Last week we celebrated my wife’s birthday and our first anniversary. Thus we went to two different posh restaurants: CityZen and Equinox, both in Washington DC. The challenge with restaurants for us is always finding great chefs who will cook a vegan/vegetarian meal for us. Both restaurants made an effort but we weren’t blown away by either place. This got us talking about the best restaurants we’ve ever been to. Here’s what we picked:
1. Millennium, San Francisco CA
Known as the pinnacle of fine vegan dining, Millennium doesn’t disappoint. Everything from the decor to the cocktails to the food presentation impresses and the food is epic. It’s impossible to say what you should get there because you really can’t go wrong no matter what you choose.
2. Horizons, Philadelphia PA
It was tough to decide whether Horizons or Millennium deserved the number one slot. Both are worth going far out of your way to visit. The menu is seasonal so it changes often, but no matter the time of year, you’re sure to get something delectable and creative. We’re thankful to live only a 90 minute drive from this restaurant.
3. Saf, London, UK
This chef deserves extra credit for his creative use and presentation of raw ingredients. Despite being vegetarian, even we typically think of “raw” food as a little too hippy dippy for our taste. Saf will quickly rid you of that perception though, with such elegant presentation and unique flavor profiles you won’t even notice you’re eating an entirely raw meal. The cocktail menu is also just as innovative as the food. If there’s any doubt in your mind that this restaurant could be enjoyed by anyone, take the word of Harper’s Bazaar, they included Saf in their top 20 Going Out Guide in 2009.
4. Ubuntu, Napa, CA
This restaurant’s chef was selected as one of Food and Wine magazine’s best news chefs in America 2008, so he can hang with the best of them, despite cooking only vegetarian fare in his Michelin starred restaurant. Hands down some of the freshest and most beautiful ingredients you’ll ever get on a plate. If you’re anywhere in the northern California area, it’s worth it to trek out to this restaurant.
5. Inn At Weathersfield, Perkinsville, VT
I got married in Vermont and sadly, it’s less vegetarian-friendly than you might think. You can probably get a veggie burger or pasta in most places, but don’t expect anything remarkable. With one exception: Inn At Weathersfield stands out as a destination eatery and is one of the state’s best kept secrets. Chef Jason Tostrup can cook just about anything. We stumbled upon this romantic inn while in Vermont and asked if they could cook something vegan. We were blown away by Tostrup’s respect for the ingredients and delighted in dishes like his sorrel soup, raw beet “ravioli” and pineapple “carpaccio”. This is the only omnivore chef we’ve run across that can truly hang with experienced vegetarian chefs in terms of his creative use of vegetables.
6. Gobo, New York, NY
Fusion vegetarian eatery with an Asian flare, served in a clean modern setting. We discovered this restaurant during a weekend birthday celebration for an omnivore friend, who declared it the best meal she had all weekend in NYC.
7. Tempo Doeloe, Amsterdam
Decadently rich and exotic flavor profiles accompanied by an amazing wine list and impeccable service made for some of the most memorable eats on our last trip abroad. I can’t say enough good things about the rice table, other than you’ll spend months in the gym making up for it when you’re done. It’ll be well worth it though. Be sure to make a reservation, this is one of the most popular restaurants in town.
8. Fatty’s and Co., Los Angeles, CA
This gourmet vegetarian restaurant and wine bar will make you happy to eat your veggies. The sauteed black Tuscan kale with red onion confit is not to be missed, but make sure you save room for dessert, like the two layer chocolate bundt cake with chocolate ganache, toasted coconut and pecan frosting with creamy center. They even spin cotton candy on the premises. Fun!
9. Madeleine Bistro, Los Angeles, CA
Creative upscale vegan fare that will sate even the most ravenous omnivores. The portions are fairly generous and the selection is a vast and refreshing departure from the standard hummus wraps and vegetarian chili most places serve. Even brunch and deserts are made decadent with chocolate souffle and banana’s foster waffles.
10. Cafe Green, Washington, DC
This is a relatively new all vegetarian restaurant in the capital city, and owned by a popular veg lunch cafe called Java Green. Unlike its parent restaurant, Cafe Green serves dinner and has table service. The menu is 100% organic and vegan and includes a sizable selection of raw offerings.
Honorable mention should also go to our favorite local haunt, Liquid Earth, where you can get the world’s best vegan rueben and an assortment of freshly made soups, smoothies and juices.
Alrighty, where’s the best place you’ve ever eaten? It need not be vegetarian of course
Pardon my little hiatus earlier this week. I’ve been a bit busy with stuff at home and hadn’t had time to dig up fun finds for y’all. Sorries.
Any way, there were some rumblings around the interwebs about how Bros Icing Bros is exclusionary because the girls can’t play too. (Because girls want to play this stupid game?) Thankfully, lady lushes now have a game of their own: Girls Busching Girls (nice double entendre, ladies).
Ladies, will you be partaking? Which is actually more disgusting Smirnoff Ice or Busch? It’s kind of a toughie, no?
Apparently some scientists got together to figure out why some people like their vodka shaken and some like it stirred. Um, thanks, Science? How do scientists get funding for this kind of thing anyway? Isn’t there a cancer of some kind they could be working on curing?
Anyway, the Mr and Ms Wizards discovered that the preference between shaken and stirred has to do with slight differences in the vodkas’ molecular structure. Vodka’s made up of 2 things: water and ethanol. So researchers studied the chemical composition of 5 brands of vodka to see if the water-ethanol groupings always happen the same way.
The researchers found that some vodkas had a higher concentration a certain cage-like chemical structure, in which five or so molecules of water surround each ethanol molecule. They say that the shaking of a vodka martini may break up those cage structures, possibly affecting the taste of the drink.
Do we care? Not really. I’m still stuck on the fact that scientists got funding to research this. Are they scientists working for Stolichnaya? How do you like your martinis — shaken or stirred?
Best new time waster: SEOLOL. It lists the most absurd things people search for on Google.I am simultaneously amused and weeping for humanity. A few of the gems:
1. “Nice looking home made brass knuckles” Um, because you wouldn’t want your DIY brass knuckles to look tacky or clash with your outfit?
2. “How to steal copper pipes” Who is the crackhead writing this tutorial?
3. “Where’s that chapstick” Hmm, did you check under the couch cushions? Google knows a lot, it even knows where things are like ATMs and pizza joints, but I think you’re expecting a bit much if you want it to find your misplaced toiletries.
4. “magic spell to shut someone up” Man, if only. Hey, if you find it let me know. Maybe we can cast it on Glenn Beck?
5. “Learn street talk of Marijuana” Mom, are you on the Googles again?
6. “Learn how to do drugs?” If you need to Google this, perhaps substance abuse is not the extra-curricular activity for you.
7. “Best cat urine” Huh, so there is a good kind and a bad kind? I wonder what kind my cats are making. If it’s the best kind can I sell it? What is it best for any way?
8. “Unicorn bereavement” Rainbow Brite, is that you?
9. “Am I Bipolar or an Overachiever” Huh, now there’s a thinker. I am not sure what one has to do with the other but I am sort of curious as to where this conversation is going. Tell me more?
10. “Drug addict scholarships” Why not? Drug addicts love to make time for an education. Will there be a class on how to steal copper pipes?
I worked on some new illustrations over the weekend, both in the realm of word play and both featuring creepy characters. First up: Zombie Boyfriends Bite
I’m doing interviews with some of the awesome people who wear Ex-Boyfriend apparel and today we’re chatting with Melinda from Los Angeles, CA. You can see her to the left in her Man Walking Dinosaur t-shirt, which she recently rocked on her vacation to London. (You can also sometimes see her commenting around this blog )
Tell us about your pop culture guilty pleasures.
I claim not to own a TV. And technically, I don’t. But I religiously go to hulu.com on the computer for my weekly doses of “The Office”, “30 Rock” and “House”. Those are the shows I publicly admit to. But I also indulge in “Grey’s Anatomy”, and have even gotten sucked into its spinoff “Private Practice”. Don’t judge!
And, of course, occasionally I feed my inner narcissist and hit up www.melindafarrar.com… : )
What was the first job you ever had? My first official paycheck came from Cinemark Theaters–Lexington Green Movies 8, back in my hometown in Kentucky. I shoveled popcorn, sold movie tickets, and fielded daily complaints about the overpriced candy selection. I also learned that the first batch of popcorn popped in the mornings is mixed in with all the old popcorn left over from the night before. (keep that in mind the next time you hit a matinee…)
Beer, liquor or wine? I love wine– not only because of how delicious it is, but also because I love sipping a glass and then describing it. (a fruity innocence, earthy undertones, deceptively bold with hints of reluctance…) Although, I can also never go wrong with a whiskey & ginger ale.
If you could have a dinner party for any famous people, who would you invite? Tina Fey, Hugh Laurie, Jason Bateman, Paul F Tompkins, Zach Galifianakis, Thom Yorke and The Smothers Brothers. Next question!
Favorite place to visit? I’m a big fan of the UK. In fact, I was just in London a few weeks back. In fact, I believe you have photographic evidence of it. (I was so glad I brought some t-shirts. It was uncharacteristically hot and sunny the whole time we were there…)
What’s on your CD player or MP3 playlist right now? One of my favorite bands is The Clientele– A bunch of their stuff is currently in heavy rotation on my ipod in my car.
What would you do with one million dollars? Rent a decent studio space for printmaking, treat myself to weekly pilates classes and massages, buy all organic food and do a lot more traveling. I would also rent a big beach house somewhere and fly my father, sister, aunts/uncles and cousins out for a long weekend. I just realized that I didn’t say “quit my job”. Oh well, with all the traveling I’d be doing, I’d probably get fired anyway. Problem solved?
Most regrettable fashion decision you ever made? There’s a snapshot of me that exists from the early nineties where I am wearing loafers, tapered, high-waisted stone washed jeans, a giant oversized black Phantom of the Opera t-shirt (tucked in) and floppy blue denim hat (a la Blossom). And I think I have a perm. Does that answer that question?
What kind of tees do you hope we design next? I enjoy images of record players and old typewriters…
Keep on truckin’, Ex-Boyfriend!
If you want to show off your Ex-Boyfriend look on our blog and answer some interview questions I’d be much obliged. Just drop me a line. Be sure to send me your mailing address so I can send you a little thank you.
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