It’s January, and in the world of Veganism, that can only mean one thing: Veganuary! Not only is it a great time for non-vegans to try being vegan for a month, but it’s also great news for all of us already enjoying a plant-based life. It’s an exciting time of year, restaurants, cafes, supermarkets and coffee shops all up their game, releasing lots of new products and adding delicious new dishes to their menus. Of course, we love supporting independent vegan businesses throughout the year, but every now and then, we like to focus on high street chain restaurants who are really offering up exciting and well thought out vegan grub. Bill’s Veganuary menu especially caught our eye, so we decided to check it out!
Miso Aubergine Fritters
Served with a smoked chilli & soy dip & topped with mixed seeds
Dish Type: Starter
Price: £5.95
Value: £
GF: No
Rating: 10/10
Pros: The aubergine was really creamy and soft, with a super light and crispy batter. We loved the sauce! It was smokey, sweet and spicy, and was perfectly balanced with the flavours from the aubergine. The seeds added an extra crunch which was really nice, and the little green sprouts added a lovely freshness.
Cons: We shared it, which was the perfect amount for us. A whole portion to ourselves might have been a little rich due to it all being fried.
Carrot, Cashew Nut & Mushroom Wellington
With butterbean mash, long stem broccoli & rich vegetable gravy
Dish Type: Main
Price: £11.75
Value: ££
GF: No
Rating: 9/10
Pros: The pastry for the wellington was spot on. It was all lovely and flakey, with no soggy bits in sight! The inside of the wellington was also delicious, the carrots were lovely and sweet and it was full of flavour. The gravy was also super delish! Vegan gravy can sometimes be a bit tricky to get right, but this was perfect. The long stem broccoli was perfectly cooked and added a nice crunch to cut through the wellington. The butterbean mash was really smooth and creamy and was a great protein-filled addition. A common misconception, we don’t just want to eat salad leaves, vegans want (and need) protein too!! We felt this was a really well-balanced meal, both nutritiously, and in flavour and texture.
Cons: Maybe a little overpriced. In other places, you can get a full roast dinner with all the trimmings for £12. Either make it a little cheaper or add a few more elements to the plate. Despite this, it was a very tasty meal!
Jackfruit Salad Bowl
Smoked chilli jackfruit with mixed grains, edamame beans, red cabbage, toasted cashew nuts, lettuce, mint & lime soy yoghurt, finished with a crispy rice cracker
Dish Type: Main
Price: £10.95
Value: ££
GF: Yes
Rating: 8/10
Pros: This dish was very well balanced in terms of texture. The jackfruit was soft in the middle and crispy on the outside, and the cashews and lettuce added the perfect crunch! The rice and quinoa were tasty and the sauce was delicious and quite similar to the one used in the aubergine dish. The crispy jackfruit bits were great, and overall we enjoyed this dish.
Cons: The main let down for this dish was the rice cracker on the side. It was completely tasteless and didn’t add anything to the plate. We like the concept of it, but it needed much more flavour. This wasn’t our favourite dish, but it was still a great offering!
Sticky Chocolate Pudding
Dish Type: Dessert
Price: £6.50
Value: ££
GF: No
Rating: 9/10
Pros: This dessert is cross between a mouse and a cake, it was very light and airy, and super chocolatey! It’s quite a decadent dessert, but I guess desserts should be! The coconut ice cream brought a freshness to the dish, and the little hazelnut crumb added lovely texture.
Cons: It was a little bit too sweet for Charlie, but I loved it.
We had a grand old time at Bill’s! The food was delicious. It’s a well-decorated space, with nice music playing in the background, and all the staff were very friendly and attentive. This created a lovely atmosphere to enjoy our meal. Bill’s really is an all-rounder restaurant! It’s a great place to meet friends for coffee or to grab a nice lunch, or for a more special sit down meal in the evening with your family.
Whether you’ve been taking part or not, I hope you’re all having a very happy Veganuary! For more information on Veganuary, check out their website: https://uk.veganuary.com/.
Disclaimer: This meal was kindly gifted to us, however, the opinions are all 100% honest and our own.
Opening Times
Mon – Wed: 08.00am – 10.30pm
Thurs – Sat: 08.00am – 11.00pm
Sun (& bank holidays): 09.00am – 10.30pm
Bill’s Bristol
67-69 Queen’s Rd, Bristol, BS8 1QL
https://bills-website.co.uk/restaurants/bristol
Have you ever been to Bill’s? If so, we’d love to hear what you thought. Leave us a comment, like, or share this post with your friends.
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