Nothing can beat the convenience of take-out when you’ve come home on a cold night and just want to have a hot meal and curl up on the sofa. Sure, an indulgent curry with plenty of sides or a tasty pizza can hit the spot, but sometimes I’ll crave something more healthy and wholesome.
That’s where new plant-based food delivery service Bonapeti can help. It offers restaurant quality vegetarian and vegan dishes that are delivered straight to your door and can be quickly heated, ready for dinner.
Every day on the website, there is a selection of seasonal dishes, created by Head Chef Sam Pryor and his team, who have previously worked at restaurants such as Ottolenghi, Terre à Terre and Michelin starred The Fat Duck.
Founder Howard Beale saw a big difference in his own health after following a plant-based diet and proves that it doesn’t have to be boring. While meat and fish options are available, the focus is on being creative with vegetables and grains, taking inspiration from Middle Eastern, Asian, Mediterranean and Latin American cuisines.
In the middle of a busy week, Bonapeti kindly sent me a surprise meal prepared by their chefs – Paul Morgan, Olia Hercules and Victoria Bucknall, to be precise.
It arrived in a specially-designed chill box that’s eco-friendly and includes a cool pack to keep it at the right temperature. Happily, there was more than enough for two people, so Steven and I were sorted for dinner. Each dish comes with a handy card detailing the ingredients, cooking times and how to serve.
The first main course was a Brazilian-inspired Smoked red pepper feijoada and corn cakes with molho apimentado (£8.50). The thick black bean stew was slow-cooked, slightly sweet and subtly spiced.
It was filled with smoked red peppers, chunky pieces of potato and fresh sweetcorn and topped with kale and sprout petals. I loved the dense, moreish corn cakes and the molho apimentado of golden onions and green peppers added extra flavour.
With a winter cold looming, it was like nature’s own medicine and that little bit of spice helped perk me up. I found it took a little longer to heat the dishes than stated on the card, so it’s best to check thoroughly before serving.
We were also treated to another main of Broad bean and parsley fritters with preserved lemon taboule (£9.50). The light, herby fritters were so satisfying and tasted even better when smothered in the gorgeous yoghurt and zoug (a kind of Middle Eastern ‘pesto’ made with fresh coriander, garlic and olive oil), which came in a little pot.
The toasted buckwheat taboule was light as air and had a very fragrant, aromatic taste from the fresh parsley, preserved lemon and fresh tomato. It’s meant to be heated alongside the fritters, however I preferred it once it had cooled down. I liked this dish, but personally preferred the Smoked red pepper feijoada, as it was more satisfying and filling.
Our side dish was colourful Roasted root vegetables, heritage carrots, sprouts and aji sauce salad (£4.95). The vegetables were cooked just right, so they didn’t go too soft when re-heated. I like the balance of sweet and sharp vegetables and the punchy, tangy aji sauce dressed them nicely.
No matter how healthy I’m eating, I refuse to give up dessert and luckily Bonapeti has a sweet tooth too. The Coconut and passion fruit syllabub with sesame and date crumble (£4.95) was so heavenly and ended the meal on a high note.
The exotic passion fruit jelly was bursting with juiciness and I was impressed by the cool, zesty vegan ‘cheesecake’ filling made from coconut cream and lime and the naturally sweet, nutty base. The little pot of toasted coconut, flax seeds and fresh pomegranate seeds finished it off nicely, giving some added crunch.
Our Bonapeti meal was comforting, nourishing and ever so tasty. While not everything is low-fat, all of the dishes are made with good locally-sourced, sustainable ingredients and are organic where possible.
The prices are reasonable for the amount of food, the quality of the ingredients and the convenience of home delivery. The only downside is that Bonapeti is not currently delivering to my neighbourhood, only central, West, North West and South West London postcodes, as well as collection from their Battersea kitchen. However, delivery will expand across London this year (don’t forgot Hackney, please) and then to key UK cities.
Orders can be placed in advance or on the same day by 10am and delivery is £5. For the month of February, there is also 40% off standard menu prices plus free delivery with the promo code: BON201502.
Chérie City received a complimentary meal from Bonapeti
All photos by Chérie City
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