WaPo Loves Vegetate's Cashew Cream Sauce

Erin Hartigan's regular WaPo feature "Worth the Trip" features Vegetate's Cashew Cream Sauce in today's edition. I've touted the life changing nature of the nutty, vegan delicousness before, so I fully concur with Erin's report (of note, she says "Even the most discerning dairy aficionado will walk away proclaiming, 'I can't believe it's not milk and butter.'").

Restaurant Week is ongoing at Vegetate, and it's not too late to make a reservation! If restaurant week isn't your bag, Vegatate's lounge is open. Stop on by their bar to enjoy a few dishes from the regular menu and to check out their amazing summer drinks.


Vegetate
1414 9th Street, NW
202.232.4585



Thanks to my friend Metrocurean for the tip!

Restaurant Week(s) at 1905

1905 is once again participating in Restaurant Week starting today (Tuesday, August 16) through Saturday (August 20)! For those of you unfamiliar with Restaurant Week, it is a twice-a-year event during which restaurants offer special multi-course menus for $35.11 (does not include tax and gratuity). 1905 has extended Restaurant Week next week also (August 23 - 27) in case you are not able to make it in this week.


Below is the special menu that Chef Matt put together. Some of the items are from 1905's existing menu, while others have been created just for Restaurant Week.

First Course Choices

Virginia Meatballs Locally raised beef and lamb, in a lingonberry and Virginia red wine sauce

Virginia beefsteak tomato salad topped with white bean skordalia, and fresh oregano vinaigrette (v)

Norfolk cream of crab soup

Second Course Choices

Wild Caught Rockfish pan seared and finished with garlic, lemon, dill butter and sambuca, with minted orzo salad and grilled radicchio

Chimichurri chicken breast grilled over hickory chips, served with radish-dill Danish potato salad, and cider vinegar pork fried bok choy

Spanakopita ~ Greek feta baked in phyllo with spinach and ricotta, served with heirloom bean and red onion salad in parsley vinaigrette (v)

Beef Short Rib Milanese ~ braised in a rich tomato gravy served with saffron risotto and a gremolata garnish

Third Course Choices

Chocolate bread pudding

Apple shortcake fresh apples in homemade cinnamon-cashew butter over shortcake

Please note that if you would like a reservation between 8PM and 9:30PM any night, you must call the restaurant because they do not accept online reservations via OpenTable during peak hours. They also require a credit card number for all Restaurant Week reservations to encourage honest reservation making habits.


1905
1905 Ninth Street, Northwest, 2nd Floor
202.332.1905

Restaurant Week at Vegetate

Summer 2007 Restaurant Week is upon us, and our very own Vegetate is taking reservations for the event (dinner Tuesday, August 7 through Saturday, August 11th). Limited space remains, so be sure to reserve ASAP. The third floor private dining room can be reserved for large parties of up to 14 people.

Vegetate's restaurant week menu is three courses for $30.07/per person (only the restaurant week menu will be offered during Restaurant Week):

First Course (choose one):
a) Spiced Mushroom Walnut Pate with braised and grilled cabbage & truffle oil;
b)Heirloom Tomato and Baby Fennel Ceviche with cumin roasted blue potatoes;
c) Trio of Grilled Summer Melon with housemade green curry, basil & pepitas

Second Course (choose one):
a) Roasted Corn, Avocado and Black Beans on a corn grit crust with herb salad & chipotle oil;
b)Saute of Summer Squashes and Asian Greens in a cashew cream sauce with edamame & sage
c) Sesame Crusted Quinoa and Wild Rice Cakes with shiitake mushroom ragout & wilted greens

Third Course (choose one)
a) Bergamot Basil Coconut Bars with sesame & gelato;
b) Dark Chocolate Torte with ancho chiles, coriander oil & gingered peach sorbet;
c) Blue Corn Biscuit and Seasonal Fruit with rosemary cardamom infused coconut milk

Vegetate will also offer a wine pairing menu (speaking of their wines... I recently tasted their Avondale Cabernet Rose and their Gramona Cava (sparkling wine), both of which are delicious summer treats currently featured on their wine menu).

Vegetate
1414 9th Street, NW
202.232.4585

Vegetate Leaving 1414 Ninth

The depressing news has hit the Shaw blogosphere that my friends Jennifer and Dominic Redd are closing the current location of Vegetate. Their lease term ends next month, but in order to allow time to move out, they will only be in business for the remainder of this month. They are currently looking for a new location, and we all collectively wish them the absolute best (and hope they stay nearby!).

Vegetate has been very good to and for our neighborhood. I've written about them a lot -- praising their delicious cocktails (RIP Vegetate's Spicy Thai Bloody Mary, Ninth Street Iced Tea, etc.), amazing food (from their mouthwatering curried butternut squash soup to their cashew cream sauce to their risotto croquettes) and awesome atmosphere (DJ Dredd spinning in the dimly lit upstairs). They've added a draw and a cache to Ninth Street that will be impossible to replace. I loved walking by Vegetate en route home from work and waiving at familiar faces working and dining inside.

Although Vegetate is irreplaceable, here's to hoping another unique and cool restaurant soon occupies 1414 Ninth Street. Fortunately no one else will have to endure the struggle Vegetate did to obtain a liquor license now that the law has changed.

Image courtesy of Washingtonian Magazine.

Spring Has Sprung at Vegetate

Vegetate's third Spring has sprung and they're looking forward to a great selection of fruits and vegetables from local and regional farms. On their "Early Spring Menu" now are many beautiful greens, micro greens and herbs from Path Valley and Tuscarora. And just in… asparagus, spinach and collards from Clagett Farm.* You should also check out their many new menu items, like edamame with smoked sea salt, spring onion soup with coconut milk, and Risotto with seasonal vegetables and cashew cream. Their fantastic new cocktails include a Thai Basil Gimlet, and interesting drinks made from their house-infused vodkas like a Chai White Russian. YUM. YUM. YUM.

Speaking of Vegetate, mark your calendars for an art opening there next Thursday, April 24, 2008. This is Vegetate's third art opening and will feature paintings by local artist Judith Peck and photographs by Washington, DC artist Ken Ashton. The opening reception will take place from 5-6:30pm (at which time their regular dinner service will begin) with light refreshments. All are invited for this exciting first look at Judith and Ken’s evocative and thought-provoking artwork.

A few Vegetate deals to take note of include their fixed priced dinners every Tuesday through Friday from 6-7 pm (3 courses for $25); happy hour every Tuesday through Friday from 6-8pm (drink specials on select beer, wine and cocktails and Vegetate Burgers are $3).

Finally, you can now easily make a reservation using their online reservation system.


Vegetate
1414 9th Street, NW
202.232.4585



*This is Vegetate's second consecutive year of working with Clagett Farm. In doing so, Vegetate gets delicious vegetables and supports the work that Clagett Farm does for the environment and for lower income families in the area. Check out Clagett Farm's Website to learn more about From the Ground Up ("FGU"), a joint effort with the Capital Area Food Bank and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to bring nutritious, fresh produce to communities of all income levels throughout the DC area.

A Variety of Topics for Your Reading Pleasure

I forgot all about last night’s ANC2c meeting; hopefully you were a better citizen than me and made it. Here is a full length video of the somewhat uneventful gathering. Commentary available here also. There will be no August ANC2c meeting.

The power was out at renewshaw.com headquarters from 7pm until about 4am last night. Candles, a flashlight, a gas grill, and a respite in the lounge at Vegetate made the evening slightly more bearable.

There’s a new Shaw website: Shawington.com. It is basically a live feed of all of the Shaw area blogs, a one-stop-shop for the latest posts. It eliminates the need to check every Shaw blog every five minutes to see if something new has posted. If you’d like to leave a comment about a particular story, you just click on the link to be directed to the original blog post. It’s a great idea.

VegDC’s online poll garnered Vegetate the rank of third best vegetarian restaurant in DC and in the DC region. Taking the title of first and second best in D.C. and the region are Java Green and Sticky Fingers Bakery respectively (both are great places, but I still stand by my vote for Vegetate). Third place in D.C. and overall is not bad and reflects that many people adore our very own culinary jewel. I’m consistently shocked to find that so many people have never even heard of Vegetate. Vegetate’s menu constantly changes to reflect the seasonal availability of produce, and their new chef is making her mark on their delicious offerings. Currently, my “must have” dishes at Vegetate are the risotto croquettes (trust me, you’ve GOT to try these!), the summer squash in cashew cream sauce, and fava bean pate. And the 9th Street Iced Tea is a *delicious* cocktail.

And finally (drum roll…) Nellie’s Sports Bar’s official opening date is set for July 16, 2007, for the Nationals Night OUT Celebration.