If Oliver Bonas opened a restaurant, this is exactly how it would look. Soft pastels contrasted with bold blue tiles, copper lighting and enough plants to rival the glasshouse at Kew all help to make this second outpost of Covent Garden’s popular vegan eatery a beacon for the plant-based community and Instagram fanatics alike. Colourful, seasonal, foraged or locally-sourced raw vegan ingredients that aim to nourish the body, heart and mind is its raison d'être – a winning combination in the age of mindful, healthy eating – and, for the most part, it doesn’t disappoint.
The curried butternut squash with barbecued jackfruit and saffron pine nut mayo starter we had was beautiful to look at and full of flavor, as was the coconut, red pepper and plantain stew main; but the wild green burger was over-embellished, resulting in a mishmash of flavours and textures. In contrast, the kale chips served alongside it were delicious but, like the drinks we sampled – Divine Pine (pine needles, pine nuts, pine pollen, apple, kale, spirulina, ginger, lemon and cinnamon) and Berry Sparkle (blackberry, Thai basil leaves, neroli, apple, cucumber, lime and kombucha) – they were on the acidic side, which was a shame.
Happily, desserts in the form of a rich raw chocolate tart dotted with date caramel, and a baked chocolate doughnut with coconut ice-cream were rich and delicious, and banished any misgivings about raw food that might have crept in. Prices are what you’d expect at a trendy Islington joint, but not unreasonable given the quality of the ingredients, and the service is unsurprisingly excellent.