The Handbook Reviews: Mallow Canary Wharf
Vegan eating in London has come a long way. The stereotype of lethargic salads and anemic tofu never really existed, but undoubtedly the culinary world is a much more vibrant place nowadays for the plant-based among us. Mallow, the sister restaurant to Mildreds, is evidence of this. From its beginning in Borough Market it has gone from strength to strength, so much so that it just opened a brand new location in Canary Wharf.
On a wet, rainy weekday evening, we went along to see how the expansion was going…
What Sets It Apart
The food is locally sourced and yet international in flavour, and there is a genuine focus on sustainability. The restaurant aims for minimal waste wherever possible, and connects with small businesses, a large percentage of which comes from London.
There seems to be a common issue with some plant-based restaurants: a lack of actual background in food. Vegan cookbooks are populated by authors without any real culinary experience, leading to some questionable recipes that seem good in theory but are found lacking in reality.
This is not a problem at Mallow. The menu is thoughtfully curated and prepared and free from any gimmicks that are a red flag at plant-based spots. That means, mercifully, the menu refrains from descending into the nightmare that can be cheap food substitutes that marketing teams across the world seem to believe can be compensated for with terrible “puntastic” names.
Our Experience
The environment is different to what I expected – instead of light, floaty greenery, it is decidedly vibey, with moody low lighting and a Thursday-like energy on what was a Tuesday evening. Tables were full and most people were drinking. Staff buzz around like a small army with the sort of urgency and numerical volume that lets you know – if you didn’t already – that the place has just recently opened.
It works perfectly if you want to elevate a casual meal. Not the spot to have an anniversary dinner, but for weekday catch-ups, pre-show group meals and post-hangover indulgent brunches, there are few better options than this.
What We Ordered
To start I order the Spinach Dahi Puri, which is light and pleasant, but the real highlight was trying one of my friends’ Son Dumplings with Gochujang. To set this right I get a Tepache Sour to drink, a rum-based cocktail with pineapple and chili. It sharpens my decision making and we move to the main course.
There are some dishes you largely have to forgo when you don’t eat meat. While currys, pastas and ramens are even improved without it, you’re just going to have to accept the opportunity to have a burger will dramatically slide out of your life. Which means, when on offer, a veggie burger always entices me in. I order the Beetroot Tempeh Smash Burger, while my friend orders the Chick’n Parmesan Burger, and we compare notes.
Shock horror, the burger with the actual designated vegan meat substitute satisfies the side of the brain still craving a hunk of flesh more successfully. Which is not to say the beetroot burger fails, just that it falls under a different genre of dish; If you want the vaguely primitive sensation of taking a huge bite of burger without worrying that the meat substitute is suspiciously a little too close to the real thing, it’s the one for you. The entire spectrum of vegan desires are well covered here.
The highlight of the night, to my huge surprise given my relative lack of a sweet tooth, was the dessert. The options were so good I agonized over the choice, eventually going for the Mango Chai Masala Tres Leches Cake. I’m so taken with it I forget to offer my friend the taste I had promised, an excuse she does not accept but is entirely genuine. For the quality of desserts that are 100% vegan, I don’t think I could put forward a parallel. It fills the void of perhaps the most gaping hole in the vegan-dining experience.
The Verdict
The standout feature of Mallow is undoubtedly its flexibility, a feat that should not be overlooked for a vegan restaurant. It’s not tied to a particular cuisine, which could seem aimless if not executed well, but instead merely displays its confidence in the product. Basically, you are always going to find at least one dish on the menu that immediately jumps out at you whether you’re vegan or non-vegan, which means it’s perfect for groups looking to cover a variety of bases, without subjecting the resident vegan to the inevitable half-hearted risotto found on the usually sparse plant-based menus a lot of places offer.
Mallow Canary Wharf
2 Park Dr, London E14 9ZW
Mallow London
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