'our ancestors did', 'humans are meant to hunt', animals eat 'humans', 'consumption happens anyway', 'I don't like some veg so I'd starve',  etc. The arguments of starvation without meat continue to prove how little people understand of the Vegan diet and all of the possibilities for varied healthy eating within it. Messages about this still haven't got through to people successfully.

What was also evident here was the belief that British meat is more 'fairly' reared and slaughtered - hence continued lack of knowledge and also justification for actions.

Interestingly, this lady went on to acknowledge that animals have rights but again reverts to a justification 'one person can't make a difference' i.e. the peer pressure prevails - proving it's easier to go with the majority. But again she tries to allay some of her guilt by saying that she 'doesn't eat much meat'.

End thoughts:

You'll see that I ended the conversation first on this occasion. This is because whilst I knew I had put some logical counter-arguments to her, I felt that I'd pushed too far and that she'd reached a point of becoming defensive of her actions to me.

2 hours later I received this message:

Hi again. You took Me by surprise this eve. I know you've got a point to put across, i appreciate that but my opinions are still my own : ) having said that, you have made me think

I didn't reply - because I felt that this lady had now actually reached a point of reflection. Studies show that for someone to fully absorb an important message they need to hear it 7 times. I think this lady is probably mid way in that set of messages. And even if I can help one person to think differently next time they tuck into a roast pork dinner or pass that field of 'happy' pigs then I know I'm doing my bit to contribute to those 7 vital times of hearing something important.

I note she stopped following me - because the truth is hard to bear and I know my timeline will make difficult reading for many non-Vegans.

But I also know that I was her just two years ago and that people can change once they are given a chance and the truth of what's really going on out there is presented to them. 

Every conversation is an important one. So I'll keep trying my best.

Chantal D-H has studied psychology as part of her dual degree studies at MSc level and has 21 years experience of communications/team/people management in diverse customer-facing environments.

Vegan recipe: Mexican Mushrooms - hola!

My love of Mexican-inspired food is well known by now and it's just so easy to Veganise that it's a win-win situation.

This is a simple dish, quick to prepare, yet has real depth of flavour and is one the non-Vegans in your life will want the recipe for ;)

Enjoy!

Chantal xx

Proving that Vegan food is delicious - one dish at a time.

Mexican Mushrooms

[serves 2-4 (!), takes approx 30 mins] 

Perfect for lunch or supper!

Gather:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 brown onions - chopped

2 green chillis - finely chopped (keep seeds in if you're a heat freak, like me)

2 cloves of garlic - finely chopped

750g mushrooms washed (or peeled) and sliced [a mix of white and chestnut is good]

500 ml tomato passata

250 ml vegetable stock [I use Swiss Marigold Vegan Bouillion powder]

2 sprigs of thyme

1 sprig of rosemary

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp celery salt [or 1 tbsp finely chopped celery leaves, if you have some] 

Sample ingredients (adjusted for a smaller portion).

Create:

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan or wok on a medium heat and sautee the onions for 2 minutes.

2. Add the chilli and garlic and continue to gently fry for a further 3 minutes or until all are softened.

3. Add the mushrooms, turn up the heat a little and fry for a further 5 minutes.

4. Add the passata, stock and stir well to combine.

5. Add all of the other seasoning ingredients and simmer gently until the sauce thickens (approx 15-20 minutes).

6. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference with pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

As well as being as spicy as you like, this dish is incredibly aromatic!

Enjoy:

This is great served in warm bowls with some corn tortillas on the side for scooping and mopping up juice - as well as some crispy lettuce and Vegan sour cream if you fancy something cooling. Nachos and taco shells would also work well! [Old el Paso brand is Vegan]

Messy to eat, but delicious, so who cares?!!

 

#Toptip: For extra nutrition you can throw some baby spinach leaves in at the end and use hemp oil instead of vegetable oil for omegas.

Product Review: The Vegan Kind mail order goodie box

I've heard friends on Twitter getting excited about the arrival of their Vegan Kind 'goodie box' and so I greeted the opportunity to review one with similar excitement!

If you've yet to discover this innovative idea (the first Vegan one in the UK) it goes a little like this:

You pay a subscription every month and receive a box full of mystery Vegan lifestyle goodies every month!

Brilliantly simple.

Here's what January's box looked like:

January 2014 Lifestyle subscription box from The Vegan Kind

With the release of each box (sent out on the 1st of the month to you) the details of the products and their companies go onto The Vegan Kind website, so should you wish to then purchase more, you can find out the details.

If you love trying new things (products and foods etc) and don't get the chance to browse shops - either in town or online as much as you'd like to, then this really would be a great idea for you. 

It's a little treat to surprise you each month and introduce you to some fantastic new Vegan products.

Here are the products I received. Interestingly, I have never tried, or even come across, any of them before! And I shop around - so this was really fantastic!

Goodies in the January box - none of which I had tried before.

£££The money bit:

You subscribe for a monthly fee of £10.00 (no tie-ins) + £2.95 P&P to receive your box containing from 5-8 products with a combined RRP of more than you've paid (so you're never out of pocket). For your dosh you also get an informative newsletter, a free laminated recipe card (free binder supplied with your third box) and the knowledge that 10p from every box also goes towards a different registered animal charity (chosen by customers) each and every month.

My opinion:

Whilst £12.95 might seem like a lot, I know for a fact I spend this each month just from picking up anything in a shop labelled Vegan and buying it on impulse. So as long as I stop doing this, I might as well let the team at TVK read the small print for me and surprise me with some lovely products. This will also get me to try things I may not have come across before or even thought of '- and this is something that appeals to me. There's a sense of fun about it!

The presentation is lovely, the packaging eco friendly and recyclable - the boxes may even come in handy (they're almost shoe size).

This might even be a great gift idea for the Vegan loved one in your life - better still, the non-Vegan loved one! It's something to show them the variety on offer to us these days and the fact that humans simply don't need to use animals to survive very nicely, thank you.

Top tip: Get yours delivered to your office and create a buzz around opening it infront of colleagues and getting some great convos started ;)

So, all in all a lovely idea, and given the emergence of more and more Vegan companies with new Vegan products every day, TVK should be able to offer something new and exciting for the foreseeable (Vegan) future!

Find out more about TVK here.

Get in touch with TVK here. 

Sign up for one here.

Much love

Chantal xx

Note: Whilst TVK approached me to review one of their boxes (sent to me free of charge) as always, my review is genuine and without bias. Constructive feedback has been given to the team regarding better labelling on the packaging to state that it is recyclable and to perhaps use more filling/padding in the box to prevent damage of goods in transit. As a result of experiencing this product / service I have personally subscribed to the TVK box!

Cook Book Review - 'tibits at home'

In my kitchen book stand this month: 

"tibits at home"

stylish vegetarian cuisine

£25 RRP, available from £14

*Note: all photographs are of the food I recreated from the book's recipes at home in my own kitchen.

Many of you will know that I'm a big fan of tibits restaurant in London. You can see my review of the dining experience here.

So I was delighted (and honoured) when they asked me to review their first ever cook book.

Yes, I know, me, new food, and some delicious Vegan options? A match made in heaven...!

And I can tell you that as I excitedly tore open the brown packaging... I wasn't disappointed. There followed much procrastination on work as I made two successive cups of coffee and perused the book cover to cover.

The first thing to say is that this is indeed, as it promises, a stylish book in every sense of the word. The quality of the book as an actual product is beautiful and the layout, graphics and photography is vibrant, modern and stunning.

It's simply laid out in four seasonal sections, each with a poetically written, brief introduction and then selections of juices, soups, salads, sandwiches and more complex main courses.

The style is contemporary, fresh and instantly aspirational! It's a little taste of the perfection we'd all love to secretly achieve in our (home-cooking) lives.

And why not?! A girl can dream can't she?

I was transported for an hour - but, more importantly, it made me want to get into my kitchen and get cooking, and, for me, that's what a good cook book should inspire.

Having spoken to many people about the way in which they use cook books, I find myself not alone in my approach. I skip all the waffle, blurb, life stories and pages of black and white text and cut straight to the recipes. I flick through greedily and see which pictures catch my eye, 'call' to my visual senses and make my tummy rumble. I then fold over the corners of those pages to refer back to later.  

The sign of a really great cook book is when I've given up folding pages over a quarter of the way through, because it's evident that I'm just going to need to try every single recipe!

That's what happened with "tibits at home" (aside from the fact its simply too beautiful to want to go folding corners down) and fortunately they do have two bookmark strands added so that, if you can narrow it down to two preferred dishes, you can safely mark the relevant pages without 'vandalising' the book.

this colourful vegetable jambalaya caught my eye immediately...

So, the important stuff...  

The recipes and what to expect:

• 53 recipes in total of which 12 are for sweets, puddings and drinks.
• Out of all of the recipes 15 are non-Vegan, but 8 of those can easily be 'Veganised' (the remaining 7 do rely heavily on the use of eggs and dairy ingredients).

warm dal with spinach - you'll probably have most of the ingredients in your larder already...

What I loved:

Most recipes require only a simple list of tasty ingredients which are easy to find in most large supermarkets. There are only one or two items that might be a little tricky.

The recipe information is laid out clearly with ingredients lists under a photo of the finished dish, as well as simple step by step instructions.

Many of the dishes are 'assembly' cooking and therefore it's ideal for people of all abilities in the kitchen - which is lovely.

bulgar and flat bean salad, with a spicy vinaigrette - why complicate the beauty of simple, delicious ingredients?

How could this book be improved? It's subjective of course, but in my opinion, it would help to have:

Info on how many portions a recipe yields, along with the time it takes to prepare a dish (I'm advised that this will be included in the next book.)

More puddings that are either Vegan, or have the potential to be easily Veganised (there was only one). Although I concede this is a 'vegetarian' cook book.

Recipe feedback:

I did find myself adjusting some of the techniques that are recommended in the cooking guidance - but that's just perhaps me and habits gained from years of experience in cooking a certain way!

Some of the quantities of oil suggested seemed excessive and as a rule, I tended to halve the amounts and the food was still delicious.

While tasty and unusual, some of the dishes can be enhanced by increasing the quantities of the seasoning / flavouring ingredients listed - but again, through years of experience I simply know what I prefer and can 'get away with' in the flavour stakes.

the pasta with courgettes in curry sauce is aromatic & creamy, but you can enhance the flavours if you prefer...

My favourite recipe so far:

The Goa Curry - made with tofu, pineapple and crazy amounts of chilli. But even Dave has made this successfully twice now and you know, I'm glad there are no portion quantities added because I have a sneaking suspicion it might have said [serves 4] when the reality is the two of us can happily consume the entire lot in one go ;)

Goa curry - an unusual and incredibly delicious curry that you could enjoy time & time again...

Overall verdict:

"tibits at home" did inspire me to cook and it delivers simple, contemporary, flavoursome Vegan food. Whilst the price seems high, this is a visually stunning book that is a quality product in it's own right and I know that I shall end up using it time and again throughout the seasons and for years to come.

Now what shall I cook next?...

Much love

Chantal xx

Disclaimer: Whilst tibits kindly gave me this book, free of charge, my review is entirely genuine and without bias. All constructive feedback has been passed on to the creative team for future reference.

* * Have YOU got a Vegan or vegetarian book that you'd like me to review? * *

'Veggie Soup for the Soul' blog attracted over 10,000 page views in it's first year alone and myself and my fellow Association Partner have more than 38,000 followers on Twitter between us.

So if you'd like to reach a wider target audience and for me to independently review your book here, then please do get in touch with me through the contact page on the rhs of this screen.