The Nourish Takeout Co. Fitness Food

The Nourish Takeout Co. Fitness Food

Tuesday, 5 September 2023

The Nourish Takeout Co. offers guilt-free, calorie counted fitness food. I’m 100% not the target market for this as I don’t think that guilt or calorie counting are helpful when it comes to eating, but I understand that those can be a necessary part of a fitness lifestyle. Nonetheless, they offer vegan options so we went to try them out.

The interior is a colourful industrial vibe with exposed white brickwork, metro tiles, greenery and neon lights. It was quite quiet when we visited so we could have grabbed a window seat for a spot of people watching but it was such a lovely day that we took our food to go and are outside The Steeple.

There are a couple of menus on the screens above the counter but you can order on the tablet nearer the door. It’s nice to be able to browse the vegan options on there, and there was quite a few. I went for the cookies and cream smoothie and a nourish box. You can pick your own protein, seasoning, sides and sauce, or there’s a list of Nourish box favourites to choose from.

I had the Vegan Spice box which was vegan piri chicken, spiced couscous, roasted veg and vegan garlic aioli. This was super tasty, the ‘chicken’ was vegan Quorn pieces which I hadn’t had in ages but they were nicely seasoned and went well with the garlic aioli. The smoothie was quite rich, made with a protein powder which wasn’t too obvious but it did taste kind of banana-y. I think I’d try the summer berry one next time.

Since our visit I noticed that they added vegan protein pancakes with toppings such as cinnamon and apple crumble or banoffee which both sound delicious. It’s great to have a healthy spot in the centre of town, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it even if you’re not into ‘fitness’ food.

Find The Nourish Takeout Co at 91 Nethergate, DD1 4DH
nourishtakeout.co.uk

Marwick's Vegan Kitchen / Italian Week

Marwick's Vegan Kitchen / Italian Week

Sunday, 8 January 2023

 

Marwick's Vegan Kitchen is back! We were delighted to see that to celebrate Veganuary, Marwick's world food menus are available to order for delivery every Thursday this month - the first one being Italian.

These menus are fab as the food comes chilled, prepared, and ready to heat at home up to 48 hours from delivery. I love this as you can choose when you're going to have it and it means I can enjoy setting up a cosy date-night table while it's in the oven. Oh, and there are hardly any dishes! The delivery zone is DD1-DD6, KY15 & KY16 with delivery typically between 4-6pm.

In previous years we'd had their afternoon tea delivery (which we ate in the sunshine in the garden - hard to imagine at the moment!), Christmas dinner, and a few other around-the-world meals. These were all so delicious I knew we had to order this time.

You can choose your number of courses (1 course £14.50, 2 courses £20, or 3 courses £25) and the portion sizes are very generous. We ordered two between the two of us and had enough left over for the next day. The heating and serving instructions are very easy to follow, and there are little pots for dressings, so you can add the right amount for yourself.

For Italian week we had arancini filled with basil pesto and served with an arrabbiata sauce to start. Arancini is my favourite and this did not disappoint! It's something I never make so it was such a treat. 

Next up was Lasagne al Forno, with Caprese salad and bruschetta. I did a terrible job of serving up the lasagne (I'm going to blame my utensils) so please keep that in mind when looking at the photos. Mike had made the pasta for the lasagne and mozzarella for the Caprese and you could really tell! The mozzarella was so fresh and creamy and it was a deliciously rich lasagne.

We both agreed that the bruschetta was incredible, I would happily eat that every day. The bread came with pesto to spread on top before popping in the oven then you added the tomato topping and balsamic glaze afterwards. Yum! 

Last but not least, the dessert was tiramisu. There was even dark chocolate fudge for afterwards - it would have been perfect with an espresso. Tiramisu was one of our go-to desserts pre-vegan so we were very excited. The homemade mascarpone really made this, it was so light and velvety. 

Next week's menu theme is Vietnam with crispy stuffed jackfruit pancakes, Vietnamese meatballs, spicy tofu, rice noodles, and more. You can check out the menu and order here. We would definitely recommend it for a January treat!

You might have noticed that Marwick's has now split its food and retail into separate brands (and websites). Marwick's Vegan has a winter sale on which I'd definitely recommend checking out - we did lots of Christmas shopping as there are so many great vegan and sustainable goodies on there. 

The Parlour Cafe

The Parlour Cafe

Tuesday, 16 April 2019

We are back TOGETHER… after a few weeks of not blogging together we FINALLY got the chance to have a proper blogging lunch and eat at another place on our ever-growing list. We have been wanting to try lunch at The Parlour Café for ages and with my little one fast asleep in her pram it was the perfect chance for us to have longer and more relaxed lunch.

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

Located a bit out of the centre of town but close to the university, The Parlour Café is a popular lunch spot and takeaway. Although we arrived early and before the lunchtime rush we were a little disappointed at how difficult it was to get the pram through the door, however after a wee bit of manoeuvring a member of staff eventually opened the second door. This is a really small but cosy space if you are eating in which is lovely without my little vegan but it was a challenge to fit the pram in and even then we really felt we were getting in everyone’s way especially when the lunch rush started.

We were delighted that all but one of the freshly made and delicious salads were vegan and we decided to share the Vegan Wrap, which changes daily and a couple of random colourful salads. The portion was huge so we were glad we had opted to share, for the wrap and salad it was £7.

We decided to share a piece of Chocolate cake too, there was also a vegan chocolate torte but a big slab of cake between us was just perfect. I opted for a decaf soya latte and Jilly for a lemon San Pellegrino and all together the lunch cost just over £16, which was ok for sharing but a little on the expensive side if we had ordered a meal each. It is cheaper to get your food to go - the wrap and salad would've been £4.50. The food was fantastic and fresh and we would definitely recommend for a sit in lunch, just get there fast to grab a table as this is a busy wee spot.

58 West Port, Dundee DD1 5EP
08.00-18.00 Mon - Fri | 08.00-17.00| Closed Sun
The Parlour Cafe on Facebook

Menu Key:	Vegan options on menu and check at the counter for cakes and Sandwiches
Suitable for Little Vegans:	Yes
Dog Friendly:	No
Accessibility:	All ground floor but difficult to get pram in and tight on space
Top Tip:	Ask staff for vegan cake options!

Wee Mexico

Wee Mexico

Wednesday, 11 April 2018

After a wee while without a proper catch up we decided to grab a bite to eat at one of our favourite places for vegan food in Dundee, Wee Mexico.  Neither of us had eaten much so we were in need of something super filling to keep us going and what's better than massive portions of vegan Mexican food?

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

Wee Mexico has a fantastic choice and pretty much anything on the menu can be made vegan.  I opted for my favourite; vegan great fries, topped with; vegan chicken, spring onions, tomatoes, sour cream and guacamole - it was delicious.  We decided to sit in with our food rather than take it home which meant it was really fresh and delicious. The vegan chicken was a little on the spicy side but if you prefer yours milder just let the staff know!

Jilly went for the vegan nachos with vegan beef, I would definitely recommend the vegan beef- it's perfect with nachos, fries or in a burrito.  Wee Mexico is the perfect lunch spot if you're in the centre of town and they deliver too! This is a fantastic eatery and knowing you can have so many options makes ordering a takeaway or eating in an absolute delight.  

We were there with my little vegan and although there was no ramp the staff offered to help take the pram upstairs but it was no hassle to carry it up.  There were no changing facilities but as a little place this was expected and DCA has facilities just up the road if needed! Wee Mexico is a vegan gem and we can’t wait to head back soon.

134 Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4ED
11.00-22.00 Mon-Sat | 12.00-21.00 Sun

Menu Key:	Vegan options labelled
Suitable for Little Vegans:	Yes-for a takeaway
Dog Friendly:	No
Accessibility:	Ground floor accessible for takeaway
Top Tip:	Let staff know if you don't like your food too spicy!

Flame Tree Cafe

Flame Tree Cafe

Tuesday, 30 January 2018

Exchange street is quickly becoming a vegan hotspot with various vegan options in its cafes and Heart Space Wholefoods. We headed to a Dundee vegan favourite, Flame Tree, for some lunch this week.  Located near the centre of town and parking on street, this the perfect spot for a sit in or take away lunch.

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

We were spoilt for choice here as there was a fully vegan menu within the main menu.  Jilly went for the toasted fajita wrap and I had a baked potato with falafel, spinach, tomatoes and hummus.  Our food arrived quickly and did not disappoint.  Both meals were fresh and delicious, Jilly especially loved her wrap.  The portions were huge and we had no room for cake but the staff let us know that there were five vegan cake options including an avocado chocolate cake.  All the cakes on the counter looked amazing.  Jilly had an oat milk latte and the staff let her know that they had; coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk and soya milk available.

A busy little cafe, we were lucky to get a seat during the lunchtime rush, so booking in advance may be advisable.  However, you can easily pick up a takeaway for your lunch here too.  There was a kids menu which had a few vegan options and cheese on this menu could be substituted for Violife so it's the perfect lunch spot for little vegans.  This was a fantastic lunch and just over £16 for two meals and two drinks it was fantastic value for money.  We will definitely be back to taste some of the vegan cakes soon.

20 Exchange St, Dundee DD1 3DL
08.00-17.00 Mon- Sat, 11.00-16.30 Sun

Menu Key:	Vegan Menu
Suitable for Little Vegans:	Yes - vegan options available with Violife cheese.
Dog Friendly:	No
Parking:	Meter parking on street, max 1 hour.
Accessibility:	Pram and Wheel chair accessible
Top Tip:	Ask staff which cakes are vegan

*Update 23rd May* we just had to add a little update to include the amazing milkshakes which we tried since writing this post. We had the delicious mint chocolate and oreo flavours made with oat milk and a very convincing dairy free whipped cream. Such a treat!

Beans & Berries

Beans & Berries

Thursday, 25 January 2018

Last week we headed back to Beans and Berries, we’ve been before separately but decided to tuck into some vegan pancakes together...

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

Beans and Berries is a dessert bar on Commercial Street so is in the perfect location if you're jumping off a bus like Jilly. The menu has a ‘vegan delights’ section including pancakes, ice cream and smoothies as well as a savoury vegan flatbread.

We both decided to go for something sweet and ordered a stack of pancakes with syrup, strawberries and blueberries.  Jilly had hers with vanilla ice cream and I had mine with coconut.  The guy who served us was really helpful and let me know all the vegan ice creams they had in that day; vanilla, coconut and raspberry and he let me know that they usually have mango.  With seating upstairs and downstairs it is easily accessible with a pram on the ground floor with changing facilities.  Our pancakes were delicious but the portions were a little smaller than when we had been before which was slightly disappointing.  There are plenty of dairy free milk alternatives and Jilly got her caffeine fix with a hazelnut latte.

Beans and Berries is a great place to stop for a quick coffee, a stack of pancakes or a savoury lunch. It's also a handy location if you want to pick up a takeaway coffee. It would great to see the Vegan menu extend to more savoury options and milkshakes!

70 Commercial Street DD1 2AP
08.00-20.00 Mon-Fri | 09.00-20.00 Sat | 10.00-18.00 Sun

Menu Key:	Vegan section on menu
Suitable for Little Vegans:	Yes - Baby changing, small portions for wee ones
Dog Friendly:	Outdoors
Parking:	Shore Terrace, Overgate Car Park
Accessibility:	Ground floor accessible with wheelchair or pram
Top Tip:	Ask which ice cream flavours they have as these can change