Vegetarian pop-up dinner a big success

“East London needs more nights like these. More people should be made to see that vegetarian can be amazing.”

These were the sentiments shared by East Londoner Kirsten Moyce, who turned vegan two years ago, at one of the city’s first vegan pop-up dinner experiences on Saturday evening.

The studio of well-known veteran photographer Marlene Neumann was set up as an intimate restaurant which offered a hearty gourmet threecourse meal without an animal or dairy product in sight, to a limited number of vegan enthusiasts.

Moyce said: “Vegetarian options are so limited in East London, so it was very nice to have an evening like this.

“Non-vegetarians should definitely give this kind of food a try.”

The pop-up dinner was a joint venture by Neumann, organic shop Lime Fusion owner Wendy Raath, and vegetarian caterer Elsebe Cronjé, who joined forces in a bid to teach more people about how amazing a vegetarian lifestyle can be.

Guests were welcomed with Mediterranean tapas before moving on to a sit-down vegetable roast main of beets and butternut with cauliflower puree. Dessert was a mouthwatering salted butterscotch chocolate mousse.

Cronjé said a food experience should feel like walking through a lush garden.

“That’s what I always imagine whenever I eat. I like to allow ingredients to shine on their own.”

Neumann said they aimed at to have more pop-up restaurant events in the upcoming year.

“Vegetarianism is a way of life. It’s about being mindful of what you put into your body,” she said.

Another vegan attendee, Kim Jones, said. “We’ve given up going out altogether because of how limited the food options are, so tonight was very nice.

“It was great to be able to eat anything on the plate without questioning the food. I felt like a queen.”