Reviews

Western Mail Magazine Saturday 22 March 2008

"a taste of (veggie) 

  things to come

Vegetarian diners have traditionally had a raw deal from much of Wales' restaurant and catering industry. From the ubiquitous ready-meal veggie lasagne found on pub menus throughout the land, to cafes' sole chips and beans options, non-carnivorous fare has long had a tendency towards the insipid and one-dimensional when it comes to eating out.

Vegans - those of us who eschew all animal produce including eggs and dairy - have an even tougher time.

Even at the grandest eateries in the land, the best you can usually hope for is a dull risotto "specially prepared by the chef".

This roughly translates as, "eat up and just be grateful lentil-munching weirdos like you get anything at all here". In this context, the recently-opened Canteen on Clifton Street should come as a godsend to the hordes of starved herbivores living in Cardiff and beyond.

Veggie-friendly places have had a notoriously tough time surviving in the capital region. Which is odd, considering its sheer number of students and Cardiff's supposedly cosmopolitan reputation.

The cheap and cheerful Peppermint Lounge in the heart of Cathays, Penarth's much missed Tomlins, and Barry's Austins are now all but distant mouth watering memories.

And while the spectacular Vegetarian Food Studio in Grangetown caters for the spicier tastebuds with its superb Indian cuisine, Canteen nicely fills the niche left by its predecessors without breaking the bank.

Located in one of Cardiff's less fashionable streets (on one of Splott's main drags) the restaurant offers a pleasant bistro-like ambience inside, instantly conjuring up such adjectives as "homely" and "intimate".

But where it really scores well is in terms of value. For a trifling £13.50, you'll receive a diverse three-course evening meal that will more than sate your average restaurant-goer.

The simple menu offers three choices each for starters, the main course and dessert. All of which are vegetarian except for one slow-cooked meat dish.

It's the kind of inclusiveness that vegetarians could only dream of in the opposite circumstances - not only can carnivores take their pick of eight tasty veggie options but those who absolutely insist on their meat will find themselves specially catered for.

A typical week's menu includes the choice of braised oxtail with potato gnocchi.

For starters, I was tempted by the toasted pitta with the suitably exotic sounding baba ganouj, imam bayeldi and the ubiquitous hummus.

By turns tangy, refreshing and packed with flavour, the trio of dips rightly put to shame the mass-produced fodder of even the most upmarket of supermarkets. The one minor gripe was that a single toasted pitta seemed a tad parsimonious and ill-equipped to deal with the amount of accompaniment on offer.

My dining partner's sushi with dipping sauce was, meanwhile, an authentic-tasting treat for someone too often denied this Eastern delicacy because of a variety of unnecessary animal products.

In the main course, the expertly-cooked tofu in the coconut-flavoured curry with jasmine rice would have given even the most ardent veggie-basher food for thought - literally.

And it was a wonder the chilli bean parcel on its bed of fresh beetroot and rocket salad didn't burst, so packed was it with a flavour suffused with such a humble, unmistakable goodness.

The dessert was good, without being dazzling. The chocolate fudge cake was a little lacking in moistness for my liking but the banana pancake voraciously downed across the table from me was declared to be one of the finest meal endings ever experienced. My only big moan about the Canteen on Clifton Street was that it had yet to source any vegan wines - those filtered without the use of the likes of egg products, fish bladders or blood (honestly!) - for its drinks list.

It's a big omission for an eaterie that aims to cater for such a niche market. But I was assured the problem was being fixed. [All the wines and cider available at Canteen on Clifton Street are now suitable for all. We are currently sourcing new vegan beers - Webmaster]

And once it is there's no reason why the Canteen shouldn't be the successful Welsh model of - hopefully - a taste of things to come for veggie and vegan diners throughout the nation.

And, boy, for £13.50 what a reasonably-priced taste of things to come that would be.

Tryst Williams

CUISINE

Innovative vegetarian and vegan cuisine, with each menu offering one slow-cooked meat dish

DRINKS

Good selection of wines, beers and non-alcoholic drinks

SERVICE

Friendly and attentive without being overbearing; good knowledge of ingredients and specialist dietary requirements

TASTE

Fresh, homely, delicious - a world away from the insipid veggie fare typically passed off on lesser restaurant menus

VALUE

Outstanding. Three generous courses for £13.50. A 10% discount for OAPs and students. What needs to be said?

8/10

40 Clifton Street,

Cardiff, CF24 1LR

Tel: 029 20454999

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