A LEADING Tyneside restaurant has unveiled its new vegan menu – with the finest autumn vegetables at the heart of each dish.
Malhotra Group PLC’s flagship venue, AA-rosetted Leila Lily’s, at Newcastle’s Grey Street, is renowned among foodies for updating its menus regularly to showcase seasonal produce.
And its new vegan menu is packed with autumn flavours – from the sweet, deep purple blackberries currently lining hedgerows to the beetroots, carrots and artichokes that mark the changing season.
Head chef Craig Howlett has created a highly contemporary selection of dishes starting with Moroccan coal roasted heritage carrots with spiced hummus, pomegranate salsa and dukkah.
Other starters include wild mushroom and celeriac spring rolls with a soy mandarin dipping sauce and glazed and roast beetroot with nut crumble, pickled watermelon and a saffron lemon dressing.
Main course options are artichoke, courgetti and pepper skewers with herb flatbread, spiced cous cous, cucumber salsa and mango chilli sauce and Portobello mushroom and sage Wellington with mustard mashed potato, sautéed greens and a Bordelaise sauce.
Harissa spiced cauliflower steak with chunky chips, charcoal fired asparagus and salsa verde rounds off the choice of mains before diners are given a choice of three desserts.
These are rhubarb and blackberry crumble with vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate and morello cherry cheesecake with chocolate crumb and cherry sorbet and a magnificent Leila’s Bocker Glory.
In a creative twist on the classic Knickerbocker Glory, this comprises strawberry and gin jelly, vanilla custard, cherry and mango sorbet, pink cream, chocolate crisp and popping candy.
“Autumn is without a doubt the highlight of the year when it comes to vegetables,” said Jim, “and we have had a wonderful time, playing with flavours and textures and really letting classic British vegetables take their turn on centre stage.”
Prices range from £8 to £15.50 and for more information or to make a reservation at Leila Lily’s visit https://leilalilys.co.uk/book-now/