WASHINGTON 鈥� When guests walk into , one of Philadelphia鈥檚 most acclaimed restaurants, they are welcomed by an impressive wine list, an innovative cocktail program and an elegant food menu.
But sometimes chef and owner Richard Landau thinks diners need to be greeted by a psychologist as well.
鈥淪ome people are so scarred by their childhood memories of vegetables, that they just won鈥檛 open their minds to try something new,鈥� says Landau, a 2015 James Beard finalist for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic.
He says all too often people associate vegetables with microwaved broccoli and canned green beans.
鈥淥ur Brussels sprouts were boiled for us and our cauliflower came out of a bag 鈥� and we were never really told that they were good. We were only told that they were good for us,鈥� he says.
Landau sees it as his job to change those perceptions.
In 2011, he opened Vedge, a vegetable-focused fine dining restaurant, with his wife and partner Kate Jacoby. The menu features comforting snacks such as rutabaga fondue with soft pretzels and pickles, and fresh takes on refined classics like portabella carpaccio and cauliflower socca.
鈥淏asically we鈥檙e giving the same treatment to vegetables that鈥檚 traditionally only done for meat,鈥� he says, mentioning the use of time-honored techniques, such as spicing, curing, smoking, pickling and roasting.
And it鈥檚 working.
To put it plainly, Vedge is a vegan restaurant. Nothing on the menu is augmented with cream, butter or eggs, and Landau doesn鈥檛 pepper any dish 鈥� or cocktail 鈥� with bacon fat.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 cheat by using risotto or pasta,鈥� he adds. 鈥淲e鈥檙e just making great dishes out of purely vegetables.鈥�
But meat-eaters and vegetarians, alike, are flocking to the Center City restaurant for a bite of his beets 鈥� even in a food-obsessed town known for its cream-filled Italian pastries, piled-high hoagies and yes, cheesesteaks.
Landau isn鈥檛 the only chef experiencing success with a plant-based menu.
Todd Gray, chef and owner of D.C.鈥檚 Equinox, has long received praise for his and . Recently, Falls Church鈥檚 upscale announced it will debut a weekly eight-course vegetarian tasting menu beginning Oct. 5.
The key to making lettuce luxury, Landau says, is the preparation. And it takes time.
In an interview with , Landau says everything on the menu goes through a three or four-step process.
鈥淚t has always amazed that people could put so much effort into preparing animal proteins, and yet when it comes to a two-step process for vegetables, it seems such a burden,鈥� he says. 鈥淎ny food that鈥檚 prepared well and seasoned perfectly 鈥� can just get across to anybody.鈥�
And that鈥檚 often what he finds among his customers 鈥� even the most skeptical.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a well-prepared dish that satisfies people. They are loving these dishes because they鈥檙e not missing anything with them.鈥�
On Saturday, Oct. 3, Landau and Jacoby will be in D.C. for the annual , where they will demo their favorite dishes. They will also offer some pointers on how you can elevate vegetables in your kitchen and incorporate more plant-based meals into your family鈥檚 diet. (The couple says their family loves taco night and veggie-rich Asian noodle soups.)
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to find certain things that [the kids] enjoy,鈥� Jacoby says, admitting that it鈥檚 not always easy to steer the little ones away from pizza and macaroni and cheese. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about the culture of eating.鈥�
In their spare time, you might catch the couple scoping out some real estate around town. Jacoby, a Georgetown University graduate, says she and Landau are interested in opening a restaurant in D.C.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not sure when that will come together, but we thought [DC VegFest] would be a great opportunity to reach out to the vegetarian community down there,鈥� she says.
Landau says the event also gives them a platform to introduce vegetables in a whole new way.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a bit of an agenda to what we do: We鈥檙e out there to change people鈥檚 minds about the way they see food, and the way they see meat, really. And the end of that conversation is the way they see vegetables.鈥�
What:
When: Saturday, Oct. 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine
Where: Yards Park, the intersection of N Street SE and First Street SE (one block from the Navy Yard Metro station)
Highlights: The free event features more than 125 exhibitors sampling food and other products. Speakers include Farm Sanctuary co-founder Gene Baur, NFL player David Carter and Vedge owners Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby, among others. DC VegFest will also have a kid鈥檚 area and live music.
Korean Eggplant Tacos with Kimchi Mayo from听Richard Landau and听Kate Jacoby at Vedge听
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves two to four
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 2 teaspoons tamari
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 Japanese eggplants, peeled and julienned (substitute 1 Italian eggplant, peeled and seeded, if necessary)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 陆 cup vegan kimchi, drained, chopped fine
- 1 cup vegan mayo
- Four to six 6-inch flour tortillas
- 陆 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 陆 cup chopped scallions, white and light green parts only
Preheat the oven to 400掳F.
Make the glaze by whisking together the gochujang, tamari, vinegar and sugar in a large bowl.
In another large bowl, toss the eggplants in the sesame oil.
Heat a large saut茅 pan over high heat. It is important to get a nice sear on the eggplant, so start by arranging the strips in a thin layer across the bottom of the pan and letting them get crisp, about five minutes. You may need to do this in two or more batches depending on how large your pan is. Transfer the eggplant slices to the bowl of glaze as they are done.
Toss the crispy eggplant in the glaze, then transfer to a sheet pan. Roast until the glaze bakes onto the eggplant, being careful it doesn鈥檛 burn, five to seven minutes.
Meanwhile, fold the kimchi into the vegan mayo in a small bowl.
Warm the tortillas in the oven, directly on the rack, for about two minutes.
Assemble the tacos by spreading about 1 tablespoon of the kimchi mayo down the center of each tortilla. Top with a large spoonful of the roasted eggplant, dress with the cilantro and scallions, then serve.
Recipe from听Vedge: 100 Plates Large and Small That Redefine Vegetable Cooking, copyright 漏 Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby, 2013. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold.听
