Asylum 2010 - Food thread

[r_is_for_rachel]

There was talk on some forum threads about lack or apparent lack of veggie food at the recent Asylum Convivial. So i felt it prudent to gather a poll of all the people who think they will be attending Asylum 2010 to give the VSS an idea of the percentage of meat eaters to vegetarians. This means the caterers will be better served to provide the right variety of food for all the visitors.

Many thanks!

[TimeTinker]

Thank you very much for this we appreciate the help and the asking about it in advance. 

Please take the poll guys and let us report a potential percentage to the caterers to stop them selling out of veggie stuff too early.

[Mimsy Beaucoup]

very useful post- thanks Rachel!

[The Governess]

Great idea, much appreciated!

[Mister Fox]

Thank you for the poll.  Very useful and much appreciated.

Is it worth discussing the styles and types of food possibly available (Chinese, BBQ, buffet etc.), would it be better talking about it closer to the time, or would it be better leaving it in the more than capable hands of the VSS? 

(I have no desire to foist any more work on anybody, but also no desire to make things more complicated than necessary.  I have no idea about food regulations or providers, and live some considerable distance from Lincoln, so I'm afraid I don't think I can be of much practical use.  All I can really do is make suggestions and express preferences.  Is the entire subject moot?  Major, I understand you're not looking for more work and would rather people take it on themselves to implement their own suggestions.  I just thought this might be a potential talking point.)

[TimeTinker]

There are lots of food venues in the area. You even had some special offers in your goody bags for the large restaurant around the corner - 2 course meal for £5.  There is also cheap food in the bars in that area or cordon bleu meals in the Wig and Mitre. Never mind the pie shop, teas shops restaurants etc on Bailgate (including Thai and Chinese)

There was food available in the Victoria, the two barbecues, we had asked for baguettes etc in the Lawns and there was the coffeeshop in the Conservatory. 

We will be adding the gold members buffet but there will be a booking form for this which includes dietary requirements.

e will be encouraging the barbecues again and the baguettes etc from the bar in the Lawns.  The poll is merely as an indicator for these suppliers.

We are not looking to add other food sources under our auspices.  With the plethora of sources around people really should have been able to sort themselves out and that is why we are more than a little defensive about the whole thing.  It is not like folks are trapped at a festival venue after all.

[Mister Fox]

Thank you for the clarifcation.  I appreciate the effort of providing food at the venue and in no way want to make anyone think I expected more from the VSS.  It was a very busy few days and, unfotunately, I didn't find the time to hunt through a town I'd never been to before for somewhere selling veggie food worth the quest.

[Capt. Dirigible]

No one seems to have mentioned (as far as I can see) that there was a fantastic  Italian restaurant about five minutes walk/100 yards from the Victoria. If you went through the castle gate that overlooked the Victoria and took the first right and followed the road round it came out at this great little Italian place with seating both inside and out and even with a vegetarian in our group we could all sit down to either meaty or pasta dishes. Scrummy tuck..reasonably priced..good service

Can't for the life of me remember the name of the place though...sorry.

[Lady Ruff-Diamond]

a fantastic  Italian resteraunt about five minutes walk/100 yards from the Victoria.
Can't for the life of me remember the name of the place though...sorry.

No me neither and it was one recommended by the Major. We went for Saturday tea pre-ball. Very nice food and a 2 mans for the price of one offer too! It was yummy vegitarian/piscatarian/carnivore friendly.

[OswaldBastable]

I'm actually a Pescetarian to be awkward haha good idea to check how many non meat eaters there are; though in my case if all else fails theres always the chip shop!

[The Governess]

There was also a very nice Thai restaurant, which had received awards for veggie- ness... And did fish.

One thought would be, if we have good relations with the tourist info place, to request a bunch of eating out guides from them to help people find suitable eateries. Could be available at registration, etc. Anyone have a contact?

[r_is_for_rachel]

There was also a very nice Thai restaurant, which had received awards for veggie- ness... And did fish.

One thought would be, if we have good relations with the tourist info place, to request a bunch of eating out guides from them to help people find suitable eateries. Could be available at registration, etc. Anyone have a contact?

was that the Chiang Mai restaurant? we went there on Sunday and it was delicious and very reasonably priced and cosy

[Rockula]

The Italian restaurant by the castle gate was called, appropriately enough, ROMAN'S PLACE.

[Capt. Dirigible]

No one seems to have mentioned (as far as I can see) that there was a fantastic  Italian restaurant about five minutes walk/100 yards from the Victoria. If you went through the castle gate that overlooked the Victoria and took the first right and followed the road round it came out at this great little Italian place with seating both inside and out and even with a vegetarian in our group we could all sit down to either meaty or pasta dishes. Scrummy tuck..reasonably priced..good service

Can't for the life of me remember the name of the place though...sorry.

A-Ha!! It was called ROMANS PLACE (no apostrophe)
EDIT:

Oh trust you to post the name as I was looking it up!! Thank's anyway, Rockula!

[Vampyre Master]

Hey guys, how about some wet food for those of us with Sjorgrins Syndrome.

V

[Capt. Dirigible]

Hey guys, how about some wet food for those of us with Sjorgrins Syndrome.

V

Er...The Pub?

[JennyWren]

Nearly hit option 4 till I realised it said either and not others  lol

[Siddons, the Incompable]

Since there seems to be a fairly large contingent of people desiring meat-free options, my ears pricked up (well, eyes actually, as I read it, rather than hearing it) when I heard about the Vegan Food Fayre in Lincoln this November.  
Perhaps the committee might be interested in checking out the pricing to get these people involved as additional/alternative caterers for The Asylum. I'd be happy to go along and sample the food for them =D
The catering for the fayre appears to be provided by these nice people - http://www.veggies.org.uk/, who also have links to other veg-friendly caterers on their website, including several from Nottingham who may be prepared to make the journey.
Their food looks extremely nice, even to me, reformed vegetarian that I am
Anyway, just a notion, for the committee to look into if they so desire.

EDIT
Sorry, just read the major's post that they're not looking to change caterers.

If there is a large enough number of people interested, I can get in touch with the Lincoln Animal Friends group (nearer to the time, obv!) informing them that there may be many people at the top of Lincoln on that weekend who could make it worth the while of a mobile catering van to set up on spec ... if you think it's a good idea, let me know

[r_is_for_rachel]

*bump*
please continue to vote

[TimeTinker]

Please continue to vote so we can use the data to inform the caterers on site.  Please note we are not in a position to change these caterers since they are tied to the venues.  We do have the capability to suggest what they serve however and to agree reasonable prices which is what we did this year.

A mobile caterer may or may not be an option since it will require a vendors licence for the area.  If such an operation wishes to speak to the council about permission to set up that is their prerogative.

Every goody bag had a leaflet about Romans Place.  It served a range of quality food and very reasonable prices. If in people's seraches and enquiries they come across caterers they wish to recommend then please do so here and ask them to contact us about inclusion in goody bags etc.

The area around the Steampunk quarter is very well served with caterers.  Please make use of them and patronise the ones which fit your needs best, encourage them and support them so they support us.

[lady sakara]

Although i am happy to eat both meat and vegitarian food, my partner is a vegitarian and will only eat veggie food. BBQ foods - veggie burgers, vegetable kebabs, veggie sausages etc...all of which are yummie!

Also being picky here..i do not eat red meat,.so that means mainly chicken and pork/ham. a chicken burger added to the menu of a BBQ would be delightful and an easy addage.

[r_is_for_rachel]

thought this needed a bump

[TimeTinker]

Thanks Rachel.

Please do continue to vote.  Unfortunately the take up on the vote has been very small.

If anyone ate anywhere in Lincoln that they would particularly like to recommend then please post here too.

I am due to speak to the local Traders association in Lincoln next month.  It would be nice to have some feedback to offer and some questions to ask.

[greensteam]

I think the Major and the VSS can take it as a compliment that so many of us didnt want to miss a second of the action last year by leaving the Asylum to seek other food and hence the pressure on what the Asylum had. The organisers will have better data to take to the caterers this time, thanks to this useful wee survey. 

It is my experience from organising conferences and so on, that most omnivores will often choose the veggie offerings, particularly at lunchtimes, so that the strict veggies find there is little left for them, and the meat lies uneaten, hence often worth substantially over-ordering on the %veggie compared to the %meat. In fact I got so fed up with this tendency that I stopped ordering meat items altogether and no one noticed or commented!

[The Governess]

I second Greensteam's observation- we've resorted to ordering the veggies to eat first at buffets to ensure there is food left for them, and overordering the veggie option/reducing the meat option. The meat sandwiches are always the ones left curling sadly on the plates...