Vegetarian Dining in DC

[Malawry]

Since you have alluded to the veg dining scene in DC, I thought you might be interested in talking about it directly. What are some of your favorites? I'm especially interested in your experiences eating vegetarian at the higher end, and wonder what you make of the selections at places like Nora, Vidalia, and the like.

What do you think makes a restaurant vegetarian friendly? Do you think it's possible for a city like DC to support a fine dining vegetarian restaurant like Joia in Milan, Italy or perhaps Millennium in San Francisco? Why or why not? Do you think chefs in DC "get" vegetarian food?

[cookasia]

Since you have alluded to the veg dining scene in DC, I thought you might be interested in talking about it directly. What are some of your favorites? I think my favorites are Nora and Asia Nora, to say nothing of Udupi Palace and the host of other South Indian eateries around town. Then there's the Vegetable Garden in Rockville and the various Vietnamese and Thai restaurants that feature very good vegetarian dishes. I like Nora and its sister restaurant primarily because Nora herself is so dedicated to organics and sustainable agriculture, which is certainly part of why I am involved with Slow Food. Haven't eaten at Vidalia for years, so can't comment. I know that Todd Gray at Equinox is a staunch supporter of using local produce. To me, that makes a difference when judging the quality of a restaurant and its menu. Also I consider Michel Richard at Citronelle a genius, and while his is not a vegetarian restaurant per se, he can do wonderful vegetarian dishes.

Do you think it's possible for a city like DC to support a fine dining vegetarian restaurant like Joia in Milan, Italy or perhaps Millennium in San Francisco? Why or why not? Do you think chefs in DC "get" vegetarian food? I do think DC is ready for high-end all veg eating, and though there has been a spate of steakhouses and big beef places opening here, there is also a growing concern for using locally grown produce, and that has a spinoff effect in making good DC chefs respect their raw ingredients and use them for quality all-veg dishes. So while many chefs may not "get" vegetarian cooking, the more who jump at using farmer-grown local produce, the more likely will we be eating top-notch veg cooking in DC. I think the remarkable success of the Dupont Circle market with its Sunday crowds of both chefs and home cooks testifies to how DC is embracing the use of fresh, fresh produce. And that's also a Slow Food issue!! You don't say if you are in DC, but if so, join Slow Food. Well, join it wherever you live. Hope that helps. Thanks, Alexandra