Food adventures in Paris - Part 1: Dessance

This is our first blog in a while, mainly due to the general busyness of life getting us out of the routine of blogging about our love of food.  However, a recent trip to Paris has given us the impetus to resume so here is Part 1 of our food adventures in Paris, bringing you a review of the incredible Dessance restaurant.

First a few words about dining in Paris in general as a vegetarian/vegan.  Mr Vegan Man has been to Paris twice before, both times more than a decade ago, and whilst it was not hugely difficult to eat well as a vegetarian nor was it particularly easy.  Happily, it is getting easier to be a vegetarian or vegan in Paris.  Many higher end restaurants offer vegetarian menus - particularly those restaurants that offer a tasting menu - and most places will offer at least one vegetarian option.  You will still find more traditional brasseries offering an assiette of vegetables - basically a plate of cooked and/or raw veg - as there only option for non-meat eaters, however many places now offer something more creative and enjoyable.  There are also many vegetarian and vegan only restaurants scattered around the city.

On to Dessance, a restaurant we located whilst browsing TripAdvisor which immediately piqued our interest.  Dessance's concept is that it is a dessert bar, however that is somewhat misleading as although the dishes are presented as desserts and will generally contain sweet components, the balance of flavours includes savoury and salty notes.  They also serve some dishes that are primarily savoury, though even these will often contain one sweeter ingredient.

We opted for their carte blanche menu, which - as it sounds - means there is no menu.  You simply select how many courses you want and of which type and the chefs will cook you whatever they have decided to make that day.  There are three options - the 'audacious', consisting of four fruit/veg based dishes and one more traditional dessert, the 'irresistible' consisting of the above plus one savoury dish (this is usually meat or fish based but they offer a vegetarian alternative), or the 'hedonist' consisting of two savoury dishes, four fruit/veg dishes and a dessert.  We went for the 'irresistible' option, along with a drinks pairing which included alcoholic and non-alcoholic offerings (there is an alcohol only and no alcohol option too).

An appetiser was served consisting of cucumber and edible flower leaves served on a sweet and slightly salty crumb.  It was a tasty forerunner of what was to follow.

The savoury course was the next to be served.  For WOTVM this consisted of a fillet of medium rare veal served with squash and a crumb of digestive biscuit and pine nut.  For Mr Vegan Man the veal was substituted for asparagus.  The dish was beautifully balanced, each ingredient cooked perfectly and with the utmost respect to enhance the flavour of each component.  The mild sweetness of the biscuit and pine nut complemented the savoury elements beautifully.

On to the next course - a dish of mango, parsnip and salsify.  These are not flavours that you would normally put together, however the dish was simply stunning.  The mango had been lightly compressed to give it the most beautiful texture and the flavour of it was so intense.  The burnt parsnip crumb gave a bitter counter-point to the sweet mango, the salsify added a savoury touch and a perfectly smooth parsnip puree helped to bring the plate together into a harmonious whole.

What followed was another unusual combination of pear, butternut squash, almond financier, and a warm yoghurt dressing, garnished with edible flowers.  Once again, the fruit was the star of the dish - the fresh pear had a lovely texture and such an intense pear flavour, whilst another slice had been cooked with cardamom and the spicing worked perfectly with the sweet fruit flavour.  The pieces of financier were not overly sweet and added a nice texture and nutty tones to the dish.  WOTVM is not a huge fan of pear, but even she enjoyed the dish.

Next up was perhaps the most unusual combination of flavours on a menu already pretty daring in that respect.  Mushroom and chocolate are not usually considered natural bed-fellows, but in the hand of the skilled chefs working at Dessance it was somehow made to work.  The earthy, slightly salty mushrooms balanced well with the bittersweet chocolate via the medium of a wonderful chestnut ice cream; the chestnut flavour helping to bridge the gap between the earthiness of the mushroom and the sweetness of the chocolate.  It was everything a good dish should be - surprising, innovative and, most importantly, delightful to eat.  The presentation was beautiful, reminiscent of a woodland floor.

The main meal concluded with us being served a different, more traditional dessert each with instructions from the waiting staff that we were to share.  WOTVM was presented with a celebration of caramel served with a lime sorbet, once again balancing sweet flavours with some sharpness so that the dish was not sickly.  It was very tasty indeed.  Mr Vegan Man was served a baked Alaska with coffee and whiskey, the alcohol adding a smoky, peaty flavour to the dish.  It was a lovely way to end the meal.

To our surprise, we were bought an amuse bouche to conclude proceedings, a pina colada sphere which burst in our mouths and filled it with wonderful tropical flavours.  It was a lovely touch at the end of a great dining experience.

The service was thoughtful and attentive and, thankfully for us, the waiters all spoke excellent English.  Table booking was easy, we did this online via The Fork and would recommend booking as it's a small dining room that fills up quickly.  We were seated at the 'bar', running along the open kitchen where you can watch the dishes being prepared and plated with amazing precision and care.  You can see from the pictures that every dish is like a work of art, the colours vibrant and the composition well-thought-out.  Perhaps the most impressive thing about Dessance is the way that simple ingredients are elevated to rock star status, a simple piece of pear or mango becomes something so much more simply by the skilled chefs really bringing out the naturally wonderful flavour of the ingredients at their disposal.

If you visit Paris or already live there then we cannot recommend Dessance highly enough.  It was great to find such a high quality restaurant where the focus is not on meat or fish but on fresh fruits and vegetables and where, should you so wish, the dishes could be easily adapted to cater for a vegan diet.  The overall experience was amazing from start to finish.  The bill, around 150 euros with drinks and tip, felt like good value for the quality of food on offer and well worth it as a treat.

Dessance, we salute you.  For more info visit their website where you can also view the menus on offer and reserve a table.

Breakfast at The Plasterer's Arms

The Plasterer's Arms is probably our favourite pub in Norwich, which is quite something as Norwich has an array of fantastic pubs.  The Plasterer's is a proper pub with a modern edge, epitomised by a stunning selection of gins as well as some great real ales and craft beers.  Plus they have lots of cool stuff like Sunday afternoon blues music and a bar billiards table.  And then there is the small matter of Voodoo Daddy's and their bonkers selection of artisan pizzas.

Given our much-publicised love for breakfast/brunch and our love for The Plasterer's, imagine our delight when we saw a post on Facebook informing us that on weekends, breakfast is now served at The Plasterer's from 10am.  Absolutely ideal.

So, we ventured to our local (almost, it's more like the fourth closest pub) on a Sunday morning to try out their breakfast offerings.  The menu is small but includes some American cereals, a nice touch that will please the local hipsters.  It also includes staples like bacon sarnies and some avocado on toast options too, along with a staggering choice of Bloody Marys.

WOTVM decided on smashed avocado and cashew cream on sourdough toast with crispy bacon, whilst Mr Vegan Man went for masala beans on sourdough toast.  We didn't plump for a Bloody Mary on this occasion, instead opting for a coffee for the gentleman and a pint of Coke for the lady (WOTVM doesn't drink hot drinks so this is how she gets her morning caffeine fix).  We paid at the bar and two breakfasts with drinks for £13 was a cracking start.

The food arrived promptly on chintzy plates that were fitting for the quirky setting.  Mr Vegan Man's masala beans were absolutely delicious, made with a tonne of cardamom and with a decent whack of background heat to boot.  The sourdough toast was crunchy with a great tang.  All in all a real treat.

WOTVM's sourdough was, well, pretty much the same as Mr Vegan Man's.  Her toppings, though, were quite different.  The avocado was creamy with a good texture and she loved the cashew cream.  The bacon was really crispy, just how she likes it, and the flavours and textures went together well.

There were a couple of minor gripes; firstly, the cutlery could have been a bit cleaner, there were a one or two food stains on the knife so we gave it a wipe with our napkins.  Secondly, the avocado had gone a bit grey - a little squeeze of lemon juice would have not only added a nice zing and freshness to the dish but would also have helped the avocado to keep its vibrant green colour.  Small details but important nonetheless.

Overall though, we really enjoyed our breakfast and it'll be interesting to see how well-established breakfast at The Plasterer's becomes.  We will certainly be back, it's just down the road from us, is very reasonably-priced, and the food was tasty.  Definitely well worth a try.

WOTVM's food adventures in London - Part 3

This is the final, and briefest, instalment of our food adventures in London.  Normal service will be resumed soon with some reviews of the finest Norwich has to offer plus some tasty recipes, our bathroom should be in place by the end of the week and we're hoping to be able to then get back to blogging more regularly.

So, day three in London began a little later; as our train was due to leave at 4.30pm we decided on an eating strategy of a hearty brunch followed by an early afternoon snack to tide us over until we got back to the fine city.  When we stay in London, we often stay in Angel as there are loads of excellent food and drink places nearby, one of which is the Islington branch of The Breakfast Club.  However, every time we've stayed our efforts to eat at The Breakfast Club have been thwarted by it being absolutely rammed, with queues out the door and round the corner.  Thankfully, there are several branches across London (plus one in Brighton) and one of them just happened to be a stone's throw from our hotel.

The Spitalfields branch is larger than the more bijou Angel café and this meant that we were able to get a table straight away.  It was busy, but arriving at around 11.30 - after the main breakfast crowd but before lunch has got going - meant that we wouldn't have to wait for our food.  The menu is a combination of traditional British and American/Mexican inspired dishes.  Think anything from a full English to pancake stacks to breakfast burritos and much more in between.  There's a good mix of original dishes and old favourites, something to please everyone.

On the day we visited the hotplate had broken and so the menu choices were more limited, however that wasn't a problem for us as the dishes that took our fancy were still available anyway.  WOTVM went for the breakfast burrito - loaded with chorizo, scrambled egg, peppers and cheese with guacamole, sour cream and salsa on the side - whilst Mr Vegan Man opted for avocado and poached egg on toast, with the added zip of lemon juice, chillies, basil and some crunchy pumpkin seeds to boot.  To drink we ordered a freshly squeezed orange juice and a Slow Boy, which was a concoction of orange, carrot, apple and ginger.

The drinks arrived quickly and were followed shortly afterwards by the food, which looked great.  WOTVM's burrito was really good; the scrambled eggs were light and fluffy, the chorizo was punchy with flavour but not overpowering, the guacamole and salsa went really well too.  Mr Vegan Man does make the best breakfast burrito in the world so The Breakfast Club had stiff competition, but this came pretty close in terms of flavour. Her only criticism was that there was a bit too much sour cream, a touch less and it would have been spot on.

Mr Vegan Man's avocado and poached egg on toast was top notch.  The toast was good and crunchy, the poached egg had a lovely runny yolk, the avocado was creamy and complimented perfectly by a bit of chilli kick and the fresh pop of lemon and basil.  The seeds added some nice texture too.  All in all a very good brunch and at prices that are reasonable too.  Service was friendly and we'd definitely come back again.

With a few hours to kill we decided to go for a stroll along the South Bank, starting off at London Bridge.  We walked up to the Tate Modern to see if there was anything we fancied seeing but after a quick browse around the free galleries the only thing we were interested in - an exhibition by Georgia O'Keefe - was prohibitively expensive, so we instead decided to head back along the river to Borough Market.

We love Borough Market, it has such a great variety of food stalls, with most of the world represented somewhere or other.  We've had great street food from there previously, including take away flutes of prosecco and pink fizz, but on this early afternoon we had a hankering for some gelato and so we ended up in Gelateria 3Bis.  The place looked authentic, with the gelato kept covered (we learnt in Italy that all authentic gelaterias keep the gelato covered, the more 'touristy' places pile it high and make it look flashy) and with a small but interesting selection of flavours.  Mr Vegan Man went for dark chocolate and coconut - going for the effect of a Bounty - whilst WOTVM chose peanut and banana flavours.  Unbeknownst to WOTVM, the banana variety was actually a sorbet rather than a gelato, however the banana flavour was really strong.  WOTVM was a little disappointed as she loves gelato and isn't a huge sorbet fan but she could appreciate the quality and ate it all.

The peanut flavour was excellent, really good nutty flavour and a nice smooth gelato.  Mr Vegan Man's gelato was similarly really well made, beautifully creamy and with a good, rich flavour.  We both plumped for the free chocolate sauce in the bottom of our cups, which is a really nice touch and something that we also experienced in a gelateria we visited in Rome.  The sauce tastes like melted Nutella, which really can't be a bad thing.  We'd happily visit again, but WOTVM would make sure she ordered two scoops of gelato next time.

On our way back to the bus stop, we decided to stop for a quick drink at the Wheatsheaf right by the market.  It was a cracking little pub, with a brilliant outdoor area where we sat and enjoyed a pint.  Prices were a bit steep, but it is right by the market and it does serve really good local craft beer.

We made our way back to the hotel to collect our bags - via a quick vintage dress purchase on the corner of Brick Lane - and then we were on our way back to Norwich.  We had a great stay and ate lots of tasty food and we'll be looking forward to our next trip to the capital.

WOTVM's food adventures in London - Part 2

Today we bring you the second instalment of our recent trip to London.  We woke late after a good night's sleep and headed out for some breakfast.  Brick Lane is not only famous for its numerous Indian restaurants, it also has some excellent places to pick up a bagel.  The salt beef bagels are a particular speciality, however Mr Vegan Man could not partake for obvious reasons and WOTVM was feeling the salt beef might be too much for a breakfast bagel.  We headed to Beigel Bake - something of a local institution - as WOTVM had been there before and swore by the quality of their soft, doughy bagels.

We arrived after the regular breakfast rush and before the lunchtime queues so were served very quickly.  WOTVM opted for a classic smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, whilst Mr Vegan Man went for egg as his filling of choice.  The sheer number of bagels on display speaks to the popularity of Beigel Bake and we certainly weren't disappointed.

Sitting in a local park just off Brick Lane, we tucked into our breakfast.  The bagels were soft and satisfying.  Bagels are a food that divide our household, Mr Vegan Man is fairly indifferent towards them, finding them a bit sweet and a bit too chewy - he would usually plump for a crumpet or muffin if he fancied some non-bread baked goods for breakfast.  WOTVM, on the other hand, is a huge fan of bagels.  Even Mr Vegan Man conceded that Beigel Bake's bagels were top quality, not too sweet and with a lighter texture than the usual supermarket fare.  The egg filling was nice and hearty, though on reflection Mr Vegan Man should have asked for some mayo for extra lubrication. 

WOTVM's smoked salmon and cream cheese offering was superb - the smoked salmon was lovely and plentiful, especially at such a reasonable price.  The two bagels with a couple of cans of drink came to just over a fiver - exceptionally good value.

We headed off to Camden Town for a walk along the canal to Regents Park.  The plan was to stroll around the park for an hour or two and then head for some lunch at Honey & Co, not far away on Warren Street.  However, even at 2.30pm on a Monday the café/deli was packed full and so we decided to save it for our next trip to the capital.  We instead walked on to Tottenham Court Road and visited Leon, a fast food chain with a difference, priding itself on fresh produce and healthier options.  Leon's branches are mainly to be found in London, although they are expanding outside the capital also.

WOTVM plumped for a fish finger wrap for her lunch, whilst Mr Vegan Man went for a sweet potato falafel hot box.  The portion sizes were generous and the prices more than reasonable for the food on offer.  WOTVM's wrap was tasty, good crunchy fish fingers and nice crisp salad with a good whack of tartare sauce. 

Mr Vegan Man's hot box was fresh and flavoursome, well-made falafels with rice and slaw.  As fast food goes, Leon is a good option - everything is fresh and although the food isn't likely to blow your mind (which, if we're honest, is not something you expect from fast food anyway) they have some nice, different lunch options that are hearty and tasty.

After our disappointment at finding Black Vanilla had closed down on our trip to Greenwich the previous day, we were in the mood for some gelato.  After a quick bit of Googling, we discovered that Covent Garden is something of a gelato hotspot and so we headed off hastily in that direction.  Before we could reach Covent Garden itself, we came across Udderlicious which was busy with customers filling up on ice cream.  Although not quite the gelato we had been after, we also love ice cream and Udderlicious looked good so we popped in for a sweet treat.

We committed something of a schoolboy error - we did not realise that the number of scoops you ordered equated to the quantity of the ice cream as opposed to the number of flavours you could have.  It was possible to have two flavours with a one scoop order but we didn't realise this until we'd already ordered two scoops each when another, more savvy, customer placed his order.  We can honestly report that two scoops of Udderlicious ice cream is a very, very generous portion for one person.  Very generous.

WOTVM went for a scoop of chocolate and peanut ice cream and one scoop of salted caramel - one of her favourite flavours.  Mr Vegan Man went for the trusty combo of dark chocolate and hazelnut as his two varieties.  The ice cream was really tasty, it had a nice, smooth texture and the flavours came through nicely, especially the hazelnut and salted caramel.  We'd definitely recommend a visit to Udderlicious but if you've already eaten, maybe stick to one scoop unless you're feeling especially hungry.

In the evening we met up with two friends for dinner, one of whom also happened to be in London from Norwich for the week and the other who is a Hackney boy (but former Norwich resident) who always helpfully suggests good food spots to try when we visit.  On this occasion, his first suggestion - a Japanese restaurant near Bank - was closed, but not to be disheartened we moved on to another of his suggestions, Pizza Union near Spitalfields, which was handy for us as it was just round the corner from our hotel.

Pizza Union have a great concept, dirt cheap pizzas in an authentic style with quick, no nonsense service.  You go up to the counter to order and are given a little device the lets you know when your pizza is ready to collect.  There is ample seating - in the form of long communal benches made of scaffolding, like a more edgy, urban Wagamama - at which to sit and enjoy your pizza, but the lack of table service (which includes taking drinks from the chiller to the counter yourself too) helps the cost to stay low and means no awkward trying to catch the waiter's eye if you fancy another drink.  We're talking 12" pizzas ranging from £4 to £6.50 low, which is incredible value.  Beers were cheap too at £3.50 a bottle and we enjoyed several.

Mr Vegan man opted for a Fiorentina with no cheese (since pizzas are made to order this wasn't a problem) and WOTVM went for a Stagioni (four seasons).  The pizzas were ready in about 5 minutes, possibly less.  The bases were thin and crispy and the toppings on Mr Vegan Man's Fiortentina were plentiful and flavoursome, the egg adding a nice bit of richness and protein alongside the iron-rich spinach and salty olives.

WOTVM loved her offering - being rather unfussy about what food she likes means often she finds it hard to make a choice, but here she could get four different pizzas in one! There was a good variety of toppings and each of the four sections of the Stagioni were really enjoyable.  The crispy, light base was a real highlight and overall it was a significant cut above the average pizza chain at a price well below most high street chains.

It would be fair to say that Pizza Union are doing a cracking job of turning out delicious food in virtually no time at unbelievable prices.  What more could you ask for?  Well, in our case we were given a free dessert pizza - a dough ring filled with mascarpone and Nutella - by the lovely staff because of the very small inconvenience of us having to move seats for about a minute to enable them to reach a vent above us in the ceiling.  That was an unexpected treat and a really nice touch, we weren't put out at all by having to briefly move.

We got back to the hotel and crashed out fairly quickly, tired out from the good food and good company.  We'd definitely recommend all of the places we sampled today, but Beigel Bake and Pizza Union were particular highlights.

Coming soon will be the third and final part of our food adventures in London.  Any comments or questions, please get in touch below or via email.

Lemon & garlic risotto with carrot, beetroot & courgette

Mr Vegan Man hit the kitchen again this past week with a view to knocking up something a little bit fancy for WOTVM.  This recipe is another original of ours, and in similar fashion to our previous risotto dish (see our archive) we've added some delicious garnishes to elevate it.  Mr Vegan Man has eaten plenty of risottos over the years as they are a restaurant veggie staple, however he sometimes finds that eating a whole bowl or plate of something that is all the same flavour and texture can get a little monotonous, no matter how delicious it is.  That is why he likes to add a few garnishes to add extra dimensions of flavour and texture when cooking risotto at home.

 

This is a great summer dish as it's fresh and surprisingly light for a risotto.  One reason for this is it contains no milk or cheese - it's another fully vegan recipe.  It also has a really nice look to it with lots of vibrant colours and would make an excellent dinner party dish.  We hope you enjoy it!

 

Ingredients (serves 2)

 

125g Arborio rice
1 small bulb of garlic

1 lemon
1 large courgette
Half medium white onion
250ml prosecco
500-600ml stock
25g pine nuts
1 small carrot
1 cooked beetroot
Few sprigs of dill
Few sprigs of flat leaf parsley
3 tbsp olive oil
0.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
Handful of pea shoots and rocket to garnish

Preparation and cooking time: 60-75 minutes

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C then break up your bulb of garlic, setting aside three cloves.  Toss the rest of the cloves, skin on, in half a tablespoon of olive oil and place in a roasting tin and then put them in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes.

Whilst the garlic cloves are roasting, crush the remaining garlic cloves and finely chop your onion, carrot, beetroot and herbs.  Slice the courgette into think ribbons, just a few millimetres thick, and grate the zest of the lemon.  This is the bulk of your prep done.

Once the garlic cloves are cooked allow them to cool for a few minutes before removing the skins.  Blitz the garlic cloves with a tablespoon of olive oil using a blender or hand blender, or if you don't have a blender just use a bowl and a fork to break the garlic down into a rough paste.

Heat a large frying pan over a high heat and toast off the pine nuts in the pan, being careful not to burn them.  In a hot pan they will take seconds to toast.  Set aside the pine nuts ready to serve later. 

Swap the frying pan (you will use this later for the risotto so just move it to one side for now) for a griddle and reduce the heat very slightly to a medium high heat.  Brush the pan with a small amount of oil - vegetable oil is fine - and then griddle the courgettes for a couple of minutes each side, just long enough to take on some strips of colour and to soften.  Place the cooked courgettes in a bowl and cover with cling film, this will keep them warm until you serve.  If you want to serve them piping hot you can cook them alongside the risotto and the carrot and beetroot relish but this will necessitate a bit of juggling!

Move the frying pan back on to the heat and reduce to a medium heat.  Place half a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and allow to heat.  Take a medium saucepan and place it on a low heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.  Add the onion and garlic to the frying pan and soften for a few minutes, stirring regularly so that the onion and garlic do not brown or catch on the pan.

Add the rice to the onion and garlic and stir so that all of the grains are covered in the oil and juices from the pan.  Add the prosecco and allow this to be absorbed by the rice, stirring frequently to ensure even cooking.  When it reaches the consistency of a thick rice pudding, add some stock and repeat the process until the grains of rice are cooked.  This will take 20-25 minutes.  Halfway through cooking, add the roasted garlic puree and lemon zest and mix in.

When the risotto has been cooking for 10 minutes, add the diced carrot to the saucepan in which your olive oil has been heating over a low heat and stir so that the chunks are all coated.  Leave to cook on the low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the red wine vinegar and beetroot and mix together, leaving to cook for just a couple more minutes.

Right at the end, when the risotto is just cooked, taste the risotto and if it needs more lemon flavour then squeeze in the juice from the lemon that was zested earlier (add a bit at a time and keep checking to ensure you don't overdo the lemon).  Season the risotto well with salt and black pepper to taste.  Add the chopped parsley and dill to the carrot and beetroot and mix thoroughly and you are ready to serve.

Spoon the risotto into the middle of a plate or large bowl and top with the courgettes then scatter over the pine nuts and the carrot, beetroot and herb mixture.  Garnish with some fresh rocket and pea shoots.

That's it!  A beautiful, fresh and vibrant dinner.  Give it a try and let us know how you get on by leaving a comment below or by sending us an email.

Smashed avocado with roasted tomatoes and poached egg

This is a great breakfast or brunch dish to whip up on a weekend, or even a week day morning if you find yourself with a bit of time to spare.  It only takes 20 minutes or so to make and is a real treat; smashed avocado with various toppings is an increasingly popular dish on many breakfast/brunch menus and we like it particularly with tomatoes and poached egg.

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C and whilst it reaches temperature, half six small tomatoes.  We've been using some Sainsbury's Taste the Difference ones that are really sweet and juicy - well worth the few extra pence.  Place the tomato halves on a baking tray and drizzle with a little olive oil then sprinkle a little dried oregano, dried basil, salt and black pepper over the top.  Place in the hot oven for 15 minutes.

Whilst the tomatoes are cooking, take a ripe (very ripe is best) avocado and scoop out the flesh into a bowl.  Add the juice of half a lemon, or a lime if you don't have a lemon, along with half a teaspoon of chilli flakes and a pinch of salt and black pepper.  Use a fork to smash the avocado up leaving a few small chunks and mix well.

Bring a pan of water up to the boil and add a good pinch of salt and half a tablespoon of malt vinegar to the water.  When it is at a gentle boil, crack in two eggs and poach for 3-4 minutes until they are set but the yolks are still soft.  In the meantime, toast two slices of bread - fresh sourdough is our favourite but go with whatever you like best.

Spread some butter on the toast, smear over the avocado mixture and top with the poached egg and roasted tomatoes.  A really delicious breakfast that is simple to make and relatively healthy.  We hope you enjoy!

Jamie's Italian, Norwich

Wife of the Vegan Man first went to Jamie's Italian in Bath many years ago and can remember exactly what she ate despite the consumption of several cocktails that evening, which is a good reflection on the quality of the food. When Jamie's Italian opened in Norwich WOTVM had mixed feelings, mainly due to the fact that the restaurant was to open in the building that previously housed the much loved Waterstones in the Royal Arcade. On her first visit not long after it opened she was pleased to see that it had been sympathetically renovated (all the restaurants are decorated in keeping with the era of the building) and was looking rather swish.

When we first came to eat here as a couple we must admit that the vegetarian options were limited and the vegan ones pretty non-existent, however as the food is freshly made the staff were always happy to accommodate a cheese hating vegetarian such as Mr Vegan Man. While we don't visit here too often we're pleased to say we have noticed a vast improvement in the veggie/vegan options on offer over the past couple of years. Also, in comparison to some other Italian restaurant chains where pizza is often the highlight of the menu, there's not a pizza in sight at Jamie's Italian. The focus here is more on fresh pastas and mains with an Italian twist.

Our reason for visiting on this occasion was as a Gold Club member (this is free, you can sign up on the website and there is also an app to download) WOTVM had a birthday treat of a free bottle of Prosecco to claim - well, it'd be rude not to really! As a Gold Club member you also get a free taster for everyone on your table and a 'treat' which ranges from £10 off your bill to a free glass of house wine, so it really makes sense to sign up for one.

We were greeted on arrival and quickly seated. The staff here are very friendly and know their stuff, most are happy to recommend a dish or drink if you're having trouble deciding. Our waiter, Francesco, was no exception and quickly bought over the Prosecco wishing us both a happy birthday as it was after WOTVM's and before Mr Vegan Man's birthday.

As it was a celebration we decided to go for the full 3 courses. We both went for antipasti planks for our starters, one meaty, one veggie of course. WOTVM's meat plank was very good indeed, a great selection of Italian meats and cheeses with a fresh slaw and accompanying olives and caper berry. The highlight was the creamy buffalo mozzarella.

Mr Vegan Man's veggie plank came with a good selection of roasted veg antipasti along with some cheesy additions which he coped with as they were quite mild and not melty. A thumbs up all round!

It was at this point we were also brought our free taster which was Italian Nachos - crispy fried cheesy ravioli in a slightly spicy tomato sauce. We got stuck into this, forgetting to take a photo, but can confirm it was tasty, a comforting mix of a classic cheese and tomato combo.

Our mains arrived soon after, WOTVM had gone for a dish she's had before, fresh crab spaghetti. Crab isn't something she gets to have at home very much so this was a real treat. The pasta was cooked perfectly and was tossed in a fresh, lemony sauce which went perfectly with the sweet crab. The addition of some fresh chilli, herbs and pepper made it even more delicious.

Mr Vegan Man went for Ravioli Genovese - green pasta enclosing a primavera filling and served with lovage pesto, hazelnuts and pine nuts.  The pasta was lovely and thin, not too heavy, and cooked right on point.  The filling was fresh and tasty and the pesto added a nice zing, with the nuts adding a bit of extra crunch and flavour to the dish.  The portion size was generous and although the quantity of veggies meant that the dish was not overly heavy, it managed to have a nice richness that made it feel special.  The presentation was stunning too, it looked a real picture.

We were pretty stuffed by this point when the waiter informed WOTVM that she was also entitled to a free chocolate brownie for pudding as part of her birthday treat. Feeling as full as she was she asked if she could perhaps have some ice cream instead - the waiter didn't think we could, be when he returned said he had checked and on this occasion she was in luck (she didn't mention she had done the same dessert swap on her birthday last year). Good ice cream is one of WOTVM's absolute favourite things to eat so when three delicious scoops (2 salted caramel, 1 chocolate) came out smothered in butterscotch sauce she was in her element. Full or not, the pudding stood no chance! 

Mr Vegan Man, in a show of birthday solidarity, also went for ice cream but replaced one scoop of salted caramel with a scoop of vanilla and some crushed honeycomb on top.  It was delightful, the ice cream was smooth and full of flavour.  The perfect way to end a meal.

The bill came in at a shade under £45, which was a cracking bargain considering we'd had three courses, a taster, and a whole bottle of Prosecco.  If nothing else this highlights the great value you get from being a Gold Club member, particularly during birthday month.  Our service was excellent, Francesco was enthusiastic and attentive and did his best to make us feel special.

You can visit Jamie's Italian website here to have a look at their menu, find your local branch and become a Gold Club member.  Enjoy!