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sampigott
12th February 2018

Review: Extraveganza

Vegan food festival Extraveganza delivers when it comes to well-cooked vegan food, and is sure to convince many a meat-eater to take the plunge
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Review: Extraveganza
Photo: Kai Stachowiak

When people think of vegan food they tend to think of a boring and bland affair, but, finally, people are beginning to realise this is far from the case. With three more vegan restaurants opening in Manchester in the next two months, the vegan food scene in this city is absolutely buzzing, and nothing encompasses the growing trend more than Extraveganza.

Extraveganza is an all vegan food and drinks festival offering a wide range of vegan-friendly street food and cocktails. With offerings from the likes of The Hip Hop Chip Shop, The Otto-Men — which you may recognise from the food market in university —, and Bakeorama, there is such a wide range of food on offer that it is impossible to not find something you like, regardless of whether you are an avid meat fan or vegan.

All washed down with a collection of cocktails and beers (all vegan-friendly) in a lively atmosphere, I guarantee that even the meatiest meat-head out there will find something to enjoy.

To give an example of just some of the dishes on offer, I sampled four different items from four different vendors. The Hip Hop Chip Shop were offering loaded fries, vegan-beer battered onion rings, and halloumi wraps. The fries were superb, cooked from scratch regularly in small batches to ensure they remain hot, with the perfect crisp outside and fluffy inside, and with the addition of various excellent toppings, I cannot recommend them highly enough.

The Otto-Men were offering up fantastic Mediterranean cuisine, with a particular highlight being the falafel wrap. The falafel was fantastically spiced and with the perfect level of heat, this wrap is definitely satisfying enough to convince every carnivore that vegan food can be every bit as exciting as any meat-based dish. I then had the joy of washing it all down with some excellent vegan-friendly cocktails and a vegan-friendly cake for dessert, all amidst the vibrant atmosphere and live music.

This event definitely has the potential to convince anyone that vegan food is no longer hunks of tofu served with boiled vegetables, and can be — when done well — exciting, fresh, and absolutely delicious. Next years event is not one to miss.


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