IN an interview with me a few years ago, the great Paul Kitching joked that he would like to 'take a flame-thrower to veggies'.

This throwaway deadpan line from our only Michelin-starred chef caused a stir, if not a stir-fry.

I was even grilled by the law after a meat-free punter in East Anglia saw red about it!

Peace (or was it quiche) in our time was secured when Paul cooked a fabulous vegetable-based meal at his Juniper restaurant for the Vegetarian Society, based in Altrincham - to make the point that all quality restaurants make provision for veggies (often more imaginatively than many tofu and nut-roast centred specialist joints).

Transition

To test the theory - and to celebrate National Vegetarian Week which starts on Monday - I forewent the pleasures of Stornoway black pudding and the like and sampled the Garden Menu at the City Café, which offers three starters and three mains specifically for vegetarians. It regularly changes according to market and season and varies - a quick website check revealed - according to each City Inn.

Our own City Café is in a state of transition following the departure of head chef David Gale and the appointment of the talented Lee Scott, whose own highly-anticipated new menu doesn't come into play until June 1. Still he doesn't get off completely Scott-free for the hugely disappointing meal provided by his brigade on this occasion.

Regret

My companion, The Green Lady, a lapsed veggie who spent 15 years feeling the pulse and teetering on the edge of vegandom, got first choice of courses. Vegetarianism brings out the pacifist gent in me.

She instantly regretted the charred aubergine terrine, layers of thin, well-charred eggplant that was surprisingly bland. Hummus on coins of crisp (not hard) pitta with some minted yoghurt dressing , tzatziki by any other name, completed an unimaginative Greek ensemble hardly worth £6.95.

My watercress and Blacksticks blue soup (£4.95) was nicely sharp if slightly oily, but it was ruined by its abundant topping of peppercorn creme fraiche - a hundred pink musket shots providing just too much harsh crunch.

Feeble

For the main course The Green Lady chose spring vegetable pot au feu (£8.95). This was the vegan option, but surely that doesn't preclude herbs or spices to lift a thin stew of root veg, celery and barley? It hid feebly under a topping of crisp straw potatoes and was soon neglected, GL seizing a chunk of my cannelloni. These were filled with red pepper and spinach and smothered in a stodgy cheese sauce.

This costs £10.95 and, with a shared pudding, the meal ran out at over £40 without wine. It was not worth it. We left feeling this was veggie tokenism; me contemplating a Stornoway black pudding `carry oot'.

City Cafe, City Inn, 1 Piccadilly Place, M1 3BN