11 October 2018

All Bar One Review

My Review of All Bar One and their Nutritious Power-Foods Menu, featuring plant-based dishes that are full of nutrients and flavour.

Where: Various Locations throughout the UK

Website: http://www.allbarone.co.uk/

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/allbarone/

Menu: http://www.allbarone.co.uk/foodmenu

CHECKED OFF MY LIST: 16^th August, 2018

OVERVIEW:

All Bar One is a restaurant/bar chain with over 50 locations across the UK. In the past they have celebrated Veganuary (Vegan January) with special vegan dishes, and have a number of vegan options on their normal menu as well. This past summer they added their exciting Nutritious Power-Foods, additional vegan dishes created with their registered nutritionist, Sarah Jackson! It’s refreshing to know there are some solid vegan options on the menu of such a large chain, and tasty options at that.

ATMOSPHERE AND WHEN TO GO:

The environment at All Bar One is very sleek and cool – perfect for going out to dinner or meeting up with friends after work. I visited the location in Leicester Square, which felt quite high-end, with ambient lighting and beautifully plated dishes. I was fortunate enough to attend an event where we got to sample a number of items from the Nutritious Power-Foods Menu. It was all delicious!

MY SHORTLIST:

Appetisers:

Padron Peppers – I had been nervous to try these, as I am a wimp when it comes to spice. But I’m so glad I did. Not only were these mild, they’re actually a bit sweet, smoky, salty, and just super yum!
Tortilla Chips – These chips are addictive. They’re flaky and light, and I could not stop eating them all evening.

From the Nutritious Power-Foods Menu:

Supergreen Noodle Laksa – Vermicelli noodles, spiced coconut sauce, pak choi, spinach, and beansprouts; 2 of your 5 a day and rich in Vitamin C and folate.
- This was a stand-out dish for me. The flavour of the coconut sauce was spot on – salty, sweet, and not too spicy. The noodles were cooked just the right amount and the whole dish came together flawlessly.
The Power of Five – Pan fried medley of greens, butternut squash, aubergine, mushroom, and peppers with a toasted sesame and miso sauce, topped with a rice noodle cracker; 5 of your 5 a day and 300 calories or less.
- You really cannot go wrong with this combination of plant foods! It’s essentially several of my favourite vegetables thrown in a gorgeous sauce.
Avocado and Black Rice Salad – Avocado with onion seeds, quinoa, soya beans, baby kale & chilli topped with coconut dressing and tortilla crisp; 2 of your 5 a day, rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin B6.
- This salad was a fantastic combination of textures and flavours. The creaminess of the avocado was complemented well by the greens, the quinoa and soya beans added great plant protein, and as I said before, the tortilla chips are just gold.
Moroccan Squash Salad – Roasted butternut squash, spiced quinoa, chickpeas, sugar snap peas, pomegranate with a coconut & turmeric dressing; 2 of your 5 a day, rich in Vitamin C and 450 calories or less.
- You can never go wrong with butternut squash in my book, especially when it’s roasted. I also was a big fan of the dressing, which was rich and creamy and made the perfect base for the rest of the salad.

From the Regular Menu:

The Vegan Burger – Aubergine & harissa patty, beetroot houmous, fire roasted peppers served in an ancient grain bun instead of brioche.
- This was quite possibly my favourite dish of the night. The burger patty was soft in the middle with a crispy outside, the beetroot houmous added a lovely flavour, and was incredibly filling as well!
Chilli non Carne Tacos – With crushed avocado and chilli non carne topped with nacho crumb and served with a turtle bean & pineapple salsa.
- These were another favourite, with so many flavourful ingredients packed into soft tortilla taco wraps.
All Bar One has other vegan dishes on their menu, and a couple of desserts (the Raspberry & Coconut Sorbets and the Rich Chocolate & Avocado Pot) which all sound incredible. I’m hoping to have the chance to try these in the future!