Cosy up and join the Club ... it’s Veganuary

But with Veganuary in full flow, a weekend visit to Stamford’s excellent Cosy Club for some relaxed, casual dining seemed liked too good an opportunity to miss.

The venue’s award-winning vegan menu, which is available all year round, includes mouth-watering breakfasts, mains, tapas and desserts.

The very tempting vegan breakfast (£7.75) is available through until 5pm and features falafel, grilled tomato, field mushroom, wood-roasted peppers, spinach, potato rosti and baked beans with sourdough toast.

However, I was swayed by the Thai burger (£9.50), something I had never tried. I hadn’t even been near a veggie burger since those awful Linda McCartney creations in the 90s.

Thankfully things have moved on and the spicy quinoa burger had a bit of crunch although the flavour was overwhelmed, as you might expect, by a super sweet chilli jam.

There was edamame beans and wood-roasted peppers packed in there, not to mention some crisp pak choi, served in a lovely sourdough bun.

It came with a decent, crisp, non-creamy house slaw and, in my case, fries.

I wasn’t disappointed.

Out of curiosity I ordered some “fake bacon” - should that be facon? – and while the texture was a little odd, I did like the smoky flavour.

Donna tried the flavour-packed super food bowl (£9.95). There was lashing of avocado and hummus with black quinoa, coconut and coriander rice, edamame beans, lemony kale, heirloom tomatoes, soy and ginger cucumber, pickled red cabbage, coriander, pomegranate and toasted seeds with warm pitta bread. Oh, and the pesto was delicious.

The main menu was completed by a hearty Thai vegetable curry (£12.50), creamy leek tart (£10.50), both of which looked and smelled great as they arrived at tables nearby, not to mention vegan BLT (£7.95) with aforemention fake bacon, and a falafel and hummus sandwich (£7.95).

Dessert-wise, the chocolate and orange torte (£5.95) with raspberry sauce deserved some attention too.

Check out the menu at www.cosyclub.co.uk