Crystal Café, Fore Street, Exeter

visited in December 2013, for a reunion of long-distance friends

Like me, if you’re not one of those stereotypical hippie vegans that exist only in the imaginations of bacon-lovers, I encourage you to let the Crystal Café force you to put your ego aside, surround yourself with semi-precious stones and incense, and enjoy becoming that stereotype for a while.

Situated on Fore Street among the greasy-spoons and takeaways, is a little shop called Evolution which is not obviously somewhere you would choose to eat; yet has a couple of tables at the back where you can enjoy a coffee or meal for any dietary requirement.  The Crystal Café now advertise on local radio and are clearly very proud to offer vegetarian and vegan food, which can also be made gluten free. 

When I was lucky enough to have a very dear friend visit me all the way from Australia, I wanted to arrange the best lunch I possibly could.  We wandered around Exeter Christmas market in the cold rainy weather, until suddenly I remembered the existence of the mysterious Crystal Café.  My friend, suffering from the British temperatures and dressed like the Michelin man, was only too happy to go along with it.

In 2013, the Crystal Café only had two small tables, but it seemed that the rain had warded off any competitors we might have had in our quest for coffee.  We were greeted by a man who had apparently teleported in from the 1700s, addressing us an ‘My Lady’ at every opportunity and telling us enthusiastically about a whisky club around the corner with a years-long waiting list. 

Once the stories were over and we were firmly back in a new century, we ordered our coffee and tea which arrived in lovely stoneware cups; the tea even had its own timer and colour chart to ensure perfect brewing.

On this particular day, they hadn’t anticipated us; one vegan and one gluten-free, and there was nothing on the menu board under these criteria.  Ashamedly we asked ‘Our Man’ and he excitedly went to the kitchen to ask the chef.  They were only too happy to cater to our needs and I was quickly presented with a wonderful plate of vegetable tempura; chunky vegetables in crispy batter, all deep fried to perfection and served with salad and dips.  Perfect for a winter’s day, and something that I wouldn’t have made at home, so a proper treat!  It was also reassuring to know that the chef could whip up something so tasty at the drop of a hat,   so it was likely that if I went back again, he would create something different and not wheel out the same 'emergency' vegan dish!

The Crystal Café was really cosy, relaxed and unusual.  It’s a real hidden gem (excuse the pun) and it was a pleasure to eat there.  Since our visit it has been renovated, unsurprisingly, to put more emphasis on the kitchen and I look forward to writing another review soon.

Radio Dart Café Lounge, Dartmouth

Visited on the 28th September 2014, for a birthday treat

Dartmouth doesn’t seem to conjure thoughts of particularly vegan-friendly food; many a cold afternoon has been spent wandering around similarly sized country towns in search of something other than a packet of crisps.  When I think of this small little riverside town, I think of ice-cream, fish and chips, and grockles in hopeless, aimless searches for the nearest Starbucks.  I had no idea that the Radio Dart Café even existed, so was very lucky that my brother had discovered it a few months previously and remembered it for my birthday.

The Radio Dart café is a truly unique place; its uniqueness however, partly isn’t through conscious choice.  In 2010, a fish and chip shop down the road caught fire, which quickly spread to the adjoining buildings.  Their age and proximity meant that it was not only extra difficult to get the fire under control, but that it also quickly caused massive structural damage to 8 cafes and 15 residences.  The Grade I and II listed buildings also obviously suffered cosmetic damage and would never be the same again.  Thankfully no-one was hurt, but the fire cost the town over £10m and was enough for the council to ban production and sales of hot food in some of the tightly-knit back streets of Dartmouth harbour.  If you're interested in learning more, the Radio Dart café walls are emblazoned with newspaper cuttings and photos of the fire.

So, why does this make the Radio Dart café unique?  Well, raw and cold food naturally lends itself to veganism (don’t get me wrong; there are of course thousands of hot possibilities!).  Though they do serve plates of cold meats, quiches, and cheese sandwiches, they offer a fantastic vegan platter and were very enthusiastic to show off what else they could offer (despite informing us that they were all a little hung over from a party the previous night!).  It was a pleasure to be served somewhere where they embraced my request rather than seeing it as ‘specialist’ or an inconvenience.  The menu screamed at me to order everything!

I refrained from doing so, for fear of not having any space for the incredible-looking platter. It was a good decision as the platter was insanely tasty; tomato/bean/couscous salad; black olive tapenade, houmous, a bowl of creamy quinoa, smoked tofu, freshly chopped salad, all served alongside gluten-free spinach crackers, and the freshly baked bread shared among the table. It was a perfectly harmonious and filling meal; so much so that my mum commented on how happy I looked!  

The vegan-friendly beer, from Suma, was the (vegan) icing on the (vegan) cake!  A large group were clearly enjoying it at the back of the cafe, under a huge sign which they had clearly taken as an order.

Now being the writer of a food blog, I am kind of obligated to at least ask about dessert.  Much of the time I dread being met with the usual wide-eyed look of panic and fear, but this time the cook came out to see me and kindly said that although they didn’t have anything prepared, she would be happy to whip up a bowl of fresh fruit and yoghurt with grated vegan chocolate.  Even though I was more than full from the amazing platter, I couldn’t turn it down!  Even better, I didn't have to watch my loved ones chow down on cake, looking at me with pity whilst I sipped my coffee.

If you don’t live nearby and own a boat, Dartmouth can be a bit of a challenge to get to.  However, if you’re in the mood for a ferry trip, some trinket-shopping, and being surrounded by city-dwellers completely out of their comfort-zone, I suggest you also pay the Radio Dart café a visit.  You won’t be disappointed!  My only regret is that I haven't been able to get back there yet.