This one is for all of those brave #veganuary souls out there who have successfully made it through the meat-free month so far… but who might be craving a meaty burger more than ever. Rachael Lindsay is one of the first to try the Moving Mountains Burger at The Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill in their restaurant of classic British fare, The Montagu Kitchen. Let’s see what she made of it.
I am not going to lie, it can sometimes be hard to eat plant-based when you are a big fan of fine dining, as I am. Especially when it comes to restaurants which feature classic British dishes. The vegans tend to be left with a bland veggie sandwich or plain salad. Cue sad face emoji.
However, I am excited to say that this Veganuary has not only brought us new vegan dishes from well-known chains like Greggs and Pizza Hut. But the fine dining restaurants that we know and love here at #TeamCoco are also getting in on the act. The latest contender to put on a vegan menu for the month of January is The Montagu Kitchen with a three-course medley of vegan delights.
Located in Marylebone with dishes inspired by the gardens at Chartwell, the private home of Sir Winston Churchill, the usual menu includes seasonal specials like Devonshire lamb, guinea fowl breast, whole dover sole and dry-aged beef tenderloin. So I was surprised to hear that they were producing a dedicated vegan menu, also inspired by Churchill and his former residence.
We start with a rose lemonade complete with edible rose petals and a tasty Jerusalem artichoke and black truffle soup served with warm herby bread. The soup manages to be both light and earthy, a nice prep for the more hearty main of a Moving Mountains burger with chips.
OK so this is the main event. The burger patty itself is made of 100% plants: coconut oil for fattiness, beetroot juice for a ‘bleed’ at the centre and plant proteins like pea and mushroom for a meaty flavour and texture. To be honest, for someone like me who has been vegan for some time, it is almost creepily similar to meat! My partner who is an avid meat-eater says that he wouldn’t know the difference between this and a beef patty if he closes his eyes. In true Montagu Kitchen style, the burger’s BBQ sauce is made with Churchill’s favourite whisky, Jonnie Walker and slices of grilled courgettes from Chartwell Gardens. It comes with some delicious chunky chips which I devour with ketchup (yes ketchup is vegan!).
Although we certainly don’t have enough room for pudding, we manage to fit in a huge slice of vegan chocolate and coconut cake for dessert. This is a melt-in-the-mouth beauty and I eat all of my generous slice, washed down with some more of that rose lemonade.
The Montagu Kitchen is both a relaxed and elegant space with velvet chairs embossed with floral motifs, reminiscent of the Chartwell Gardens, an open kitchen and attentive and friendly staff. For such high quality food, the new vegan set menu is excellent value at £25 for three courses over lunch or dinner.
For those who need a burger fix and/or a fine dining treat to get through Veganuary, The Montagu Kitchen and its meaty meat-free burger is your answer.
To find out more, visit themontagukitchen.co.uk.
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