“Vegan food? In a French restaurant?

The French don’t even know what vegetarian means, never mind vegan!”

However Chez Jules seems to be clued-up; on the menu is a starter of Melon and Mango Salad with Basil and Pomegranate Dressing, and a main course of Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables Couscous with Cherry Tomato, Grilled Asparagus, Basil and Tomato Sauce. Both of these items are on the 2 Course Set Dinner for £10.00 offer, which is in effect from 5pm till 7.30pm.

I haven’t actually eaten there so I don’t know if it’s vegan or not. You can always ask – the only non-vegan thing that would be in there is butter, I’m sure. So ask first.

Accompaniments include a vegetable selection, salad, bread and olives. I’m sure they’ll do their garlic bread with oil instead of butter.

Location: 5a Ethel Street (off New Street). Open Monday – Saturday; Lunch 12pm-4pm; Dinner 5pm-11pm.

I normally only post about places at which either I or my girlfriend have eaten, but let me make it clear that I’ve never actually eaten at Lasan.

Nevertheless, this place looks bloody impressive. It’s had loads of good press reviews, described as one of the “Top ten Indian Restaurants in the UK” by the Independent, and has won loads of prestigious awards.

The vegetarian menu is impressive and also it’s CHEAP. ish. Compared to our local anyway.

And, as you’d expect, it’s mostly vegan/veganizable. Just tell them you’re vegan or ask that they use no ghee, milk or cream.

I may eat there one day, but I feel that I may have to dress up in very smart clothes and have a shave first :-( Too posh for me.

Lasan is situated on James Street, off St Paul’s Square which is in between the City Centre and the Jewellery Quarter.

Lunch – Monday to Friday 12pm – 2.30pm

Dinner – Monday to Saturday 6pm – 11pm

Sunday 12pm – 10pm

Well, no doubt you already know who Benjamin Zephaniah is and that he’s a rapping, toasting, story-writing, Vegan Society Honorary Patron-ing, OBE-refusing rasta poet from Brum.

In case you didn’t know already, there’s a free vegan food fair on Saturday 10th November, 10.00am- 4.00pm, at All Saints Church Hall, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7RA.

There will be two cookery demos, which (apart from the free food of course) I think will be the main highlights of the day.

The organisers need volunteers for pre-event leafleting, and setting up stalls and washing up on the day. Contact them for more details.

Situated on Allison Street underneath the Warehouse Cafe, the One Earth Shop is 100% vegan, and sells a wide variety of everyday foods that you’d expect to find in a vegan whole foods shop – various grains, dried fruits, sauces, olives, flour, tinned foods, frozen foods, jars, tahini etc. But we’re concerned with stuff that you want when you just need to grab something to eat now, and they sell that kind of stuff too. They have cold pasties and pies, banana cake, flapjack type fruit slices, sausage rolls, choc ices, ready-to-eat vegan sausages, small soya milk cartons, and so on.

Pizza Express has been named the most vegan-friendly food chain by a certain organisation whose name I won’t mention. This is simply because they’re willing to serve their pizzas without cheese.

Err… so what? They’re willing to leave out cheese, which actually makes it that little bit cheaper for them to make a pizza for you. Do they give you a discount for not having cheese? Errm… no!

And they don’t even do risotto!

Pizza Express the most vegan-friendly food chain? I beg to differ. I think Baguette du Monde is the most vegan-friendly – because I’m vegan and the price of the food there is very friendly to my pockets. And anyway, pizzas without cheese are boring, man! I say this even though I make vegan pizzas all the time. There just seems to be something missing. That something is cheese. Sorry.

I do really like Pizza Express; I just don’t think they deserve an award for not putting cheese on pizzas. It’s not as if they are going to refuse your request and watch you (and your money) walk out, is it.

Anyway – there are two in the city centre – one at Water’s Edge, Brindleyplace, and one at 4,The Citadel,190 Corporation St.

Their menu features a fair few vegan options; all of their intros are vegan, some of their starters (bruschetta) are vegan*, and nearly all of their side dishes are either vegan or veganizable*.

Unfortunately it looks like none of their desserts are vegan.

*make sure they use olive oil instead of butter/marge on garlic bread and bruschetta

If you’re lucky (or not) you might find some sort of humous sandwich here.

To be honest I’m sick of humous but I wouldn’t say no if I was desperate.

Actually I’d probably just go home.

Open on Sundays and part-owned by McD’s.

There are four branches: New Street, Cherry Street, S*lfridges and the Bull Ring.

It’s £10 for three courses.

Or if you don’t have time for 3 courses you can have 10% off any vegan item off the menu.

I think it is all day, not just the evening.

You can bring your own alcohol (corkage may be charged).

Do they actually sell figs and olives?

I didn’t see any on the menu.

They do sell hummous and roasted red pepper sandwhiches though.

Boring and predictable, but vegan.

And I’m sure you could ask for whatever you wanted with the hummous – rocket, pesto, whatever.

If you ever find yourself in St. Paul’s Square, hungry, then this could be your place.