A bird with too many hobbies which currently are watching live comedy, writing ethical consumerism w...
A bird with too many hobbies which currently are watching live comedy, writing ethical consumerism websites/blogs, family history, writing poetry and factual stuff and widening my travel experience.
Member since:28.08.2003
Reviews:32
Members who trust:11
From the window of V1 you can look across at McDonalds and think, while you are eating your organic ‘happier’ meal that you might be eating something that actually hasn’t trampled the environment. In fact there’s a chance that you’re actually eating something healthy and having fast food!. Additionally your meal tastes great and was made by individually to order and doesn’t contain lots of gruesomely farmed titbits.
V1 is a fast food outlet in Hounds Gate, Nottingham next door to Deli France and opposite Subway – oh and of course McDonalds! It caters for Vegetarians and Vegans. As a result a kind of conscientious approach to the menus ripples through their offerings. V1 isn’t just for Veggies and vegans. The great thing about V1 is that you can also go there if you have to be careful what you eat. They have a handy folder available if you ask that gives you the low-down on their ingredients and suppliers. Their
gorgeous soup is ‘always gluten free’. I love the carrot soup at lunchtime with a packet sandwich made fresh at V1 that day – this costs £3.20. Warning, the lentil soup is pretty spicy – it might blow your socks off! The soup has a lovely homemade blended consistency and is pretty filling.
If you are like me and into organics – they do a full organic meal made up of an oven baked mushroom burger in a bun or with mixed salad, with relish, tortilla chips and an organic drink They stock Whole Earth Cola and other flavours to accompany your meal!
You can avoid the whole fast food thing if you fancy by having ratatouille or chilli and rice or chips. It’s still served fast but has a good sized helping and is very good quality. No meat, no gluten. There are 6 salad options but in the current winter weather (at the time of writing it’s just not an option for me I’m going mad for soup). All the burgers are Vegan so that is giving you much more choice than you’d get anywhere else. No egg products are used in any of their cooking – that’s not easy. I think real thought has been put into all these offerings rather than going for the easy option just because it has to be fast food. At McDonalds they tackle this by deep frying you food until it’s to boiling hot or to lardy to contemplate eating. V1 do admit that they can’t guarantee everything is nut –free but fair play to them, they’re doing the right thing with everything else.
There are fun as well as healthy options with a range of flapjacks and desserts – again you find it easy to find gluten free versions. I also like picking up the Soya drinks and sandwiches which are great because although most have a kind of vegan mayo in them, the ingredients are very nutritious. Until I went to V1 I rarely if ever managed to get raw carrot or spinach in my diet. They may not sound exciting but they have great qualities nutritionally – well, they are in my favourite sandwich with houmous.
You will see some very different options on your first visit but on the whole the menu does stay the same. The soup changes daily but basically alternates between two flavours. When you go in, just look at the board near the checkout. Although they may not have every possible combination of sandwich you might want ready in packets – they will make up fresh sandwiches containing their standard ingredients and seem genuinely interested in being flexible to suit your preferences.
I’ve never been there other than at lunchtime but they do advertise breakfasts that are served until 11am that include the vegan ‘breakfast bag’ full of lovely goodies like vegan sausages and hash browns for £3.25. They also do the 3-6 fix with a special offer on a cake and a hot drink at £1.45.
If you go at lunchtime, it is quite busy for a shop with such a specific market. There’s not a massive queue but the full sized tables fill up quickly. They do have an upstairs part to sit down but this isn’t always open. They have the usual facilities like a pram spot and a disabled loo. They try to recycle as much as they can out of the stuff you leave in the bin. Thinking ahead they also ask you to leave unused salt and pepper sachets / straws in a collection box rather than wasting them. There are newspapers to borrow as you sit and eat. Usually there isn’t the usual problem of screaming kids as the clientele are usually pretty serene folk. The staff are very patient and attentive for fast food staff who can often be pretty disinterested.
Give V1 a go even if you aren’t vegetarian – just to try the soup if anything and the lovely sandwiches. Have one organic lunch a week just for change if you’re a fast food junky. If you’re on a diet – this might be just the place to go if you’re bored with Boots grab and go options.
Visit the website for the full menu. Additionally if you don’t live in Nottingham you can enter the name of your suggestion for where the next V1 should open!
www.v-1.co.uk
or call:
01159415121
Opening Hours: 8am-6pm M-Sat 12-4pm Sundays
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Sounds absolutely wonderful - what a pity there's only the one. Nice to see you writing again, incidentally! Sue
MAFARRIMOND 12.02.2005 22:27
With two vegetarian daughters this would be ideal. I shall have to enter a suggestion for the next branch. Maureen
MagicMoments 12.02.2005 13:14
It sounds fab - I hope they expand throughout the country! There is bistro that sounds similar in Edinburgh called Hendersons Salad Table ( http://www.hendersonsofedinburgh.co.uk/ ) Great review! MM x
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