Interesting Pre/Post Theater Dinner

[mexigaf]

What would be an interesting place to grab dinner before or after watching "Rent". I believe the play starts at 8:00 to 10:45 or 2:00 to 2:45. The only requirement is that there has to be some good vegetarian options on the menu. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[raji]

I still love Hell's Kitchen, and they have great vegetarian options. Marseilles too. Some are quite fond of the pasta at Becco, it's a Lidia Bastianach restaurant

[mexigaf]

oh and also no restriction on distance..don't mind hopping on a subway. I guess that kind of generalizes it a little more. Tasting menus are a plus

[punkin712]

I definitely second the vote for Becco. I'm a vegetarian and have always been very happy with the selection. Here are a few tips:

--I always get the pasta prix fixe menu ($16.95 at lunch and $21.95 at dinner) - it includes salad or antipasto with all you care to eat of the 3 featured pastas. The salad is a caesar salad (with anchovies) but you can opt for the mixed salad (add'l $2) or you can get the antipasto and give the non-vegetarian items to someone else at the table. The fish portions of the antipasto come in separate dishes so you don't have to worry about cross contamination.

--I never had to tell the waiters I was a vegetarian. If I declined one of the pastas that had meat, they always came back with a vegetarian-friendly version.

--On Saturdays, the restaurant offers their house-made burrata cheese. It's made with rennet, so depending on how strongly you feel about slaughter-by-products, you may want to pass on it.

--The chocolate mousse cake is made with gelatin. Same thing applies here.

[mexigaf]

I have tickets for 2:00 so location is not a problem. I check all your suggestions and maybe I'm looking for something a bit more upscale?

I guess maybe I'm being a little selfish and want to have a great meal with vegetarian options being an afterthought. maybe some restaurants will prepare a veg tasting if called in advance?

Edited December 14, 2007 by mexigaf (log)

[Nathan]

the best vegetarian restaurants in NY are:

Per Se, Daniel, Gramercy Tavern.

any of the Blue Hill genre should be able to take care of you as well: Savoy, Back 40.

[punkin712]

the best vegetarian restaurants in NY are:

Per Se, Daniel, Gramercy Tavern.

any of the Blue Hill genre should be able to take care of you as well:  Savoy, Back 40.

←

While you may feel that Per Se and Daniel are two of the best "vegetarian restaurants" in NY (they may serve fantastic vegetarian-friendly fare, given their pedigrees, but I would never classify them as "vegetarian restaurants"), I just couldn't justify paying $250 at Per Se or upwards of $165 at Daniel for vegetarian tasting menus.

Based on past experience, Gramercy Tavern does not permit only one person at the table to order a tasting menu. So, unless they have since changed their policy that may not work for the non-vegetarians. As I recall, vegetarian entree options from the standard menus were virtually nonexistent. Again, that may have changed since the last time I was there.

[Nathan]

the OP asked for more upscale possibilities.

[punkin712]

the OP asked for more upscale possibilities.

←

True. I guess I would consider Per Se and Daniel to be more in the category of "special occasion" or "expense account" rather than just upscale.

[raji]

the best vegetarian restaurants in NY are:

Per Se, Daniel, Gramercy Tavern.

any of the Blue Hill genre should be able to take care of you as well:  Savoy, Back 40.

←

Best vegetarian cuisine in NYC is on curry hill! You need 30 spices for an indian cupboard!

[H. du Bois]

My vegetarian ex-spouse's favorite restaurant was Union Square Cafe. They treat vegetarians well there - many of the starters are vegetarian-friendly, and they'll upsize any of them to mains for a reasonable fee.

[Jen Keenan]

What about Esca? If someone were taking me out for a treat before or after the theater that's the first place I'd suggest. Mainly because I haven't been, want to go, and am too cheap to take myself.

Of course, if you don't like fish, well, then you'd better keep looking.