Capital dining in D.C - vegetarian dining in Washington D.C

Vegetarian Times, March, 1997 by Amy O'Connor

Most of the nation has a negative impression of its capital. Tales of Washington, D.C.'s, woefully mismanaged government are leaking beyond the Beltway, while images of politicians and lobbyists snarfing down steaks on taxpayers' tab add little to the allure.

These portrayals are fair enough. But equally true is that Washington, D.C,. is one of the world's most glorious cities during the springtime, when blooming cherry trees perfume the air as petals swirl like pink confetti. But in a town where Porterhouse steaks trump Portobello mushrooms, does a vegetarian stand a chance? Absolutely, as a quick recap of the year's banner culinary event will prove. Each year, the consumer group Public Voice honors politicians who've gone beyond the call to support food safety and hunger causes. Called the Golden Carrot awards, this event is also a showcase for the Beltway's leading chefs, who furnish signature dishes destined to set next year's trends.

Vegetarians in attendance would have thought last year's event was catered especially for them. The sumptuous, visually spectacular offerings included an Asian vegetable noodle salad with tofu and a melange of late summer grilled vegetables from Restaurant Nora and Asia Nora; a roasted tomato and lima bean soup along with a Southern-style succotash with corn and lima beans served up by chefs at Morrison Clark restaurant and vegetable pot stickers and vegetarian sushi from the menu at the National Press Club.

Inspired by the evening's fabulous cuisine, I set off the next day in search of less elaborate vegetarian fare. I started at Fresh Field's cafe, a cheery, well-lit spot that's part of a chain of East Coast health food markets called Fresh Field's Whole Foods Markets. From there I wandered to the top of Massachusetts Avenue near Wisconsin Avenue. Strolling downhill, the 20-minute walk took me along Embassy Row, lined with stunning international embassies. Some, like the cubist green-glass Finnish embassy and the opaque black Brazilian embassy, are modem architectural landmarks. The more traditional British embassy has a life-sized statue of Winston Churchill waving out in front as well as a replica of a red phone booth.

Further along, a bridge took me across Rock Creek Park, a wooded oasis in the center of the city. Staying on Massachusetts Avenue, I eventually hit Dupont Circle, a favorite site for political protests and parades. I sat down on a park bench in the circle and appreciated that my tour hadn't been marred by strip malls, fast-food restaurants or large neon signs. For all its problems, the District of Columbia has tastefully kept these eyesores to a minimum.

Just north of Dupont Circle, I stopped in at Food for Thought, a restaurant that has been feeding Washington's culinary counterculture since 1973. A community bulletin board announces everything from rooms for rent to AIDS counseling, and an eclectic jukebox with tracks from Bonnie Raitt and Vivaldi. Not every dish is vegetarian, but meat is a mere token here; six of the nine dinner selections are marked with a "V" and everything is under $10. Lasagna, vegan burgers, soup and chili are reliable, but more imaginative dishes can be found on the appetizer menu, including cold vegan wontons, stuffed grape leaves and Mexican "pitazza." The 14-item sandwich menu includes a noteworthy vegan "turkey" almond salad and a tasty veggie Reuben. Quiches are creamy, hot and thoroughly delicious on a whole wheat crust. Stop by for open mike night on Monday and enjoy one of its vegan desserts and coffee.

Armed with a copy of the Vegetarian Resource Group's Guide to Natural Foods Restaurants (Avery Publishing Group, 1996), I went in search of more meatless fare. To my dismay, every one of the five vegetarian restaurants fisted in the guide had gone out of business. Health Zone, which I thought was a happening downtown natural foods restaurant, shut its doors one month after my visit. The lesson: call ahead in any unfamiliar city or risk going hungry.

"Being a vegetarian restaurant in Washington is very difficult," observes Carol Greenwood, a classically trained chef who opened her own place in 1995. Greenwood's is the downtown area's only fine dining restaurant that advertises itself as vegetarian, though the menu includes some fish. "I would love to be exclusively vegetarian, but the dining public here is very meat-oriented," she says. Greenwood's menu changes daily, but standards include a trio of vegetable dips, Pho, a vegan version of the Vietnamese noodle dish, and an incredibly rich, savory open-faced spinach ravioli with garlic mashed potatoes, smoked mozzarella cheese and wild mushrooms.

For entertaining, nothing beats Nora and Asia Nora, two of Washington's most elegant restaurants. Proprietor Nora Pouillon is a longtime advocate of organically grown food and a plant- and grain-based diet, though neither of her restaurants is vegetarian. The more formal Restaurant Nora serves ethnic-influenced American cuisine, with a selection of vegetarian appetizers and salads and at least one vegetarian item per night. Asia Nora is more intimate and not as dressy. Recent entrees included Grilled Vegetable Paella and black "hen of the woods" mushroom risotto with leek coulis, mixed greens, carrots and cauliflower. Nearly everything on the menu, including the wine, is organic. Produce is grown in an on-site garden, and the water is triple-purified with a customized filtration system.