I relish a succulent steak or lamb chop as much as the next man, but at Demuths, a well-known vegetarian restaurant in Bath, I was pleasantly surprised by how creatively delicious modern veggie dishes can be.
I opted for a starter of roast beetroot with lightly pickled lavender blueberries and homemade cream cheese curds and hazelnuts. Main course was a fennel and apricot tagine with roast courgette, chickpeas, citrus puree, pistachios and spiced panisse (a fried chickpea flour patty).
These unexpected combinations tasted wonderful and looked colourfully appetising on the plate as well.
Most hotel restaurants offer a token choice of often rather dull vegetarian dishes, though some offer a dedicated veggie menu. Linthwaite House in Windermere, for example, has one which changes daily and the hotel says about one in 12 of its guests choose this option.
One place that really makes non meat-eaters feel at home is Fishmore Hall in Ludlow. In addition to its standard menu it offers two vegetarian tasting menus, one a six-course and the other a daunting nine-course affair.
Fishmore director Laura Penman told me: “These menus are very popular with vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. And if you’re not sure which wine to choose we can match a glass to each course.”
Ludlow folk eat well, having several good delicatessens and cheese shops and a local produce Food Centre, as well as a Michelin-starred restaurant and two others with three AA rosettes.
One of these is Fishmore, whose nine-course veggie extravaganza kicks off with pressed pickled beetroot with orange, tarragon and goat’s cheese (served with an optional Minervois rosé). Other dishes I like the sound of include a tomato and fennel tarte with caramelised onion, wild garlic and chive oil (pinot grigio), and a tomato and saffron linguini with micro onions and coriander (sauvignon blanc).
I’m relieved to see there isn’t a boring old nut cutlet in sight.
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