Foodie Features

M is for ‘Meatless Menu’…

By Jenny Linford

Jenny Linford speaks to Michael Reid, culinary director of M Restaurant’s to find out more about his new meatless menu, at their Victoria establishment.

After the excess of the Christmas holidays, there is a general desire for lighter, fresher food. “I think everyone wants to eat a little lighter after the Christmas indulgence,” says Michael Reid, M Restaurant’s Culinary Director, who has created a new permanent meatless menu for diners at RAW, M Victoria Street.

Composed of small plates and bowls to make it both informal and “more affordable”, the new menu offers dishes such as Ikejime King Fish – with pineapple, fermented roots and a miso dressing – and OMG-Rains Bowl, combining barley, freekeh, quinoa, lentils and corn with cumin coconut yoghurt.

A creative approach to texture and flavour combination is a characteristic of Reid’s approach. One meatless dish he is particularly proud of is a carrot tartare – “this showcases my love of carrots, using ferments, and the most amazing vegan goat’s curd. It’s just divine.”


Michael Reid's - King Fish Sashimi.
Michael Reid's - Tofu
The stylish Interior of M Restaurant, Victoria.

Foodie Features

Inspired by the fact that Reid lives half the year in Australia and has also stayed in Japan, there is a real flavour of the Far East to the menu, both in dishes such as ramen and sashimi and the use of ingredients like fiery sriracha, aromatic shiso, punchy kimchi and tasty seaweeds, Another inspiration from his travels is the presence of Poke, a Hawaiian dish made from diced raw fish. “After a visit to Hawaii a few years ago, I was head over heels in love with this dish, which is super-fresh clean and light while also so satisfying.”

For Reid, travelling the world and experiencing new cuisines is the best part of his job; “Exploring new cultures and getting to understand the essence of their cuisine is what makes me tick. Then being able to adapt that and put the M signature style on it is what makes menu development so much fun. I like to challenge my team, pushing them to their limits to learn about rare Japanese ingredients for example.”

Reid enjoys being part of London’s eclectic dining scene. “There’s so much variety to the dining scene in London,” he enthuses. “Great quality but also huge diversity and that’s what makes it one of the food capitals of the world.” Customers have responded with enthusiasm to the new meatless menu. “This new RAW offering is a true reflection of what London diners want – creativity, flair and most of all bloody tasty food in casual but comfortable surroundings. We’ve been synonymous with great meat since we opened, so hopefully people we realise we are so much more.”


Michael Reid, Culinary Director at M Restaurant's.
Michael Reid, Culinary Director at M Restaurant's.

THE MENU

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SMALL PLATES

CARROT TARTARE £5.85

Pickle | Gel | Vegan Goat’s Style Curd

TUNA TARTARE £10
Sea Grape | Jalapeno Mayonnaise | Shisho Leaves | Japanese Pickled Cucumber

TOFU TARTARE £7.50
Plum Puree | Fermented Daikon | Sriracha Espuma Seaweed Cracker

SALMON SASHIMI £8.50
Pear | Katsuobushi

IKEJIMI KING FISH £13.50
Pineapple | Fermented Roots | Miso Dressing

——

BOWLS

GREENS BOWL £5.50

Kale | Wombok | Quinoa | Purple Cabbage | Hummus | Lemon Dressing

SALMON POKE BOWL £9.50
Brown Rice | Pickled Ginger | Carrot | Avocado | Japanese Mayonnaise

TUNA POKE BOWL £11.95
Brown Rice | Pickled Ginger | Carrot | Avocado | Kimchi | Egg

OMG-RAINS BOWL £7.95
Barley | Freekah | Lentils | Quinoa | Corn | Cumin Coconut Yoghurt

MUSHROOM RAMEN £8
Shitake Mushroom | Bamboo Shoots | Ramen Noodles | Egg | Kombu


Address: Zig Zag Building, 74 Victoria St, London, SW1E 6SQ

Open 7:00am – Midnight​,​ Monday – Friday  |  11:00am – Midnight​,​ Saturday  | Closed on Sunday

To make a reservation:

Web: mrestaurants.co.uk
Call: +44 (0)20 3327 7776
Email: victoriastreservations@mrestaurants.co.uk

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