Raw around the world

Uncooked food is staging a wellness renaissance right now and it’s doing it with a healthy travel obsession. No passport necessary 

Food, wellness and travel; they’re three of the key Live Gorge passion pillars. So when we found a ripple (currently gaining wave like momentum) of raw food hotspots serving up dishes inspired by global adventures, we had to investigate, fast. 

The benefits of a raw food diet have been well documented over the last decade. ‘Living food’ helps the body retain natural enzymes that boost energy levels, delay the ageing process and fight off infection and disease.  

How? Well, it’s down to the lack of grilling, sautéing or stir-frying. Because the heat involved in any cooking process depletes the vitamin content and protein levels in food.

Uncooked calories are more nutrient dense, alkalizing and easier to digest. And there’s welcome news for your mind and mood, too. Raw foods improve mental clarity and promote feelings of calm and balance. There’s a clutch of key hormones, EFA’s, vitamins and acids to look out for to help you achieve that perfect state of zen post refuel. 

Base your raw food choices around a low GI complex carbohydrate wholegrain (quinoa is ideal) that triggers the release of serotonin (the happy hormone). Add in nuts, seeds and oils that are rich in EFA’s and particularly Omega- 3. Go for flaxseed oil and a mix of sunflower and pumpkin seeds, brazil and walnuts to boost healthy brain function. 

Choline (part of the wider Vitamin B complex) is also vital for brain health. It has a positive effect on neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and migraines. Find it in fish and shellfish, leafy greens, kidney and black beans, sesame seeds, cauliflower, lentils, oats and linseeds. 

Green leafy vegetables, beans and pulses are also key raw food staples as they contain high levels of serotonin; that welcome happy hormone. And if you’re a chocoholic you’ll be delighted to hear that raw cacao is packed full of tryptophan; an amino acid that works as a neurotransmitter to help regulate serotonin levels and sleep. Now, that’s a Live Gorge triple win.

First up on our raw eats hot list is Tanya’s Café (tanyascafe.com). Tanya’s has been the go-to for the raw food set for a few years now, but has recently had a style makeover to coincide with its second birthday. Pillars have been slicked with chalkboard paint, ready to be adorned with inspirational quotes, restored pre-loved chairs are now decked out in bright fuchsia and dove grey and topped with floral cushions. Housed in the boutique Myhotel, Chelsea, it’s a quirky, welcoming space set in a light-flooded conservatory with an idyllic terrace at the back. 

The brainchild of New Zealand native detox and holistic coach, Tanya Maher, the vibe is English country garden fused with Antipodean laid-back cool. Maher herself first discovered the benefits of a raw food diet after using raw vegetable juices to help heal her mind and body after a serious car accident in her teens. 

Fast forward two decades and she’s regarded as one of the top wellness coaches in the UK, creator of the Amazon Number 1 bestselling DVD, Raw Food 101, author of The Uncook Book and founder of wellness company BetterRaw.com. Plus she’s had two highly acclaimed pop-up cafés; one in Selfridges and one in leafy Parson’s Green off the back of Tanya’s Café. 

The menu is extensive and inspired. It’s a really well balanced selection of acai bowls, what she calls her ‘living mains’ (the standout being the Thai Curry Kelp Noodles), raw chocolates, organic living brunches (spanning ‘grawnola with fruit yoghurt’ to ‘avo un-toast’), juices, smoothies and nut milks. 

But we make a beeline for the Adventure Salad Bowls. All use a base of shredded Baobab kale salad and Korean carrots and are, as the name suggests, inspired by Tanya’s travels (she’s also Russian born so that adds another eclectic element). 

Choose from Asia, Americana or Europa Adventures. We opt for the Americana; a fusion of quinoa tomato and avocado salad (that’s our first serotonin fix sorted then), pineapple salsa, pickled beets in cashew soured cream, chimichurri spinach and mushrooms, guacamole and dehydrated (they taste way better than they sound) nachos. 

And it’s excellent; zesty, bursting with flavour, filling and perfectly seasoned. It’s one of those bowls that you would happily order again, not out of hunger, but just because it tastes so damn good. The My Glow smoothie is its ideal drinks partner and a seriously refreshing mix of seasonal berries, acai berry powder, avocado and cold-pressed apple juice. 

Unable to resist a shot of decadence, I order the salted caramel mini slice. It’s an exquisite (yet guilt-free) conclusion to my sunny lunch on the terrace. Tanya’s definitely got the raw, organic food thing down to a fine art here. And as the home of Europe’s only superfood cocktail bar, she clearly believes as passionately in raw and organic as she does balance. 

The second stop on our raw eats hot list is Ahi Poké; pronounced po-kay (ahipoke.co.uk); at just six weeks old, this canteen style Fitzrovia address is bringing a taste of the Pacific to W1 and garnering snaking queues and rave reviews every day. It’s a cool concept, pared-back but well executed and frankly, original. 

Basically, you build a Hawaiian style bowl in four simple steps, which are illustrated on the wall in a cute, colourful mural. (less hula, more Shoreditch). 

First you build your base, (rice, quinoa or kale) then choose your fish and mushroom, (salmon, shrimp, ahi tuna), then add your sauce, (sesame shoyu, sweet ponzu, leche de tigre or spicy mayo) and finally mix in your toppings (we won’t list them all but there’s a kimchee cucumber, chilli grapefruit and confit ginger).  

There’s also four signature bowls on the menu and two have a distinct travel connection; Venice and Oahu. We opt for the Oahu; rice, ahi tuna, red onion, radish, carrot and coriander with sesame shoyu sauce. And on the recommendation of the super smiley, friendly staff, add some fresh confit ginger. 

This bowl doesn’t disappoint; it’s packed full of flavour, beautifully fresh and luxuriously multi-layered, so you keep discovering new flavours as you go. The tuna is sourced from the Maldives and arguably the freshest, most clean tasting we’ve had in years. The Japanese brown rice is a short grain with a delectable crunch and the wasabi sesame seeds on top cut through the sesame shoyu sauce with an aromatic kick. And with the hip Californian beats pumping away on the sound system, this is a place to feel alive, revived and the right side of edgy.      

Well aloha, this raw fish has got us feeling so happy and healthy I can almost feel the Hawaiian sand between my toes - I think it’s time for a surf.   

Tanya’s Café- 35 Ixworth Place, London, SW3 3QX

Ahi Poké, 3 Percy Street, London, W!T 1DE