Veganism is on the rise – with half a million UK adults signing up to Veganuary this year, it’s a growing market and big chains are catching on. McDonald’s and Burger King have both recently released vegan alternatives to their meat products. It may seem ironic though, to support the giants of fast food from an ethical vegan perspective.
Students looking for an independent alternative, will be excited to find a Manc-based solution. Panc Foods is paving the way, serving up a delicious range of plant-based burgers, hot ‘dawgs’, loaded fries, chick’n and sweet treats. Last week, I got the chance to sample the menu and try out the meat-free feast for myself.
Panc Foods has grown from a remote ghost kitchen to a popular business in just under a year. Considering the small matter of a pandemic, and the tough conditions for businesses everywhere, this success story is a bright light to other entrepreneurs. They even had a stall at the Manchester Christmas markets, where the owners, Hannah and Ariane, say they were “blown away with how popular our food stall was, and how everyone was going crazy for our vibrant and colourful food!”
I’m not surprised. The burger buns come in vivid green, pink, black and other colours, all made with natural colourings- spinach, charcoal, blueberry, raspberry, orange. They’re not just about looks either. The burgers may look like Spongebob’s ‘Pretty patties’ but the taste is gourmet. I was excited to try the food out for myself.
Being a vegetarian since the age of 7, I’m grateful for just about any alternative burger that isn’t a sad mush of lentils and peas. So the taste-explosion of the ‘Peak burger’ was a complete joy. Saucy, fresh and visually appealing, the burger is a must-try.
Panc uses their own speciality sauces: “PANC (vegan version of McDonald’s burger sauce, but better!), PANC garlic sauce, Mamacita (garlic sauce with a hint of spice) and PANC Honey’n Mustard”. My omnivore friends described the taste as McDonald’s taken to luxury heights, complete with vegan cheese that tasted just like the real thing.
We also tried the Chick’n fries, which was similarly authentic and tender. I recommend getting the fully loaded fries, as they were a meal in themselves. We sampled the Cheesy bacon fries which were smothered in that same delicious cheese and BBQ sauce. The bacon is smoky and crispy even after the time it took for delivery. We were less impressed by the ‘Big Dawg’ as the charcoal bun was too chewy and the textures of the sausage didn’t work as well with it. Despite this though, the portion was generous and once again, the bacon was the star of the show.
For dessert, we had crispy lotus biscoff churros which were a sugary sensation. This was accompanied by a thick and creamy milkshake that had us wondering how they could achieve such a rich, milk-like taste! We finished with an indulgent chocolate raspberry cake, which really was the perfect gooey dessert.
To lighten up this -fairly heavy- meal we had a can of Brazilian Guarana drink which was amazingly refreshing: made from Guarana seeds, it’s described by the owners as a “natural energetic”. When asked for their student ‘must-try’, we were recommended the PANC burger in particular, as well as the “Spice Galore” for students who like it hot, or their “Chick’n wrap and kebab” for those with an appetite.
As you can tell, the menu at Panc is as big as their Hot Dawgs, and really has something for everyone! Panc Foods is one to watch – and better yet, one to try right now. Panc currently has an offer where first time downloaders of their app (for collection) will receive 10% off with the code PANC10. So don’t wait for the chips to go cold: order today!
