I HAD a hunch I was about to get a lecture from Toots.

Her face emerged from the health section of the Daily Chronicle, cheeks redder than a UK postbox and a look that would strike fear into Mohammed Ali.

“You are packing a few too many pounds,” she said and declared I was to go on a diet.

I though of the dollars I’d lost the previous day from my wallet treating her to a shampoo and set and swarvoski studded falsies.

Not to mention the tray of cakes she inhaled at last week’s Tupperware party.

I decided to keep a lid on the injustice.Some battles aint worth the trouble.

Thankfully she had mellowed by the next day to a new regime where I ease up on the red meat and the moonshine.

To keep her sweet, I decided to check out the vegetarian offerings at one of the city’s most popular burger joints.

Bread Meats Bread has been open in the city centre for a good while and has now expanded into the West End and is proving a hit with hungry students.

It’s a little tight for space in the original eaterie but this one has much more room to manouvre, even when you take into account the height of the Moll’s blowdry.

The joint doesn’t take bookings and I thought we might have to queue but it’s straight to a booth and our drinks order arrives minutes later.

The menu offers three choices of veggie burger and a vegan burger as well as animal-friendly condiments such as veganaise.

I plumped for the Radical Reuben which comes with Pastramheat, the vegetarian version of the Italian meat, topped with vegan Gouda cheese and sauerkraut and finished with mixed pickles.

It’s a toastie rather than a burger but still packs a punch on the fill-ometer and tastes divine.

The Moll’s head was turned by the Angry Vegan, a spicy Seitan burger with vegan blue cheese sauce, jalapenos, gherkins and salad.

The bread, she said, was the perfect consistency, not dry and crumbly like some burger buns can be.

She said it was just the right level of chilli hotness but says it wouldn’t be too spicy even for someone who doesn’t love hot food.

To ease her conscience after flirting with the flames of hell, she ordered up a side salad which came with lettuce, tomato, carrot, peppers, peppadew peppers and a very nice balsamic dressing and a steal for £2.00. “No limp lettuce in sight,” she purred.

We shared a portion of sweet potato fries and had to leave half of them behind. This is a treat for when you are very, very hungry.

The service is super fast and friendly and even though there was a queue of folks waiting to chow down, we felt no pressure to vamoose to the Buick.

Food ****

Atmosphere ***

Service ****

Food

Mains

Radical Reuben - £8.50

Angry Vegan - £7.50

Sides

Salad - £2.50

Sweet potato chips - £3.00

Drinks

1 Berliner beer - £3.90

1 diet coke - £2.20

1 cappuccino - £2.00

1 Americano - £1.50#

Total - £30.60

Bread Meats Bread, 701 Great Western Road, www.breadmeatsbread.com/