Reviews Vanilla Black

Ok. This was a part of food adventures in London. Do not as me what i had because i can't remember those names. They were mostly good. Coconut icecream desert was good but felt that NOTHING can still beat our own 'Natural icecreams'.
#BringNaturalIcecreamsToLondon

This is the kind of vegetarian restaurant where it’s OK to wear leather, in fact you don’t have to be a non-meat eater to enjoy the food here. There are no mushroom burgers, mung beans or pasta bakes on the menu in Vanilla Black, a rather plain looking restaurant in the city of London, but then again looks are deceiving.

You might be interested to know, or not, that Andrew and his partner Donna Conroy are both vegetarian and moved their restaurant from York to the capital seven years ago and there’s a lovely story about how they found the current premises. After a couple of visits looking at property, they were deciding on their final choice and loved the Tooks Court site right in the heart of London’s legal district. Home in York, Andrew’s A-Z cover had a highlighted section of London. Guess where? Tooks Court. In effect, he’d had his finger on ‘it’ all the time.

I was keen to visit Vanilla Black because I was sent the cookbook. Vanilla Black, Fresh Flavours for your Vegetarian Kitchen is their first and I got a little hooked on the Marmite Jersey Royals recipe. I struck up a social media relationship with Andrew (@vanillablack1) and threatened to visit. When I meet him I realise he’s got an incredibly dry sense of humour and that the cookbook doesn’t reflect the food I see on the menu. A technically challenging book just wouldn’t have been popular with regular home cooks but it’s got a great selection of savoury and sweet recipes, nonetheless. The restaurant is large, no downstairs and has grey walls, filled with art and a cornucopia of mirrors, dark wood and muted lighting.

So, as meat eater and a pretty good cook, what do I choose from a menu to challenge the kitchen? I’m on my own, but seated with my back to the rest of the diners so feel less obvious I’m actually ‘Billy No Mates’ on my day off. What there isn’t here are dishes that rely heavily on pasta as their main ingredient, heavy spices or meat substitutes. There are six starters, all playing on your imagination, a carrot cake, ice cream and a toastie. The six main courses included a sponge, sea asters, seared seaweed and hay-baked artichokes. A slate of butter arrived, smoked, salted, whipped and creamed with a hint of lemon, along with basket of bread with warm poppy seed and sourdough and fennel and raisin. 

I love a toastie but as I expected my Yorkshire Blue Cheese toastie with crisp wheat, puffed rye and crushed wheat had been nowhere near a Breville, thankfully. This generous log of baked cheese came with sweet black grapes which were soaked in Sauternes wine, croquantes of puffed wheat, with a wheat cracker and a delicate cucumber gelee. 

For my main course it was the cornmeal, beetroot and horseradish with aged garlic oil, artichokes in hay, caramelised chicory and hazelnut milk. 

The garlic oil was dehydrated and was pungent but not overpowering, in fact it melted in my mouth like a savoury popping candy.

The cornmeal (fine, Italian) was so light it was pudding like, cubed and dotted with an earthy beetroot lid and grated horseradish. The hay-baked artichokes were simply delicious with deep nutty and toffee notes and the chicory added a sweet and bitter bite. The hazelnut milk dominated the plate but was merely a gravy to bring the plate together. I inhaled it and wanted another. Not because I was hungry, I was greedy for that delicious artichoke and could have eaten a bowls. No dessert for me as I was stuffed to the gills. That said, Andrew wouldn’t take no for an answer. Up came a plate of caramelised milk, black sesame ice cream, and yogurt crisps with a blueberry and sheep’s yogurt. Andrew came up too and we chatted, about music, food, sourcing the produce and his cookbook. 

Vanilla Black has to be one of the best vegetarian restaurant’s I’ve been too. Ever. The service is brilliant, the staff know the menu back-to-front and it shows. I’m dragging the meat-eaters back, kicking and screaming.   Michelin Guide-recommended but I’m not sure what’s keeping the inspectors from coughing up a one star.

Vanilla Black, 17- 18 Tooks Court, London, EC4A 1LB

Dinner at Vanilla Black felt refined. The food looked divine and tasted good. Although I'd be tempted to say it looked a little better than it tasted, but only just. The service was attentive and the dining room had a calm feel. Despite my fears when I first saw the food arriving at a neighbouring table I left full too.

Hidden away on a tiny cobbled street behind Holborn's bustle, Vanilla Black is a cultish vegetarian oasis more in the mould of laid back Michelin starred food emporia Arbutus than the often holier than thou High Veg of somewhere like Saf. There are no opi

An innovative location where to eat good vegetarian dishes.

I enjoyed the place and its neat ambiance. The menu is quite interesting and their many courses stimulated my curiosity a lot ! I had some mushroom mousse and tried also some goat cheese, which were well presented and well combined on our dishes.

The staff was welcoming and prompt. In my opinion, their flaws are the prices. In fact, the place is quite expensive and you spend for a full meal at least 50 £. Also, because with vegetarian dishes I find hard being fulfilled by just one course.

Overall, creative and nice.

My favourite all vegetarian restaurant. Food is presented very well. Service is excellent and wine list is very extensive.

At an Average spend is 60 per person including a bottle of wine it is not one of the pocket friendly places. Service is very good and as a vegetarian you are spoilt for choices. Good place for business lunch and client entertainment.

The only downside to this restaurant is the location. It's not a great place to visit over the weekends.

One of my favourite places in London. I don’t even know where to start. It’s a gem of a place tucked away. One gets the sense of quality from the exterior. Quality and old world charm. Years ago I used to feel as if I was stepping into someone’s house, a dear friend’s place as the ambience is just so tranquil and lovely. The service is great every time I have been. The menu changes every so often and the dishes are always so creative with intriguing combinations that surprise and delight. You really must try it. It’s the go to place for vegetarian and vegan food.

Rumoured to be Michellin star worthy, the service here is certain to be attentive and quick. The wait staff move quickly and effortlessly, whilst still being friendly and sharing a little humour as they go - even with our big group with complex orders. They are especially good at the personal touch, remembering your preferences and preempting your requests. It's vegetarian food only (there's a vegan and gluten free menu too) so the creativity of the food is really stretched, but delivered every time on our visit. The portion sizes are small and artistic, but bursting with flavour and fairly priced too. The menu changes regularly, but I'm told delivers quality consistently. What cost it a fifth star for me is the lack of atmosphere (a little quiet and dull), the iffy wine selection, and the inconsistency of some of the staff members. The location also isn't ideal, quite tucked away between buildings. Overall I'd recommend it to a vegetarian looking for a nice restaurant in the city. It was interesting and delivers on it's premise (vegetarian high dining) but I wouldn't be in a rush to return.

We went recently for the vegetarian tasting menu with wine pairing. The food was excellent with so many interesting flavours and the paired wines lovely. Even though the restaurant was busy it had a nice atmosphere with a gentle buzz. We'll definitely be back!

Absolutely lovely. The food was delicious - some wonderful taste pairings (the carrot soup was lush and the poached pear desert was amazing!) and the staff couldn't have been friendlier. Not huge portions (in answer to some of the criticisms) but I certainly didn't leave feeling I'd been short changed. Will definitely be back, and would strongly recommend you visit!

Always have a wonderful time at vanilla black. The staff are incredible and the food is delightful. Not your ordinary fried vegan food, there is so much effort and detail put onto every plate!

OMG. I have just eaten here for the first time. Every mouthful was incredible. Each item was prepared with attention to the food, the presentation, waiting staff were friendly and fun to chat too.

Upmarket vegetarian/vegan restaurant. Nice atmosphere and staff were friendly. Small but very tasty dishes, nicely presented. £21ish for the 2 course lunch wasn't bad. Great range of vegan options