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[gotveg]

Got Veg Breakfast Club: Ace Restaurant, a Jack of All Trades

The ground has shifted in Belfast dining. Revolutionising the restaurant scene, Sam Spain and chef Tony O'Neill (the team behind Coppi, Il Pirata and Barking Dog) have tweaked their formula with cafe-dining in mind... and so Ace was born.

Joris Minne of the Belfast Telegraph calls it as he sees it: a "family where strength of identity and quality food and service combine to offer the diner something attractive, exciting and memorable." Family is an important part of the ACE ethos on every level. Not only does it borrow from the lush but simple aesthetic of its brother and sister restaurants, but it flaunts a family vibe with a "toy library" kids' corner. There is a "family photo gallery" of polaroids with a media savvy twist - every month a free meal for two is awarded for the best photo tweeted.

Working Hard to Look So Casual

If the Got Veg Breakfast Club fanatically pursues the perfect cooked vegetarian breakfast, then ACE comes pretty close. What's even better - the veggie fry isn't the only suitable contender on the menu! The Eggs Florentine beckons, ensuring a return visit.

A fry in the wrong hands will make for an all-day grease hangover, but the ACE veggie breakfast manages to be flavourful and light while maintaining the integrity and appeal of an Ulster Fry. The garlicky tomato was a great success, a hint of pomp that went a long way. 

One small caveat regarding the sausages though. In a city where a vegetarian breakfast often simply entails a fry minus the meat - at the same price, of course - it is a pleasure to see that the same high standards are exacted across meaty and non-meaty plates alike. And yet. And yet. ACE's veggie sausages were a little dry. Other vegetarian breakfast-serving Belfast cafes, have hope! The race to snatch the title of Got Veg's Best Belfast Veggie Breakfast from ACE's fingers is far from over. 

[gotveg]

Mastering the Art of Conversation at Chatters

The prospect of a visit to Chatters Coffee Shop on Bloomfield Avenue brings special satisfaction for a Belfast-based vegetarian. Discovering what fresh dishes Raymond and Alan, the duo at the helm, have come up with that day is always a treat. You can almost see the red curtains draw back, gazing on the handsome display of tarts and casseroles at the entrance. The food is placed firmly centre stage at the Chatters' hearth. Invariably Alan - resident master of ceremonies - ushers in those seeking rejuvenation. 

This warm reception sets the tone, yet it's only half the story. Chef Raymond's presence from behind the scenes is palpable on the plate. Inventive and thoughtful, there is no mistaking the enthusiasm they share. It is a delicate balance of style and substance, largely achieved by an exacting attention to detail.  

Any port in a storm

At this juncture, it is important to make a full disclosure. In Sod's Law-styled poor fortune, GV managed to visit the cafe on a day when the vegetarian dishes were unusually limited. Unprompted, Alan apologised and explained how it was a rare off-day. Previous visits can vouch for Chatters' commitment to providing exciting choices for vegetarian eaters, and so GV would be reluctant to judge too harshly for a quirk on the day. Still, it was disappointing. Especially as Alan's introductions to the day's fare is what gives the cafe its unique selling point. Simply hearing the announcement "and now for our vegetarian dishes" makes GV's heart do a little leap. 

And so to that day's sole vegetarian dish on offer. A roasted vegetable tart may sound fairly standard, yet the pastry was light and the flavours formidable. Sitting stately among a great assortment of fresh salads tailored to my veggie tastes, it makes for  hearty and wholesome eating. It is exactly what cafe dining should be: a tonic that sets you up for the world again. 

Money Matters

With a coffee the bill is around £11, admittedly a little more than other cafes. But what you get in return is also more valuable. The plate is more plentiful and is held to a higher standard. A concern for the needs and tastes of their customers is what separates Chatters from the chaff.  Necessity is the mother of invention and on a flailing high street independent businesses can make the difference.

All by way of the humble vegetable tart - who would believe it?