Go on, Kiss my Grass
This small restaurant around the corner from Fulham Broadway, not only wins the title of the best name but also that of my favourite type of menu, one that champions the vegetable for what is it, not hosting alternatives to meat based counterparts. The Kiss My Grass menu was compact, but each dish had therefore been crafted to perfection. The entirely vegan restaurant opened 9 months ago, serving breakfast lunch and dinner at very reasonable prices. Speaking to Steph, the co-founder with the husband, they are able to keep the costs down as they’re not having to buy in the more expensive meat and cheese alternatives. For dinner we started off with my favourite drink, an espresso martini, which I am at this point arguably a connoisseur of. Let me tell you, this was one of the best I’ve had (of which there have been many!) and novelty came in a tumbler-esk glass. We were set up for a win.
The menu had dishes from gnocchi to gyoza, each sounding like a delight to the taste buds. Before you're mains arrive you're also surprised with some fresh out of the oven focaccia and house made babaganush which was definitely an unexpected treat to keep us going.
Between us we chose from the menu the green herb gnocchi (similar to pesto but with some more herbs thrown in) which also included some exotic mushrooms and sundried tomatoes mixed through. Also, the dhal with the most melt in your mouth roti curled delicately on top.
The final dish we ordered was the miso aubergine with pearl barely scattered on top, which sounded (and was) my ideal dish. The aubergine was soft and tender, whilst retaining a slight bite and the pearl barley was good enough to convert my barley opposed companion. Also sprinkled through out the barley was some dairy free cream cheese, the only item on the menu to contain it, which just topped the dish off.
The both of us continuously flitted between each of our 3 dishes as to which one we favoured most, myself obviously settling on the aubergine and companion on the gnocchi. For the sake of the review, though stuffed, we thought it only right to sample the dessert menu, from which we ordered the chocolate brownie with a cacao mousse and drizzle. My non-vegan friend was blown away, as was I, by the taste and texture of the brownie. It was for sure the best vegan brownie I’ve ever tasted, improved by it being warm from the oven.
The whole experience at Kiss My Grass was seamless and unintrusive, you could easily walk in and not know it was a vegan restaurant at all, which Steph says happens frequently to the unassuming customers. They’ve had a really successful first year of opening and long may it continue as we all start eating more and more plant based.
A big thank you to Steph and her husband for inviting us down and treating us like VEGAN QUEENS!