222 Veggie Vegan

On an uninspiring stretch of the North End Road, this modest restaurant attempts an impressive feat by creating an exclusively vegan menu. Its nondescript decor - cream walls, blonde wood, bright lighting - provides a blank canvas for the food. The formula is clearly popular as, on a recent weeknight visit, the tightly packed tables were full with a young, multinational crowd.

The varied menu not only takes on the challenge of vegan cooking, but also avoids high fat, salt and refined carbohydrates. Raw food features heavily. The approach may be admirable, but it results in dishes that can be stodgy and, dare we say, a little bland.

A tart of carrots mixed with soya mayonnaise, with a pastry base, came with a steamed vegetable medley and boiled potatoes; pumpkin risotto finished with cashew-nut cream was more school rice pudding than Italian gastronomy. We were also disappointed by the reliance on soya protein rather than letting pulses and vegetables shine.

But although dishes may lack a little zip for non-vegans, the bargain-priced all-you-can-eat lunchtime buffet and daily specials keep 222 vibrant and its regulars happy.