October 1st marked National Vegetarian Day so, to celebrate, I’m transporting you to the one and only V Rev. Located on Edge Street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, it is a vegan restaurant both magical and mind-blowing. With a motto of “junk food that doesn’t cost the earth,” V Rev is serving American diner classics with a difference.
Given the regular choice of roughly four vegetarian options across restaurant menus, V Rev’s entirely vegan offerings are a shock to the system. There are so many great options that my first time, I was a bit overwhelmed. V Rev is a great example of the diverse and creative meals restaurants could be offering.
Now for the main event – the food! On my first visit to V Rev, I ordered the Barbecute Without the ‘E’ Burger. This is the perfect beginner’s burger because you bite into it and wonder whether it’s actually vegan. The patty looks, feels and tastes like a real beef patty. Coupled with a soft brioche bun, the smoky barbecue flavour of the ‘bacon’ and the crunch of fried onions and rainbow slaw, this burger is perfectly balanced.
On a return visit, I ordered the Whopper – essentially a vegan Big Mac on steroids! At £7.55, it’s the cheapest burger on the menu but that doesn’t mean the chefs skimp on the size or the love they put into making it. The realistic beefy patty is accompanied by smoky ‘bacon’, vegan cheese, lettuce, tomato and V Rev’s house sauce, which frankly blew me away. It’s the perfect burger for skeptics of vegan food – it will turn everything you know on its head.
My partner ordered the Fre Sh A Voca Do [you know that meme], a buttermilk fried seitan ‘chicken’ fillet with mozzarella, ranch, smashed avocado, mixed leaves and tomato. He said, “it tasted like an actual chicken burger” and the batter was crispy and full of flavour and the ‘chicken’ melted in his mouth.
Another favourite from the menu is the Buffalo Loaded Fries, topped with ‘cheese’ sauce, buffalo sauce, ranch, ‘bacon’ and chives. I sometimes find that loaded fries end up being soggy under all the sauces but these strike the perfect balance. Each chip has a generous amount of topping and they’re great to nibble on between bites of your burger.
On our second visit, we munched on the Southwest Fries – topped with ‘cheese’ sauce, avocado, chipotle mayo, Yucatan pickled onions and coriander. The creaminess of the avocado is a great match for the spicy chipotle mayo, but there’s a lot of it to get though. This, alongside the rest of the sauces, meant the fries lost their crispiness by the end of the dish. Halve the avocado and the fries would be perfect!
All in all, I’d highly recommend to V Rev to vegans and meat-eaters alike. The food is made with love, the staff are wonderful and the prices make it perfect for any occasion, from a quick bite to date night. I’m excited to return in the future!