However, there was something to write on the internet about! I had dinner at Victoria & Albert’s one night, which is their very good restaurant. I let them know when I booked that I was vegan, so when I arrived, I was treated to a seven course vegan meal. If you’ve ever seen Iron Chef America, this is the kind of food I’m talking about. Here’s the menu:

Amuse Bouche

Tomato Sorbet with Olive Oil Powder
Grilled Asparagus with Preserved Lemon
Florida Melon Soup
Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio

The tomato sorbet was magical; combined with the olive oil powder, the whole effect was incredibly intense. The carpaccio also stood out.

Petit Asian Greens with Edamame Purée and Candied Ginger

The greens had a single potato chip and a lotus root chip on top, and the purée was so bright. I was happy I had a single-serving baguette made by V&A’s pastry chef to make sure none was wasted.

Vegetable Ratatouille with Preserved Purple Artichokes

This was a soft and understated ratatouille, and the tartness of the artichokes worked well against it.

Yellow Chanterelle and White Clam Shell Mushroom Cannelloni with French Black Truffles

This was the best thing I’ve ever eaten, period. After it was served, it was covered in vegan consomme, which I could have happily drunk a gallon of.

Bamboo Rice Blend, Petite French Lentils and Potato Turnip Gratin

The entree didn’t have a particular focus, instead going for a “vegetable attack” strategy with a number of points of interest. The plate was a work of abstract art, and my fork wandered from place to place.

Peach Sorbet with Micro Orchids

I’d never eaten an orchid before, and was very happy to have the opportunity. A very refreshing palate cleanser, just the right amount of peach sweetness.

Fuji Apple Strudel with Poached Apples

An incredibly delicate strudel, it almost floated away (if a strudel could float).

The meal was concluded with a cup of coffee made on the table with a siphon (or vacuum) coffee maker. I went home happy, thanks to chef de cuisine Scott Hunnel and his kitchen team. So happy, I decided that I’d seize the day and see if I could get another meal in. I did, and in fact, on short notice they created a completely different seven course vegan meal just for me. More on that soon!

Is there a better meal for a hot, muggy night, than gazpacho? I’m not sure, but this recipe from Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) was just right. I topped it with some diced avocado and served it with some slices of baguette.

Yesterday I made the tempeh sausage puff pastries and mango lassi to drink (you can see it lurking in the background), both of which were astounding.

And tonight’s dinner – not brunch I know, but this is an anytime food! – was the beer battered tofu. Oh. My. God.

And the finished product:

Clockwise from the top left: PB&J, triple chocolate chip, maple walnut, and cherry vanilla. They were all very good, but with the exception of the chocolate started to get a bit icy when they got warmer. Eat quickly is my suggestion!