| Vegetarian Oxford
by Erica Gordon-Mallin
The Roving Gourmet, one of the many kebab vans that line Oxford's streets in the nocturnal hours, serves up a mean veggie burger at 2am. But despite this culinary delight, the city is not exactly bursting at the seams with restaurants offering a range of nutritious and delicious food for its non-carnivorous population.
But things are improving. Perhaps the most visible proof of Oxford's burgeoning enthusiasm for veggie fare is the Alpha Bar, an oasis in the midst of Oxford's historic covered market. The place itself is tiny, dominated by a decidedly atypical salad bar (with such ingredients as seaweed and carrots, black bean garnish, pine nuts, soy beans, goat cheese, tempeh, and pesto.the list goes on). You can request a salad, create a sandwich with your choice of fillings, or choose from soups, smoothies, and even soya lattes. With a queue that extends out the door and around the corner at peak times, this is an outrageously popular place despite its less than vegetarian-friendly location: next to a butcher's shop, complete with bloody carcasses dangling headless from the ceiling!
Finding a sit-down restaurant devoted to vegetarian food requires venturing towards the city's outskirts. A mile and a half east of central Oxford you'll find The Pink Giraffe, which serves up the ultimate range of mock-meat Chinese food (think mock duck, chicken, pork, beef and ham in traditional Chinese sauces).
And lately, vegetarian menus have been emerging in unexpected places. The Gardener's Arms, a traditional-looking pub in Jericho once served traditional pub grub. But in October 2002 chef Andy Skinner decided to go completely veggie; Now, even the 'sausage' and mash with red wine gravy is meat-free.
If you need more help combing the city's restaurants in search of meat alternatives, you can always drop in to a meeting of the Oxford Vegetarians Dining-Out Group, who meet on the third Friday of every month. For more information call 01865 377563.
Not bad for a city that seems, at first glance, to be stuck in its carnivorous ways.
Alpha Bar
89 Covered Market,
Avenue 3
tel: 01865 250499
The Pink Giraffe
43b St Clements
tel: 01865 202787
The Gardener's Arms
39 Plantation Road,
off Woodstock Road
tel: 01865 559814
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