Saturday 29 September 2012

Nandos


11-13 Head Street

Colchester

CO1 1NX


Ok..so you're thinking "Ugh! A chicken restaurant?! A chicken restaurant??!?! Why write a post about that!?"

 Well, I figured some people may end up in a Nando's with omni friends (as I have before...) and also practically  every other restaurant that I've written about on here serves chicken/meat too..(just not in such a glaringly obvious in-your-face way...).

Nando's do actually answer the question of vegan food on their website..http://www.nandos.co.uk/faq/there-anything-your-menu-suitable-vegans 

"If you’re vegan or vegetarian we offer a veggie pitta, but vegans need to specify “no mayonnaise” as mayo is a standard ingredient containing egg. You can have any baste as these are free of meat, egg and dairy products.
Please note that Nando’s are not vegetarian restaurants [really? I wouldn't have guessed..] and do not imply in any literature that we are. However we do take specific steps to segregate our vegetarian product from chicken products as follows: 
  • A separate area of the grill is defined for the exclusive cooking of vegetarian and bean burgers.
  • Separate utensils are always used with vegetable products.
  • Separate bottles of the Nando’s bastes are used exclusively for basting the vegetarian products.
Full ingredient listings are available in all of our restaurants if you wish to explore further! Ask to see the “Food & Menu Specifications” booklet."

Unfortunately the said "Food and menu specification" booklet doesn't seem to be available online, so it is just a matter of asking in the restaurant....!

Zizzi


Zizzi
12 Headgate
CO3 3BTT: 01206 576816


Zizzi have a helpful allergen menu here http://www.zizzi.co.uk/assets/pdf/special_diets.pdf and even better-they have a copy that you can read in the restaurant too!

Below is a list of items that are marked vegan on the PDF, and also those that can be veganised ...

“Before you start”

Mixed olives
Goddess Olives
Dough sticks with garlic aioli- contains milk and egg: to make vegan substitute garlic butter and garlic aioli for olive oil

“Antipasti”

Bruschetta al Pomodoro
Italian bread basket-Dough sticks contain milk- "to make vegan serve without dough sticks" (this is the advice of the allergy pdf.. I'm aware it seems a bit contradictory, as above it says that the dough sticks can be made vegan if using olive oil in place of garlic butter!)

“Pasta”

Zizzi'z use vegan pasta-except the gluten free pasta, which contains egg
Pasta with pomodoro sauce is vegan-ask for it without the buffalo mozzarella

“Risotto”-all contain milk and egg

“Calzone and Pizza"

-Pizza dough and pizza sauce are vegan, so ask for the cheese to be left off.  Possible veggie pizzas to veganise are-

Skinny Rustica-Primavera  :Slices of aubergine, artichoke, peppers, olives, tomato sauce, mozzarella and goats’ cheese.-Contains milk from mozzarella and goats cheese-ask for pizza without these cheeses

Calzone-Clarissa-Aubergine, peppers, olives, pine nuts and our tomato sauce, topped off with mozzarella and goats’ cheese.-Contains milk from mozzarella and goats cheese-ask for pizza without these cheeses

Funghi-Mushrooms, mozzarella and thyme.-contains milk from mozzarella-ask for no cheese.

“Salads and sides”

Tuscan potatoes
Fine Green beans
Mixed salad
Super food insalata-“Chunky slices of butternut squash and ribbons of courgette. Lentils, broad beans and mint. We muddle goats’ cheese through the mix, add salad leaves drizzled with white balsamic vinegar and put dough on the side.”-Contains milk from goats cheese, and from garlic butter on dough sticks. I assume it would be vegan without goats cheese and dough sticks…

“Dessert”
Sorbetti (strawberry, lemon and
blood orange)


Items that looked like they may be ok, but aren’t!
Courgette fries:contain milk and egg


As ever, all information on this site is intended as a guide. Menus and ingredients may change, so always mention that you are vegan at time of ordering.
If you spot any out of date information/broken links on this site, please email me to let me know!