Wrapchic, Milton Keynes

Sometimes, cross-culture fusions can be a risky business. With their own set of tastes and textures, geographically-bound cuisines can either compliment elements of each other, or clash horrifically, like that time Tim Story put blonde hair and blue eyes on a Latin-American actress.

Luckily, Wrapchic follows the opposite path, and manages to blend Indian and Mexican food really well, to the extent where it is now my go-to spot for a quick bite.

At Wrapchic, you get a selection of fillings, which in our case is just the one – the Soya Amritsari – and then choose what you would like that filling to fill. You can choose from a wrap, a bowl, a burrito or for a bowl of nachos with the filling on top. My usual pick is the burrito, as you get the soya with your choice of rice, salad and sauces/chutneys, wrapped in a thick tortilla.

Wrapchic as an establishment occupies a pop-up sort of space, in the open Midsummer Hall at MK city centre. There, amidst the clinical gloss of the ‘modern’ centre, sits a small wooden shack with brightly coloured oil drums as seats and hanging lights and drapes. The place radiates character, and the closed-off seating area ensures that you feel like you are separate from the busy rush of the shoppers around you.

The menu is clear to read and understand, although whether an option is vegan-friendly or not isn’t made obvious. This can be solved by speaking with the staff, who on the multiple occasions I have been were very helpful. Similar to other down-the-line fast food set-ups, you make your choices one-by-one as your proceed down the counter, choosing the filling, white or brown rice, kidney or black beans, salad and chutney and so on. At the end of the process you pay, and at around £5 per person for a meal that is plenty filling, it’s a healthier and cheaper option that most fast food alternatives.

How about the food itself? Well, it’s good. Very good in fact. The amritsari is a mildly hot, tomato and chilli-based sauce with a slight kick of ginger and garlic, and the soya chunks are incredibly soft and they really pull in the flavours of the sauce. I always couple it with brown rice and kidney beans, with some leafy salad and a generous helping of mango chutney. If you like your food with a little more kick, add some of the chettinad sauce – just be ready for a significant jump in spiciness.

There’s not really much more to say, and that’s kind of Wrapchic’s problem. Although it’s only a small menu and it’s great to see somewhere with a solid vegan option that isn’t just a normal menu item with something stripped away, a lack of options means that vegan customers are likely to tire of the same food and try another establishment after a few visits. More options, more diverse choice, more happy vegans – and if there’s one thing we know about vegans, we photograph and evangelise every meal like a coked-up marketing team.

In all, Wrapchic is a solid choice for grabbing a bite to eat in MK, and I am personally looking forward to seeing the company expand and incorporate more vegan options in the future. There are other branches across the country, as well as one in Dubai, just in case you’re in the neighbourhood I suppose.

Have you been to the Wrapchic in MK? What did you think? Or maybe you’ve been to one of the others across the UK – what did you think? Let us know on Facebook.

Until next time,

Ben