As Sarupa is (or thinks she is ) the expert on vegetarian food, I have invited her to join me in reviewing 222 so we can both share our experience there with you.

When you walked in how did you feel, ambiance, décor and general vibe?

Sarupa: I had no idea where we were going as it was a birthday surprise. Given the almost left field location I was a little nervous but excited as we walked form the station to the restaurant. As we approached seeing it was a vegetarian restaurant made me feel really happy!

It had a posh café feeling about it, like a lot of vegetarian restaurants do. I am not sure why vegetarian food makes people think of the opposite of luxury and high end…not that it is necessarily important to look swish. Just there seems to be a more utilitarian approach for décor and ambiance.

The vibe was relaxed and of course like any diner as I walked in I looked to see what people were eating. It all looked rather wonderful so I was very happy.

I did feel however a little tea light in a pretty holder would have made it feel more like dinner and added more intimacy and maybe some low volume music. Dinner after all is a sensory experience too…well it is for me!

The décor could do with some updating…if I really had to say something constructive!

Michael: 222 is not located in the most salubrious of places, I did feel a little concerned that we where in the wrong part of town and I almost cursed my Google maps app for taking us down the wrong street. However we soon saw the sign for 222 and I was pleasantly surprised. Entering the restaurant it was clean and well presented, light and airy.

We sat next to the window and although they will not be winning any awards for the view, it was comfortable and pleasant. It had much more of a “café” vibe rather than that of a high end restaurant.

Was the menu interesting, innovative and inspiring?

Sarupa: Oh my, the menu was just delightful. Even as I write this my mouth is watering. I was of course as a vegetarian spoiled for choice, so much so I nearly had a melt down on what to order. In a non-veg restaurant usually there is one or two choices which makes ordering pretty straightforward.

Once I got over the amount of choice I had, because I could order anything and everything I knew I was in for a treat.

What was great to see was Michael, a meat eater as excited as me about the menu. Of course Michael eats vegetarian meals, we have veggie days even! He isn’t the kind of carnivore who believes without a slab of dead something it isn’t a meal; It was just  great for us both to feel that inspired, rather than my often sorry look of well there isn’t much here for me…!

Michael: For me this is the interesting bit, the menu genuinely looked different to most vegetarian restaurants. With interesting ingredients and combinations this looked like it was going to be a meal which would challenge my preconceptions of what a modern vegetarian restaurant is capable of.

How was the food presented?

Sarupa: The food was presented beautifully. It was inviting, colourful and certainly something that was thought about before it reached the table.

Michael: Really good! I couldn’t help looking at the food coming out of the kitchen to the tables around us. Although they were hearty portions, there was a real flair in the way each dish was presented on the plate. I was trying to match up the plate to the menu to help me make my choice.

Was the food any good?

Sarupa: To start I had the ‘lentil peak’ It was delicious, moreish and left me knowing what was to follow was going to be superb. My main, ‘oyster mushroom & spinach raclette’ was equally delicious. I couldn’t help thinking what a fabulous breakfast it would make as the tofu, which had been done to be like cottage cheese also could have been a great vegan egg substitute.

The food didn’t disappoint. As far as veggie restaurants go it is certainly a trail blazer. 222’s food had bold flavour not just an array of vegetables. All the dishes we had on the table tasted unique too.

The starter and main were so good I actually had to turn down the dessert opportunity. On my birthday too…this is unheard of normally as I am a sucker for sweet stuff!

Michael: Fantastic! For my starter I opted for the ‘Heart’s Desire’, artichoke hearts beautifully cooked to perfection with herbs and a roasted pepper sauce. This dish worked really well the flavours combining to mouth-watering effect.

For the main course I went for ‘Seitan Stroganoff’, for those who don’t know seitan, it is a wheat gluten meat substitute. It is well textured and here it was served in a wonderfully rich cashew nut cream making it a perfect combination. The menu didn’t mention the pieces of oyster mushroom I found in the dish but they were a welcome addition, adding more texture with the flavour of the mushroom making the dish even more special. It came served with brown rice which was perfect for mopping up the last puddles of sauce.

How was the overall service experience?

Sarupa: Service was great. Friendly, informative, polite and not intrusive. I just couldn’t fault the experience. I love the fact that the head chef came out to speak to people as they were leaving. A touch I love.

Michael: The service was good and as expected, although nothing special. I was a little miffed that I had booked for a birthday and had made it clear on the phone, however the promised little “birthday extras” were nowhere to be seen on the day.

So would you go back there?

Sarupa: I loved it. I recommend it whole heartedly and can’t wait to go back. There is a lot more I want to try off the menu…I just wished I lived closer….!

Michael: I really enjoyed the experience and the food was better than expected, being tasty, well executed and well presented. I don’t think this is a place for a special occasion as it does lack some “pizzazz”. For those looking for really good veggie food you can’t go wrong with 222. Would I go back? How about lunch tomorrow

 Michael Robinson 

Author information

The Food Curator

The Food Curator (AKA Michael Robinson) is an aficionado of all things food and bon viveur based in London. A passion for cooking and dining has driven him to put fingers to keyboard to bring you his thoughts on the world of food. When not writing, eating or cooking he has a love of American muscle cars. Pop on over to my Facebook page and let's start a Facebook food revolution together: http://tinyurl.com/thefoodcurator

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