Veg Out Cafe
It has a few awards and a Guardian mention under its belt. Having been a regular at the Manic Organic (its former incarnation), I was keen to see how things had changed.
Atmosphere
I arrived on a very sunny June evening, and the 20-30 cover restaurant was practically full, made up of a mixture of larger parties and couples.
A warm welcome is given to everyone who walks through the door and the staff are eager to please. Background soul music was on the night we attended providing an atmospheric backdrop.
The decor is similar to the previous Manic Organic with arts and crafts on the wall making it quite homely.
Food
Veg Out Cafe specialises in hosting a daytime crowd primarily, so breakfasts, brunches, lunches and the like is their main fare, but twice a week (Fridays and Saturdays), they operate an evening menu between 6pm -10pm.
The menu has three choices per course, alters each month and observes seasonal changes where possible. It is totally vegetarian with some options for vegan and gluten free preferences.
For my Starter, I had the Pea and Mint Soup served with Toasted Almond and Feta Crostini with Lime Zest. The soup was a generous portion size, wholesome yet refreshing.
It was nice to get the texture of the peas although I only tasted a slight hint of the mint and not much of the lime zest came through.
The feta and almonds were a good accompaniment and helped to bulk out the soup. The crostini were served within the soup but personally I would have preferred it (or indeed additional bread) to be served on the side separately.
My Carnivorous Husband (MCH) chose the Fresh Asparagus with Baked Cornish Crystal New Potatoes and Artichokes. He commented that the potatoes possessed a slow-roast flavour and the chargrilled artichokes were sweet tasting.
He also said the steamed asparagus was cooked just right although he would have welcomed a couple more spears as part of the portion size.
For our main courses, I opted for the Roasted Squash with Savoy Cabbage and Hazelnuts served with a Rich Tomato and Tarragon Sauce and Sauteed Mushrooms.
The dish was very hearty and almost stewlike, with lots of flavours bursting. Howver, the sauce was a little watery at the bottom of the dish, but this is only a minor point.
I would've preferred the savoy cabbage leaves to have been shredded rather than served as whole leaves as I did struggle to cut them graciously.
MCH chose the Spinach and Pine Nut Ravioli served with Courgette Ribbons and Basil Lemon Pesto. The ravioli was made from homemade pasta, and the lemon pesto gave it a tangy contrast.
In addition to the desserts offered on the menu, there were a selection of homemade cakes available which were vegan and gluten-free.
Deciding to stick to the menu however, I had the <strong>Poached Rhubarb with Lemon Posset. This was a dream of a dessert.
The stewed flesh of the rhubarb sweetly combined with the posset's tart the lemony cream, making it a scrumptious pudding.
MCH had the Chocolate Mousse Served with Raspberries & Pistachios. It was a dense, rich mousse which was broken up subtly with the fruitiness of the accompanying raspberries and the crunchiness of the pistachios.
Drinks
The cafe operates a 'bring your own' alcohol policy. A carafe of free water was given as standard.
Other drinks range from a selection of teas and coffees through to mineral waters, carbonated fruit drinks, smoothies and milkshakes. For those in need of a little TLC, there is a Hot Lemon, Ginger and Manuka Honey drink on hand.
Overall
A delightful, casual and relaxed suburban eatery which offers vegetarian home style cooking coupled with a streak of creativity.
If you're looking for vegetarian restaurants Birmingham has a definite contender here.
But for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, it offers a personal, cosy approach for those that wish to have a more informal dining experience.
Author: AnnaRose
