Tibits…

“fast becoming the leading vegetarian/vegan restaurant”

I was fortunate enough to be invited to sample the new Spring Menu of Tibits in Southwark Street, London, at a luncheon hosted by co-founders Reto and Daniel Frei and their master chefs.

Tibits is a family run business started in Switzerland in 2000 by the Frei siblings with their third brother Christian. They now have eleven vegetarian/vegan restaurants spanning from Bern to Zurich, with one outpost in Germany and two in London (Mayfair and Bankside).

I had a fabulous chat with Daniel (co-founder) who has been in the business for over 20yrs and who is a vegan (his brothers are vegetarian). It was important to him to serve dishes, that catered to vegans who may have intolerances to lactose or gluten.

He wanted the company to demonstrate that you could eat fabulous food, that not only looks great but has fantastic flavours, without the need for meat. He concurred with my daughter, who is vegan and was my luncheon companion, that

vegetarian/vegan food does not have to taste ‘bland’ but should be exceptional in its flavours.
Tibits prides itself on using resources that are in season (as much as possible) to create their dishes and on our visit was showcasing its new Spring menu which is available until June.

Head chef Brian, together with the group’s Head Chef Gabriel, has spearheaded the new menu, which pushes the boundaries, featuring traditional recipes such as ‘Waldorf Salad’ and new inspirations, including ‘Aubergine Schnitzel’. Tibits have come up with new varieties on salads, hot dishes and desserts for you to try on your visit, as well as their leading favourites.

Brian states that he was inspired by his diverse group of sous chefs to add different flavours and vegetables to the new dishes, like: ‘Roasted spring vegetables with green asparagus’ infused with a sauce that gives a soft ‘kick back’ to the throat. There were other new dishes such as: ‘Cassava tikka masala’, Nettle soup, Green Mac n Cashew, all with their own unique flavours.

Now I have a real love for desserts and I was not disappointed with the choice: Bakewell cheesecake, Pear tarte-tatin, Corn-almond basbousa (made with almond gluten free milk) and the Lemon tart squares which had an exquisitely tangy taste.

In addition to creating the new menu, they did not forget to accompany the great food with wonderfully tasting healthy beverages, namely: Super Vitamin C juice (the ultimate boost needed), Mint-Kiwi syrup and Lemon/Basil lemonade.

Tibits creates an atmosphere that encourages you to talk about their food. Everything is labelled so you can see exactly what you’re eating. The staff are on standby to assist you, if needed. The good thing about the restaurant set up, is you pay for how much you eat, and if you can’t finish then you can take it away in a goody box.

I do not define myself as a vegetarian, but this is definitely a restaurant that I would return to, as it errs on the healthy side and delivers on great tasting flavours.

www.tibits.co.uk/en