Sam's Brasserie launches 5:2 diet based menu

Sam's Brasserie in Chiswick has created its own menu based on the 5:2 diet, offering a three-course meal with as few as 400 calories.

The diet, which has gained in popularity since it was featured on an episode of the BBC's Horizons current affairs programme in 2012, requires those who undertake it to eat normally on five days of the week, but to restrict their calories on two non-consecutive days to 500 calories for women and 600 for men.

Sam's Brasserie owner Sam Harrison said he was inspired to launch the menu after he tried the diet himself last year, and wanted to show that it is still possible to participate in it and enjoy food.

The menu was created with the support of the team at www.thefastdiet.co.uk, a company founded by Michael Moseley, the medical journalist who presented the television documentary, which was credited with being one of the first to highlight the supposed benefits of intermittent fasting.

Harrison said: "When we started to look into this, and at some of the recipes, we though hang on some of these dishes are lovely and the flavours are great - they are just low in calories. If we were just to run this 5:2 menu as a normal set menu, people would think that is lovely, thank you very much - it just happens that it works for 5:2 as well.

The sample menu includes:

Watermelon & feta salad (134 calories)
Thai style fish kebabs (230 calories)
Chicken satay (117 calories)

Butternut squash & ricotta frittata, watercress & mixed seed salad (298 calories)
Steamed mussels, tomato broth (208 calories)
Lo-Lo pork meatballs, Cavolo Nero (264 calories)

Baked honey apricots, Greek yoghurt (161 calories)
Passion fruit & mango panna cotta (144 calories)
Spiced berry compote, fromage frais (75 calories)

Harrison said the reaction from customers during the three days that it has been available so far has been good. "Those who know what diet means are thrilled we are offering it," he said.

"We have some who come for a set menu and immediately think well that is not going to be very filling or that is less than they would normally eat, but what we say is that if we hadn't have written 5:2 next to it, you wouldn't have noticed - give it a go!"

The menu, which is available until 28 February (with the exception of Valentine's Day), costs £13.50 for two courses and £16.50 for three.