| Address | 1414 9th St., Washington, DC 20001 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (202) 232-4585 |
I'm utterly astonished that this dreadful place was voted DC's top vegetarian restaurant. Honestly, this was one of the worst restaurant experiences I've ever had, vegetarian or no. When we called for a reservation, we told we would have to wait until 9pm. When we arrived at 8:45, the place was virtually empty. We should have taken the hint, which was backed up by the Ikea-modernist decor. The hostess was surly. Having walked to the restaurant in 80F heat, we asked for water when we sat down, and were told that it cost a dollar. I wasn't aware that it was even legal to charge for a simple glass of water! Little did we know, this would be the theme of the night. The proprietors seem to believe that water is precious and that, despite having to pay for it, customers should be given as little of it as possible. The waitress would only fill our glasses half-way, and then would disappear. When she reappeared, we would ask for more water, and the same thing would be repeated, with her grumbling that "you guys drink so much water." I had always thought that a central tenet of good service was not to comment on what, and particularly how much, people order. In any case, it's WATER! Sadly the food did nothing to win us over. For the most part it was bland, came in incredibly meager portions and was scandalously over-priced. The cheese plate ($10) had three half-ounce slivers of cheese. We didn't have any of the 'small plates', but I can only imagine that they come on saucers, because the 'large plates' were smaller than the appetizers at most restaurants. I'm all for portion control, but $15 for a CUP of risotto? That tastes like rice pudding covered in gravy? The same amount for three small pieces of fried tofu, a small amount of mashed sweet potato and some beets? Still, they did make the effort to make the food presentation match the decor -- large odd rhombus-like plates with tiny mounds of food in the middle, with diagonal drizzles of balsamic dressing. Apparently at Vegetate it's always 1991.
The desserts were ever so slightly better in execution and value, but the strawberry pie baked "from the chef's grandma's recipe" was nothing special. Our waitress, finally, steadfastly ignored us when we tried to pay; when we finally got to that point and asked for change, once she realized that she wasn't going to get a large tip (and why should she, having been mean and rude when she wasn't being inattentive?) she slammed the change on the table and stormed off. The hostesses didn't acknowledge us as we left (and it's not a big place -- we were perhaps two feet from them), although one waiter did hold the door open for us. It was the highlight of the meal.
All in all, a pretentious, stingy little nightmare that gives vegetarian restaurants -- hell, DC restaurants -- a bad name.
I’ve eaten at many a converted row house restaurant in my day, but none of them suffered from quite the cafeteria-like din of Vegetate. By the time the fourth table of two was seated, I had to practically shout to be heard over the other patrons. For exceptional food, I could have overlooked the noise level, but instead the food reminded me all too much of the disappointing attempts at haut cuisine that come out of my own kitchen. While the sun dried tomato tampanade on the crispy risotto cakes was tasty, the cakes themselves were less like risotto than rice balls that somehow managed to be both glutinous and undercooked to the point of crunchiness. The grilled baby romaine salad had fewer leaves that the dying ficus in my windowless office and while I’m all for reasonable portions, for $8, I expect to get more than three pieces of lettuce cowering at the bottom of a mixing-sized bowl. Moving on the main course, the pan seared gnocchi had an oddly burnt flavor, but at least it did have flavor – unlike the cashew cream sauce which was plain to the point of flavorlessness and which might have been more successful presented as a vegetarian gravy. Despite this disappointing meal, I for some reason, decided to soldier on to the dessert course, hoping that a molasses cookie ice cream sandwich would salvage the day. Thinking that orange sorbet would be odd with molasses cookies, I traded it in for the Tahitian vanilla gelato. When the miniature ice cream sandwich arrived at my table, I was, foolishly surprised to discover that it too was hardly a culinary treat. The “gelato” could have easily been scooped from the tubs of Bryers sold at the Giant across the street. The cookies, while pleasantly chewy, possessed a flavor so subtle as to be almost unnoticeable. What the meal lacked in flavor though, it made up in price – made all the more steep by my acceptance of our waiter’s offer to “refresh” my lemonade. “Refresh” being code, apparently, for “sell you another”. I had been so excited to find a hip new vegetarian restaurant in DC; I’m afraid I shall be just as happy to lose it again.
My experience at vegetate was so bad that I was composing this review in my head the whole time I was there. I would have liked to have spoken to my boyfriend (we went for our 15th month-a-versary) but the (bad) music was so loud that we couldn't have a conversation.
I have been dreaming of my first meal at vegetate for months now, but i had heard that it was still working out its kinks, so I waited, and waited, until tonight.
We ordered the "risotto croquettes with basil and arugula pesto" (ten dollars) for an appetizer, which was literally less than one half cup of food in total. The risotto was deep fried and had zero flavor except for fried-ness. The "pesto" consisted of tiny dabs of green stuff on the plate which we could barely taste. There were three ping-pong sized balls of this fried, bland risotto - altogether extremely unsatisfying. It also took about 20 minutes for this to arrive, although the place was empty except for two other parties.
I ordered the "crispy tofu with mushroom consomme and kale," which consisted of a tiny bowl full of hot soy sauce with a piece of soggy, tasteless tofu in the middle. There were a few tiny slivers of kale and mushroom floating around in the broth. It was absolutely horrible, extremely salty, and TINY! That was 14 dollars.
My boyfriend ordered the "cashew cream sauce gnocchi," which, as the most expensive entree on the menu, came in the same tiny bowl as my mushroom soup. The gnochii actually had a pleasant taste but I have never eaten such chewy gnochhi in my life. They texture seemed microwaved. The flavor, however, was quite good. 16 dollars for a tiny entree.
Our food took forever to come, the music was so loud we couldn't chat, our waitress was unattentive, and now I find out from other reviews that we were supposed to have gotten pickled green beans as a little teaser (they gave them to some other guy there, but not us).
Our two miniscule entrees and one miniature appetizer cost $50. All three were very unsatisfying.
My boyfriend and I are the exact demographic vegetate needs - young, vegetarian/vegan, and we eat out a lot. I was hoping that vegetate would get its act together because I have a soft spot in my heart for local vegetarian restaurants, but vegetarians in DC don't need bad, expensive food. We're not planning to return.
Order a few things. You'll like 1-2 of them and think the others were okay. The restaurant is hidden in the middle of a block, not really standing out as a restaurant neighborhood - must be cheap rent because it's not the location. The pickled string beans were a nice touch but I was amused by the elementary school style cutlery - thin, cheap, and short. Perhaps another bargain? The bean/squash appetizer had the consistency of baby food - puree one but not both please. The mini vegetarian burgers were fine but three different flavors would have been more exciting - take advantage of the design to up the flavor possibilities. And look out for the stretch hummer tiara/boa birthday party upstairs - not unpleasant or anything, but unexpected given the target audience.
Mike DeBonis, CityPaper reviewer hit it on the head with his Vegetate review. My two cents is that by and large the offerings are intellectually stimulating and occasionally great. The zuccini and white bean entre on July 30 was the clear winner for our party of 5. The appetizers all appear to be very good. And there will never be a vote against the fries. The decor is minimilist and just right. The house juice drinks are very good, especially the ginger (and orange juice). The watermelon and habanero peper soup absolutely terrific and so refreshing. So there's lots to like here. On the other hand, you're not dying to go back for that food you can't do without. Everything is very well done but the let's do it again feeling wasn't there. Minority report: one of our party, a 30 year old did want to do it again.
May Vegetate find lots of those customers.
This is a strange contrast to the surrounding neighborhood--and maybe even trying a little too hard. The food was trendy vegetarian fare though not necessarily as good as the reputation they were trying to build for it. Lots of "interesting" dishes.
The spare, artsy ambience was inviting to us for a Sunday brunch, but it went astray right after sitting down. We were not allowed to sit upstairs, though the place was empty. The menus were presented disinterestedly. Three food orders came out soon, the fourth order came out five minutes later, after asking two different employees about where it might be. The overall cost was at least double what it should have been, and we all left hungry.
I have been waiting years for a restaurant like this to open in the DC area. As an upscale (in a funky way), gourmet non-ethnic vegetarian restaurant, it's the only place of it's kind in DC. I was there for a Saturday night dinner. I LOVED that the waitress asked if we were vegan (we aren't). Come on, in what other restaurant in this entire area will you hear that question? The interior of the restaurant is lovely -- funky, interesting art and flickering candles on the tables. It's a great date restaurant. I ordered the jerked tempeh. It has a good flavor and a nice, lime-coconuty sauce. The sauce not resemble a jerk sauce though and wasn't spicy. The accompanying Sweet Potato Latke was simply wonderful and I could have eaten a whole plate of them. It was sweet, flavorful, and crispy. The greens were flavorful as well. My date ordered the butternut squash lasagna, which I highly recommend and will get on my next visit. For dessert, the chocolate tart was rich and tasty and came with a bit of cherry sauce. DC really needed a place like Vegetate and I will definitely be back for dinner and for brunch. The menu is small, so for vegetarians like me who will return, it would be nice to see some additional specials to broaden the options.
From the first I heard of Vegetate, I was quite eager for it to open. As a vegan, I prefer to support vegetarian places. When the place finally opened in mid-October, I was thrilled, but my first chance to visit the location was roughly a couple of weeks after their opening. I must say the restaurant is beautiful. Our large party was led to the dimly-lit private dining room on the third floor.
I had heard that a couple of dishes marked Vegan had honey, but it was very easy to get around it. What was not so easy to get around was the fact that the Sweet Potato Latkes that accompany the Jerked Tempeh, a dish marked vegan, contain eggs. I ordered the Vegetate Sliders, two mini burgers with fries, and my boyfriend ordered the tempeh (he's vegetarian, not vegan). Some friends ordered the tofu. One person in our party ordered the Creamy Onion Soup and a side of bok choy.
The general consensus around the table was that the food was rather bland. I normally love tempeh, and the texture was fine, but the sauce flavoring it did not convey "jerk" to me. The sliders could have used a little bit of a "kick" to it, and although the fries were nice, I think cutting the fries by half and adding a mini salad would greatly enhance the dish. Many of us ordered dessert. Those who ordered the Peanut Butter and Jelly gave it a thumbs-down, but the Dark Chocolate Mint Torte was delightfully rich and chocolatey.
Vegetate has a few kinks to work out, but hopefully, they can do so and become a place for conventioneers and veg*ans alike to enjoy a lovely meal.
After dining at Greens in San Francisco a few years ago, I realized that Washington lacks an American-themed, upscale vegetarian restaurant. I am not a vegetarian, but I don’t eat red meat, never buy any meat products to eat at home, and am more likely than not to order vegetarian dishes when I’m eating out, largely for health reasons. And don’t get me wrong; I am not of the “victimized vegetarian” crowd; I recognize that vegetarians can subsist just fine in this city, and not just at ethnic restaurants. Heck, even Capital Q BBQ has barbecue portabella mushrooms on their menu. But what the city was in need of was a strictly vegetarian restaurant that qualified as fine dining and did not rely on an ethnic menu. With that in mind, I had very high hopes, with concomitant apprehensions, for Vegetate when I went there for dinner last night, less than a month after it opened.
My hopes were borne out, and my apprehensions went unfulfilled. Before discussing the food, however, both the location and decor of Vegetate are worth a few words. This is, for the time being, a destination restaurant. Very few of the target clientele for this restaurant will just happen to meander by the 1400 block of 9th St. NW around dinnertime on any given evening. If you consider U St. a “neighborhood in transition” (or, as my father still calls it, “the riot corridor”), then this block of 9th St. may raise your eyebrow. But it’s really not a “bad” area in the sense of crime or feeling out of place. It is, in fact, only a block or two north of the new convention center. The area, though, is still clearly less than vital; many of the buildings are run-down, and some of the stores are either closed or saw their hey-day a few decades ago. Vegetate seemed like the only spark of life on its entire side of the block.
I near-guarantee that you will like the interior of the restaurant. Like Tabaq Bistro, the restaurant is housed in an old town home that has been completely gutted and remade. Upon entering, you will find a small dining room with no more than a dozen small tables. There is attractive, edgy artwork on the wall. (I didn’t notice until after dinner that the pretty lady in the St. Pauli Girl painting was of a different skin tone than any St. Pauli Girl poster I’ve ever seen.) The tables are some sort of dark wood, and the floor is a blondish-orange, buffed wood. Each table has a small candle on it. This is a place for a date or for a casual meal in jeans. The second floor finds a few more tables, including one appropriate for a medium-sized party, and a beautiful, polished metal bar. Behind that area is a room with a small DJ booth that will surely be a great lounge once Vegetate’s liquor license comes through. And you will definitely find me out on the back patio next summer. The top floor is smaller, and contains the restaurant’s private dining room, with an attractive long, rectangular table that can seat fourteen people.
I have to address the music. As you may have read, one of the owners, Dominic Redd, is also a DJ who goes by the handle DJ Dredd (get it?). I spoke with him after the meal, and I had to compliment him on the mix CD that played throughout dinner. I heard Kid Loco, Tricky, Massive Attack, and Esthero. Perfect for the restaurant’s ambiance.
On to the food. One can tell that he or she is not at a steakhouse when, instead of a breadbasket and cup of butter, the first thing brought to the table is a thin glass filled with tangy, pickled green beans. If you like green beans, you’ll have a hard time stopping yourself from eating the whole glass.
Vegetate’s dinner menu is not expansive; it consists of seven appetizers (“Small Plates”), five entrees (“Large Plates”), and five sides. No specials were noted by the waiter.
(As an aside, I should note that I questioned Mr. Redd about how the “creamy” onion soup and the aioli drizzled on the grilled vegetables could be vegan, as they are labeled on the menu. He explained that the chef substitutes ultra-puréed potatoes for cream in the soup and uses a combination of soy, avocado, and other products to generate an egg-less aioli sauce. Aioli is normally a mayonnaise-based condiment.)
The waiter was friendly, and I appreciated that he asked whether either my friend or I were vegans. (Neither of us is.) We ordered two small plates and two large plates to split. This may seem like a lot, but one of the things I’d read before visiting Vegetate was that the servings were small. Further, I wanted to try nearly everything on the menu, so I actually felt that I was showing restraint with our order.
The corn zucchini beignets were exactly what they should have been: warm, hearty, slightly sweet, and served with a light coating of sugar. The presentation, a small brown paper bag with its edges folded down, was memorable, and the tomato creole sauce was good enough that I almost asked for an extra side of it. The order of grilled vegetables was not, as I had read, undersized. They came in a medium-sized bowl, nicely grilled without too much charring, with the aforementioned aioli sauce on top. The mixture of veggies was nice (I’m a sucker for sweet potatoes), and I appreciated the thin, crunchy toast that accompanied them.
The large plates we ordered were the sesame-crusted tofu and the jerked tempeh. My friend thought very highly of the tofu, presented as two large, long pieces with a golden brown crust and tender center. I also liked the tofu a lot, and that is almost certainly what I would get if I were to return to dine alone. The menu says that the tofu comes with potato salad, but the potatoes struck me as more akin to home fries (and they were excellent). I don’t remember trying the bok choy, so I’ll refrain from commenting on it.
The jerked tempeh went over just fine with me, but my friend did not like it. To be fair, however, tempeh is somewhat of a polarizing food. You either like it or you don’t. It’s a soy product, but it has a much firmer, thicker texture than tofu, and a much more distinct, almost nutty flavor, whereas tofu is largely flavorless and just takes in the flavor of its preparation. The tempeh at Vegetate comes out almost like sliced meatloaf, and had a slightly barbecued flavor.
Tempeh is also never going to be as moist as tofu, so it needs to be served with some sort of sauce. The coconut jerk sauce the tempeh comes with is an eye-catching orange. It is creamy and tasty, but while it may be a “jerk” sauce in a technical sense, do not expect any sort of spiciness; the coconut is the dominant flavor, so the cream strays more to the sweet side of the spectrum. As I said, I liked it, my companion did not.
What we both loved was the sweet potato latke. It was big, perfectly fried (not too much oil, not undercooked), and had a crisp exterior. The “greens” listed on the menu were, I think, collard greens, and it was nice to not have to worry about the greens having been cooked in lard or having bacon bits in them.
You will pay for the fine, rare food and hip-yet-classy atmosphere. Despite drinking only water, the tab (with tip) for two appetizers and two entrees came to just under $65.00. That said, it is possible for one person to order an appetizer, entree, and cup of coffee afterwards for less than $20 (without tip), so just read the prices and order according to your budget.
I cannot comment on the drinks at Vegetate, as its liquor license has been held up. It will probably, however, have its liquor license by the end of the month. And I have not yet had a chance to sample the brunch menu, though items such as tofu blueberry blintzes and chocolate French toast virtually guarantee I’ll be there for brunch on some Saturday or Sunday morning.
I am absolutely going back to Vegetate. I like its look. I like its feel. I like its attitude. And, man, I like its food.
Vegetate is brand-new, and I am sure they will work out some kinks. We both got the caesar salads. They were good, but the dressing (I think) is supposed to be mixed with the lettuce in a bowl and then put on a plate, so you cover all the lettuce. In this case it was drizzled over the top, and there wasn't enough of it. But I ate it (I did not ask for more dressing- I should have). We both got the sesame-crusted tofu, which was awesome. It is served on a bed of greens and potatoes, and was just really good. For dessert, I got the Vegetate Peanut Butter & Jelly, which is a coconut and peanut bread pudding. It was very strange, but very addictive. It contains whole peanuts, and it looks like a big wedge of macaroni and cheese. My partner got the Minted Dark Chocolate Torte, which was very good as well. We have since been back for brunch. I give Vegetate an 8 out of 10. I would like to see larger portions, and hopefully soon they can get their liquor license!
