It’s official, Frankie & Benny’s has launched its new Christmas menu featuring brand new vegan dishes alongside some classic Italian dishes. Since the success of its Veganuary menu, the family-friendly Italian-American restaurant chain has strived to offer plant-based options while regularly updating the choice of vegan dishes in every course.
Frankie & Benny’s vegan Christmas menu includes:
Tuscan Soup – a hearty mix of tomato, mixed beans, vegetables and herbs. Served with warm, toasted ciabatta and a garlic & herb dip.
Mediterranean Lasagne – layers of grilled Mediterranean vegetables with pasta, dairy-free white sauce, vegan cheese & tomato.
Mince Pie No-Cheesecake – featuring Frankie & Benny’s unbelievably creamy vegan cheesecake with a mince pie & caramel flavoured drizzle. Served with vegan choc-chip ice cream.
Frankie & Benny’s vegan menu is part of new efforts by the chain to go back to its Italian American roots and bring the spirit of Little Italy straight to the streets of the UK. I am particularly fond of this neighbourhood of Manhattan as some of my Sicilian ancestors emigrated to the East Coast of the United States and I always like to think that some of them played a part in establishing this lively community.
Having enjoyed the vegan menu earlier in the year, a few weeks ago we headed to Frankie & Benny’s to try the rest of the new vegan dishes. We like dining there as the retro Italian-American diner decor and atmosphere takes us back to the time we spent living in New York. The service is always very friendly and the staff keen to accommodate the kids.
The new Autumn menu includes vegan-friendly versions of Frankie & Benny’s iconic Meatballs Al Forno starter, Carbonara pasta and Tiramisu.
The vegan appetiser, Plantballs Italiano, is made with pulled oats, broad bean and pea. They are served in a spicy tomato sauce with vegan mozzarella and rocket. A really tasty starter that I would be happy to have with a bowl of pasta.
The vegan Mushroom Bianca is a plant-based alternative to Carbonara pasta. The mushrooms are cooked in a creamy garlic sauce – made with no dairy – and served with parsley. You can add some vegan soy pieces to the dish, which taste a bit like breaded chicken. For my personal taste the sauce was a bit too thin, but overall the dish is very tasty.
Chocomisu is Frankie & Benny’s vegan version of tiramisu. The vegan sponge is soaked in a coffee & brandy syrup, layered with chocolate and coffee vegan cream. Chocomisu is then dusted with cocoa powder. Since our first visit, I have been really impressed by Frankie & Benny’s vegan desserts. Their No-Cheesecake was amazing and so is this new Chocomisu. Vegan dessert heaven served in light, airy and chocolatey layers. Make sure you leave some space for it!
These new plant-based dishes are served alongside other vegan favourites such as Viva La Vegan Burger, vegan pizzas and shakes. Enjoy!
For more information or to find your closest restaurant, visit www.frankieandbennys.com
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