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A vegetarian and vegan institution since the late ’80s, Mildreds in Soho is so enduringly popular that the owners would have been mad – in these late-capitalist times – not to roll out a mini chain. The existence of this King’s Cross branch is a very good thing for anyone looking for quality meat-free food in N1, but it lacks any of the magic of the original. First there’s the setting: where the Soho branch is a characterful, delightfully crooked little townhouse, this Mildreds is a large, square, generically glass-fronted restaurant on Pentonville Road. One nice thing is that you may not have to queue for quite as long as you would at Soho. But whatever. Every greedy person in London knows there’s usually something delicious at the end of a queue.
Then there’s the food. Don’t get me wrong, it was all competent. Breadcrumbed ‘mock chicken’ was juicy, served with sweet potato fries and spicy smoked chipotle dip. A halloumi burger was also nice and thick, spliced with sharp red onion and slipped inside a doughy roll. Well portioned, genuinely indulgent veggie food is a Mildreds USP.
But several dishes fell flat. Stir-fried vegetables with tofu – usually a nutty, textured dish – came sloppy and tasteless. Guacamole was also a bit wet. Vegetable gyoza, a tad greasy. You just don’t expect that from an institution. Although perhaps you should when your favourite institutions become mini chains.