Restaurants: Let's hear it for the V's

Two recent restaurant meals, both successes.

I may be the last person in the neighborhood who hadn't been to Vegetate, the vegetarian restaurant on 9th Street (just behind the Giant). I actually really like vegetables, but somehow it just seems like a restaurant should be have them in supporting roles, not as the main attraction. Also, I had heard sort of mixed reviews from people who had eaten there, so I hadn't been all that anxious to give it a try.

I'm glad to report that my qualms were baseless, and I really enjoyed the dinner. The dining rooms are handsome and stylish, but comfortable. The server was knowledgeable and ready for a little banter with our group, and showed none of the hipper- and holier-than-thou attitude I half expected. And the food was very good indeed.

For an appetizer I had a delicious creamy gratin of leeks and jerusalem artichokes. Don't know if it actually had dairy in it (Vegetate is ovolacto vegetarian, not vegan--though there are some vegan dishes), but it was so good that I would happily have made a meal of it had it been a little bigger. The main course was a kind of torte on a polenta base, with black beans and roasted sweet potatoes--also excellent. I particularly liked the spicy sauteed collards that accompanied it--would love to have the recipe. I also sampled someone else's potato gnocchi served with mushrooms and broccoli raab--very good as well.

Vegetate still doesn't have its liquor license, despite the "emergency legislation" passed by the DC council--so no alcoholic drinks are yet available. But I had the terrific homemade ginger ale, very fresh and spicy. The bar is ready when the license comes through--hopefully fairly soon--and they have a special event license for New Year's Eve.

I believe the bill for our group of five was about $130 (some had only appetizers), plus tip and without desserts. Definitely worth it. So if you have a lingering doubt about a vegetarian restaurant, get over it and check out Vegetate.

A bit further afield and higher up the price scale, we also recently tried out Viridian at 1515 14th Street (next to the Studio Theater) and had another very happy experience there. The restaurant is in a former Hudson car dealership (traces of its former life still visible if you look hard enough) and the dining room is a big elegant space decorated with enormous empty baroque frames on the wall. Be sure to check out the infinity of mirrors in the unisex restrooms.

Service was attentive and professional, but unpretentious and not too chummy. We were presented with an extremely minimalist "amuse bouche" consisting of two cherry tomatoes sliced in half and sprinkled with a little vinagrette and fresh oregano. I skipped the appetizers ("Sketches"), but got bites from my fellow diners and liked what I tasted. Unfortunately, I didn't get to sample much of the main dish ("Major Works") offerings since everyone in our party ordered the same one: a big juicy chunk of roasted pork loin sauced with a pear-pinot noir reduction. But we were all very pleased with our choice. The side dishes were also quite good: roasted mushrooms, wild rice with cranberries, and couscous with pistachios.

Nobody had room for dessert but we had French press coffees and tea, and left very content. The tab was about $200 for four, including tip and pre-dinner cocktails. They make a very decent martini.