Vegan Dining at Gillray’s Steakhouse!

Gillray’s Steakhouse and Bar is situated in London’s County Hall on the South Bank of the river Thames just by Westminster Bridge in The Marriott Hotel. The County Hall was once the headquarters of the Greater London Council (GLC) so I couldn’t help rather hoping to bump into Ken Livingstone as we wandered through the grand corridors of what was once a political hub, but sadly he never materialized, as those days are long gone. However, it was still quite exciting to be visiting a building with so much history, and seeing how the Marriot Hotel has made its stamp.

Gillray’s hosts an elegant bar area with high ceilings and luxurious furnishings, which gives it a real sense of grandeur. The restaurant itself runs along the riverside with tables set in a curved wood-paneled space with a long marble-topped mirror bar and green leather chairs and sofas. But what is so magnificent about it is its extraordinary location, which boasts a fabulous view of the river.

Now Gillray’s Steakhouse and Bar, as its name suggests is known for its steak as well as a selection of seafood dishes, but I had been asked along to sample their new vegan menu which is presently on offer for £28 for 3 courses and a Mocktail. Veganism is very in vogue lately and is becoming increasingly mainstream so it could be that Gillray’s are on to a good thing. Certainly, it’s great to see an excellent Vegan and Vegetarian offering here!

We started off with the Welcome Mocktail, which was a fresh and invigorating a mix of elderflower and lemonade with cucumber.

The friendly waiting staff offered us an amuse- bouche consisting of some small Yorkshire puddings with melted cheese, accompanied by a dip of crème fraiche and horseradish, which went rather well together.

For starters, my friend and I shared crisp cauliflower fritters, with a delicious hollandaise truffle sauce, and an interesting spiced butternut squash and chilli salad with pumpkin seed and a praline crunch. Fabulous vegan food that didn’t leave a carnivore missing meat!

For mains, we enjoyed a good winter’s dish of baked red onions stuffed with nutty pearl barley and healthy kale stew, plus a tasty, spicy aubergine and lentil dahl, which was served with a fresh orange and coriander salad.

We finished our meal with an ample portion of dark chocolate mousse with seasonal berries and a crunchy caramelized apple crumble with pear sorbet.

So if you fancy a night out in this historic building in the heart of London, why not pay a visit to Gillray’s, which provides an ideal stop for both a steak lover and a vegan or vegetarian with a wonderful view into the bargain.