Eating out: Carluccio's secret vegan menu!
Meeting up for a drink after yoga
I had gone to my weekly yoga class and was ready to go home when I got a call from my hubby, Suraj. He said he was in Pinner and wanted us to meet there before going home. He had finished work late and wanted to grab a bite to eat. I told him I wasn't hungry but was happy to join him for a drink and keep him company.
What can vegans can drink at Carluccio's?
Suraj told me he was on his way to Carluccio's, so I began thinking about whether they had soya milk or not, and whether I'd be able to enjoy a hot drink there. This was because I was cold and wanted to warm up a bit. I decided to see what I could have when I got there, rather than speculate beforehand.
An appetite emerged from nowhere
Suraj's meal hadn't arrived when I got to Carluccio's, because he had placed his order just a few minutes prior to me getting there.
I decided to order a fresh mint tea. I was content with that until his meal was served. He'd ordered a vegan risotto! At first, I questioned whether it really was vegan, because everywhere we'd been before; we'd been told that we couldn't order a risotto and it couldn't be made vegan!
Then Suraj told me that staff checked and they had explained that they make it with olive oil so that it's accessible to more customers. Of course, now I wanted to try it! So the plan was, to have a little amount, so that I'd know whether to order it when I next visited one of their branches. The thing is...when I tasted it, I thought it was delicious, and this appetite emerged from nowhere! Suraj said he couldn't finish it all and was hoping that I'd be hungry, so that we could share it. We both enjoyed it and talked about ordering it again when we visited Carluccio's again.
The vegan menu at Carluccio's
Carluccio's have a vegan menu, which is usually on the back of their vegetarian menu. The thing is...it doesn't do them justice, because it doesn't list the risotto, nor does it show all the items that are on the vegetarian menu, which can be veganised!
They offer so much more choice for vegans than their menus show, so if you are eating at Carluccio's, please don't be put off when you see their vegan menu, and do ask someone to find out what the vegan options are, outside of the vegan menu. You won't be disappointed!
Below you'll see photos of some of the food I've enjoyed at Carluccio's in the past.
Do Carluccio's have any vegan desserts?
I'm not sure how you'd class this BUT they sell jars of chocolate truffles and they happen to be vegan by accident! They are absolutely delicious and are a lovely way to finish off a meal.
So is it difficult to eat out when you're vegan?
Have a look at these articles before you decide...
Chiquito
Zizzi
Mildred's
Vegan Eats in Manchester
Nama Artisan Raw Foods
Franco Manca
Redemption Bar
Ethos
Bonnington Café
Grain Store
Amico Bio
222 Veggie Vegan
Can vegans enjoy fine dining?
Is it easy for vegans to be part of work socials that include eating out?
Can you eat out when you follow a plant-based diet?
"Suffering is suffering. It is always ugly. It is always unwelcome. It always needs to be stopped. There are no exceptions. A person with the capacity but not the inclination to cease suffering is morally incomplete."
- Mirko Bagaric