Shoppers at the Westgate Centre picked a spicy way to lift the gloom on Blue Monday.


For years January 15 has been deemed to be the most depressing date in the calendar so the restaurant chain offered the free dish to cheer up customers.


There is no such thing as a free lunch but Indian-inspired Rola Wala restaurant in Oxford provided one to a long queue of shoppers.


On offer, until 2.30pm, was the new Rebel Black Bean Noodle ‘Spice’ Bowl.


The dish is made up of 50g of plant based protein and the chain said the lunch would be perfect for anyone following a ‘Veganuary’ diet or strict gym regimes.


Mark Wright, founder of Rola Wala, said: “It was fantastic to see such a mega turn out for the launch of the Rebel ‘Spice’ Bowl yesterday, and we were glad to put a smile on people’s faces with a free lunch on Blue Monday! 


“We’re looking forward to launching more incredible dishes and exciting offers for Oxford – stay tuned for what’s coming up in 2018.”


The 55sqm fast-food eatery has been created from reclaimed materials inspired by a merge of London street vibes and the roadside stalls found in India.


It forms part of the Westgate Social, the shopping centre’s new food and leisure area alongside others such as Benito’s Hat, Ned’s Noodles and Tommi’s Burger Joint.

Oxford Mail:

The bowl, which coincides with the popular 'Veganuary' trend, comes with a choice of fillings including chickpea, dal or 'potato saagwala'.

Last month, fellow Westgate restaurant Shoryu gave away free noodles on opening day, with long queues forming in the shopping centre.

Oxford Mail:

Visit the website sign up for the free Rola Wala deal.