This month, Meriel Armitage’s Club Mexicana and The Spread Eagle, London’s first 100% vegan pub in Hackney, will host a series of one-off Taco Tuesdays to kick start the summer.
Joining Armitage at the pass will be a line-up of Club Mexicana’s friends from the London food scene, including (pictured clockwise from top) vegetarian chef and best-selling author, Anna Jones, chef Neil Rankin of Temper, and organic sourdough pizza experts, Radio Alice - co-founder Matteo Aloe, all ready to put their own vegan spin on the traditional Mexican taco, whilst The Spread Eagle’s Sherri Lee Eastabrook will be shaking up the pub’s signature cocktails to wash things down.
Every month, The Spread Eagle will throw open its doors specially on a Tuesday night for taco-lovers to enjoy three 100% vegan courses - a starter, three different handmade corn tacos and a dessert.
First up on 26 June will be Anna Jones who, together with Armitage, has created a menu celebrating her love and expertise in all things vegetable. Guests will begin with a Crispy Avocado Tostada, followed by her twist on tacos: Annato Glazed Aubergine with aioli mexicana; Poached Mushrooms with Mexican mustard mayo; and Summer Asparagus with sweet potato salsa. To round things off, Jones will serve a Seasonal Fruit Salad with elderflowers and lime whipped coconut cream.
Next up, on 23 July, Radio Alice’s Matteo Aloe will kick things off Italian-style with a colourful Marinara Tostada inspired by Italy’s most famous vegan pizza, using fresh green, red and yellow tomatoes. Next, a trio of pizza tacos includes Green Pea, Black Olive and caramelised red onion; a Calabrian-style taco with confit tomato, white beans, Tropea onion and saffron mayo; and Aubergine and Smoked Scamorza, with a smoked vegan cheese.
Last but not least, Neil Rankin will turn his attention to vegan meat in August, using his love of cooking over fire to create a BBQ-inspired menu packed with his signature bold flavours and tongue in cheek cooking style.
Sherri Lee Eastabrook, The Spread Eagle’s formidable landlady, will be on hand to cool the spice with some of the East End boozer’s best loved cocktails, including a vegan Tequila Sour that uses aquafaba instead of egg white, and the Michelada, a classic Mexican tipple and hybrid of bloody-mary and Pacifico with a kick of fresh lime.
Armitage said, ‘We’ve made so many great industry friends since we began trading, so it’s a real treat to invite some of them into the kitchen with us. And what better way to celebrate than with tacos galore - a Mexican staple that can be re-interpreted so many different ways.
'We’re really looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with, and maybe even cracking open a few beers in the kitchen to toast the humble taco!’
