Slaw Shines The Limelight Firmly On Vegetables
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Last Updated 07 March 2019
There's been a curious shift in London restaurants' vocabulary recently.
Fewer new openings are adorned with the word 'vegan'. Instead, there's a cunning substitute. Plant-based. Slaw, on Upper Street, is one such eatery, however, this isn't just some faddy marketing ploy.
No jackfruit/soya masquerading as meat here — dishes put vegetables front and centre. Such dedication to veg hardly matters if dishes don't deliver in the taste department, but boy, do these plants pack a punch.
Things are made to share at Slaw; we recommend assembling a decent sized crew, so you can try a bit of everything. By our measure, two dishes stand tall above the rest — first, the Jerusalem artichoke puree, which acts as a bed for a blend of quinoa, mushrooms and kale. These ingredients are usually punching bags for the haters, but like an underdog boxer swinging wildly, they prove everyone wrong. The other standout is the beetroot daal. Its colour is hypnotising, and only its stunningly complex tastes can snap us out of our trance.
Slaw's laid back vibe complements the food. Tucked away on buzzing Upper Street in Angel, this is a narrow space, but a savvy layout and friendly team, keeps things comfortable. Admittedly, the expertly curated wine list might have helped too.
Though the entire menu is vegan, perhaps unusually, two of the three founders aren't. Slaw has its sights set on more than just the vegan market. It wants to attract the swathes of people who can't face the commitment of going vegan full-time, e.g. all those folks who say they'd do it but they'd miss cheese/bacon/eggs (delete as appropriate) too much.
Research shows that about a third of meat eaters in Britain are actively trying to cut down on their meat consumption. Slaw wants to be an option for these folks.
And what an excellent option it makes.
Slaw, 149 Upper Street, N1 1RA.
