Vegetarian options at top restaurants
 

Hi all,

I've recently started a new blog reviewing the vegetarian options at "nice" restaurants (i.e., not the falafel place around the corner). It's mostly focused on New York City right now, though I have reviews in the pipeline from a few other places. It's at http://withoutbacon.wordpress.com . Would love to get your thoughts, comments, feedback, etc., either here or on the blog. Thanks!

I started something similar a while back, but haven't been good at keeping it up. I figured I spent so much time researching good places to dine as a traveling vegetarian, that I might as well compile in case others could benefit too.

http://avegetariangourmand.blogspot.com/

You have great places in New York. I don't think many of these ever made it to my blog but Dovetail, Alain Ducasse, Per Se and Babbo all offer great food for vegetarians. And I have several more from New York that are on my blog.

I just ate twice in four days at ABC Kitchen - definitely the best of the Jean-Georges restaurants I've been to. If you hurry you might make it for the pasta with squash blossoms and pistachio pesto. It was awesome, but because the squash blossoms are getting near the end I was told it probably wouldn't be on the menu after Saturday.

Good luck with your blog! I'll look forward to checking it out from time to time for places to go.

(p.s. I'm going to a vegetarian chili and beer pairing dinner tomorrow night at Millennium in San Francisco. Should be fun!)

I was going to suggest the new Ducasse place. I think it is named Ardour. We ate there last Thanksgiving and it was superb. We noticed that they had a vegetarian tasting dinner on the regular menu.

Thanks l'etoile! I've heard very good things about ABC Kitchen so I will try to make it there soon. I have a few more reviews in the pipeline (Eleven Madison Park, 21 Club) so stay tuned!

Yes, that's it! I couldn't think of the name at the moment, but it's inside the St. Regis. The veg menu was so-so (I was there in winter so more root veggies), but I'm mostly thrilled to see the option. I've had a veg menu at another of his restaurants - La Bastide de Moustiers in Provence - at a better time of year for fresh vegetables.

Has anybody been to Kajitsu? I'm very intrigued by the idea of an all-veggie restaurant holding two Michelin stars, but have yet to find an excuse to go.

I also really want to try ABC Kitchen.

Yes, I've been to Kajitsu for dinner with another FTer. It was quite good. The setting is wonderful - very tranquil.

Here are photos from that dinner:
http://avegetariangourmand.blogspot....%20-%20Kajitsu

That tomato dish looks awesome.

When I first heard about Kaitjsu and looked up the menu, it looked pretty mushroom and tofu heavy (neither of which mrsmicah likes). But your photos and the current menu on their site look much more regular veggie focused, so I'm pretty sure I know where we're going for our next date night. Now to arrange a babysitter...

The artichoke risotto looks tasty. :)

We'll have to try that sometime soon.

I'm trying to work more vegetarian dishes into my diet ever since I had some acid reflux symptoms recently following a few summer pool parties with lots of BBQ meats and beer.

Not in NY but at least a few years ago L'Arpege in Paris had spectacular vegetable dishes. Also fruit. It was a Michelin 3 star at the time we were there.

Hi GadgetFreak, thanks for the tip about Paris -- we are hoping to loop that into our travels next year. Dovetail actually looks really good. They have a vegetarian menu and a "Monday night vegetarian menu" -- what is the difference? Is it that the Monday menu is vegetable focused for everyone? (I know people do 'Meatless Mondays', etc., so maybe that's it.)

I'm looking for a nice date spot with my wife for several weeks from now -- maybe Dovetail should be it...

L'Arpege is fabulous for vegetarians. The meal I had there and the veg meal at Pierre Gagnaire are two of my favorites. This is from L'Arpege:

http://avegetariangourmand.blogspot....-%20L%27Arpege

The Monday night is a three-course fixed-price menu. The other nights are not fixed-price. I ate there not long ago and honestly don't remember it terribly well (never did put it on my blog), but tells me I was underwhelmed. I do have my photos still and perhaps I'll get them posted so you can get an idea.

ABC Kitchen
 

Had dinner with a FTer at ABC Kitchen last weekend. I am not a big vegetarian person but this was one of my best meals ever. The whole grain pasta with pistachio pesto and the squash ravioli was wonderful as were the green beans. Excellent meal; highly recommend it.

I usually don't have just a vegatarian meal..

but when I do, the vegetable lasagna is a good option, and the vegetable stir fry..