So this is what happens when I write a review 7 days afterwards...I kind of forget what I ate there! That doesn't mean that I thought the food was bad, it just means I'm getting old and need to write these things more quickly. So apologies for the short and not to informative review, but do know that this place is worth checking out even if it may not sound like it.
The trend of veggie friendly restaurants continues! Avant Garden is the latest popular restaurant who has an all veggie and mostly vegan friendly menu. Although they recently switched chefs, it doesn't seem like the food has really suffered in quality. I was able to snag a reservation on a Sunday night with Lav. The space is warm and inviting and a lot of the space is taken up by a large low counter which doubles as seating and the open kitchen. If you get a seat here, you are actively engaging with the chefs, which is pretty neat. The menu is broken up into Toast, Cold and Hot - all fairly self-explanatory sections. We opted to try the Carrot toast ($12), a cold dish that I can't remember now, a spring pea pasta like dish and the cauliflower ($18). While I'm not a huge fan of carrots, the harrisa flavored carrots here were flavorful and delicious. It also came with whipped tofu, apple and tarragon on it. The bread was solid - crunchy and soft at the same time. Definitely a tasty mouthful. Sadly I can't really remember the next 2 dishes although I do recall the spring pea dish tasting exactly like spring time in my mouth. The cauliflower dish was served with spinach, oyster mushrooms, dates and Vadouvan (which is a French spice). I forget how "meaty" cauliflower can be and how under appreciated it is as a solid vegetable dish. While I don't think there was anything super creative about the way the cauliflower was cooked or plated, it was very enjoyable.
Unfortunately, I didn't really do justice to this review - it really lacks the detail and love it deserves. For a vegetarian place, the food was innovative and creative - showing once more that you can do a lot with food that isn't meat or seafood based. My one gripe is that the portions were a bit on the small side, so definitely order at least 5 dishes or more if you are hungry. The waitstaff and chef at the counter were really nice and helpful which added to the pleasant experience. Total bill: $40/pp with tax and tip
Photo Credit: Yelp
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