Black Mamba Tapas & Cocktail Bar

Black Mamba Tapas & Cocktail Bar

Saturday, 20 January 2024

Black Mamba opened at the end of last year - a tapas and cocktail bar, serving “tapas without boundaries” from the people behind Giddy Goose. I saw some vegan options on the menu so we went to try it out.

First impressions, the interior is gorgeous; contemporary luxe vibes and I love the attention to detail with the little lamps on the tables. There’s a long marble bench in the centre which would suit communal dining and drinks, or could be fun to book for a special event. The bathrooms are beautiful too, with gold accents and emerald tiles. I’m sure that’s enough about interiors (though it’s very much a topic on my mind as we’re mid bathroom renovation), time to talk food.

I had a tangerine & cinnamon mojit-no to drink which was lovely and refreshing but with delightful warming spice flavours. I love to see a more unique mocktail and there were plenty of interesting alcoholic ones too. We ordered our food and were recommended 2-3 dishes per person and told that they would come out as they were ready.

We basically went for all of the vegan dishes to share; patatas barbacoa (crispy potatoes, Korean with BBQ sauce), padron pepper poppers (tempura, onion ash), Korean fried oyster mushrooms with sticky Gochujang sauce, roasted butternut squash (adapted to be vegan, with whipped tofu), and stir-fried greens (long stem broccoli, bean sprout, spring cabbage and chilli crisp). The food was beautifully presented and the dishes all complemented each other deliciously. I think the stir-fried greens were actually my favourite, but David loved the mushrooms and BBQ potatoes.

The menu has clear labelling for vegan options, though we were dining with non-vegan friends and found that our waiter seemed a bit confused about which dishes were vegan when they were brought out which gave me a wee bit of food anxiety. We were also a bit disappointed that there were no vegan desserts on offer - especially as some of the brunch options include desserty sounding vegan French toast which sounds amazing.

Black Mamba have a selection of offers for weekdays, such as 2 tapas for £9.99 (Mon-Fri, 12-4pm) and Mambacita Club on Fridays (3 cocktails & 2 tapas for £27.99). They also have a wee kids’ menu and high chairs are available. You can even bring your furry friends as Black Mamba is dog-friendly! It’s so great to have new places like this open up, we’ll definitely be back in to try brunch soon.

Follow @blackmambadundee for updates and let us know if you go!

Find Black Mamba at 141 Nethergate, DD1 4DP
https://www.blackmambadundee.co.uk/

A Vegan's Guide to Dundee Restaurant Week

A Vegan's Guide to Dundee Restaurant Week

Monday, 26 June 2023

Dundee Restaurant Week is nearly here! For 11 days from the 29th June - 9th July, there’s a whole host of venues to visit and enjoy dining discounts at. Simply sign up and get your free digital pass here, have a wee browse of the participating restaurants and get planning.

Dundee Restaurant Week sent us to Mexican Grill* to see what they had on offer. Their Restaurant Week deal is 2x courses for £17.95 or 3 x courses for £20.95. We opted for a pineapple mocktail and a deliciously refreshing virgin mojito. Sadly there weren’t any vegan starters for us to try, but we thoroughly enjoyed our main courses. The staff were clued up on what could be made plant-based and told us they could make their burrito and fajitas vegan (without cheese). These were both so flavoursome and I loved the dramatic sizzling plate of veggies for the fajitas. The portions were very generous, so we shared a lovely orange sorbet for dessert.

Mexican Grill is taking part in Dundee Restaurant Week

Mexican Grill might not be the most obvious vegan-friendly dining choice, but it just shows how many plant-based options you can find these days. The good news is, I’ve done the research for you to create an A-Z of the vegan-friendly Dundee Restaurant Week venues. There may well be more, but these are either eateries we’ve previously visited, or have clearly marked vegan options on their online menus.

Andreous

(20% off)
Andreou’s have lots of vegan options including roast veg gyros, and hot and cold meze such as vegan halloumi fries, patatas bravas, chickpea stew, falafel and grilled veg skewers.
118 Nethergate / @andreousdundee

The Barrelman

(brunch and mimosa for £13)
There’s one delicious sounding option on their brunch menu - black bean chilli tacos with bean chilli, sweet potato, chipotle mayo, pico de gallo, avocado & pickled slaw. Yum!
100-108 Commercial Street / @thebarrelmanbar

Brewdog

(pizza and a pint of beer or any medium glass of wine for £14.50)
Their pizza options include vegan spicy meaty (Temple of Seitan strips, wild mushrooms, chilli fl akes, fresh red chilli, smashed Napoli tomatoes & vegan mozzarella) or the hero (Wild mushrooms, courgette ribbons, pine nuts, smashed Napoli tomatoes, rosemary).
Chamber Building, Panmure Street / @brewdogdundee

The Cannon

(any sandwich/wrap/toastie and soup for £7)
There’s an old school vegan option on their menu - avocado, red pepper hummus, tomato and rocket sandwich or wrap.
11 Union Street / @thecannondundee

EH9 Espresso

(bagel and coffee for £6)
They have a lovely vegan bagel named “The Betsy”; hummus, sun-dried tomatoes, carrot ribbons and rocket. If you’re in making the most of this offer look out for the cinnamon scrolls too.
248 Perth Road / @eh9.espresso

FIKA

(Large hot drink & cake for £6)
Vegan cake is usually available along with plant milk.
75 Perth Road / @fikadundee

Frankie & Benny’s

(family meal deal for 4: £35.99, or pasta meal deal for 2: £21.99)
They offer plant based pasta, pizza, salad, burger, hot dog and sides.
Overgate Centre / @frankienbennys

Gallery 48

(£18 for 3 x tapas of choice or £25 for 3 x Tapas & Glass of Sangria - Saturdays until 6PM)
Vegan tapas options include chickpea stew, tenderstem broccoli and chargrilled vegetables - though these are actually less than £18 for three anyway.
48 West Port / @gallery_48

Giddy Goose

(any pizza or pasta for £9)
Choose from two vegan pizzas: Margherita or Garden Heat (peppers, shallots, jalapeños & sweetcorn)
2 Perth Road / @thegiddygoosedundee

Innis & Gunn

(£35 for 2 - 2 starters, 2 mains and a drink each)
Starters are KFC cauliflower or butternut squash hummus, and choose from moving mountains burger or vegan shepherd pie for your main.
10 South Tay Street / @innisandgunndundee

Little Things Cafe

(Hand-crafted drinks and a cake for £5)
You’ll usually find vegan cupcake options, and a vegan and gluten free salted caramel brownie to go with your hot drink.
35 Reform Street / @littlethingscafe

Loco Ritas

(Any 3 dishes for £15)
Fully vegan Mexican Cantina! You can read our previous blog post here. Shout out to the cheeseburger loaded fries.
Old Hawkhill / @loco_ritas_dundee

Malmaison

(2 x courses for £22 or 3 x courses for £27)
Starters are cauliflower & coconut soup and Cobb salad, or Cobb salad can be had as a main. There’s also a black bean burger.
44 Whitehall Crescent / @malmaisonhotels

Mas Mexicana

(4 dishes for £16 - usually £26)
Choose from vegan quesadillas, tostada and tacos. They also have apple pie tacos with vanilla ice cream for dessert!
304 Perth Road / @mas_mexicana

Mexican Grill

(2x courses for £17.95 or 3 x courses for £20.95)
See above, items can be made vegan.
24 Castle Street / @mexicangrilldundee

Parlour Cafe

(10% off)
Soups, salads, sandwiches, mezze - lots of seasonal produce means the menu changes but there’s always vegan options.
58 West Port / @parlourpeople

Reboutique 

(Cup of Tea & Cake £4)
Cakes are all vegan! Usually lots of choice too.
Reboutique: 33 Castle Street / @reboutique_dundee

Serendipities

(Cup of tea & cake £4, iced tea or spritzer £2, homemade pie, wedges & house salad £5.50, quesadilla, homemade cake & any drink £11)
Fully vegan!
Serendipities: 12 Union Street / @serendipities_dundee

Tahini

(15% off before)
Lebanese small plates set menu, tell them you’re vegan when you book and you’ll be in for a treat!
11 Bank Street / @tahinidundee

Taza

(15% off, excluding drinks)
Lots of vegan options including traditional curries, and even naan breads.
City Quay / @tazadundee

The Flame Tree Cafe

(Rainbow bagel BLT and coffee for £7)
Bagel can be made with vegan Sgaia rashers for £1.50 extra. Alternative milks available for coffee.
20 Exchange Street / @theflametreecafe

The Selkie

(3 tapas for £10)
Lots of clearly labeled vegan tapas options including vegan meatballs, seared sweet chilli tofu and homemade veg chorizo in red wine.
27 Exchange Street / @theselkiedundee

The West House

(2 main meals for £17.50)
They have a couple of vegan pizzas including a Margherita and Verdura (tomato, not-zarella, spinach, onions, peppers, chillies and mushrooms), as well as an arrabbiata pasta.
2 West Port / @thewesthouse

Lots to choose from! If you’re feeling inspired to visit some local restaurants make sure you sign up for your free pass today. You can also make a donation to pay it forward to one of Dundee’’s community cafes.

Remember to mention restaurant week when booking and tag @dundeerestaurantweek to share your favourite foodie finds.

https://www.dundeerestaurantweek.co.uk/

*This post is in partnership with Dundee Restaurant Week. All opinions are my own.

Vandal & Co.

Vandal & Co.

Wednesday, 8 March 2023

Vandal & Co. had been on my list to visit for ages, and I finally made it along for a Fun A Day team get-together. It’s tucked away on Exchange Street and looks deceptively tiny from the front but in actual fact, the space just keeps going. Styled with neon pops and fun artwork, it’s a very cool space for dinner and drinks.

We were given the brunch and the main menu which had so many vegan options that we were spoilt for choice. After some deliberation, we worked out we would share a starter and dessert - it was quite an early lunch so although we were keen to try lots it just wasn’t practical appetite-wise. The menu is clearly labelled when it comes to ordering vegan, just make sure you ask for it to be made vegan if it has an asterisk.

The cocktails sounded amazing but didn’t fit in with our plans that day, instead, I enjoyed a nicely refreshing house strawberry soda which was like summer in a glass. Our shared broo-shett-a arrived (cute name), it was a simple but classic wee bruschetta with fresh tomatoes, onion, and basil on ciabatta. The topping was an absolute mountain on that toast!

We had ordered the katsu curry with tofu, ramen also with tofu, and a fear & loathing burger which is made up of a plant-based pattie, vegan cheese, and grimreaper mayo served with skin on frites. The waiter also told us that the Wife Guy burger could be made vegan which is good to know. As the mains arrived we saw that the portions looked generous. I was defeated by the katsu curry in the end, mainly as there was a lot of rice. The tofu was deliciously crispy and it had a lovely rich sauce with a fair bit of heat (for me anyway). I did try a couple of chips which were very tasty too. Everyone really enjoyed their food and agreed that there were other dishes they’d like to come back and try next time.

Although we were all very full we couldn’t resist ordering the churros waffles we’d spotted on the menu earlier. This wonderful stack was served with chocolate sauce and ice cream. I love to see an unusual vegan dessert and this one did not disappoint.

Vandal & Co have a range of daily deals which is such a great idea. These include Monday “bite/bowl/tail” (which is £20 for any bite, bowl and cocktail) and Tax Free Thursday with 20% off. Vandal & Co. is launching a restaurant in Perth soon too, you can follow their new Instagram here.

I’ll definitely be returning soon as I’d love to have a wee cocktail and am quite keen to try the Own My Planet plate - spicy tofu, bang bang cauliflower, chickpea fritters, and katsu frites - sounds so good! If you’ve been to Vandal & Co. let me know your favourite dishes for next time!

You can find Vandal & Co. at 22-26 Exchange Street, Dundee, DD1 3DL

https://vandalandco.com/
@vandalco_dundee

Sweetpea Cafe

Sweetpea Cafe

Wednesday, 22 May 2019

While Falda was on holiday I visited Sweetpea Cafe in Broughty Ferry for lunch with my (newly vegan) friend Sam Baxter Art as guest blogger. There wasn't a menu as everything is on display in the counter but it's clearly labelled and there was a lot to choose from! 

Choice:	★★★★★		Staff Knowledge:	★★★★★
Value for Money:	★★★★★		Overall:	★★★★★

We decided to share a couple of things as they all looked so good. There was a jackfruit sweet potato wrap, and spiced roast vegetable tart. Both were served with beautiful, colourful salads topped with flowers, the wrap with crisps and the tart with vegan coleslaw which is always a bonus! They were delicious, enough of a treat to be comfort food but still felt healthy.

Sam had a Teapigs berry tea and I had an oat milk latte with chai syrup. There was also soya and coconut milk to choose from for hot drinks. Sweetpea Cafe offer a lot of vegan sweet options too, we had a pineapple crumble cakey thing which was very tasty. They also had ginger tiffin, scones, and a chocolatey nut thing.

Hopefully we can visit again soon since the menu changes all the time (we spotted vegan sausage rolls on the Sweetpea Cafe Instagram) and Falda doesn't want to miss out!

327A Brook Street, Broughty Ferry, DD5 2DS

08.30-17.00 Mon - Fri | 09:00-17:00 Sat | Closed Sun
https://www.facebook.com/Sweetpeacafebroughtyferry/

Menu Key:	Vegan options labelled + ask staff
Suitable for Little Vegans:	Yes but no baby changing
Dog Friendly:	Yes
Accessibility:	All ground floor but not a huge amount of room around tables.
Top Tip:	Ask staff for vegan cake options!

Blend Coffee Lounge

Blend Coffee Lounge

Tuesday, 22 January 2019

Blend has since moved to Dock Street as of autumn 2023

And we are back…after a wee bit of time off over Christmas, we went out for our first blog post together in a few weeks.  We headed to Blend Coffee Lounge on Reform Street, one of our favourite new coffee and cake spots in the city.  It was just the place for a catch up and with a little play corner for my wee vegan.

Choice:	★★★★☆		Staff Knowledge:	★★★★☆
Value for Money:	★★★★★		Overall:	★★★★☆

Blend is a massive space but feels super cosy with big sofas and little quiet corners, such a great atmosphere for a coffee date or to get some work done.  I went for a soya hot chocolate and Jilly had an oat milk latte with hazelnut, they were perfect for a cold January day.  Blend has lots of dairy free milks on offer; soya, almond, oat and coconut. YUM.

Blend usually has a couple of vegan cake options but they only had a peanut butter slice left.  I ended up having most of it as Jilly isn’t super keen on peanut butter but it was DELICIOUS and very filling.  They also had a space for a vegan falafel wrap and a few tasty looking brunch options, but we werethere mid-afternoon.  We can’t wait to go back and try more vegan goodies.

With so many new places opening up in the City, we are excited for the second year of The Vegan Dundee Blog and can’t wait to eat lots more cake.  If you have any suggestions or would like us to try your vegan menu, get in touch onFacebook or Instagram.

63 Reform Street, Dundee DD1 1SP
08.00-18.00 Mon - Wed | 08.00-21.00 Thu-Fri | 09.00-18.00 Sat| Closed Sun
http://blendcoffee.co.uk/

Menu Key:	Vegan options on menu and check at the counter for cakes and Sandwiches
Suitable for Little Vegans:	Yes
Dog Friendly:	Yes
Accessibility:	Pram and wheelchair accessible. All ground floor
Top Tip:	Ask staff for vegan cake options!

The Bach

The Bach

Wednesday, 28 November 2018

The Bach has changed their menu a lot since 2018 - check out a newer post here.

After visiting McManus with a friend we decided it was time for lunch. I'd heard a lot of good things about the vegan options at The Bach so we double checked the menu outside and thought we'd pop in and see if there was a table free.

Choice:	★★★★☆		Staff Knowledge:	★★★★☆
Value for Money:	★★★★☆		Overall:	★★★★☆

It was pretty busy when we arrived but we got a window seat. While we were there a lot more people did arrive and had to wait or were turned away for tables so it'd be worth booking if you know you're coming! The Bach has a lovely atmosphere with its casual decor and welcoming staff. They are super dog-friendly and even have beds available for your furry friend!
The vegan options are clearly labeled on the menu, it's nice to see different choices from the usual, even with the drinks menu. My friend ordered the rumbledethumps (potato, sweet potato, turnip, cabbage, onion, mustard with roasted mushrooms and tomatoes) with the extra marinated tempeh and I went for the Bach bean nachos. They were both very tasty and decent sized portions, but I was a bit disappointed that the nachos didn't come with any substitutes for the cheese and sour cream - it could've been clearer on the menu as it wasn't a different price. We didn't have time for a sweet, but there were delicious looking cupcakes on offer and when I mentioned being vegan was told that there would be a vegan pavlova ready soon! Yum! Will definitely need to make it back in the hope of trying that soon.

31 Meadowside, Dundee, DD1 1DJ

08.00-17.00 Mon - Sat | 09.00-17.00 Sun
https://the-bach.com/

Menu Key:	Vegan options marked on main menu
Suitable for Little Vegans:	Yes
Dog Friendly:	Yes
Accessibility:	Steps to enter
Top Tip:	Ask staff for vegan sweet options!