Dirt Candy

• Cuisine(s): New American, Vegetarian
  Hours: Tue-Wed 5:30pm-10pm, Thu-Sat 5:30pm-10:30pm
  Price: $$, $$$
• Payment Types: MasterCard, Visa
  Features: Vegetarian Friendly
  Serving: Breakfast, Dinner
• Alcohol: Beer, Wine
  Reservations: Accepted, Highly Recommended
  Parking: No Parking

Description

The room looks a Pinkberry crossed with a submarine. The jalapeño hush puppies are marvelously well fried, the fried trumpet mushrooms on the Greek salad look like onion rings, and the carrot risotto is a shocking shade of orange - like carrot distilled to its essence. It"s all a bit trippy, not the least because this is the only vegetarian restaurant we know that might demand a Lipitor prescription. Much of the food comes in shades as bold as tropical fishes or Michelle Obama's dresses, like a vividly verdant spinach soup. A buttery puddle of grits is augmented with sweet corn kernels, wilted watercress, and pickled shiitakes, garnished with huitlacoche purée and ricotta salata, and topped with a tempura-fried egg. Pierce the crunchy tempura coating and the egg gushes creamy yolk. We hope this is the future of vegetarian restaurants.