Restaurant Review: Manna

My first day in London included a wonderful dinner at Manna in Primrose Hill. I was looking forward to trying this restaurant after reading Evan’s review over at The Wannabe Chef and one of my colleagues was kind enough to indulge me. I’m always nervous taking non-vegetarians/vegans to restaurants that have a plant-based menu, but the three omnivores who accompanied me all enjoyed their meals.

We ordered four appetizers and shared them, which was great because I was having trouble deciding which one I wanted! The basil & cashew cheese croquettes were excellent, really flavorful with a great crispy shell. My favorite starter was the spiced jerk tofu, plantain & sweet potato kebabs, which were both savory and sweet, and had a really great flavor combination. We also got two orders of the quesadillas, which were good but nothing too special.

For my main I ordered the organic bangers and mash (come on, it was just too traditionally British to pass up!) which included  fennel and pumpkin seed sausages with greens and a delicious parsnip and carrot mash. I especially liked the faux sausage since I like trying new non-soy based fake meats, and this was a great version. My boyfriend ordered the enchilada casserole which was absolutely delicious, I definitely snuck a few bites from his plate. Our two dining companions ordered the spaghetti & meatballs, the faux meatballs were admired and shared, and the ravioli, which they both seemed to enjoy.

The restaurant was packed for a Sunday night and I even heard one of the waiters tell someone on the phone that they were completely booked for the night. It’s always nice to see a vegan restaurant that is doing so well!