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EATING
OUT
Pass
the veg
Will Cottrell digs in at RedVeg burger bar
 RedVeg
co-owner Mark Burrage is visibly irked: a local magazine
has just labelled his restaurant a 'vegetarian MacDonalds'.
Oops. He has a point - it's hardly a description likely
to pull in Brighton's alternative crowds.
Although
fast food and talk of the American behemoth go hand in hand,
it is, however, merely childish to extend the connection
to the recently-opened restaurant on Gardner Street. Fast
food has long been the domain of a huge diversity of independents;
to undermine the connection still further, RedVeg's other
owner was one of those who funded the defendants in the
celebrated McLibel trial.
But
if you deal in burgers, comparisons to McDonald's are inevitable
and you can't help feeling that RedVeg likes to position
itself as something of an agent provocateur towards the
diced-cow-and-low-wages giant.
Take,
for example, the decor: a cheeky blend of Communist iconography
that uses a suspiciously MacDonalds-looking red. Or the
burgers - sesame seed buns, crispy lettuce but what's this
green stuff? Coriander?
RedVeg's
manifesto states: "no lentils and no meat, no pain
and no suffering, no exploitation and no competition."
Their burgers also offer more juiciness than your usual
fries-to-go cusine. Layers of lettuce, cheese, onion and
relish line the highly recommended ChilliVeg burger,
while the burger itself is tender, succulent and lean.
The
swiftly expanding chain aims to offer healthy tucker with
a fast food mentality. Hence the other burgers, noodles,
falafel and nuggets on the menu - all vegetarian, of course.
On top of that are some innovative asides: carrot and
coriander goujons, crispy zucchini plus fries or chips,
as well as assorted cappuccinos and lattes, herbal teas
- oh, and a licensed bar until 10pm.
So -
MacDonald's? Doesn't sound like it to me. Perhaps Shakespeare
is instructive here: "he is a heavy eater of beef.
Me thinks it doth harm to his wit."
Essential
information:
RedVeg's own burgers come in at just under £3 with
fries and extras between £1 and £2. An expresso
is £1.40 while a bottle of house organic red is a
reasonable £10.95, or £2.25 a glass.
For fast vegetarian food - highly recommended.
RedVeg
21 Gardner St
North Laine
01273 679910
Open 11am - 10pm Monday to Sunday
www.redveg.com
copyright New Insight 2002
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