Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Stella McCartney have all eaten at the original Gate Vegetarian Restaurant in Hammersmith and now Adrian and Michael Daniel, the Indo-Iraqi brothers who have been running The Gate since December 1989, have set up a second venture in Islington. Just opposite Sadler's Wells Theatre and around the corner from Upper Street, The Gate in Islington offers the same fare as the original - food that takes 'vegetarian' to a whole new level, way above and beyond nut loaf. They forage for food on Hampstead Heath and take in-season ingredients (June brings a plethora of broad beans, peas, beetroot, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries and wild sorrel) to create surprising and intriguing flavour combinations. Something as simple as corn cake can be exotic when the corn and polenta are pan-fried and then seasoned with chilli, coriander and thyme, and served with roasted baby artichokes, aubergine and oven-dried tomatoes, sweet potato served with a chipotle chilli, red pepper and black bean salsa. Even the wines are vegan, organic, biodynamic and natural - made without animal fining agents like gelatine, chitosan or isinglass (made from fish bladders). The only shame of it would be to leave The Gate to the vegetarians.
Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Stella McCartney have all eaten at the original Gate Vegetarian Restaurant in Hammersmith and now Adrian and Michael Daniel, the Indo-Iraqi brothers who have been running The Gate since December 1989,..
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