Scottish Field gives vegan ‘fish and chips’ the taste test

When the Scottish Field team learned that a ‘vegan fish and chips’ had been created, a few eyebrows were raised in the office.

I won’t lie. I’m a committed carnivore, and can’t imagine life without fish or meat. However, I was rather fascinated as to just how a vegan take on fish and chips would work. Beforehand, I was trying to work out just how you could create a fish substitute to be battered.

But that’s what the Hungry Horse chain has managed to do, and has added it to its menu across the country.

With a growing number of people becoming vegan, it’s unsurprising that the restaurant industry in the UK is waking up to the fact.

My dining companion and I were given the chance to try the new menu at Hungry Horse’s The Oystercatcher, in East Kilbride. We found ourselves a cosy corner, and chose our options – I went vegan, my companion stayed carnivorous.

For a starter, garlic mushrooms seemed like a good option, and I wasn’t wrong. Ten beautifully-presented little deep fried bundles of joy were delivered very quickly after ordering. The garlic was clearly present, but not to the point of distraction, as I’ve had elsewhere.

The garlic mushrooms, which were pleasantly flavoured without becoming overpowering

My companion tucked into her chicken wings with glee – they already had a delicious flavour, which didn’t need require any of the proffered additional sauces.

And so to the main course – the vegan fish and chips. Presented akin to the battered fish you may pick up in the supermarket, they certainly looked like the real deal. I tentatively cut into the first piece, unsure what I would find inside.

I looked at it with interest, and the contents were not what I had expected – it really did look like simple, straightforward fish, as you would perhaps find in a fishcake, or fishfinger. As I examined it closely on the end of my fork, if I didn’t know better, I’d have said it was that kind of fish.

And so, to the taste test. With no additional vinegar or tartar sauce, the flavour was actually rather pleasant. It definitely wasn’t fish that you would expect from a high-end restaurant, but really, if you don’t mind a fishcake or supermarket fish in batter, you won’t be disappointed. If you’re a vegan who was previously a carnivore, then this will at least give you a hint of what you once had. When I tried it with tartar sauce, I had no issues either. It’s not an overpowering taste, nor does it feel artificial.

My companion opted to go for the scampi and chips, and, well, the fact the scampi were gone in just a few minutes says it all. She can be a fussy eater, but no problems here.

And the chips? Top notch.

Hungry Horse’s vegan bakewell tart and ice cream

And so to dessert. My companion enjoyed the delights of the Candymania Sundae (containing little bits of various popular chocolate bars), based around chocolate ice cream. She was happy with that.

I concluded my voyage into veganism with the bakewell tart. Or, should I say, fakewell tart. If I didn’t know that this was a vegan option, I wouldn’t have known any better. It tasted just as good as any other bakewell I’ve ever had.

And a word about the accompanying vanilla ice cream, which was also vegan friendly. I wouldn’t have known it was vegan, with no dairy base to it – it tasted sweet and melted as normal, so this was a real success. When I had finished my dessert, I was actually disappointed and would happily have had another portion.

As I said from the word go, veganism isn’t my thing, but, based on this new Hungry Horse menu, those who do should themselves quite content with what’s on offer here. You don’t need to seek out a different place to eat, as the plan is very much to appeal to all diners, whatever their food preferences.

And a final word on the Hungry Horse staff at The Oystercatcher – a very friendly, hard-working team, who make sure the customer gets what they want. I’ll be back.