Open wide - The Gate, Islington
- thepeckishpea
- Dec 21, 2016
- 2 min read
If there was one restaurant in London I would pick to show a friend / carnivore / alien what good vegetarian food is like, it would be The Gate. It has never disappointed me, and I have literally finished every mouthful (in a greedy, I-want-more way). The Gate is a great place for creative, delicious vegetarian and vegan food with plenty of choice. I have only been to the branch in Islington (a short walk from Angel underground station) but have heard good reviews about their other 2 restaurants.
We visited in December, eager to get into the warm restaurant and fill our bellies with food. I had the large starter Mezze Platter for my main course which was filled with goodies. The two unusual items were delicious: Miso Aubergine was soft, salty and smokey; the Green Banana Fritters were sweet crisp bites covered in a chipotle and blueberry sauce, sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. The Three Onion Tart was fresh and light; the Hazelnut and Honey Crusted Goat's Cheese was a mellow smooth counterpoint to the sharp beetroot and crunchy walnuts.
The only part which I didn't think was an instant hit was the Three Lentil Pate Terrine - although it looked very pretty with 3 different colours based on the lentils used in each layer (red, green and beluga), I could have happily just eaten the homemade bread and red onion marmalade it came with.
Hubby had the Christmas Rotolo, which felt very seasonal as it used festive ingredients like chestnut stuffing, cranberries and parsnips in an inventive way. It was a cylindrical tower of potato, wrapped in mushroom-lined pancakes served with a stuffing ball. The plate was dotted with cranberries and a delicious maple parsnip puree. It felt like a posh Christmas vegetarian dinner - including the obligatory Brussels sprouts!
A lovely way to spend an evening, whether with friends or a romantic date - I cannot recommend The Gate highly enough for good atmosphere, service and choice of vegetarian (and vegan) options. Prices are comparable with other central London restaurants (starters £6-8, mains £13-16).
Peckish Pea Rating - 5/5!
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