VEGAN TAPAS by Si Hall & Nicky Rigby-Smith
There is an all new plant based restaurant on the scene in the North West and it is going down a storm . Vegan Tapas has been created to bring together the best plant based culinary experiences available today . By combining the artistic and playful quality with visually pleasing presentation , the unique and often unexplored flavours and textures of their vegan dishes become the heart of their environment . They have an entirely organic wine list , many of which have been grown at single vineyard estates and isolated from other grapes , thus reflected in the superiority of their wine . The small plate tapas menu has been carefully created made fresh , inhouse daily ; that means bread , fresh butter ; all cakes , jams , ice cream , sorbets , biscuits ; every sauce , jus , dip , and dressing … are all homemade . Nothing but ingredients will ever cross the threshold , ensuring they control the quality , hygiene and full visibility of their menu . They are extremely proud of what they have created at Vegan Tapas ; not only serving sensational plant based cuisine but also taking responsibility for their social impact too .
Owned by husband and wife team Joseph and Hannah Willis , the new eatery is causing quite a stir on The Wirral Peninsula . There is increasing awareness among UK restaurant dining consumers about ethical issues , which increase not only awareness of ethical issues but influence their choice , seeking out restaurants that ease their conscience . Sustainability is more than a massive trend . Diners are looking to buy into the places that they eat , they want to know the values and principles of the restaurant , and increasingly more diners want to eat at an establishment which is sustainable . In fact , a study found that more than two-thirds of restaurant customers would be willing to pay extra money for green restaurant practices . Customers are in for a treat at Vegan Tapas .
Considerably environmentally conscious , their bespoke handmade tables are made from reclaimed timber . Their rustic wall panelling is made from 160-year-old reclaimed pitch pine planks . Their commitment is to minimise the purchase of cheap new products that do not last , contributing to a wasteful environment , and to focus on minimising waste within the restaurant . Opening a new venture it ’ s not always possible to reuse and recycle . So where new items are essential , for example the hard wearing waterproof flooring that meets the hospitality hygiene requirements , they off set this with their use of reclaimed materials to balance the impact on the environment . Where new is a must , quality and longevity is the deciding factor considered in the decisions ; not cost .
The team has been hand picked with intent and ambition , lead by multi award winning restaurateur Joanna Jones as the General
Manager . As we arrive we hear the chefs deep in conversation with Joanna discussing traditional cheese making methods and the ageing process that they would like to apply to plant based ingredients . Their local storage unit in nearby Neston has also allowed the chefs some extra space so there is talk of a cheese making journey potentially for a Christmas vegan cheeseboard .
Fresh bread is made every morning here , “ Staff often get to take loaves home at the end of the evening as we just won ’ t serve a bread that ’ s made the day before . There is an ever so slight change in texture when it ’ s not fresh – and we just won ’ t sacrifice quality . We will only serve the very best .” Joanna reliably informs us .
A fully organic wine list and a slick cocktail menu , make this place a venue that really ticks all boxes . You may have also seen ' Oaty the Floaty ' their eco friendly electronic milk float at Neston Market . Their homemade jams , chutneys and condiments have proved extremely popular so keep your eye out for them in your local independent delicatessen shops - coming soon !
Waste is never an issue here ; there is an overlap of ingredients used in many of the dishes . As an example , mushroom stock is made using dried mushrooms , then the rehydrated mushrooms from the stock are blended in to make both the paté and the leek and mushroom potato croquettes small plates dishes . There is also revolutionary food being created here and the reviews from diners back it up . In a lot of restaurants , the specials board is a place to use up left overs or things that would otherwise be waste . This of course happens here too , but this specials board really is special . Ingredients are grown or bought in specifically so that the chefs can get creative , use their imagination and make totally new dishes , monitoring how they sell to see if they make the step up onto the main menu .
Turning to their hot beverages ; it ’ s no secret that coffee production is known for its far-flung suppliers around the world and complicated supply chains . It also involves wholesale markets and regional distributors , rendering the whole traceability process complicated and difficult to verify but Vegan Tapas have done just that . Having developed a community give back program , they will be donating 5 % of all coffee sales back through to the community where the Coffee Bean farm workers live , creating a social impact across the globe helping those workers benefit from their success .
Vegan Tapas . 68 Pensby Road , Heswall Tel : 0151 345 6087
40 38 wirrallife . com