to wonder why many vegetarian menu options

[E320]

have very little to do with vegetables?
If I wanted pasta or risotto I could order those, but mostly these seem to be the only choices, unless in a "real" Italian, where you could order aubergine or a Greek or Turkish place, where there are stuffed vegetables.
I am very fond of potatoes, but even these don´t feature very often. Of course, they are vegetables LOL
Anyone else feel like this?
Disclaimer: I do eat meat and fish, but I do not always feel like it

What a joyless cake!

I went to a very posh pub a few days ago. One veggie option of beetroot and squash strudel (Not really my thing) or two veggie specials of the day - both some vegetable combination in a SUET pudding.
The waiter seemed very confused when I asked whether it was vegetarian suet. Turns out it wasn't but they were still adamant that as it was meat free it was veggie.
So weird beetroot thing it was... paid £30 in total for my 'meal' (plus drinks and pudding) then picked up chips on the way home!

Norbert I was just about to come on here and say the same about Dartmouth!

E320 I've met quite a few other people who don't necessarily want to eat meat, but aren't vegetarian, but are put off by the unimaginative options. There seems to be this mindset that every meal needs meat in it, unless it's specifically for a vegetarian.

I've been following a gluten-free diet for about three months due to medical problems, and have found it so difficult to find vegetarian and gluten-free meals out. We always seem to end up at Pizza Express because they do a gluten free Melanzane Parmigiana, which is vegetarian if ordered without the cheese on top. It doesn't even taste that nice but it is so hard to find any alternatives!

I don't have much experience eating at bistros, we usually eat at chains but I've found that Italian places tend to have the best selection of vegetarian meals. Otherwise I've had a starter as a main before, and once even just had a selection of side dishes.

Giraffe looks fab, especially as they do a vegetarian and gluten free main - hooray!

I think I'm lucky living near Brighton. There's plenty of choice and a few great vege restaurants. If any of you are ever in Brighton go to Terre a Terre, it's amazing.

Round here the veggie option is always pasta (usually lasagne) or something involving copious amounts of cheese. Now I like pasta but I can make them easily enough at home - so I don't really see them as an eating out treat.

And I find everything tasting of cheese very boring, - like you say OP, I want vegetables- I love all veggies, and pulses and tofu, but you can only get these dishes in specialist veggie restaurants, if you eat out with non veggie friends, you are usually stuck with lasagne or goats cheese tart.

I'm veggie and I fucking hate goats cheese! Also courgette and aubergine are quite low on my list.

We often go to places like Giraffe, Wagamamas, Pizza Express, local Thai, even Nandos.

Dh is always offering to take me to 'nice' restaurants and gastropubs rather than the chain ones but I usually end up eating salad or a bloody mushroom risotto.

I find it irritating too! I did go out with some friends recently, one of whom is coeliac and one is vegan. We rang the restaurant ahead of the booking and they said they would make something up specially for them.
It did contain rice but was freshly-made and looked amazing.
I was lazy and went for the veggie option which was a beanburger thing with chips. Because I was feeling greedy.

BTW are you not meant to eat goats cheese when pregnant then? I did!

what do you want to see on the menu?

There has been loats of maoning about what is. But honstly, what should be on there?

A good veggie range on a menu is worth its weight in gold. I hate goat's cheese, can make simple pasta dishes myself and not always in the mood for risotto! What really annoys me is how even the salads are dull!

Love going to a nice restaurant with an accommodating chef... Feel pampered to have a dish created for me!

Yes, so true and totally agree with norbert about the trends, it's been lasagne, then mushroom risotto, then goat's cheese tart. It's as if each place is catering for one-off meals for that awkward person in a group and it doesn't occur to them that a veggie might want to eat out twice, possibly even in the same place.

Pubs are the worst by far. I usually avoid eating at them as it's almost invariably really poor value and just makes me feel cross and uncared for e.g. £9 for pasta and tomato sauce that I could make at home for less than £1 and, i'd do it better. There are a few goods ones and restaurants are a different thing altogether, loads of options but I'm afraid I think most pubs are just piss-taking, profit-making machines in this regard.

whatamistakea no way, I mean the waiter might not know but the chef? We went to a pub offering a similar dish recently, DP ate it. I thought 'what an unusual veggie option but, as it says suet and is presented as a veggie option it must be vegetable suet, as no-one working in catering, could be that stupid (and someone else would have asked the question before now). Your pub wasn't in Thames Ditton was it?

I get most peeved by the veggie options on the children's menu. Most of the time it's either pasta with tomato sauce or cheese and tomato pizza. Yawn. I understand that they are probably trying to cater for fussy eaters but I feel sorry for DS when he gets boring rubbish and I get something more yummy.

Any recommendations other than Giraffe?

I like Pizza Express and tapas.

Recommendations for things on the menu ethelb?

Tapas
Vegetable samosas, pakoras, onion bhajia and dips
Decent vegetable stew (thick with beans and tasty)
Vegetable tart (any veg will do but it needs to be flavoursome and well prepared; this could easily be done with gluten-free pastry)
Polenta with any amount of tasty vegetables
Cous cous with falafel
Falafel burgers/veggie burgers
Veggie sausages and mash
Onion, apple and potato bake served with a nice crisp green salad
Stuffed squash with leeks
Roasted root vegetables (though this would need rice or something to accompany)
Stuffed peppers
Stuffed baked butternut squash
Any number of soups, breads, salads....

Eggrules, Wagamama do some good veggie options, as do Zizi's. :)

I've been veggie for about 21 years so in my opinion thing are better than they used to be. But my biggest bugbear is Christmas meals when everyone else gets turkey and all the trimmings and I get bloody penne that I could have made myself. How hard is it to make a nut roast and serve that instead?!

my dh is a chef and he hates it when people leave his restaurant unhappy with the food, he says why don't they ask to speak to the chef as he is more than happy to accommodate any requests as far as he can, but not everybody is like him unfortunately.

I agree that vegetarian food is lacking in most places and I will pass onto him suggestions for his menu as he is always open to suggestions and as our niece is a vegan he will need to please her

I went somewhere the other day and had the most amazing butternut squah ravioli with a blue cheese sauce.

Really simple but one of the nicest veggie dishes I have had in ages

Was at Heathcotes if anyone is NW and fancies it :)

I've had really good food in restaurants, including when vegan, by calling in advance. It does depend on the level of the restaurant. One place had made pudding and petit fours, though I'd only booked for starter and main 'just in case'. Not a cheap place, obviously!

The problem with pubs and many chains is they are just reheating. Wetherspoons have embraced this and offer vegan, veggie and all sorts of options, made centrally, microwaved with no pretence and cheap. Better than most pubs who don't have the range, add a few leaves as if that suggests they made it and charge twice the price, IMO.

this place is entirely veggie with loads of vegan options and I've been with people who didn't realise.

My DP and I are both veggie and if we eat out it tends to be at Pizza Express, or an Italian restaurant, or Indian, or Thai - all places where you can get decent vegetarian options. My heart sinks if I get invited somewhere classy like a smart hotel for dinner, because then it's always the inevitable goat's cheees for starter and something terribly dull for the main course.

If anyone is in Nottingham then these pubs/restaurant do a good veggie selection

Square and Compass

• Mushroom stroganoff
• Cauliflower and lentil curry
• Cream cheese and broccoli bake (can change the cheese - I've had it with Stilton)
• Goats cheese tart

The Willow Tree Inn

• Mushroom Wellington (I recommend it :) )
• Spinach and cheese folded pizza
• Chestnut mushrooms, bean, spinach and Lincolnshire poacher pithivier (Only on Sundays)

Will look for some more places :)

Ooh, thanks withoutcaution I am and didn't know those places. There are so many good places to eat in town I don't really think about pubs locally, until we have visitors and want to go for a walk and pub lunch.

Agreed in full. I can't stand it when we go to a pub for Sunday lunch and i get bloody pasta and tomato sauce, bland at that with limp salad.

Hospital has to be the worst though. In at the moment and dinner today was cauliflower cheese and tea is macaroni cheese. Balanced diet to nurse all these poorlypeople back to health? yesterday was cheese and potato pie. Craving colourful food...

DH is a veggie and often complains that on offer seems to be always Goat's Cheese something or stuffed aubergine.

You need to hear my DH to truly appreciate how much contempt it is possible to inject into the word "aubergine."

I totally agree OP. I am a vegetarian and thank you withoutcaution for bringing that restaurant to my attention.

Another bugbear is the minute helpings you get with the veggie option. I've been to various meals where everyone else is leaving theirs as they are so full whereas my bland macaroni cheese food has been gone in a few forkfulls. Since when did vegetarian = doesn't eat much?