ben brooker - another plant based boy

After a cosy spot to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city? @dareshack is here to deliver your next coffee morning. AD / Invite Continuing our @visitbristol campaign with a trip to Dareshack to try out a few of their signature sips and bites. Freshly returned from London Coffee Fest, the team here knows the ins and outs of specialty coffee. Their knowledge is apparent by the selection on offer and the quality of their drinks. The Oat Flat White features their rotational guest espresso, and today, carried sweet caramel tasting notes. The matcha came in the form of a premium blend via @moyamatcha (combining 3 cultivars); resulting in a smooth latte, with layered floral notes and a subtle umami quality. The Kyoto Fog is one of their menu classics; combining a lightly roasted Hōjicha blend with vanilla; here, served with oat over ice. To eat, we grabbed a pecan cookie; along with a slice of toasted choc chip banana loaf. The loaf can be served with a house-made vegan espresso butter; we highly recommend you give this a go. I couldn’t leave without buying a bag of passion fruit co-ferment from @radicalroastersuk (I’m a FIEND for a co-ferment). I think this spot is best summed up by the words me and Liv both said upon leaving: “so, when we going back?” A new favourite for sure. [ Dareshack, Vintry Building, Wine Street, Bristol, BS1 2BD ] #specialtycoffee #bristolcoffee #independentcoffeeshop #matchalatte #oatflatwhite

Had a fun time grabbing snaps of No.1 Harbourside’s [ @no1harbourside ] latest menu as part of the recent @visitbristol campaign. AD / Invite It’s neat to see a vegan offering that isn’t the typical to-fish or banana blossom. The tempeh used here provided that flakey texture, and when paired with their signature homemade chips, you can get a taste of the seaside; without leaving the city. The rotating veggie special on this visit was a spiced lentil burger. The fragrant curry-like notes were matched with zippy sumac onions to brighten the dish. The crispy mushrooms make for a great sharer plate; don’t forget to generously squeeze that lemon all over. Thanks to @oliveannalise for helping me eat all of the food and helping with shots. #visitbristol #bristolfoodanddrink #bristolfood #bristolfoodie #bristolvegans

Spots I keep going back to: @rubyhuechocolate Took Liv along for an iced chocolate to perfectly pair with the sunny weekend. Go to order: Iced Chocolate (70% / Oat / Chilli / Sea Salt) Switched it up with a lighter Nicaraguan blend with this one; presenting much more fruit notes. #rubyhuechocolate #chocolate #icedchocolate #bristolcafe #bristolfoodanddrink

Continuing our @visitbristol campaign with a trip to @canteenbristol for a spot of weekend lunch. [ AD / Invite ] The Canteen is a fully veggie/vegan spot that showcases its commitment to locally-sourced produce, offering varying seasonal menus that cover lunch, dinner and Sunday roasts. Bread lovers rejoice! Their current lunch menu is focaccia-forward, with your classic brunch staples making an appearance too. We opted for the sliders: one tamarind tempeh, the other scrambled tofu. These came with a side of smashed potatoes that honestly stole the show. Crispy carby goodness that is dressed with garlic aioli for good measure: a must order menu item. Continuing with the theme of local, we paired our burgers with @counterculturedrinks kombucha and @tribodrinks yerba mate for a refreshing tipple in the sun. #visitbristol #veganburgers #bristolfood #bristolfoodie #bristolfoodanddrink

‘Oat Flat White Club’, or our new way of exploring Bristol and the South West’s thriving coffee scene one cup at a time. No silly rating system; just documenting the spots we like to visit and recommend checking out. Kicking off with Lost Horizon Roastery and Coffee Shop [ @losthorizoncoffee ] in the Stokes Croft area. Cool setting, cool mug (shoutout to @l.a_ceramics who is an incredible local potter), and tasty coffee. Price: £4.20 (inc. £0.30 Oat Milk charge) Bean: Guest Espresso (Ethiopian) Oat: @momafoods It happened to be the Stokes Croft block party when we visited, hence the choice of music. #oatflatwhite #flatwhite #bristolcoffee #bristolcafe #coffeeshop

Tired of scanning menus only to find that singular, lacklustre vegan burger option? Fear not, BBF is your new BFF. [ AD / Invite ] (@visitbristol campaign) Liv and I visited @junctionbbf @bristolbeerfactory for a spot of lunch (courtesy of @cordkitchen on scran duties); checking out the vegan range of drinks and food available. As someone who doesn’t drink, it was great to see a wide range of quality alcohol free options, including a couple of mocktails which took our fancy. We opted for the SEA BREEZE (minty and refreshing) and the EARL GREY PEACH ICED TEA (need I explain?). Now for burgers. In your ‘pickle girl’ era? The VEGAN DANDAN has got you covered (In Lao Gan Ma-yo we trust). Craving something sweet and salty? Then you butter be ready, as the VEGAN PB+K is packed with lashings of house made kimchi and crunchy peanut butter. Also, make sure to check out BBF’s latest venue @pumphousebristol on the side of Bristol’s iconic harbour. #visitbristol #bristolbeerfactory #veganburger #bristolfood #bristolpubs

Lunchtime trip to @pizzarova for @visitbristol latest food & drink campaign [ AD / Invite ] Liv and I took a stroll over to Park Street for a little post-concert lunch (shoutout @stgeorgesbris lunchtime concerts), and Pizzarova was our calling. The majority of their pizzas can be easily made vegan. I opted for the MISO MUSHROOM; masterfully loaded with umami-packed shrooms, a sweet garlic chilli drizzle and moreish crispy onions. Liv’s curiosity was piqued by the VEGGIE DELUXE; featuring their homemade zesty salsa verde, and a variety of summer-worthy veg. Don’t skip the dip! We went for the GARLIC MAYO, CHIPOTLE MAYO and the SWEET ROASTED GARLIC MAYO, to cover all grounds. All washed down with a couple of alcohol free tipples courtesy of Bristol’s very own @wiperandtrue (TOMORROW AF and KALEIDOSCOPE AF). Thanks to @oliveannalise for volunteering as tribute to cover hand model duties. #pizzarova #pizza #veganpizza #bristolfood #visitbristol

Mapo Tofu (With a Thai Twist) Working with @wildriceworld to try out their latest addition in the namprik range; this time, it’s the flavours of Sriracha being introduced. Sweet and garlicky, this also packs a little heat, and so I knew this would make a perfect topper on some mapo tofu. Adhering to the Thai flavours, the typical garlic and spring onion aroma base has been swapped for a Tom Kha paste packing fragrant lemongrass and notes of galangal. Slowly fried with Sichuanese Doubanjiang, the mix is followed by a base of minced mushrooms and paired with kombu dashi to further enrich the umami qualities. Sanshō pepper and Makrut Lime (Kaffir Lime) Leaf powder are added to finish off the dish; alongside a cube of Japanese gravy roux (chef’s secret) to thicken up the mapo. #mapotofu #tofu #veganfood #vegan #sriracha

Contemporary Vegan Shoyu Ramen Back on the bowls. Some inspiration being drawn here from @slurp in Copenhagen, and with the broth being largely inspired by a garlic rich stock recipe by @emmalaperruque for @food52 a while back. Such a great stock base, and had me and @eamonndd nerdin’ out when we both decided to play about with the idea. Stock: Rishiri Kombu, Dried Shiitake, Dehydrated Garlic, Dehydrated Onion, Nutritional Yeast, Pearl Barley Tare: Marudaizu Shoyu 01, Marudaizu Shoyu 02, Usukuchi Shoyu, Italian Sea Salt Aroma Oil: Rapeseed Oil, Onion Scraps, Garlic Scraps, Mixed Peppercorns Noodles: Custom Tokyo Rye Noodles (via @komuginoodles in MCR) Toppings: MSG Roasted Tomatoes, Sliced Green Beans #ramen #veganramen #shoyuramen #japanesefood #veganjapan

Caramelised Thai Green Curry Tteokbokki Was kindly sent a pouch of the incredibly fragrant Thai green curry from the incredible team at @wildriceworld to have a play with. I’m such a fan of the oil-based gireum-style tteokbokki. Pair that with a love of deeply reduced curry; talking about the trippy and stunning oil split look; well, then these caramelised Thai green curry rice cakes give me everything I could want and so much more. Reducing the green curry until thick, I then tossed in a pouch of rice cakes and fried everything until glossy and sticky. Served with some crispy spring onion and a little black sesame (a combination inspired by @suscottfood from her book ‘Pocha’). #thaigreencurry #tteokbokki #glutenfree #thaifusion #ricecake

Southern Thai Gaeng Gati (แกงกะทิ) curry with cashews and cauliflower. Fiery with lots of freshly ground pepper, and warmth from coriander seeds, clove and pounded turmeric root. #thaicurry #yellowcurry #cauliflower #vegancurry #veganthailand

Aubergines stir-fried with a Thai-inspired base paste of red chilli, garlic, holy basil, peppercorns and kaffir lime. Seasoned with Golden Mountain (iykyk) and some palm sugar. Garnished with some puffed rice tossed in kaffir lime leaf oil and msg. Finished with some tom yum-flavoured namprik from the team at @wildriceworld (this stuff is insaneeeeeeeee). #aubergine #eggplant #thaifood #veganthailand #veganthai