a vege-addict gets her fix in nyc

"made of a little more than water & sunlight, vegetables are candy from the dirt."

dirt candy, a teeny restaurant that sprouted up in the east village last october, is definitely blossoming with it's delectable assortment of sophisticated cuisine for the herbivores among us. their signature dishes include a surprising portobello mousse & some stone ground grits. in addition to their menu, they also offer a variety of wines which are even offered in half glass portions for the recessionista - or if you want to do your own little tasting, starting at only $3/glass!

& definitely don't feel ashamed of not knowing all of the produce on the menu (kristen, our server, was super helpful in explaining) because even i haven't heard of some of the veggies on the menu & have prided myself on my plant knowledge [read: a rather humbling as well as amazing experience since chef amanda cohen really knows her peas & cubes, sure to please any palette, even if you consider yourself a member of the anti-green stuff, meat eaters club].

the deliciousness that i tasted (don't judge, i was sharing!):

• jalepeno hush puppies with maple butter - no words, just drooling thinking about them.
• portobello mousse with fennel pear compote
• golden beet papardelle with yogurt, pistachios & honey - still a little confused about what it all meant - other than yummy.
• asparagus paella with artichokes, morels & saffron tomato broth - i love me some paella, & this really hit the spot - especially the crispy rice top which gave a great crackling effect upon first forkful.
• zucchini ginger cake with cream cheese ice cream - i couldn't put my spoon down & just kept reminding myself - 'at least there was no evidence left behind.'
• popcorn pudding with hazelnut caramel corn - the most indulgent version of popcorn i have tried to date.

all in all, dirt candy offers a refreshingly new & memorable take on vegetarian cuisine! hungry yet?

(ps - all dishes can be made to accomodate the vegan diet!)